6 Hours Trip To Paleolithic Past Of Arequipa
Pampas Cañahuas and Sumbay cave paintings are located in the National Reserve of Aguada Blanca and Salinas, behind Misti and Chachani volcano and just 87km on the new way from Arequipa to Puno or Cusco (15°58'33.12"S - 71°20'57.43"O).
Pampas Cañahuas is the home for the rare wild animal as know Vicuña (vicugna). The Vicuña lives between 3800 - 4800m on the plateaus and slopes of the Andes Mountains. These wonderful animals are prohibit to be domesticated and are protected by Peruvian laws, because this animal produce extremely finest wool witch cost very expensive.
Arequipa territory has great historic past. The first settlements on this zone data from Paleolithic Era (6000 - 8000 BC).
Sumbay cave keeps rupestrian rock arts, where is possible to see on the walls how the first humans on this part of the highlands practice to hunt animal such as camelidae (Huanacos, Vicuñas), foxes, pumas, deers and other extinct animals running away. Also this rupestrian art is good resources to know more of Arequipa history.
Inside of Sumbay cave is possible to see some tools as scrapers, disc shaped knives and burins for sewing.
PERU ADVENTURE TOURS invite you to visit Pampas Cañahuas and Sumbay caves - Rock Art guided by professional and authorized tour guides and private van.
TOUR ITINERARY FOR PAMPAS CAÑAHUAS & SUMBAY CAVE PAINTINGS
This tour departure at 6AM from your hotel by private van and tour guide. We drive along the road to Puno through farming town of Yura and around nevado Chachani 6070M, from here is just uphill passing small cactus forest on the slopes of Chachani Mountain. After 1 hours of drive arrive to Pampas Cañahuas (4200M), this area is located inside the National Reserve of Aguada Blanca. Here you will observe plenty of elegant and rarely animals as known as Vicuña (Vicugna), the Vicuñas normally are grazing along the plateaus on the back site of Chachani, and national reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca.
Continue driving arrive to Patawasi village and meet shapers raising their Alpacas and Llamas on the slopes of the high altitude mountains.
After 30 minutes more driving, we will find a very bumpy road to take us to the most interesting point as known as Sumbay painting caves, this is located on the left side of the road, this gravel road to goes to abandoned/ghost town of Sumbay (old train station).
Finally, we will walk through nice rock formations and narrow lava canyon until to the cave. Here we will observe very old rupestrian rock arts, these represent the past wildlife as Vicuñas, Pumas, Ñandu (Suri) and other extinct species. Also are figures of humans hunting and rare figures carved in huge granite bulders.
We stay around 1hr exploring this peaceful place and short hike to see the rocky canyon and Rio Sumbay.
On the way back to Arequipa we will find lot groups of Vicuñas, Alpacas and Llamas grazing around decorated with great views backside of Chachani, and Misti volcano.
Around midday (12M) arrive at your hotel in Arequipa and end of service.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best season to visit the caves is between April to December, especially on April because is the season when the Vicuñas birth and the surrounding volcanoes and mountains are covered with snow.
This tour is recommended for people like to know more about wildlife such as South American Camelidae (Vicuñas, Alpacas and Llamas).
