Safari in Colca

condors, hiking and biking

Set amidst the dramatic landscapes of the Andes Mountains to the north of Arequipa, the Colca Canyon is a vast and scenic defile. At 3270m / 10730’, it’s the second deepest canyon in the world.

The canyon is lined by a string of scenic viewpoints, from where you can view the beautiful agricultural terraces and rural villages, encounter herds of vicuñas and llamas, as well as look out for majestic Andean condors as they ride the thermals.

Colca is apparently the third most popular visitor attraction in Peru (after Machu Picchu and Lago Titicaca), but is only home to a couple of decent lodges.

Activities include condor viewing, hiking, horse-riding, cultural interaction, palaeontology and spa treatments at the various thermal springs in the area.

The best time to visit Colca Canyon is generally considered to be during the May-Nov dry season.

The area enjoys a surprisingly constant year round climate, with peak daytime temperatures typically around 23C/73F and nighttime temperatures around 7C/45F. Although it can easily head down below freezing at night, so do be sure to bring some warm clothing.

The main seasonal feature is the Dec-Apr rainy season. Although this only amounts to around 50mm/2” per month, humidities are greatly increased and there can be extensive fogs, which can really put a dampener on exploring this otherwise very scenic area.

Getting there

Colca Canyon is most commonly reached by road from Arequipa, which in turn can be easily accessed by internal flights into the local Rodríguez Ballón Airport, which has regular flight connections with Lima, Cusco and Juliaca (Lago Titicaca).

Having arrived into the area by road from Arequipa, it’s common to continue northeast across the altiplano to Lago Titicaca or Cusco.

Most people exploring this region tend to include nights in both Arequipa and Colca Canyon.

Where to stay

Considering how popular Colca Canyon is with visitors, it’s surprising how few decent lodges there are in the area.

The standout option is the very upmarket Belmond Las Casitas, with the more modest Colca Lodge being the best of the mid-priced options.

2-3 nights for more outdoorsy travellers