VISIT THE COLCA CANYON

The Colca Canyon is located in the northeastern end of the Arequipa Region, province of Caylloma, 165 kilometers from Arequipa and 40 km from Chivay, the main town and capital of the province of Caylloma. The highest point in the valley is the inactive Ampato volcano (6288 masl / 6288 fasl), and the lowest point is the confluence of the Colca and Andamayo rivers (970 masl / 970 fasl).

The Colca valley is 100 km long and occupies only a sector of the Colca river basin between the districts of Callalli and Huambo. The road to the Colca runs along the slopes of the Chachani and crosses plains full of ichu and yareta, samples of Andean vegetation. These places are also home to alpacas and vizcachas, which are beautiful camelids typical of the area.

The climate of the Colca Valley is characteristic of the high Andean zones. From mid-April to mid-November temperatures usually drop below freezing at night and reach 15-20°C during the day. During the rainy season, from the end of November to the end of March, temperature changes are not as radical because the cloudy skies prevent the sun’s rays from penetrating during the day. Temperatures at this time of the year vary between 5° and 10°C (41° and 50°F).

In the Colca Valley, 8,000 hectares of irrigation terraces have been found to prevent soil erosion. Today, more than 1,400 years have passed since the construction of these terraces and they are still in operation, allowing the planting of potatoes, 32 varieties of corn, 12 varieties of beans and up to 54 varieties of quinoa, among other products for the consumption of the inhabitants of the region.

The majestic flight of the Condor

The Colca Canyon is the habitat of animals such as the Andean condor among other 100 species of birds, four types of camelids: vicuña, guanaco, llama and alpaca. There are also more than 300 species of plants, of which 30 are cacti, not to mention the primitive green yareta. One of the most priceless spectacles of the visit to the canyon is the sunrise next to the cliff where you can observe, at dawn, the flight of approximately 20 condors.