The Colca Canyon region is a land of extremes. Snow-covered mountain peaks stretch 20,000 feet above sea level, with furrowed mountain slopes turning into terraced agricultural fields before plunging down a staggering 10,470 feet to the canyon floor far below.
On the precipice of this canyon, the second deepest in the world, visitors ponder the magnificence of nature while swooping condors dazzle with displays of air acrobatics. This is where tours of the Colca Canyon typically accumulate, Cruz del Condor. Although there are numerous outlooks along the main road that winds with the canyons ride, this one is renowned for its resident family of condors.
The Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and despite its massive wingspan of 10 feet, it still requires a bit of flying assistance, which is where the canyon comes in. The thermal updrafts wafting through the gorge carry the condors along, requiring relatively Little flying effort from the hefty birds. Kind of like air surfing.
Although the Cruz del Condor is the destination, the journey is truly part of the attraction when visiting the Colca Canyon. As you venture through the valley, you will pass through Andean villages largely unchanged by modern times. Locals live a rural existence, colorful and layered traditional farming and home life. Women wear colorful and layered traditional outfits as they go about their daily tasks, and many are happy to pose for a photo if asked and appreciate a tip. The vibrant village life is always framed by a backdrop of verdant terraced agricultural fields, many of which have been farmed since pre-Incan times. Separating Arequipa from the Colca Canyon is the National Reserve of Salina and Aguada Blanca, a windswept Highland prairie surrounded by towering volcanoes and mountains. The reserve stretches over 367,000 hectares and is a refuge for numerous Andean animals, such as the vicuña, a wild relative of the llama considered the symbol of Peru, and the vizcacha, a fuzzy creature that looks like a mix between a rabbit and a chinchilla, and the Andean flamingo, one of the rarest flamingos in the world. The Colca Canyon is usually connected with a visit to the colonial city of Arequipa or the Highland Lake Titicaca. If you want to add this tour, do not hesitate to contact our travel expert.
