Condors at Colca Canyon

Just a few hours on the bus to the Colca Canyon - until recently the deepest canyon in the world, but as you know: mountains grow, so it´s not the deepest any more! Still quite impressive though, so we walked to the bottom, crossed over and stayed over night in the (relative) warmth of a mountain side hostel (with an actual toilet, basin and everything!). The next day was a long trek up a bit, along a bit, down a bit, cross back over and up to the baths - yes, an oasis in the canyon... a quick swim and a little sun bathing in preparation for the long slog up to the top - three hours of steep, dusty, rocky incline later we´re at the top - just in time to see the sun disappear over the other side - and the temperature to plumet!

After a nice meal in a hostel, a good nights sleep and a warm shower it´s up at 06:30 for breakfast, an hours bus ride just in time to see the condors rising from the depths of the canyon... soaring around us, enjoying the rising warm air before going off to hunt.

We´ve now moved onto Puno, 7 uneventful hours bus ride away from Arequipa, found (after some searching) somewhere to stay - with hot water, AND at tv... although the cord is too short to reach the plug socket!