THE IMPRESSIVE COLCA CANYON

   

This impressive canyon is one of the most beautiful natural wonders of Peru that offers us a very rich cultural environment and spectacular landscapes this canyon is located 165 kilometers from the city of AREQUIPA and 40 kilometers from the picturesque town of CHIVAY, getting to this place is an adventure in itself, the starting point for this excursion begins in Arequipa, a city located in the south of Peru (2,335 meters above sea level) then we will take a transport that in 3 hours will take us to Chivay, this town that offers a variety of options for tourists, hotels, restaurants, for lovers of hiking Chivay offers very interesting trekking routes.

   

The Colca Canyon is one of the most important tourist destinations in Peru, especially for all those who love hiking. It is also the natural habitat of the Andean Condor. One of its main attractions is the famous viewpoint LA CRUZ DEL CÓNDOR, where a large colony of condors arrive daily from the nearby mountains, gliding majestically suspended on their enormous wings for the delight of tourists. The mythical Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) lives in the high mountains of South America and is the largest flying bird in the world, weighing 15 kilos and having a wingspan of 3.3 meters.

 

This impressive canyon has a depth of between 1,000 and 2,000 meters (3,300 to 6,600 feet), making it one of the deepest in the world. It is located at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level and has an approximate length of 70 kilometers.

For thousands of years, the Colca Canyon has been inhabited by many regional cultures, such as the Cabanas and Collaguas, who have left us many buildings and ceremonial centers as evidence of their centuries-long occupation of this place. Among the local fauna that can be seen in this magnificent place are the giant hummingbird, the Andean goose, the flamingo, the vizcacha, the skunk, the deer, the fox, and the vicuña, among the most well-known.

   

Another of the tourist attractions of this tourist circuit are the famous thermal baths of LA CALERA located in the town of Chivay, which is the largest town in the Colca Canyon. Just one day from there you can access a stream that originates from the melting of the MISMI snow-capped mountain, where the largest river on earth, the AMAZON River, is known to be born, which begins its journey in the Colca Mountains as a small stream.