Students, doctors and volunteers will be visiting some of the most beautiful sites and scenery the world has to offer during the Colca Valley and Canyon Tour while in Peru. To give you an impetus and a feeling of excitement before the trip, we have decided to offer you a little insight into just what you’ll be paying for. Bellow you will find a general description from the area, it highlights important touristic points and activities, most of which are contained within your tour package.

But before we show it to you, in order to ensure maximum enjoyment on this trip, participants should take note of the following:

• Students should be aware that besides the regular meal plan for this excursion, there will be no other food served. It is advisable to come with at least enough money so that snacks and other food items can be purchased along the way.
• Appropriate gear will be necessary as some trekking activity might take place during this tour, as well as a bathing suit since we will be able to bathe and bask at local hot spring baths.
• The weather gets cold so please bring winter clothing and come prepared.

Colca Valley And Canyon Special Features

The Colca Valley and Canyon is an amazing sight and is one of the few places on Earth where the undiluted, unsullied beauty of nature is preserved, manifested and expressed.

Located in the Arequipa region of Southern Peru, the Colca Canyon is simply scenery of pure beauty, and remains the third most visited tourist destination in Peru till date, with over 120,000 tourists streaming in annually to take in the incredible sight. With a depth of approximately 3,400 meters (11,150 ft) below the ground at its deepest point, it is renowned as the second deepest canyon on the face of the Earth. For a better view and general appreciation of this canyon’s depth, it has been recommended that a tourist goes on the Cruz del Condor; a viewpoint where it is possible to catch a glimpse of Andean condors all year round. The Colca canyon offers a beautiful insight into the Peruvian culture; architecture, handicrafts and other cultural elements can be found in this area. Beyond its cultural heritage, the canyon is also an excellent spot for extreme sporting activities; hiking, dirt biking and others.  The valley surrounding the canyon also features an astonishing amount of Inca and pre-Inca agricultural terraces and the adequate irrigation systems necessary to operate them at near-maximum efficiency.

The canyon contains many bird species, including the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus); a species that has been the focus of worldwide conservation efforts due to the threat of their extinction in recent times. The condors can be viewed at close range as they frequently and habitually fly past the canyon walls. These birds, due to their scarce nature, are a popular tourist attraction by themselves. The Andean Condor has a life span that ranges between 60-70 years, and has a wingspan of about 7-9 feet. Locals commonly refer to it as the «Bird of Eternity,» as the bird is a symbol of long life, strength and eternity. ‘Cruz del Condor’ is a popular tourist stop, as it allows tourists the close range they need to view the condors in their majesty and grandeur. At the point of the Cruz del Condor, the canyon floor is 1,200m below the rim of the canyon.

Other notable bird species present in the Colca canyon include the giant hummingbird; the largest member belonging to the hummingbird family, as well as the Andean goose and the Chilean flamingo, among others. Land animals and wildlife present in the canyon and its surrounding valley include the vizcacha, zorrino, and different varieties of deer, foxes, and the vicuña; the wild ancestor of the alpaca.

Chivay, the biggest and most developed town in the Colca Canyon, is home to the La Calera natural hot springs. Other hot springs, with some already developed for tourist use and application, are scattered throughout the entirety of the valley and canyon.

Archeological sites have also been set up in the Colca canyon and valley. They include the caves of Mollepunko above Callalli, where rock art (rumored to be over 6,000 years old) depicts the domestication of wild animals and the earliest signs of Inca civilization and agricultural activities above Sibayo; the Fortaleza de Chimpa, a reconstructed citadel above a mountain that overlooks Madrigal; ruins of pre-Hispanic settlements which are scattered throughout the valley; and many others.

As stated earlier, the Colca canyon and valley is home to a variety of cultural and sporting events which take place round the year. One of the dominant cultural attractions in the area is the Wititi festival which takes place in Chivay. Over the years, this festival has come to be known as a major cultural heritage of Peru. The Colca is also well known for a wide range of crafts: goods knitted from baby alpaca fiber and a unique type of embroidery that beautifully decorates skirts (polleras), hats, vests, and other clothing materials of daily wear and use.