- Location: Chivay, Peru (160 km north-west of Arequipa)
- Phone: +51 54 203010
- Website: colcaperu.gob.pe
- Depth: 3270 m
- The cost of the excursion: 60 salts + additional fee at the entrance of 70 salts
The state of Peru is not only the guardian of ancient buildings and mysterious structures, Peru is also a rich nature, fascinating with its splendor. One of the main natural Peruvian attractions is considered to be the Kolka canyon.
general information
Kolka Canyon is located in the Andes, 160 km south of the second largest city of Peru - Arequipa . The canyon has many other names: the lost Inca Valley, the Valley of Fire, the Valley of Wonders or the Territory of the Eagles.
Kolka canyon is famous not only in its own country, it is famous around the world, which is not surprising, because in its parameters the Kolka Canyon roughly twice exceeds the famous American Grand Canyon - its depth starts from 1000 meters and in some places reaches up to 3400 meters , slightly smaller than the other canyon in Peru, the canyon of Cotauasi , which is only 150 meters deeper than the Colca Canyon.
Kolka canyon was formed due to seismic activity of two volcanoes - Sabankaya and Ualka-Ualka, which still operate, and the flowing river of the same name. The literal translation of the canyon name means "grain barn", and the terrain itself is quite suitable for agriculture.
The most spectacular views open, of course, from the observation deck of the Cross Condor (Cruz del Condor), which is located on the highest point of this area. From here you can easily see such volcanoes as: Ampato, Hualka-Ualka and Sabankaya, as well as Mount Misti, in addition, you can see another fascinating action - flights of condors, being with them almost at the same altitude. On the way to the canyon you can see the beautiful agricultural terraces, meet a lot of representatives of the camel family and even swim in the thermal waters. And next to the Kolka Canyon you can find wonderful Peruvian hotels , famous for their high service, pools filled with mineral waters, and thermal springs nearby.
Interesting to know
Kolka canyon in 2010 took part in the contest Seven Wonders of the World, but before the finals this miracle of nature did not come.
How to get there?
There are many ways to visit this wonderful place: in Lima , Cusco and Arequipa excursions to the Colca Canyon are sold literally at every step and differ by the price and the number of days - from one to three days of travel. Immediately stipulate that a one-day trip will be quite exhausting - the collection of tourists starts at 3 am, around 4 am the bus with tourists goes to the village of Chivai, the journey ends at 6.00 pm. The cost of such a one-day tour is 60 salts (slightly more than 20 dollars), however, it should be borne in mind that when entering the Colca Canyon from foreign citizens, an additional fee of 70 salts is charged, which is more than double the fee for South American citizens .
We advise you to visit the Kolka Canyon in Peru during the rainy season (December-March), it is at this time that the canyon slopes are particularly beautiful and shimmer with different shades of emerald color. In the "dry" season, the palette of the canyon will dominate the brown colors.
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