I
arrived at the last stage of my journey between Peru and Bolivia and I must say
that, for such a sensational journey, there could be no better end.
I
begin by saying that what I am about to tell you were not foreseen in our
initial travel itinerary: the last day in Cusco before returning to Lima in
fact provided a quiet day of relaxation and shopping. The fact is that before
leaving, both I and one of my traveling companions, we had spotted a place that
seemed very beautiful, but which unfortunately did not fit in with the days at
our disposal.
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Once
we arrived in Cusco we discovered instead that, for the visit of this place, it
was no longer necessary 2-3 days but day excursions were organized. What we
were facing, however, was an early three o'clock morning with return around 7pm
in Cusco and, since it was the day after the visit to Machu Picchu, we feared that it could be a great effort. So indeed
it was, but none of us regretted the decision because today I know one thing:
going to Peru and not visiting the Vinicunca Mountan , also known as Montana de
Siete Colores or, again, rainbow mountain hike 2 days, is a mortal sin!
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I can
in fact assure you that it was one of the most exciting experiences I have had
in my travels and that the beauty of this place is truly indescribable. A
beauty that is necessary to earn, this is certain, because the trek that leads
to the top and to the wonderful view is not at all simple.
As I
said, the excursion can be arranged once you arrive in Cusco and can be done in
one day. Almost all agencies offer this possibility and the cost is around 100
soles per person (approximately € 30). The departure is scheduled for about
three in the morning and a journey of about three hours by bus is made. A break
is scheduled for breakfast and briefing in one of the houses of the farmers who
live in the valley.
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The
trek then leaves around eight in the morning and the starting point is around
4200 meters above sea level . And here is revealed the real difficulty: it is
not in fact about 1000 meters in altitude, also because the path alternates
steep climbs with flat road in which the legs find a little relief, but it is
the fact that all the trekking takes place between the 4000 and 5000 meters of
altitude , a factor that does not facilitate breathing.
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In
fact I admit that it was very tiring and that, if I did it, I owe it a lot to
the fact that by now it was about 20 days that I lived my days at such
altitudes, a factor that allowed my body to acclimatize me to face the effort.
The
fact remains that often the breath became labored and that, at a certain point,
the legs became very heavy and every meter traveled was a sort of conquest. The
guides accompanying this trek are equipped with oxygen masks in case someone
needs them and we have seen several people use them.
Not
all those who depart reach the summit also because, in order to be able to do
everything in one day, there is a maximum limit for ascent and descent which is
around 8 hours in total. We were able to reach the summit in about three hours
and more or less the same time to descend.
But
what is at the top and really worth the effort? The answer is absolutely yes,
it is worthwhile to grit your teeth because you are faced with a real spectacle
of nature . I admit, I cried once I got to the top! It is true, I am an
emotional person and faced with the beauty of nature I am even more vulnerable.
Ausangate trek to Rainbow mountain is in fact in all its magnificence only once it
reaches the top: sediments of stones and minerals of different colors have
created one of the most beautiful natural spectacles in the world, or a
mountain of seven different colors that alternate between them.
This
phenomenon, which would seem to be a work of man, is instead one of nature's
most successful masterpieces which, in this very place, still teaches us how it
can manifest itself in such a majestic and surprising way. For this reason,
National Geographic has included Vinicunca Mountain among the 100 places to
visit at least once in their life, and I couldn't agree more with them.
The panorama
on the summit is so surprising that we tend to forget that the entire trek is
done in a fantastic landscape composed of plateaus, streams, valleys populated
by llamas, alpacas and Andean sheep and that the mountains, even during the
route, they begin to reveal different colors. In short, to find the charge to
proceed, simply stop, take a breath and look around, realizing that you are
lucky enough to find yourself in a place of breathtaking beauty.
For
those who really should not feel like having a solution on foot, rent one of
the many horses that are downstream, or opt for the horse even for the climb or
for the descent.
I
have my opinion about it because I believe that part of the experience, which
will remain indelible in my memory, is precisely the fact that I earned that
magnetic view, that I struggled to reach the top, that I conquered the summit
with my legs. I am sure that I would have lost a part of magic if I had used an
easy way created specifically to make it a destination accessible to all
tourists.
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