Colca Canyon - Colca River - Colca Valley Tour To See The Wonders Of The Volcanic Lands
The Colca Canyon is located on the southern Peru in the Andes mountain range exist the second deepest canyon in the world, It is more than twice as deep as the Apurimac Canyon (Peru) and the Grand Canyon in the United States, the canyon's walls are not as vertical as those of the Grand Canyon. The Colca River birth in the Andes between Condoroma and Crucero Alto (above 4500-5000M), drops the water down to Pacific Ocean, this river have 4 names as Colca River, Andamayo River, Majes River and finally Camana River. The Colca Canyon register hard rain during December to April and the rest of the year is dry, sunny and cold weather.
The deepest part of the Colca Canyon is register between Ampato Mountain (6310M) and Coropuna snow-capped (6377M), on the left bank of the canyon exist a small town named Huambo and straight down of this town is located Cancco Valley (1720M) which is the greatest deep point that reaches a depth of 4590 meters.
The name Colca refers to small holes in the cliffs in the valley and canyon. These holes were used in Inca and pre-Inca times to store food, such as potatoes and other Andean crops. They were also used as tombs for important people.
The geography of the Colca Canyon are habitable, and Inca and pre-Inca terraces are still cultivated along the less precipitous canyon walls; they build stepped terraces to cultivate the ancestral potatoes, maize and other products of this region. The Colca Valley is a wonderful and colorful Andean valley with many small and remotes towns on the both side of the Canyon founded by Spanish conquers. The Spanish introduce and change many ancestral traditions as the religion. The Colca Valley keeps many colonial richest churches in all Arequipa regions.
The canyon is home of the Andean Condor (Vultur Gryphus), they are can be seen at fairly close range as they fly through the precipices. The Condor is the main tourist attraction and can be seen at "Cruz Del Condor", is a popular tourist stop, the pass where the Condors soar gracefully on the rising thermals occurring as the air warms.
The Colca Canyon is the main tourist attraction in Arequipa, the Colca Valley can be visit directly from Arequipa, or from Cusco by 4WD or from Puno (Lake Titicaca) by private van. The Colca Canyon geography offer great geography to practice outdoor activities such as Trekking Tours, Climbing Tours, Horse Tours, Mountain Bike, River Rafting, Camping, Bird Watching combining with relaxing visit to the numerous thermal baths and staying in charm and comfortable hotels along the Colca Canyon.
PERU ADVENTURE TOURS organize daily visits to the Colca Canyon, with experience driver and an accredited tour guides and including good food, entrance to the park and the best hotels to stay in the second deepest canyon in the world.
AREQUIPA - CHIVAY - COLCA VALLEY - MIRADOR CRUZ DEL CONDOR - PATAPAMPA MIRADOR DE LOS VOLCANES (4910M) - PAMPAS CAÑAHUAS
GROUP SERVICE Between 3AM and 3:45AM you will be picking up from your hotel by tour guide and driver - This tour begins with directly travel to the first and most important town in the Colca valley, the travel takes 3H30M following an asphalt road over the Altiplano landscapes towards Chivay (3600M) - We recommend to bring good warn clothes because on the way up the bus tour reach 4900M as known as Patapampa or "Mirador de los Andes".
For customers booking PRIVATE SERVICE ONLY is possible to leaves from Arequipa little earlier or later - In both situation you will take advantage of time to see and enjoy much more the canyon thanks to private driver and tour guide (rec).
Around 6:45AM you will be in Chivay, this is an inter-Andean town located on the left bank of the canyon surrounded by agriculture fields and huge snow-peaks.
Continue traveling with some stops for picture according the tour guide recommendations, you will see thousands of agriculture terraced date from Inca and pre Inca times, build over cliff. Along the way you will get off the transport for more contact with local people and feeling the pure nature of the Colca Canyon.
At 8:30AM arrive to the most important point of the Colca Canyon, this is the condor cross lookout. Plenty time to wait and see the mighty Andean Condor (Vulture Gryphus). Those birds normally fly around the Cruz Del Condor and you can get the best pictures of impressive walls and deep remote towns located inside the canyon.
For customers booking PRIVATE SERVICE ONLY is available a nice and comfort hike along the canyon for about two hours going to visit other lookouts as known as Mirador De Tapay (rec) - We recommend the hike along canyon getting more chance to watch Andean Condors and other birds flying around (rec).
After we decide to return driving Chivay, along the way we stop at viewpoint to see the carved rock, it was model where the ancient architectures testing which part of the terrain was appropriate to build the terraces in the other site of the canyon. Continue going will stop next of huge cliff where is possible to see hanging tombs on the volcanic hillsides.
You will arrive to Maca where is possible to observe nice colonial church from XVI century, next of this town is possible to see people from these regions dedicated life solely to work the terraces, therefore you will see many fields full of crops as corn, amaranth, kiwicha, potatoes, corn and more native product of Peru.
Driving along the canyon you will see the great Colca River and small communities located on both bank of the canyon.
At 12PM we will arrive to the hot spring of La Calera, located on the head of Chivay town, you can enjoy the thermo medicinal and outdoor pools with are 45º Celsius, we will stay 1 hour in this place.
After relaxing swim in the thermal pools we will drive to the town of Chivay (3600M) to have lunch (excluded), we recommend to taste the local cuisine made with Andes recipes - After lunch you will have free time to explore little big the town and the handicraft market.
At 2PM we aboard the transport and drive uphill following the paved road to the highest point between the Colca Canyon and Arequipa. We stop at Patapampa (4850M) as known the Andean lookout ("Mirador De Los Volcanes") where you can see the volcanic range of the south of Peru, snow-capped as Ampato where the ice maiden "Juanita" was founded in 1995 near of the summit. We drive downhill to Toqra Pampa and stop near of small lagoons to watch Andean birds as Caracara, Andean goose, Pink flamingos, ducks, ibis and etc.
We continue driving through the Altiplano and getting off from the transport and you will appreciate very closer the Andean camels as known Llamas and Alpacas grassing the Andean grass named Ichu. The last stop on this tour will in the National Reserve of Aguada Blanca and Salinas, where you will be lucky to see the Vicuñas (Vicugna) running on this high plateaus on the back side of Chachani snow-capped and Misti Volcano. The Vicuñas are protected and wild animals living above 3800M, sometimes is possible to observe the Andean deer running on the slopes of Chachani snow-capped.
Around 5PM or 6PM arrive to your hotel in Arequipa (Downtown location only) and end of service - Transfer to airport, to bus station or hotels located outside of downtown are not included.
DEPARTURES - BOOKING & FIRST DEPOSIT
The tour is available every day from Arequipa at 3AM - Last moment booking can be arrange in our office of Arequipa one day in advance for Group/Private Service but these services will be arranged ONLY if we have available transport and tour guide.
We really recommend to book this tour in advance through our booking form and secure your place with a first deposit - The final balance of the trip has to be paid in our office of Arequipa ONE day prior the trip - The booking form and payment instruction will be sent to you via email under request ONLY.
This trip is considered as the longest day trip and we recommend to be ready for hours of seating in the bus - For customers booking GROUP SERVICE there is no way to change the itinerary or accept other request from the participants, we recommend to take your precautions in case you have bus/plane tickets, etc - The logistic of the itinerary is based on time for highlights, for hot spring (if time permit), for breakfast/lunch, and stop to use toilet.
Each participant is responsible for their belongings, please check your personal items each time you leave the bus/restaurant/rooms or from other places - Our tour company is not responsible in case you lose/forget any personal items in any situation.
Before you book this tour have a look the TERMS & CONDITIONSof our company.
