Colca Canyon
Peru
The Cañon del Colca is considered as one of the deepest canyons in the world at some 3,269m deep. It is a fertile valley (compared to the rest of the area) situated about 160km northwest of Arequipa. One of the main reasons people come to the valley is to see the Andean Condor fly in its natural habitat, as well as doing some trekking with great views.
We recommend that you take a guided tour since the guide offers great insights into the local culture and the surrounding area. You can visit the valley yourself though you have to be well aware of the local bus timetable since departures are infrequent and you may find yourself sitting around without much to do. Also you will probably miss out on the wealth of information that the guides have to offer as you travel through the canyon.
Tours to the Colca Canyon
Tour companies in Arequipa offer trips to Cañon del Colca ranging from 1-day to 3-day trips. Try to not to book tours from Cusco otherwise they may charge you more (even twice as much) for the same thing.
The 'one day tour' would be pointless as you would spend the whole day just getting there and back but if in a rush would at least allow you to see the countryside and learn a little about the surrounding area.
The two typical tours that can be found at any of the numerous tour agencies in Arequipa are the 2-day tour starting at around 7.30am and the 3-day tours starting at around 6am. They are both quite different.
The 2-day trip ends up in the town of Chivay on the first day after a few stops to take photos of llamas and the general scenery on the way
there. At Chivay you will visit the local thermal pools where you can soak in the outdoor hot pool and enjoy a nice cold
beer (or three) in the evening. An early start on the second day entails a journey to the Cruz del Condor to be amazed by
Condors (hopefully) soaring gracefully above your head on the rising air currents. On the way you may stop off
at the Maca village for a colourful performance of local dancing in the Main Square by
local students. After watching and probably photographing the condors, you make
the journey back to Arequipa stopping for lunch at Chivay on the way.
The 3-day tour takes you deeper into the canyon where you normally hike down to stay at one of the local villages on the first night. The second day involves hiking to other villages at the bottom of the canyon. Different tours stop for the night in different places ranging from a village at the bottom of the canyon entailing a 2am hike up the canyon or staying at the hot spring half way up the canyon for a 5am hike to catch the bus to Cruz del Condor or staying at the top of the canyon at Huambo where you get up at 6am. From what I have heard, it is defiantly best to make it all the way to the top on the second day not only because you get some what of a sleep-in, but also you get spectacular views of the canyon which you do not get to see at 2am - 5am. The third day includes a stop at Cruz del Condor and the journey back to Arequipa.
When visiting Cruz del Condor (and not rushed on a tour) it is worth hanging around till it warms up a little after 9am; the Condors become a lot more active around this time since its when they hunt.
Chivay Food
If your stomach is up for it, try the street food and drinks in Chivay. The hot drinks they serve up at night are a great little brew with a variety of flavours to choose from.
The street stalls selling maize and chicken feet are not as bad as you think. It is a great little appetizer (cheap too) with a difference, though the chicken feet are slim pickings.
History
About 1,400 years ago the Collaguas, a pre-Inca civilization with advanced levels of agricultural development carved out 8,000 hectares of terraces on the slopes of the canyon in order to cultivate and control the irrigation of the steep stepped terrace slopes. The methods they used were so advanced that they are still effectively used today.
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