In my previous posts, I’ve written about my trip to Peru, including the journey towards Colca Valley. Colca Valley has been described as “the valley of wonders” and I completely agree. As we traveled from Arequipa to the Colca Valley, we experienced views of farming villages that looked like pieces of a beautiful puzzle set in the distance.
The epic views of Colca Valley, Peru
We stopped at lookout points to see the rocky areas set in the mountains.
We also watched condors flying in the sky by the edges of Colca Canyon, the world’s deepest Canyon. The Colca Canyon is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon at an impressive depth of 4,160 m (13,650′). As we stood above the Colca Canyon, we waited patiently for an hour until these magnificent birds came out of hiding and soared above us as they hunted for their prey.
Colca Canyon, Peru
We stopped by some local eateries to try out the traditional dishes and some of the markets that were set up near the lookouts. We were lucky to meet some of the local people to yet again try out some of my Spanish skills. They did not understand me (I need to keep practicing) so Alexandra had to help me buy my llama sweater. The locals still maintain their pre-inca traditions so we often spotted the local women wearing their colourful, woven dresses as they farmed the land. I was impressed!
After our meal, we met a friendly local and her llama
Meeting a lovely local and her baby llama
Rick and I with local lady and her child from Colca Valley, Peru
Our tour guide took us to some amazing hiking trails so that we could see the farming terraces from another perspective. The walk was tough as we were extremely high above sea level, but the view was worth it.
Rick and I hiking in the Colca Valley, Peru
Colca Valley, Peru
After a long day of hiking, we were taken to the lodge, which felt more like you were staying at your Inca family’s house (if you lived around here!). There were baby llamas running around and hammocks in the backyard for dozing off or enjoying the views of the Colca Valley.
Mama Yacchi, Colca Canyon, Peru
The baby llama at our lodging at Mama Yacchi (Colca Canyon, Peru)
The view from our backyard, Colca Canyon, Peru
The views from our hotel room, Colca Canyon, Peru
Have I given you enough reasons to see this place?! If not, I hope that I have given you an insight into the beauty of the “valley of wonders”. It truly is a beautiful place in Peru and not far from the cobble stoned roads and volcanic architecture of Arequipa.
Helpful Tip: Just be sure to take some altitude sickness tablets or chew on a few coca leaves and you should be right. If that doesn’t work, then eat some chicken soup and drink some Gatorade and it will work wonders! It was my tour guide’s cure for altitude sickness and it worked on almost all of us.To read more about Arequipa, “the place behind the volcanoes”, click here. If you want to read more about other places I’ve visited, click on the side bar, have a browse and subscribe for more posts like this.
Happy travels!
