Paul Bird
Reaching the sun gate and marvelling over Machu Picchu unveiled one of the most impressive landscapes that Paul has seen in his global travels.
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This barren and largely inhospitable landscape is carved by the powerful Rio Colca as it snakes its path through an enormous volcanic gorge. It offers traditional adobe villages, thermal baths and spectacular condor sightings.
The dizzying spectacle of Colca Canyon resides in a relatively unexplored region of the Andes, northwest of Arquipa. The Colca Canyon plummets to depths of 3,182 metres (10,607ft) at Nevado Ampato, making it twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and a natural highlight for anyone visiting Peru.
A highlight of the Colca is the majestic Andean condor that can be observed in the brilliant blue skies at Cruz del Condor, above the canyon. Considered a sacred bird in Inca culture and a sight to behold by visitors, the soaring the thermals created by rising updrafts from the canyon below create ideal conditions for seeing these enormous birds. A visit to the area also shows farmers tending potatoes and corn on acres of terracing, Collagua and Cabana women in striking pageant dress herding alpaca, and vicuna grazing on scrub in this otherwise untamed wilderness.
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For a real adventure, go rafting over the rapids of Rio Colca in one of the world’s deepest canyons.
Marvel at the Inca terracing, still used by locals alongside traditional farming techniques.
Venture out in the company of an expert guide with the goal of taking extraordinary photos of the native wildlife – with luck, condors may swoop overhead!
Our Peru experts have created and curated these holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something to spark ideas for a unique adventure.
Some of the wonderful places to stay that we frequently recommended.
A hidden gem in the Peruvian Andes, Belmond Las Casitas del Colca is a secluded hideaway nestled in the shadow of mist-tipped mountains. The estate offers a Peruvian a la carte restaurant, an outdoor stone swimming pool, a tranquil treatment spa with eucalyptus steam room, an organic vegetable garden, a small farm and a delightfully restored chapel.
Surrounded by ancestral farming terraces in the Colca Valley, Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs boast astonishing views over the neighbouring Peruvian National Heritage pre-Inca terraces and across a luscious valley. Inspired by Inca architecture, the lodge is constructed almost entirely from native materials and techniques that include mud bricks, stones and thatching. A charming lodge that consciously blends in with the surrounding landscape, Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs offers 45 exquisite rooms that are decorated with rustic furnishings and bold fabrics and connect with the impressive gardens.
A small and friendly hotel made up of individual stone cottages linked by well-tended pathways, Casa Andina Standard Colca boasts quaint features like a vegetable garden and an open courtyard with a fountain. The restaurant offers hearty cuisine if a limited menu and local dancers perform daily.
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Reaching the sun gate and marvelling over Machu Picchu unveiled one of the most impressive landscapes that Paul has seen in his global travels.
If your passion is the outdoors and you are looking to delve into South American culture, Roxy recommends one of the lodge-to-lodge hiking programmes to explore the Sacred Valley and beyond. Hopping between the quiet mountain towns, meet the locals that live off the grid and immerse yourself in the welcoming spirit of Peru.
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