Vinicunca Mountain, better known as the Mountain of Colors or the Rainbow Mountain in Cusco Peru, is one of the most impressive mountains of the Apu Ausangate. In fact, this impressive mountain is currently the second most visited tourist destination in Peru, after Machu Picchu.
Because Mountain of Colors, in fact, is due to the minerals present in the soil and the erosion of the sedimentary stones of its hills and slopes, it presents the shades of the rainbow. And for this reason, the magical Mountain of Seven Colors, despite its recent tourist promotion, has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in Peru and South America. For this reason, more and more intrepid travelers are reaching the top of this sacred mountain of the Incas.
Etymology
The original name of the Vinicunca Mountain or Mountain of Seven Colors was “Winikunca” a name originating from two Quechua words “Wini” and “Kunca”, each of the words has a meaning, “Wini” comes from “Wini rumi” “black stone” for the black stones that abound in the area and “Kunca” means Neck, and is used by the Quechua language to name a geographic pass.
Phonetic spelling of vinicunca
Vini-cun-ca
What is its original name? Vinicunca or winicunca?
It is said that the original name was Winicunca, whose pronunciation was modified by the use of the inhabitants to Vinicunca. However, upon seeing that the mountain has colors, the inhabitants and visitors began to know and call it as “Mountain of colors”, “Mountain of seven colors”, “Rainbow Mountain” or “Vinicunca Mountain”.
Location of the Mountain of 7 Colors
The Mountain of 7 Colors of Vinicunca is located in the Vilcanota mountain range, near the Ausangate snow-capped mountain, between the districts of Cusipata and Pitumarca, provinces of Quispicanchi and Canchis, Cusco region, south of Peru.
Its exact location is between the following coordinates:
Latitude: S 13°52’8.518»
Longitude: W 71°18’12.765»
Height of the hill of the 7 colors
The Apu Vinicunca is located at an altitude of 5200 meters above sea level (17060.37 feet), approximately.
Climate and Temperature of Vinicunca
Because it is located between the mountain ranges of the Peruvian Andes, the climate of the Mountain of 7 Colors is cold. And its average annual temperature varies between 7 and 12 °C. During the months of May, June and July, it is the coldest months in this place.
However, the weather on the Vinicunca mountain is variable. Since, during the months of December to March, the Mountain of 7 Colors presents abundant cloudiness and intense rains. On the other hand, during the months of the dry season (April to November) the climate on the mountain is frigid at night and sunny during the day. In addition, between the months of June and July there is also the presence of frost and snowfall.
Legend of the origin of vinicunca
According to history, in ancient times the Incas used to call some mountains “Apu” and attributed mystical powers to them. Most of these majestic hills were covered in snow, among them one of the most outstanding was Vinicunca, which is part of the Ausangate snow-capped mountain in the Vilcanota mountain range.
So, the Incas gave Vinicunca a masculine character, because it was considered that its foundations sprang from a masculine energy, the same that fertilized Pachamama. The district that hosts this natural wonder is Pitumarca, in the province of Canchis.
Currently, the inhabitants of the place consider Vinicunca to be a “sacred mountain”, so they perform rituals such as payment to the earth.
How did it become the most famous short tour?
To become the most famous short tour in Cusco, the support, information and service of the inhabitants of the area helped a lot. Some travel agencies that had already been offering the famous Trek to Ausangate, the highest snow-capped mountain in Cusco, joined this effort. A 4-day tour that used to pass by the famous mountain of 7 Colors on the way back. Like the rainbow mountain, there are others such as Pallay Punchu, Palccoyo and the Red Valley that are recently being explored from a tourist perspective.
Coloring of the Vinicunca mountain
The coloring of the 7-color hill, according to studies by the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco, is due to the following mineralogical composition:
The pink color is due to red clay, mudstones (mud) and arilitas (sand).
The whitish color is due to quartz sandstone and marl, rich in calcium carbonate.
The red is composed of claystones (iron) and clays belonging to the upper tertiary.
The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in ferromagnesian.
The earthy brown is the product of fanglomerate composed of rock with magnesium belonging to the quaternary era.
And the mustard yellow color is due to the presence of calcareous sandstones rich in sulfide minerals.
