July 1: Arequipa - Colca Canyon

Before leaving California, I’d made arrangements with a tour agency in Arequipa for a three-day, two-night trip to the Colca Canyon. At 8:00 am, the van, the driver (Roberto), and the tour guide (Jorge) were waiting for us in front of the hotel.

We left Arequipa on a well-maintained road, heading west out of the city and making a big loop around the volcanoes just to the north of town. Arequipa is the second-largest city in Peru, with a population of about a million. It is also the most prosperous large city in the country. I saw some gated communities not far from our hotel, with suburban-style houses not very different from what you’d find in California. Still, as we passed through the outskirts of the city, we saw many poor neighborhoods, with dirt roads and makeshift housing.

The road began to ascend as we went through the pass that leads to the other side of the Misti and Chachani volcanoes. From this point we could see the Ampato volcano as well. The road went up and up, then leveled out as we entered the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve. The area has some interesting flora and fauna. We passed several groups of vicuñas, then entered the area of the “bofedales”. These are wetlands that are formed by water that bubbles up from the ground. We stopped to get a close look at them and at some of the interesting bird life they attract. We saw groups of ducks and herons, but none of the rare flamingos that also can be seen from time to time. The bofedales had a pretty thick sheet of ice covering them. Jorge threw a rather large rock into one of the bofedales, but it wasn’t able to crack the ice. Though the day wasn’t terribly cold, the previous night had to have been well below freezing to form ice that thick.

Once again we ascended, finally making it to the summit – the “Mirador de los Andes” – the lookout of the Andes. At this point we had reached 4,910 meters – about 15,250 feet if I’m not mistaken. From this point you can see a large number of the major peaks of the southern Andes of Peru – most reaching to 19,000 feet or more. At the top, Jorge pointed out an unusual plant that grows in this area – la yareta. The yareta only grows in areas that are over 4,000 meters, and it grows very slowly – only about a centimeter a year. It is a vibrant green and shaped like a rock or stone. It can live even when covered in snow and can survive temperatures as low as -25 degrees centigrade.

From the Mirador we descended into the Colca Valley, stopping in the town of Chivay – the largest settlement in the Colca area. It probably has a population of about 3,000. We had lunch in town, and afterwards walked around its pretty main square. Then we drove further into the valley, passing through another nice town, Yanque, before arriving at the Colca Lodge.







The Colca Lodge is in a great setting along the Colca River. The grounds are expansive, with lots of hiking trails along the river and in the hills. Guests can also enjoy the natural mineral pools that perch above the river and offer fine views of the valley. There’s a lovely dining room with a huge fireplace, and an attractive bar, also with a large fireplace. We were very happy that the staff kept roaring fires going in the evenings, which can get pretty cold in the valley.