July 6th-8th 2015
The Colca Canyon, one of Peru’s major tourist attraction lies about 5-7 hours outside of Arequipa, and I’ve already visited this marvel of nature during my first trip through Peru on a rushed day tour, This time Rob Bethan and I return to do it right, and we also get the joy of meeting up with Ceci and Ben who you know from my Bolivian Salt Flats blog, bringing all but one member of that special group back together. Ben and Ceci are volunteering in a hostel called Villa Pastor in Cabanaconde, a small town towards the far end of the Colca Canyon.
After a 6 hour bus ride on the local bus from Arequipa which feels much longer than 6 hours (Several departures daily 17 soles from the central station stopping briefly in Chivay.) we climb out in the small but charming plaza de armas just after sundown and are met by the wonderful Ceci and Ben with a new addition to the salt flats family. Nieves the Alpaca! A hostel mascot.
Now I know what you’re thinking, normally white alpaca’s are whiter, well Nieves is kind of special, he found an oil drum in the yard and more or less dunked himself inside it. Even after a shearing and many bath’s he’s still got some blackness to him.
Waking up the next morning in my cramped but comfy single room (15 Soles or 6 CAD) I’m greeted with a rather large surprise, as I step out onto the attached restaurant and look out at the stunning mountains which surround Cabanaconde, hidden last night by the darkness. It’s a pretty astonishing view.
Later that day Rob Bethan and I leave Ceci and Ben to their work to go explore the town and eventually head to a viewpoint of the Colca Canyon. The town itself is charming, smiling locals greeting us as we walk along the roughly hewn cobblestone streets, many of the women in their traditional hats and dresses. For those who don’t know the traditional hats from this part of Peru are the most impressive I’ve seen anywhere on my travels, and If I weren’t travelling so long I’d probably have bought one.
Eventually we reach the edge of the tiny town finding an uneven winding dirt path leading down towards the canyon past lots of small terraced farms. The largely blue sky contrasting the green below makes for some beautiful pictures before we even get to any of the mirador’s of the actual Canyon.
I’m still feeling pretty sick, but I manage to more or less keep up and as we stumble out to the first of a few different look out points I’m glad I’ve bothered to come. the views are stunning and even include the oasis that many of the two and three day tours to the Colca Canyon hike down to.
We explore the various view points for the next hour or so snapping photos and eventually deciding it’s time for more titanic shots. I don’t know whether to say your welcome or apologize to the world for what follows.
That done we head back to town for some food and an early wake up the next morning. Snapping a few more photos on the walk home.
Once there we chill with Nieves outside the hostel, and the young alpaca for once seems to enjoy our company. He even shares some of his food with us, kind gentleman that he is. We also spend time with the beautiful and affectionate neighbours cat who seems entirely too young to be pregnant, but such is often the way in the third/second world I suppose. We also meet Louise another delightful welsh person, who is staying at the other hostel but will quickly join our traveling group getting us back to that magic number of six for the next week or so.
The next morning we wake up before 6 and climb into the van of the hostel which we’ve rented out for the morning (10 soles each), Ben climbing behind the wheel to drive us to Cruz del Condor, for my second time to see some of these giant birds up close.
Just as we pull away a lady appears to check for our tourist tickets to the region (70 Soles), something you usually have to buy when you’re get off the bus, but we somehow missed. Rob and Bethan have to pay, but I show her my worn one from 5 months ago which they thankfully forgot to date. (they’re good for about a week) and she lets me slide. 20 minutes later were piling out of the car at Cruz del condor and climbing out to the first lookout. as we wait for the first condors to coast the thermals up out of the Canyon towards us I take the chance to recreate a photo originally taken by my friends Elin and Olivia 5 months ago, really, not much has changed.
We spend a few hours at Cruz Del Condor enjoying our time as countless of the majestic birds appear, they don’t pass by quite as close as my first visit, but we see way more of them this time around, and some pass not too far away. The only downside of the site is the same as before, the swarm of tourists, some more objectionable then others. Some Asian’s climb over the barrier and try to ignore the bouncer as they throw things at the birds, others talk loudly on their cellphone barely sparing a glance for the sight’s main attraction.
I also got a chance to propose to Ben in a very romantic location, much to Ceci’s horror. (For those wondering from the facebook post, sadly no this wasn’t real, more a celebration of the recent ruling in the U.S.)
Eventually we head back to the van and return to Cabanaconde enjoying lunch at a tiny little restaurant on the corner opposite the church in the Plaza de Armas called Team Hortoms in honour of the dearly missed by me Canadian Donut Chain. The owner lived in Canada for six months and serves up huge delicious sandwiches for 10 Soles and he even has an official Tim Horton’s visor. If you’re in Cabanaconde don’t skip it.
We spend the rest of the day relaxing and playing cards before heading out to Pachamama hostel for some dinner and drinks and ping pong stopping by a smaller bar down the street one by two very crazy and very friendly locals.
The next day we manage to smuggle Ceci and Ben out of work for a few hours to go on a hike in search of a swimming hole slash waterfall nearby popular among the locals. We have vague directions from the bar folk and head out the backside of the town away from the canyon where we find a small brook cutting through more terraced farm land.
We follow it and enjoy more beautiful Andean scenery eventually running into a farmer who tells us we’re not going the right way to find the waterfall, but this far in we decide to just keep going, continuing to ignore any search for a path and clambering over the rocky river bed. Everyone else keeps their shoes on and stays dry making their walk much more challenging then mine, When walking along a river, especially in decent heat, never wear shoes.
We keep going and pass buy a few man made waterfalls from agriculture canals, a few friendly local farmers and a small group of truly adorable piglets.
Eventually Ben and Ceci have to head back to work, but Rob Bethan and I keep going until we reach a road crossing and a bigger man made waterfall. The barefoot walking gets treacherous as cactuses start to line our path but I persevere as Rob displays his climbing skills scaling the concrete facade and standing atop the waterfall.
We all pose for a photos with the falls before glancing up at the sun and deciding it’s time to head back. The walk passes fairly quickly and after some brief directions to the path by a friendly farmer were back in town, where all the local ladies find my bare feet very amusing.
That night we head out to find the new Pizzeria of the friendly Team Hortoms owner, and after getting lost a little we end up there, on the edge of town, in a churchy looking hostel where we enjoy delicious wood fired pizzas, complimentary tea, and six tiny kittens, just born a few days ago. A perfect way to end our time in Cabanaconde.
