Hiking the Colca Canyon:
2 days and 1 night

It isn't the deepest in the world, but it's deep enough to be a challenge for any hiker. The Colca canyon is a hard trail because once you are at the bottom, you realize that it has been only half of the trek, indeed, the easiest part.  The trail starts in Cabanaconde town, the last village on the road, from there you can not see the canyon, but the views of the terraces and fields are quite impressive. At one point, you leave the road to follow a horse trail, and after few minutes, the canyon appears as a huge scar in the ground. The view leaves you speechless, you can see this huge canyon, and also the trail you will follow, the towns you will visit and down at the bottom the river and the campsite.

The first part of the trail is close to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and it takes 3 hours to reach the river (the bottom of the canyon). The trail is rocky and dusty, so hiking boots are the best choice. This path is used by local people to carry and take things to the towns on the other side of the canyon, where it's impossible to get by bus or car, therefore, you should expect to be stop by donkeys, horses and even llamas on their way to those towns. As regards the wildlife, you will see many birds flying over your head, the most interesting is the majestic "condor". This big bird (up to 3 meters long from wing to wing) glides in circles in the air using the thermals that go up. Once you reach the bridge to cross the river, I suggest to do a stop to refresh yourself in the river. Take off your boots and socks and put your feet in the cold water of the river. It's a big rock on the right side of the bridge where you can lay down and rest for a while. Also, you can buy water or refill your bottle here.

It's time to continue with the excursion, the next stop is lunch. There is a village, 30 minutes from the bridge, where you can eat. The name of the village is San Juan and there are some families who run small restaurants. You can buy water there too. After lunch you can continue to Cornishua town but be careful because between San Juan and Cornishua are many paths and trails and it's very easy to get lost. It takes almost one hour to reach the next village. The hardest part of the hike is a 20 minutes climb to this town.  From Cornishua the trail is easy, flat and downhill until the campsite.

From this town is one hour and a half more to the campsite. After Cornishua you pass through another village, Malata, and then you will get to a place from where it's possible to see the campsite, Oasis (the name is because it looks like a real oasis, with palm trees and swimming pools). The last part of the trail is downhill, you cross again the river and by another bridge, once you cross it, it's only 10 minutes more to the campsite.

In the campsite is a swimming pool with warm water that comes from a natural spring, you should go for a swim and rest for a while before dinner. It's cool at night, and sometimes gets a little cold. There are bamboo huts in the campsite, so you won't need tents, but I suggest to bring your sleeping. There are also toilets in the campsite, it really feels like a oasis.

The next day you have to wake up early (4 am) to start the hike early in the morning before the sun rise and it gets hot. The trail is uphill and you have to climb 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) from the campsite to Cabanaconde town. The trail is steep and it is still dark when you start, so you will need a flashlight for the first part. After 3 hours you will reach the top and then Cabanaconde town again, on time to eat breakfast and take the bus back to Arequipa.

AREQUIPA

Location: This city is in the Southern Andes at 2,350 meters (7,600 ft) above sea level.

Climate: Sunny and dry, but cold at night. The mean temperature goes from 24°C (75°F) in the morning to 10°C (50°F) in the night. The rainy season is from January to March.

Surroundings: This region is known due to its volcanoes, the most popular is the Misti at 5,825 meters (19,098 ft.) above sea level. Another interesting place to visit near Arequipa city is the Colca Canyon, the 2nd deepest canyon in the world. There you can appreciate beautiful Andean landscapes as fields with terraces, snow capped mountains and the canyon itself as a giant deep scar on the ground. Also, don't miss the flight of the condors, the king of the Andean skies.

History: The city of Arequipa was founded by the Spaniard Captain Garci Manuel de Carbajal on August 15th, 1540.  It became in an important and wealthy town because it was a mandatory stop for the silver from the mines of Potosi (now Bolivia) in its way to Spain. Also, it was the center of the commerce and trade between Lima (capital) and the Southern territories. All these made of it a wealthy community, that's why many churches and mansions were built in this town, all made with "sillar" (white volcanic rock whose porous composition makes it easy to carve and work with). One of the historic places you should visit here, is the Santa Catalina convent, it is a great example of the architecture of the colonial times. It is also big, almost a walled town inside the city, with narrow streets, plazas and fountains, a cemetery, laundry, kitchen and bakery.

Festivities: The anniversary of the foundation of Arequipa city is in August 15th, and there are many festivities the whole month, it's also a great opportunity to try the local cuisine, famous due to its spicy flavors, also considered one of the best in Peru.

Also in the countryside are many local feasts the whole year, specially in the Colca Valley. Most of them are catholic feasts, but there are also big festivities with fireworks, bull fights, people wearing typical clothingh and of course music and dancing. One of these feastivities is Carnival in February.

Adventure: You can hike to the bottom of the Colca canyon (1,000 mts or 3,300 ft. depth) where the Colca river flows, and camp there. The climb to the top of the canyon is hard, but it is worth the effort. The sceneries are impressive.

You can also do whitewater rafting in the Colca river after the rainy season. March and April are the best time to do it. It is very rough in some parts, so you must do it with a professional who has done it before and knows the river.