The River Red in Peru is a striking hue of scarlet, resembling a crimson streak that runs through the Vilcanota mountain range in the Canchis province of the country for multiple months each year.
User ‘rockstar’ likened the river to a stream of wine, while TikTok user ‘Owlhousefan_Lumity’ commented that the water resembled ‘blood’. A TikTok video, which has amassed over 500,000 views, portrayed the river as something surreal. Consequently, it has gained considerable popularity on social media.
What does this strange phenomenon cause? The Red River gets its crimson color from the iron oxide-filled sandstone in the region.
This tour operator, Travel Kallpa, discloses that the best time to visit its local banks is from April to November, as this is Peru’s rainy season. During this time, the mineral-rich rocks are washed into the riverbed, turning the water pink or red.
However, in contrast, AB Expeditions, a tour company, claims that it can acquire the unattractive shade of muddy brown during the dry season.
The river’s waters only run red for the first three-mile (5km) section from its source near the valley of Arcoiris Palcoyo Mountain.
The Machu Picchu tour operator explains that the vibrant color fades and becomes more diluted as the river combines with other small rivers and streams, eventually.
The company’s website explains that the famous citadel of Machu Picchu is crossed by the Sacred Valley of Cusco, which is where numerous small tributaries flow into the River Vilcamayo.
The powerful Amazon River nourishes the rainforest as it flows into the Pongo de Mainique gorge, located downstream in the infamous Urubamba River.
A native of Cusco reveals that the official language of Peru is Quechua, which is also the main language of the Inca Empire. The river’s name, known locally as Pucamayu Palquella, originates from Quechua.
The initial part of its name ‘Palquella’ signifies ‘small tributary’ while ‘Pucamayu’ signifies ‘crimson river’.
Many tour operators offer trips to the river that lies about three hours southeast of Cusco city, where the much-photographed Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, a multicolored peak standing at 5,200m (17,100ft) above sea level, can be visited as part of a day trip.
Alternatively, solo travelers can travel by bus and then by taxi towards the riverside.
In the district of Combapata, during the same phenomenon in the rainy season, it is said that the river experiences a reddish hue, but it is not the only river in the region that has this characteristic. There is another lesser-known river in the same region that also exhibits this phenomenon.
Although these rivers are uncommon, there are other crimson bodies of water to admire across the globe.