Thursday 12th December 2013
Day One: Going down
This morning was an early start. We were the first of 10 to be picked up from our hostel at 3am. The Colca Canyon is 160km north west of Arequipa. At 4km from cliff edge to river bottom, it is the deepest canyon in the world. The sharp terraces of the canyon have been cultivated for over 1500 years and still are, despite its growth into Peru’s third most visited tourist attraction.
Including a stop for breakfast at Chivay and at Mirador Cruz del Condor the drive to the canyon took around six hours. Stopping at the Mirador was optimistic as we were off season (May-July).
The first day was a long 18km downward hike into the canyon with a stop for lunch along the way. It was wet season and there had been landslides only days before which had destroyed the path we were taking. Along the way we encountered bulldozers on two occasions which were trying to restore the trail and had to work our way around them. On the way down the colours of the canyon were mesmerising. The different minerals in the rock created different shades, greens, blues, lilacs, silvers, burt yellows. Even when the rocky sides were just blacks and browns they looked like crumpled velvet in the sun. The day ended at the bottom of the canyon at the Sangalle Oasis where we enjoyed some hard earned drinks and dinner before hitting the sack in our huts.
Day Two: Going up
Day two was tough. We woke at 4.30am, packed our things and after only a cup of tea headed to the trail. From there it was 6km straight upwards along a steep, unrelenting path. The switchbacks were short. We were on a schedule and had to be at Cabanaconde for the bus back to Arequipa by 9am. 8.30am would allow us time for breakfast on arrival. My stomach had not been right since the Inca trail and I hadn’t eaten much the day before. The hike up was hard but we made it with time to spare. It was only once we made it to the top that we were really able to enjoy the scenery. The last 20 minutes of the hike were more or less flat through maize fields overlooked by mountains.
After the hike my tank was pretty much empty, when we reached the town I downed a bottle of luminous orange fanta like it was the last drink I would ever have. On the way back we stopped at the Mirador Cruz del Condor, again with no avail. A final stop at some hot springs before Arequipa was just what the muscles needed – not quite Baños but it did the job.
We arrived back in Arequipa at 6pm for our last night there and after the seriously basic and dusty accommodation at the Oasis we were glad to be back in our nice room at the hostel again.
Next stop: Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia.
Ramblers Rumblings 
Who’s that sexy guy with the blue tshirt and chav-looking cap?