Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru. It is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Arequipa. It is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States. However, the canyon’s walls are not as vertical as those of the Grand Canyon. The Colca Valley is a colorful Andean valley with towns founded in Spanish Colonial times and formerly inhabited by the Collaguas and the Cabanas. The local people still maintain ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces.

Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru. It is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Arequipa. It is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States. However, the canyon’s walls are not as vertical as those of the Grand Canyon. The Colca Valley is a colorful Andean valley with towns founded in Spanish Colonial times and formerly inhabited by the Collaguas and the Cabanas. The local people still maintain ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces.

The Colca canyon is home of the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), a species that has seen world-wide effort to preserve it. The condors can be seen at fairly close range as they fly through the canyon walls and are an increasingly popular attraction. ‘Cruz del Condor’ is a popular tourist stop to view the condors, the pass where condors soar gracefully on the rising thermals occurring as the air warms. The condors are best seen in the early morning and late afternoon when they are hunting. At this point the Colca canyon floor is 3,960 ft (1,200 m) below the rim of the canyon.

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Katie I
05/12/2024
HIGHLY RECOMMEND. We had the BEST time in Peru. Mark was amazing to work with and our itinerary was perfect. All our guides were amazing and every.single.detail was planned out perfectly. We had lots of transfers from buses and boats and planes and trains and everything went so smoothly. Mark was always accessible on WhatsApp to answer questions before and during the trip. He really put thought into our itineary adjusting some things as we were traveling on New Years Eve when he knew there would be traffic/early closures to ensure we had the best time.
zoricam1petkovski
24/10/2024
Our trip to Peru with ILE Tours was great experience. We enjoyed every moment, we saw a lot and our time was very well used. Mark was approachable and flexible from the beginning of our conversation. He managed to accommodate all our requests and to fit the program to our needs. He was available all the time while we were in Peru. Everything was very well organized, we always had a person who would escort us from point A to point B. Transportation and guides were professional. I recommend ILE Tours as a highly reliable tourist organization.
Resort784844
23/05/2024
A one of a kind trip. High elevations and high expectations.
History, beauty and new friends. The Inca’s were great astronomers, farmers and inventors. We had the best guides on our excursions; people who passionately want the Inca history and language to be preserved. The tours were delivered with pride.
Robert Griffiths
22/05/2024
The personal touch. Mark and his family made us part of his family. I would not use anyone but him and his agency for a trip to Peru. Whatever and whenever we needed anything he provided it. He and his family hiked along with us. It was a wonderful experience.