Colca Canyon

One of the deepest canyons on Earth, lined with pre-Inca terraces and colonial villages. Watch Andean condors circle at Cruz del Cóndor at dawn, or hike down to the Sangalle oasis at the canyon floor.

Colca Canyon lies in Caylloma Province, Arequipa Region, Peru. Between the Andean volcanoes, the Colca River has carved a canyon about 100 km long and more than 3,000 m deep at its deepest point, roughly twice the depth of the Grand Canyon in the US. The upper canyon is the broad Colca Valley, with the gateway town of Chivay (about 3,600 m above sea level). More than a dozen Spanish colonial-era "reduction" villages, including Yanque, Coporaque, Maca, Pinchollo and Cabanaconde, are strung along both banks. Whitewashed stone churches stand beside vast pre-Inca terraces that are still farmed today, and the women of the local Collagua and Cabana peoples wear distinctive embroidered clothing and hats. Downstream, west of Cabanaconde, the canyon narrows and deepens. At the Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint, you can watch Andean condors ride the rising thermals at dawn. The classic hike descends from Cabanaconde to the Sangalle oasis on the canyon floor, and there is also a two- to three-day loop via Tapay, Llahuar and the Fure waterfall. The best season is the dry season from Apr to Nov, with condors most active from Jun to Aug. From Dec to Mar the rainy season turns the terraces their greenest, though some roads are affected. Getting there: it takes about 3–4 hours by bus or tour from Arequipa to Chivay, passing the Patapampa volcano viewpoint (about 4,900 m), so watch for altitude sickness. You need to buy the Colca Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico, about 70 soles for foreign visitors). We recommend 2 days and 1 night (by tour) or 3–4 days (for hiking).

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