Marvel at the pink river in Peru

In Cusco, Peru, there is an amazingly pink and red river. In particular, this watercolor is only available in the rainy season.

The beautiful Red River in Peru is locally known as Palquella Pucamayu . The Red River was formed by rain from the famous Palcoyo rainbow mountain nearby. The reddish pink color of river water is caused by mineral deposits present in different clay layers formed by soil erosion. The river has a distinctive rose-red color because of the presence of iron oxides from the red zone of the mountains.

Because it is the result of rain, the deep red or pink river in Cusco is usually only visible during the rainy months of Peru. During the rest of the year, the water level of the river is much lower and its color is opaque brown.

View of the Red River in Peru.

The Red River is about 5 km long before merging with some streams and small rivers in other areas, at this time, the pink color will fade and lose its unique color. Many of these tributaries eventually empties into the Vilcamayo River, which flows through Cusco's sacred valley and past the famous ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. Further downstream, this river is known as the Urubamba River before passing through the Pongo de Mainique gorge and finally emptying into the mighty Amazon River.

Red River in Peru.

The water color of the Red River is even more prominent when flowing through the emerald green hills. The river is located about 3 hours drive from Cusco city, it originates in Palcoyo rainbow mountain valley. When tourists come to Palcoyo rainbow mountain, they can stop to watch the Red River. The time from December to April is when the river water is the most beautiful. One of the best times to see the river is in April, when the rains start to dissipate but the river levels are still high.

This is still an area that is not really famous for tourists to Peru, so the landscape here is still wild and peaceful. Visitors should bring warm clothes, hats, scarves and gloves. Although the trail through Palcoyo is not as difficult as the one leading to Vinicunca, it can still be muddy so visitors should also wear hiking boots.

Cusco , where the Red River is located is a city in southeastern Peru near the Urubamba valley of the Andes. It is the seventh most populous city in Peru and is located at an altitude of about 3,400m.