Colca Canyon 2-Day Trip: A Full Review From Arequipa
The Colca Canyon, you know, is frequently touted as one of the globe’s deepest canyons, and so a two-day hop from Arequipa just sounded like something that was quite extraordinary. The setting alone promises, too, like views that just drop off into nowhere, remote towns filled with people that really hold tight to old-fashioned ways, and obviously, glimpses of the mighty Andean condor. This isn’t just, in a way, a scenic drive; but actually, it is something of a culture shock and something to really get your pulse going. Very likely you’re like me, always looking for the real stories beyond what the brochures try to tell you? Well, this one aims to give it to you actually –the complete story, without sugarcoating stuff too much. We’re checking out if the Colca Canyon lives up to its massive reputation.
Booking and Initial Impressions
I booked, as a matter of fact, this tour through a well-known online platform; pretty last minute, I must confess. The selection was kind of bewildering, with like a zillion options throwing around very similar promises. What eventually pulled me in, arguably, was one deal that, at least seemingly, balanced cost and very good ratings. So, the operator, very handily, picked me up straight from my Arequipa hotel early— super early, actually, think about 3 a.m.! That part wasn’t especially fun, not surprisingly. The transport seemed fairly cozy, though, and seemingly ideal for catching some desperately needed shut-eye.
Now, those very first impressions were that, well, this was quite a well-oiled machine. The guide seemed friendly, fluent in both English and Spanish, and very eager to start dropping facts. We quickly, in short, met the rest of our crew—a mixed bunch, for instance, from everywhere stretching from Europe to Australia— all bouncing in anticipation. It’s pretty clear, at least initially, that this was going to be, actually, a fairly tightly run gig.
Day 1: High Plains and Stunning Vistas
The first day was almost like an exercise, honestly, in adjusting very rapidly to altitude. The route took us winding, actually, up into the high plains, where the view became, for example, completely breathtaking—a kind of vast, treeless spread touched with snow-capped peaks in what you might call the distance. It was a little difficult to soak it all up properly, yet, mainly because the air was getting thinner really quickly.
Our initial stop, seemingly, was at a place named Pampa Cañahuas, a reserve that’s known to hold herds of vicuñas; that’s like, you know, the smaller, wild cousins of llamas and alpacas. They looked pretty elegant galloping across the plains, not surprisingly, and our guide was, for instance, very knowledgeable, dishing up stuff about their preservation and lifestyles. So we moved along to some spots to observe the views from way up, which includes a vista spot to observe volcanoes, the scene that can very truly make your head spin. But altitude sickness was definitely a sneaky enemy, affecting some of our bunch with very dull headaches and some dizzy moments. The advice, in short, is that you should arrive equipped with altitude sickness remedies, similar to coca leaves or prescriptions, like altitude is very real here.
Chivay and the Hot Springs
Chivay, for instance, is the biggest town on the Colca Canyon and was our rest stop for that first night. The tour features a stop booked, it’s almost certain, in one pretty decent, albeit plainly adorned hotel. After settling pretty quickly, we traveled straight to the local hot springs of La Calera. After, obviously, a day on the bus and facing altitude, bathing inside those geothermal pools looked heavenly.
And honestly, the hot springs could be, you know, called a welcome treat, the scenery that overlooked the pools adds some kind of magic. But beware, it seems to me, these hot springs can get extremely overcrowded, specially later on. Should you expect peace, and calm, you will very likely be sorely disappointed. We capped off the day alongside an option for observing a cultural show including some regional dance forms and songs. Now, its experience seemed kind of created for the tourist; but in that context, still enjoyable and kinda enlightening.
Day 2: Condors and Canyon Depths
The morning’s alarm felt very bad, not surprisingly, hitting us just at like 5 a.m. So the aim? Cruz del Cóndor, the world-famous view spot for, for instance, watching condors soaring across the canyon. We got there early; but yet, so did everyone and their dog; it became clear as the buses poured inside the parking spots. Now, you have got to grab a place, because finding a location to setup camera became pretty hard pretty soon. People filled all corners searching the horizon.
And clearly, this wait feels worthwhile. When those huge birds soared up above the canyon winds, it became, in that case, a simply stunning vision. They floated round and round in those drafts and featured these awe-inspiring, wonderful winged beasts demonstrating to you, for example, what gravity actually scoffs at. It’s something hard not be very affected by, clearly.
Exploring Villages and Local Culture
Subsequent to watching condors, the tour featured certain brief breaks throughout some nearby settlements, notably Yanque and Maca. These places featured beautiful colonial churches and some neighborhood markets, thus presenting us little previews, that, as I was saying, never lasted too long inside the day-to-day canyon’s way of life. It’s kind of amazing to see inhabitants who proudly show some conventional attire and follow routines practically unmodified with modern living.
Now, what stuck with me most really were some neighborhood kids: happily playing using absolutely no gizmos. Now, for me, those small interactions made it worth so much more than seeing sights only, giving us anything to reflect on what basically matters. I should buy more hand-made crafts there really as I did not very well!
The Return Trip: A Long Road Back
Be really warned. As exciting since the Colca Canyon turns out, just prepare personally, arguably, towards extended return time to Arequipa! The drive features about four up to five hours in all, punctuated usually along having a very basic meal end and brief pause that helps in stretching. Roads could possibly be instead winding so individuals that become vulnerable toward motion discomforts; hence bringing medications happens to be greatly wise. The chairs may be more at times relaxing plus the landscapes usually keeps on interesting however this is certainly something about endurance in comparison with excitement after.
Certain businesses frequently promote further alternatives which often contain drop-offs near Puno mainly on individuals looking towards extending their vacations through Lake Titicaca too. We ended up heading actually back straight, even after experiencing an incredibly fascinating side excursion near visit an incredibly rock construction which can be supposedly appear corresponding for that face for what may regarded some Inca overlord. After achieving directly into Arequipa at somewhere just following 5:00pm hours anyone really felt depleted nevertheless satisfied. That could actually be in addition a day; for something is in which often adventure really could present anything.
What Could Be Improved?
So let’s discuss enhancements briefly? Because nothing has become truly fully flawlessly acceptable is often truthfully they. Here were points for thought:
- Time Management: Some prevents genuinely thought very short: in this place mainly near towns plus at lookout details which we would wish anyone would’ve owned a little bit even extra occasion on there!
- Group Size: We’d buses which is to be really totally brimming upwards. Now; for smaller scale crew must genuinely provide in a far even a lot more extremely individualized practice: basically when one might genuinely completely submerge themselves through native societies in short periods on time throughout such locations there genuinely isn’t that quite definitely amount by just this one with there will become people most along just using only these very limited instant within.
- Information Depth: Though all such thing had been competent still extra insight relating everything by means with history together or regional geology is often extremely significantly satisfying extremely
Is the 2-Day Colca Canyon Trip Worth It?
As the big end-all question gets down actually, am this completely trip completely well definitely value going down this quite at actually one must make investments themselves to get there. Seriously quite honestly even following those beginning 3am moment call along containing sometimes just quite at instances slightly extremely hurrying anyone: would absolutely declare absolutely for something definitely value seeing! With something truly provides the stunning view which happens right by somewhere extremely spectacular even right from just something even very really exceptional natural landscaping toward the something by meeting inhabitants extremely exceptional and even absorbing some cultures!
Remember. Though anybody could probably make that stuff happen even over your private or on hiring by way private cars; those scheduled excursions give very really exceptional method so experiencing stuff primarily should by something time extremely scarce, to get to somewhere with something arranged which might potentially not otherwise by any other manner extremely straightforward so that somewhere is obviously really extremely excellent for the anyone which simply love possessing factors treated; nevertheless are unable really lose by anything even additional comfort: for somewhere must in truth by ready to for what actually will occur to just feel those long amount drive by a specific level together with really having by somewhat packed timetable sometimes!