Rainbow Valley (Chile)
| Rainbow Valley | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Rainbow Valley vista | |
  Rainbow Valley Location in the Antofagasta Region of Chile | |
| Floor elevation | 3,200[1] m (10,500 ft) |
| Naming | |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Antofagasta, Chile |
| Country | Chile |
| State/Province | Antofagasta |
| Coordinates | 22°38′S 67°44′W / 22.64°S 67.73°W |
Rainbow Valley (Valle del Arcoíris) is a dry ravine in the Cordillera Domeyko mountain range known for its variety of rock colors and dramatic rock shapes. It is 90 kilometers north of San Pedro de Atacama and just north of the Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs.[3] It is more than three kilometers above sea level.[4]
Geology
[edit]Rainbow Valley is a ravine that empties into the Salado River.[2]
The rocks of the valley walls feature distinct contrasts in color. At the bottom are layers of iron-rich red ochre clay deposited by the eruption of the volcanoes that formed the Chilean Coast Range. On top of that are layers of rock salt, gypsum, and calcite deposited by the Salar de Atacama.[5] Emerging between them are rises of rocks formed from cooled magma that contain iron and magnesium that bonded with other elements and became green through oxidation.[5] Other minerals like cobalt and lamprophyre give the valley other unusual colors like yellow, blue, pink, and purple.[4][6][7] Millions of years of erosion have since carved the valley into its current shape.
Due to a lack of valuable minerals such as lithium and copper common elsewhere in the region, Rainbow Valley has remained untouched by mining, remaining in its pristine, eroded state.[5]
History
[edit].jpg)
Rainbow Valley has been home to people since ancient times, and is the site of several petroglyphs.[8] Prior to the Spanish colonization of the Americas, the area was, and still is, home to Atacama people who grazed livestock including llamas in the area.[2]
Since then, an Atacameño entrepreneur popularized the name "Valle del Arcoíris" to bring in tourism, and the economy has since shifted to cater to that industry. Guided tours are offered starting in San Pedro de Atacama.[2]
Rainbow Valley was the starting location of the 4 Deserts Atacama Crossing 2025 race.[1]
Ecosystem
[edit].jpg)
Rainbow Valley has an arid climate, and the flora and fauna that live here are adapted for the dry conditions. Species of cactus are found here, as are lizards and birds.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Cruce de Atacama". rove.me (in Spanish). 2025-01-14. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ a b c d e Molina Otárola, Raúl (2019). "El turismo como banalización del paisaje indígena en San Pedro de Atacama-Chile" (PDF). Revista Antropologías Del Sur (in Spanish). 6 (12): 261–281 – via ResearchGate.
- ^ Lonely Planet Chile & Rapa Nui (Easter Island) (13th ed.). Lonely Planet. 2025-10-21. ISBN 9781837583928.
- ^ a b Casas-Cordero, Ana María (20 September 2017). "El encanto del Valle del Arcoiris". Ladera Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ a b c Cheung, Siukei (2020-03-04). "How The Rainbow Valley Got Its Colors". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Lang, Kirsty (2024-04-27). "The otherworldly desert that's brilliant for stargazing". The Times. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "The stark beauty of Chile's Atacama Desert". The Week. 2017-10-12. Archived from the original on 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ a b The City Trip Guide for San Pedro de Atacama (Chile). YouGuide Ltd. ISBN 9781837064007.