Arequipa and Colca Canyon

Machu Picchu would probably be the most well known reason for tourists to visit Peru, not far south (9 hours bus) there is another popular hike, the Colca Canyon, that is slowly growing its gringo status. The canyon itself is based around the Colca River and is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, making the list for one of the deepest in the world with  4,160m depth. The local inhabitants still continue to cultivate their pre-Incan stepped terraces.

First order of the day was a stuffed pepper with potato cake, served up in the local markets where they don't hold back on the fire factor. The food adventure continued at an annual event help for all the restaurants and bars to show off their produce, a perfect opportunity to sample Anticucho (cows heart on a skewer) and Cerviche (raw fish cooked in citric juices).

As per a new formed tradition, Tom and Elyna were waiting on the bus when I was picked up at 3am to head out for our 2 day canyon trek. The trek down was relatively easy although a rather steep loose rock path was waiting to claim its next victim. At the base of the canyon we crossed  the river and were rewarded with a stroll through lush plantations of various fruits and vegetables. The only produce in season were avocados and figs of which we could pick and eat plentiful amounts on our way. We did mange to spot one Condor high up circling the cliffs above, more exciting than the hour we spent on the way in, parked alongside hundreds of tourists up on top of the cliff waiting to spot one of these magnificent birds.

After around 4 hours hiking (at somewhat of a slow pace) we eventually got a brilliant view of the Oasis below, its pools beckoning us to frolick in the last of the afternoons warmth. Not wanting to dampen the party mood too early, a  bunch of the lads collected drift wood along the river and set up a blazing bonfire, whilst we sipped cocktails late in to the evening.

Much to our delight we had to wake at 4am to start the two hour gruelling hike up to the top of the canyon, providing the perfect opportunity to sweat out the previous evenings festivity. We were rewarded on the way back to Arequipa with a visit to some hot spring pools and stopping to drink Colca Sours, a local version of the famous Pisco Sour, instead blended with a sour cactus fruit.