The Most Colorful Mountains In The World

When people think of mountains, they are only green and gray of the trees and rocks. But some mountains in the world have vibrant and bright colors like rainbows.

Charlotte Pho

December 12, 2021 | 06:38

From lush green coverings to multi-hued exteriors, these landforms draw in visitors with their vivid topography and colorful looks. Imagine taking a great photo without the need to turn on a filter, as the mountains alone are bright enough to catch your eyes and attention. The world is full of colorful destinations but it only takes one rainbow-colored mountain peak to have a person seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.

Top 6 Most Colorful Mountains In The World

1. Rainbow Mountain, Peru

Photo: MyBestPlace

The colors of this natural beauty are a result of the composition of minerals that have been deposited on mountain walls over the course of the millennia. Following the collision of the tectonic plates, a quantity of materials such as copper, iron, hematite, and sulfur overlapped to create the colorful mountain that we can admire today. This beautiful landscape was buried for a long time by a thick layer of ice and came to light only 40 years ago with rising temperatures when snow began to melt, uncovering a completely new landscape.

It is not surprising that Vinicunca is one of National Geographic’s 100 places to visit at least once in a lifetime. The uniqueness of this place lies not only in the breathtaking beauty of the landscape, but also in its priceless geological naturalistic value. Reaching the summit is quite difficult, the expected time of the route alternates with tiring climbs and is around 8 hours in total. The trek takes place between 4000 and 5000 meters above sea level and must be tackled exclusively with specialized guides since the lack of oxygen at high altitude can be very trying on the body.

2. Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona

Photo: Getty Images

This remote and unspoiled 280,000-acre monument is a geologic treasure with some of the most spectacular trails and views in the world. The monument contains many diverse landscapes, including the Paria Plateau, Vermilion Cliffs, Coyote Buttes, and Paria Canyon. The monument borders Kaibab National Forest to the west and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the east. The monument includes the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Elevations range from 3,100 to 7,100 feet. The monument is also home to a growing number of endangered California condors. Each year, condors hatched and raised in a captive breeding program are released in the monument. To visit the monument, you'll need extra planning and awareness of potential hazards. Most roads need a high clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle due to deep sand.

You can enjoy scenic views of towering cliffs and deep canyons. Paria Canyon offers an outstanding three- to five-day wilderness backpacking experience. People come from all over the world to see the colorful swirls of cross-bedded sandstone in Coyote Buttes. There are also opportunities to view wildlife, including California condors.

3. Zhangye National Geopark, China

Photo: iStock

The swirling orange, yellow, white, and brown lunar landscape of this national park is the result of sandstone and mineral deposits that have eroded into odd shapes over the course of millennia. Infrastructure was installed inside the park after it was named a national geopark in 2011, making it – for better or worse – very accessible to tourists. Wooden stairs and platforms allow visitors to reach the tops of the hills without damaging the delicate landscape and offer views over the colored strata.

There are five observation stops, reached by hop-on, hop-off tourist bus from either the west or north entrance; you can spend as long as you wish at each stop. Stop No 4 is the best-looking, with iridescent hills rolling off in a long panorama. Some advice: choose a clear day for your visit, otherwise it could be a bit of a let-down. The park opens early and shuts late for a reason: the best time to visit (and photograph) the landscape is at sunrise or sunset.

4. Serranias Del Hornocal, Argentina

Photo: Wikipedia

The Serrania del Hornocal is one of the wonders of the province of Jujuy, a limestone formation with different types of minerals being eroded stripped a symphony of colors on the mountainsides.

It is a landscape that calls be contemplated, to stand in front of him for a moment, or for a long time in which we would not feel hardly insignificant. In the viewpoint streaks color, triangular shapes in this particular rainbow some say, reaches the 33 shades are appreciated. It is an example of sedimentation layers, colors are formed by a limestone ranging from ocher, green, yellow, and even white.

These strata were underground for thousands of years, when the formation of the mountains did with his long process, the effect to expose the color. Today we see the fractured rocks making frame the panoramic views. And not feel further push to contemplate and take good pictures. One of the most famous viewpoints of this mountainous area is about 25 kilometers along Provincial Route 73, from the city of Humahuaca.

Get only takes about 40 minutes of gravel road to a viewpoint facing the hill. We will face a silent and majestic spectacle, no less than 4,300 meters Another of the great beauties of the Quebrada, although in this case, less known and visited. Another point to consider is the tour schedule to arrive in the afternoon when the sun will handle highlight the colors on the mountainside. At that time, we can imagine the grandeur of these landscapes in the time still lived the Incas, according to Geology Page.

5. Landmannalaugar Mountain, Iceland

Photo: kimkim

Remarkably colorful mountains encircle the valley of Landmannalaugar. The rich colors of the slopes strike an outstanding contrast with the glittering obsidian lava fields. What adds even more to its value is the natural hot spring in which visitors can freely bathe all year round. Exploring this extraordinary site is one of the best things any nature enthusiast can do in Iceland.

Landmannalaugar is a stunning valley in the Icelandic highlands famed for its colorful mountains and geothermal pools. It’s best known as a starting point of the Laugavegur Trail — one of the top 20 hikes in the world. With its bright rhyolite mountains, warm hot springs, and otherworldly landscapes, it should come as no surprise that Landmannalaugar is considered the Pearl of the Highlands.

Translating to “the People’s Pools” in English, Landmannalaugar was historically used as a remote geothermal retreat. During periods of travel, settlers visited the Landmannalaugar baths to pause and recharge before continuing their long journey. Now, the area’s long tradition lives on through trekkers who relax at the pools after a long day’s hike.

6. Seven Colored Earths, Mauritius

Photo: Mauritius Attractions

The Seven Coloured Earths are a geological formation and prominent tourist attraction found in the Chamarel plain of the Rivière Noire District in south-western Mauritius. It is a relatively small area of sand dunes comprising sand of seven distinct colors (approximately red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple, and yellow). The main feature of the place is that since these differently colored sands spontaneously settle in different layers, dunes acquire a surrealistic, striped coloring. Since the earth was first exposed, rains have carved beautiful patterns into the hillside, creating an effect of earthen meringue.

The sands formed from the decomposition of volcanic rock (basalt) gullies into clay, further transformed into ferralitic soil by total hydrolysis; the two main elements of the resulting soil, iron, and aluminum are responsible for red/anthracite and blue/purplish colors respectively. The different shades of color are believed to be a consequence of the molten volcanic rock cooling down at different external temperatures (hence rates), but the causes of their consistent spontaneous separation are yet to be fully clarified.