As the giant walked, his big loping steps crossing mountains and the valleys between, he reached deep into his basket and scattered the colored dust over the barren rock. Plain brown faces of stone suddenly leapt to life, yellow ochre and vivid cerulean dancing to his whims. Everywhere the giant went, the mountains were splashed with color, a touch of joy beneath the sun.

This might not have been how the Rainbow Mountain came about but Vinicunca, or Montano de Siete Colores, as the range is locally known definitely inspires the imagination. Set with a peak height of 16,000ft above ground, its name translates into “the seven-colored mountain” (no prizes for guessing why). The colors are a result of mineral deposits left on the sandstone bedrock that has recently been revealed after the ice sheets that once covered the mountains melted away. One has to work for that unforgettable photo-op though, braving poor road and trekking conditions in the remote Ausengate region of Peru. That said, for the truly adventurous, there’s little to stop us from exploring the farthest corners of the earth and this isn’t an exception.