Located in Southern Mauritius , in the village of Chamarel , the Seven Colored Earth Geopark is home to a rough 7 - million - year - onetime , one - of - a - sort geological marvel . In keeping with Earth ’s taste for making thingsrainbow - colored , the guts dune of Seven Colored Earth are capably named due to their spectacular display of seven distinct colors .

Thought to have spring as a result of volcanic activity , the intense people of colour display on the hummock cast from more distinctive earthy shades of red , brown , and yellow , to vibrant and unexpected hue of reddish blue , green , blue , and purple .

Although scientists are not solely certain of the operation go on at the geopark , and why the world ’s showing is so vibrant , it ’s believed that the George Sand dunes wereformedas a resultant role of basalt decomposition forming clay . As mineral waters have a chemic equipment failure of the clay , ferralitic grunge is forge that ’s rich in iron and aluminium – resulting in carmine and naughty hues respectively .

Unusual volcanic formation seven colored earths in Chamarel on Mauritius island

Image credit: byvalet / Shutterstock

The vary shades are think to be a result of the liquified tilt cool at dissimilar temperature , make dissimilar gradients between the red and spicy shades . Further erosion of the hills has make unique mounds and vale carved out by fleshy rain , feed the feature a distinctively lumpy look .

There are a few rainbow - hued geological admiration around the reality , from China’sRainbow Mountainto theGrand Prismatic Springin Yellowstone National Park . It ’s also not the only place where you’re able to find colored guts . Namibia hasbizarre blue sandwhile Alaska is famous for itsjewel - like gumption . However , this is the only position known to have seven unlike types and colours of sand rubbing up next to each other .

One of the many fascinatingqualitiesof the colored sand found on the dunes is that if you take each different coloring and flux them together , eventually they will still separate and nail down into their own several mathematical group . That being said , please do n’t try and get your grubby mitts on the sand dune ’s precious sand , they are strictly off - limits for tourist and have a designated viewing platform that enables visitors to look up to the feature from a respectable distance .

Interestingly , despite Mauritius ’ systematically weighed down rain , these sandy sand dune do n’t seem to beerodingat any considerable hurrying . Having been a pop tourer terminus since the1960s , the 8.5 - hectare geopark does n’t depend like it will be fall back its star attraction any time before long .