Category Archives: Peru

Condors

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Before descending into Colca Canyon my group stopped at a viewpoint in the hopes of seeing condors.  There are quite a few viewpoints along the rim.  We initially stopped at Cruz del Condor, as seen here.

It’s a good idea to get here early, as once the large tour groups get here, it fills up pretty quickly.  The other reason to arrive early is that is usually when the condors appear.  They live on the side of the canyon and in the mornings when the hot air is rising out of the canyon they literally jump off the cliff and use the hot air to glide.
Condors weigh up to 15kg so they are not very good at flying, they focus on gliding instead.
We actually did not see any at the first viewpoint, but the tour provided bikes so we could cycle along the rim.  Biking downhill at 3700m is fine.  Biking uphill is another story!  Anyway, even with the difficulties, it was not long before somebody spotted a condor and then we spent an hour of so watching them and taking pictures.

Hot springs and volcanoes

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To get back from Cabanaconde I had to decide between a local bus or a tour group.  I decided to hitch a ride with a tour group to go back to Arequipa mostly because they stop at some hot springs and then for lunch, where the local bus would go straight through.

It turns out that hitching a ride with a tour group is not difficult.  Down at Sangalle I met lots of tour guides and if they had space they were overly eager to negotiate a price.  So after I hiked out and got some breakfast I met a small group who mostly slept going back to Arequipa. 
There are several hot springs in the Chivay area, most of them very rustic.  We stopped at Yanque.  The hot springs are located down a steep gravel road that is probably not meant for a bus, but we made it.
The water is coming straight from under the volcano and it’s not filtered in any way.  The pool at the extreme left was actually boiling (literally bubbling).  Nobody dared to risk that, I had visions of 3rd degree burns!  From there the water is piped into the next pool (so it’s a bit cooler) and then the next, and so on.  To the left of the pools is the river, so you could go from the hot springs into the river to cool off.
This location actually had a zip line above it, but all you would get is a view of the hot springs.
Speaking of views, while waiting for the bus driver to finish his nap (did I mention this group slept a lot), we saw Mount Vesuvius erupt.
I believe this is actually Sabancaya, and apparently it does this several times per day, but I have never seen anything like this before.  Some people in the group were a bit concerned for their safety. 
The trip back to Arequipa was fairly uneventful after this.  I think this region in Peru is my favorite.  The landscape is so fantastic.

 

Colca Canyon – Sangalle

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I just got back into Arequipa from my trip to Colca Canyon.  There is so much to see in and around the canyon, but this post will focus on Sangalle.

Sangalle is an oasis at the bottom of the canyon that is accessible by a 2 hour hike down from Cabanaconde.  I took a tour to Colca Canyon but it was not strictly a hiking trip and I wanted something a bit more challenging, so I arranged for the tour to leave me in Cabanaconde.

Now, the night before the tour group stayed in quite a nice hotel, and Cabanaconde is, well, fairly remote and run down.  Some of the people on the tour had a look of fear on their faces when they realized I was going to be left there.  All in all, it’s not a bad little town, but it’s probably not somewhere you need to stay very long.

I bought some snacks and water from a small store and continued to the trail head.  It actually starts in a farmers fields, but there are signs every now and then.  Once you get past the field the trail descends fairly steeply.  In fact, you descend 1000 meters in 8k. Cabanaconde is at 3350 meters and the air is thin, but Sangalle is at 2350 meters and is a little oasis in what is otherwise a hot and barren canyon.

You should be warned that if hiking down in the daytime there is very little shade.  You need lots of water, sunscreen, and a hat.

Once you get to the bottom, you can have a swim and a beer.  The accommodation at the bottom is very rustic.  I would say if it rained (which is unlikely) then it would rain into your room!  The hotel provided dinner at a small fee.  There is nowhere else to eat or buy anything – bring what you think you need – including snacks.  All the hotels accept cash (and only cash)
The view at sunset was pretty good.  After dark they run very limited LED bulbs.  You should bring a torch or a headlamp.
To avoid the sun, most people ascend around day break, which is what I did.  5am this morning after having a small breakfast (which I brought down with me) I began the hike up.  The climb is pretty unrelenting and you continue to go up for 8km.  It gets colder as you go, and around 3000m most people find it much more difficult to get oxygen.  
I was told 3 to 4 hours to get back to the top.  I guess I kept a fairly good pace as it took 2h15m.  I carried 4.5L of water, but only needs around 2.5L as it was fairly cool.
Restaurants at the top are few, but I managed to find breakfast before catching a bus back to Arequipa.