Basic information

Colca Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. If somebody is going to ask you, witch is 95 percent of the time, the deepest canyon in the world is Brahmaputra Canyon in Tibet. And what's even more interesting is that it's only 2  meters deeper.

Colca Canyon

Transportation from Arequipa...

In Arequipa, mainly on Plaza de Armas, is lot of travel and adventure agencies. Thanks to the great competition, its easy to haggle over prices and advantageous price offers of multiple sellers compare. It is possible to connect to the tour for transport only. The price is adjusted to the services requested.

...and back

Colectivo (public minivan) from Cabanaconde to Chivay costs 4p per person. In addition, the best connections are to Arequipa and Puna.

Day One

Good morning! We were freezing outside when our bus was delayed and the lesson began our day- Wait for the guide to ring the hostel bell and scramble out of the warmth of the bed and straight into the warmth of the bus. The road was extremely bumpy for most of the ride, and with that my hope for a pleasant morning was extinguished.

We stopped for breakfast in Chivay and the Peruvian classic did not disappointed. This time, however, in addition to the bagel with butter and jam, we had the option of a cheese and "ham". Don't expect any extra lean ham in Peru, it's more of a deli meat here. We also stopped at sightseeing spots, the scenery was breathtaking. Since toilets everywhere were charged one soles, we recommend bringing coins. At the start of the Colca canyon trail we separated us from the group and continued on our own. The trip from cusco to Cabanaconde alone cost us 50p per person.

At the start of our first deep challenge, I looked down on a small village. It was a green cloud in a dry valley, inspiring hope, courage and the desire to reach it.

Colca Canyon roads

The trip was tough and lugging 1 5kg backpacks on your back was not really wise. The key is to have plenty of water and the reward lying at the bottom of the canyon is worth reaching for. The refreshing river, the scenery like something out of an old western movie and the sheer sight of the summit with a sense of achievement - you just went down into the second deepest canyon in the world!

The bridge over Colca river

On the other side of the river about 20 min. Walking In the area called San Juan de Chuccho you can find three hostels. There are those who, after a short lunch break, head further towards the oasis of Sangalle, but we decided to spend the night in a accommodation called Posada Gloria.

Day Two

On a chilly morning we did some exercises to warm us up, but soon the effort was washed away by an icy shower. (The water is usually heated by solar panels in S. America.) But Gloria knows the importance of the first part of the day, or the satisfaction of her guests. The pancakes for breakfast fulfilled both assumptions and our next hike can begin.

The doggy pointed us in the right direction, but there's a sign if he wasn't present.

A voluntary travel guide

Ahead of us was a mountainous trek that slowly led us to our next destination. From the start, we leaned into it and climbed the first cliff too fast. luckily there is a rest stop on the top offering some food and beverages. we had our first opportunity to gather new energy and share the experience with other climbers. The hike to the oasis is especially challenging due to the harsh sun, head out immediately after the pancake breakfast early in the morning!

An idyll in the canyon where the heat is increasing is a splash in the pool. Every resort offers one, we liked this one, Oasis Paraiso Ecolodge. Upon arrival, we just enjoyed some well-deserved rest. We were swimming in the pool, played with the animals, and in the evening, with the help of cocktail named Chilean, diverted our attention from the reality of what the next day would bring.

Oasis Paraiso Ecolodge

Day Three

As soon as we opened our eyes, we had to face the decision of the day and which way to go, even though we knew that there was only one way back to Cabanaconde. After breakfast, we immediately set to work. If the canyon can go down, it must be able to go up!

We set off at 6am, it was pleasantly chill and the first two hours passed like a breeze. The second half of the hike started to drag. The goal always seemed within our reach, so Matej said "Let's zig zag, zig zag, zig zag and we're there." But there was another peak and another one after that and the zig zags multiplied innumerably.

Since the 4 hour hike was giving us a hard time, we paused for a moment at Cabanaconde to replenish our strength ... and sugar.

together in colca canyon

Stepping onto the bus, we said goodbye to our Colca journey for now. We were so enchanted by it that we vowed to retrace its steps one day, and so should you.