In the middle of my time in Arequipa, I took off for 3 days (2 nights) to check out the nearby Colca Canyon. This canyon was for a long time believed to be the worlds deepest canyon, however recently it was determined that the nearby Cotahuasi Canyon is actually just barely deeper. Anyways, the canyon is 100 km long and varies from 1000 meters to 3000 meters in depth (deepest point is 3191 meters).
I took a bus to Cabanaconde, a very small agricultural town still living a traditional Andean lifestyle that sits right on the edge of the canyon. I arrived after dark and was very excited for my trek into the canyon the next day. After getting up early I was crushed to discover that the canyon was filled with fog. Standing at a lookout point that is supposed to give views of the entire canyon, I could only see grey. I could be in my front yard in Michigan and get the same view.
Anyways, after reading for a bit in the main square, I decided to just start walking. I figured that either I would get underneath the clouds or they would dissipate sometime during the day. Luckily, both happened. Although different from what I think of as a canyon (specifically the image in my head of the Grand Canyon) it was still an amazing sight. Truly one of the best and most rewarding hikes that I´ve done in my life.
As I climbed back out of the canyon, I was treated to a 20 minute show by two Andean Condors. Just as I got to the top of the canyon where the trail becomes relatively flat until you reach Cabanaconde, the two condors glided above my head and then circled up gaining height until I couldn´t see them anymore. Andean Condors are the largest flying birds in the western hemisphere and have wingspans that grow to 9-10 ft. These guys weren´t that big, but were still amazing to watch as they soared over the canyon.
More pictures from the Colca Canyon can be found in the Peru folder at my Picasa site: http://picasaweb.google.com
No comments:
Post a Comment