Knocks at our door at 5am got us out of our warm lumpy beds and into the cold room with no heat. The prices of the 2 day 1 night Colca Canyon circuit are based on the quality of the hotel you get dropped in for the evening - budget for us. It's 2 hours to the Cruce de Condor where we hope the weather allows views into one of the world's deepest canyons (still debated) and we get a glimpse of Condors that make their nests in the steep walls. Chances are slim for both this time of year, it's the rainy season and the big birds retreat to the coast for seafood.
The Colca Valley is beautiful this time of year with the terraced land and plots divided by ancient rock walls full of blooming potato plants and corn. The potato originated in Peru and there are over 2000 varieties of potato here. We make a brief stop in Maca for bathrooms and much needed coffee as our budget hotel only searved tea with our bread and marmelade this morning. As usual the locals are selling trinkets, bright colored clothes and photo ops with llamas. Today's rareity is a trained eagle and Helen is quick to take advantage. Meghan isn't feeling her best, affected by the altitude and the early start. We are back in the highlands. Yesterday we cleared a pass at 4900 meters (16,000 feet) and we are still at 12,000 feet, I feel it too.
As we head west the land gets steeper and cactus plants replace the produce and the clouds start to thicken. Just as we reach our viewpoint everything turns white and we are socked in. The cross is visible but we won't get to see much else from here. Helen keeps the mood positive, excited to feel what it is like to be in the clouds... wet and white. Our tour guides take us back to a second mirador in the valley that we passed earlier and we sit for half an hour with our eyes to the sky. Other than fun with condor pupets we pile back in the van to make the 4 hour trip out of the valley and over the pass to Arequipa. We do get to see a lone condor sailing high above the valley and the van stops on the side of the road but it was way up there.
We might have to make a return trip here.... 6 hours from Cusco.
The Colca Valley is beautiful this time of year with the terraced land and plots divided by ancient rock walls full of blooming potato plants and corn. The potato originated in Peru and there are over 2000 varieties of potato here. We make a brief stop in Maca for bathrooms and much needed coffee as our budget hotel only searved tea with our bread and marmelade this morning. As usual the locals are selling trinkets, bright colored clothes and photo ops with llamas. Today's rareity is a trained eagle and Helen is quick to take advantage. Meghan isn't feeling her best, affected by the altitude and the early start. We are back in the highlands. Yesterday we cleared a pass at 4900 meters (16,000 feet) and we are still at 12,000 feet, I feel it too.
As we head west the land gets steeper and cactus plants replace the produce and the clouds start to thicken. Just as we reach our viewpoint everything turns white and we are socked in. The cross is visible but we won't get to see much else from here. Helen keeps the mood positive, excited to feel what it is like to be in the clouds... wet and white. Our tour guides take us back to a second mirador in the valley that we passed earlier and we sit for half an hour with our eyes to the sky. Other than fun with condor pupets we pile back in the van to make the 4 hour trip out of the valley and over the pass to Arequipa. We do get to see a lone condor sailing high above the valley and the van stops on the side of the road but it was way up there.
We might have to make a return trip here.... 6 hours from Cusco.
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