Welcome to the hardest hike of your life. Even if you’re a skilled hiker, unless you have experience in high altitudes, hiking Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca and Montaña de Siete Colores, which is at 5,036 metres (16,522 ft)  above sea level, is a whole different test.

The mountain is absolutely stunning. It’s truly one of a kind. The photos you see online easily sell it, although you can tell that at least some of them are photoshopped, there’s no way the colours could be that vivid. In reality, the colours are more muted but still very beautiful.

Despite having been acclimatized for almost a week in Cuzco, I still felt the strain the altitude put on my body. My legs felt heavy, like blocks of concrete. I had wanted to climb up the mountain with my own two feet but eventually, I gave in and paid for a horse ride. The horses stop some metres from the summit but they save you some time and energy, worth every sol (Peruvian currency).  A Quechua woman guided the horse and practically jogged up the mountain. I was so impressed by the health and fitness of the people who were acclimatized in this area since birth.

As I made my way up the mountain, I thought about the deep spiritual connection the Quechua people have with the mountains, how sacred these places are in Andean cosmology. And yet, here we were: tourists, lining up for that perfect shot to impress our friends back home. It made me wonder: can we truly love a place when we’re herded through it like sheep?

Rainbow Mountain quite literally took my breath away, both for its beauty and the physical strain it demanded. But more than that, it left me thinking about the cost of popularity. How much longer can our fragile natural wonders withstand the growing crowds and limited resources?

I came for the colours and the unique geology, but I left with something I didn’t expect: a lingering discomfort about my role as a tourist in fragile places like this. Beautiful as it was, Rainbow Mountain taught me that mindful travel isn’t just an option, it’s a responsibility.

Check out my Rainbow Mountain video on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/mF_z0_W9PI4