Embark on an Andes trek and discover a show of beauty only Mother Nature could deliver. Vivid green valleys accented with crystal clear pools eternally reflect the sky above. Turquoise lagoons are made even more beautiful by the soaring glacial peaks that rise above them. Mountains striped with shades of lavender, gold, red-violet, and vibrant turquoise beckon to ambitious adventurers. Peru is a place blessed with immense natural beauty and abundant, amazing colors. In this blog post, we introduce you to two Andes treks that will bring you face-to-face with the cream of the crop of colorful mountain landscapes in Peru.
The Ausangate Trek to Vinicunca -“The Rainbow Mountain”
Quick Facts:
- Location: Cusco
- Duration: 5 days / 4 nights (Or opt for our shorter 2 day/1 night version)
- Trek Distance: 62 km / 38.5 miles
Named for the snow-clad peak that towers over the trail from start to finish, the Ausangate Trek is a wonder of sights and settings so surreal you’ll have more than a few “pinch me” moments to write home about. The capstone will surely be the arrival to Vinicunca or Rainbow Mountain as it’s come to be aptly nicknamed. The high-altitude trek up the 5,000-meter-tall mountain will immediately fall from your mind as you look out over a spine of rainbow-like colors stretching as far as the eye can see. How did this rainbow mountain form? Credit goes to the glacier that once covered the mineral-rich mountain and the sunlight that melted it. As the meltwater mixed with the various minerals, stripes of red, violet, yellow, and green appeared, creating what is quite possibly the most colorful mountain in Peru, if not the world.
The Huayhaush Trek
Quick Facts:
- Location: Huaraz
- Duration: 6 Days/5 Nights
- Trek Distance: 63 km / 39 miles
The Huayhaush Mountains are home to some of Peru’s most spectacular alpine scenes. Trekking them is challenging, but the breathtakingly close-up views of prickly peaks and nightly campsites nestled along the shores of glacier-fed turquoise lagoons serve as the fuel to keep you going. The entire route is above treeline, just to give you a sense of the altitude at which you’ll be climbing. Pass by raging rivers, sink your boots into snow-covered trails, and admire the colorful flora and fauna that call this high-altitude expanse home. The Huayhuash trek circuit is the epitome of adventure travel and on every outdoor enthusiast’s bucket list.
Which colorful Andes trek will you take on? Contact us for more information.
Your friendly Peru expert,
Gretchen