Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Need to Know
BEST TIME
The clearest months are April to June.
TICKETS
Foreigners need a
S70 tourist ticket in Chivay.
AVOID
The rainy season, December to March.
For
further coverage,
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.
Cañón del Colca Don't Miss
List
BY CARLOS MISTI ZÁRATE FLORES, NATIVE AREQUIPEÑO AND
PROPRIETOR OF CARLOS ZÁRATE AVENTURAS, A RENOWNED TREKKING
OUTFIT
1 CRUZ DE CONDOR
Despite the crowds, the Cruz del Cóndor (
Click here
)
is an essential Colca stop-off
where you can view huge Andean condors as they glide above the steep canyon walls,
especially between May and September. Arrive early: condors are generally more act-
ive between 8am and 10am, before they fly off to feed nearer the coast.
2 EL CLÁSICO TREK
The canyon's most popular trekking circuit is not just a hike, it's a revolving slice of
Colca culture where you get to stay in houses owned by local people, and walk in the
footsteps of their Inca ancestors. The trek, usually known as 'El Clásico,' can be done
as a two- or three-day excursion starting and finishing in the village of Cabanaconde.
3 ESPINAR DE TUTI
Several kilometres above the village of Tuti in the upper canyon, reached via a foot-
path, are the remnants of a village abandoned by the Spanish in the early 1600s. It's an
eerie place, where the stone walls of roofless houses and the ruins of a colonial church
have withstood the ravages of time.
