Discover Peru - Colca Canyon
Quimbaya Latin America
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Where is the Colca Canyon ?
Things to know about the Colca Canyon
The Colca Canyon in the heart of the Andes, 180 km north of the city of Arequipa in the southern part of Peru, is one of the must-see stops on your trip! 🇵🇪
Twice as deep as the US Grand Canyon, it was long considered the deepest canyon in the world. But recently, the Cotahuasi Canyon has overtaken it with its 3,535m depth compared to the Colca Canyon's approximately 3,400m. ⛰
The Cruz del Condor viewpoint, 1200 meters above the Colca river, is one of the most important points of view of this natural work of art. It is where one of the birds that was revered by the Incas for its power and majesty hovers: the condors! This bird, whose wingspan is the largest in the world, will offer you an unforgettable spectacle through its world of movement! 🦅
The 374km long Colca River carving out the impressive geological formation of the canyon is an integral part of this magnificent landscape, as are the many terraced crops on the mountainside called "andenes", used since Inca times! 🌾
On the way to the canyon from Arequipa, you will come across a few isolated houses, small villages, including Chivay, the gateway to the Colca Canyon and the Salinas National Reserve, and Aguada Blanca, the natural habitat of vicuñas, the llama's elegant cousin, which produces the finest fibre in the world. 🦙
You will also find alpacas, llamas, Andean flamingos, and all this framed by a panorama of great volcanoes such as Ampato (6310 m), Sabancaya (5076 m), Hualca Hualca (6025 m), Huarancante (5426 m) and Chucura (5200 m). 🌋
But let's not forget that this immense canyon is full of sites dating back to the Inca and pre-Inca civilisations, real archaeological remains such as the ruins of Kallimarca and Uyo-Uyo, or the Chimpa fortress which will not fail to amaze you! ✨
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