Colca Valley Tour: Arequipa 2-Day Adventure Review

Thinking about seeing the Colca Canyon in Peru? Well, the ‘From Arequipa 2 Days to the Colca Valley with Condor Flight’ tour could be right up your street. It is a pretty famous trip that folks use as an option to get up close with one of the deepest canyons anywhere in the world, to witness those giant Andean condors gliding overhead. This detailed review looks to explore what you can expect on this particular two-day excursion, laying out both the positives and perhaps even some aspects you might wanna consider. To be clear, this isn’t just some promotion; this is meant to be an upfront assessment that could assist your planning.

What to Anticipate: The 2-Day Colca Valley Itinerary

Usually, the trip takes off early. Super early. Most tours will begin their pickup rounds by 3 AM to maybe get you going from Arequipa. It is important to know that the reason for the early start? Getting ahead of the traffic and trying to get to the Colca Canyon so you don’t miss out on that all-important Condor flight. That’s the one thing nobody really wants to skip.

Day 1: Getting There and Adjusting

The beginning chunk of Day One is usually devoted to getting from Arequipa out to the Colca Valley. Actually, it’s very much a scenic drive that swings via places, like Pampa Cañahuas, where usually you’ll get to peep at vicuñas – one of the undomesticated members of the camel family. It’s cool. Next you usually hit viewpoints like Patapampa (which is rather high, reaching above 4,900 meters!), to help get used to that altitude change, which you will want to think about. Getting to the town of Chivay, you often will be set to get some food (it isn’t included always, FYI), and that afternoon gives folks an opportunity to settle down. A great thing you might wanna think of? Checking out the local hot springs just for fun and relaxation after a good bit of driving. These springs can really offer some time for you to loosen up ahead of Day Two.

Day 2: Condors and Getting Back

Okay, so Day Two. Basically it’s all about getting up before sunrise once more so that you will go to Cruz del Condor, a vista point that hands you those great sights of condors taking off into the morning skies. That’s very much the focal point of the tour, yet weather and just how lucky you may be that particular day can make how great those sights really will be. Next to spending some time experiencing the Condors, the tour might get you to visit some spots nearby, just like Maca and Yanque, two nice small communities with lovely old churches. Usually, in the afternoon, the transport is taken to get back to Arequipa. What you have to keep in mind: The time of arrival back to Arequipa tends to fluctuate. It is affected by the conditions out on the roads. Plus it goes according to just how long anyone spends at each place.

Condor Sightings: Are They Actually Worth It?

Seeing condors within the Colca Canyon is very much a major draw. Many folk agree it truly is an awe-inspiring thing as those fantastic birds take flight with the canyon backdrop. However, it is good to come to terms with: You are not ensured sightings all of the time. Plenty of points can swing by how many birds one might witness, involving climate conditions to periods when the condors pair up. Peak viewing times tend to be in the early hours, that, anyway, is why most of those tours try beginning so very early in the day.

Improving Your Condor Experience: Recommendations

To just get yourself more probable of catching great views, what one can do includes:

Try going at the right time: The dry season runs April to about October which tends to supply the best opportunities.
Go out to Cruz del Condor a few times: Try seeing condors twice if there is time.
Be patient: It requires waiting around, and holding back. Do not just expect to see condors immediately, or get defeated immediately when they’re not there instantly.

Altitude Acclimatization: Just How High is Too High?

The Colca Canyon has lots of higher altitudes. Especially Patapampa can possibly touch on heights of just over 4,900 m (about 16,000 feet). That implies: Altitude can easily come to be a matter. Indications can potentially span anywhere from slight headaches to becoming dizzy or experiencing breathlessness. Folks handle that shift to higher altitudes diversely; lots of people may just experience slight pain, yet other folks can actually feel poorly.

Tactics for Dealing With Altitude

Spend some days adapting: It is advised that you simply stay around Arequipa for one or two days ahead of the tour to just get your system inured.
Stay away from strenuous things: Reduce your activity amount at first.
Hydrate often: Have lots of fluids that are non-alcoholic. Tea that’s made with coca leaves is something local residents often consume for mitigating results.
Talk to a physician: Look at talking to your doctor particularly when you suffer pre-existing medical health issues ahead of your trip.

Choosing a Tour: What’s Included and What Isn’t?

When choosing amongst the plenty of tours on offer from Arequipa, look into very closely what any offer consists of (also, consider closely what they don’t have too). Many conventional packages normally cover the transport, a proper guide, including often accommodation around Chivay. Usually, you have to pay separate fees that are for entrance inside of Colca Canyon; that cost changes for people from other countries. Besides this, certain common expenses often not part of most packages tend to be food items, beverages or entering the thermal baths. So what? Scrutinize the small print, so there aren’t unexpected expenses.

Tour Guides: What To Expect

The best tours have knowledgeable local area guides which have knowledge on anything from condor behavior, regional natural world, and indigenous history around that region. How great guides are really influence just how enriching the adventure really seems to you. Check out reading user opinions and actually also perhaps demand specifics about what sort of training which a tour provider will make the tour guides receive before going to confirm anything.

What to Pack: Be Ready for Any Weather

Figuring out how to bring for a excursion around the Colca Valley goes down to planning for different climate settings. First of all, temperatures can fall sharply in mornings and in the evening; carry along warm layers for example fleeces coupled with warm coats. In daylight, just remember that the sunlight might come down powerfully, be sure that you carry hats plus sun block.

Important Things to Carry

Warm Apparel: The coat and/or fleece is essential given the cold mornings.
Good footwear: Quality footwear since there is walking through unpredictable lands.
Sun protection gear: Caps, sun block with UV coverage will keep away sun.
Water/snacks: Transporting bottled-water plus high-energy snacks may help always keep you going.
Camera: Just don’t ever forget about some digital camera intended for making the moments endure.

Food on the Tour: Local Flavors

Food happens to be usually an additional investment with the tours, which gives the opportunity sample regular Peruvian cooking within Colca Valley area. Towns, like Chivay feature numerous restaurants. They generally appeal to tourists which sell indigenous dishes.

Regional Must-Try Foods

Alpaca Steak: Quite lean and also fairly tasty steaks acquired with alpaca meat.
Papas Rellenas: Stuffing mashed-potato cakes.
Queso Helado: Though referred as ice-cream, it really is constructed mostly through whole milk coupled with coconut. It has to be skilled.
Sopa de Quinua: Refreshing soup generated making use of quinoa filled in plant-based produce.

Tour eateries often satisfy the dietary wants, still, those that have severe allergic reactions might wish to interact them ahead for choices.

Photographing Colca Canyon: Ways to Record Everything

Colca Canyon creates an attractive topic which delivers numerous capturing pictures, that covers majestic condors through the stunning geography up to lifestyle that can be found close-by. Having remarkable photography options comes down preparing alongside just having a particular level imaginative tips.

Photographing Tips Intended for the area

Ideal Time: Gentle originating from hours quickly at the start throughout daylight time alongside delayed evenings delivers soft lumination. It is perfect picture quality.
Lenses Selection: Bringing selection comprising large angle meant for stages, that encompasses telephoto zooming in towards animal wildlife.
Stable support Tools: Try tripods. Getting steady picture results during those moments where lumination lessens.
Endure: Animal picture quality that entails condors. Having patience, you get great possible moments.

Tour Group Size and Its Effect

Group size is actually highly affect particular overall traveling encounters, that have smaller measured parties generally delivers personalised practical knowledge besides increased versatile travelling arrangements. Greater ones although even more cheaper sometimes will believe congested causing more smaller amount communication. Take note the gang style even though assessing potential.

Things Which Influence Class Dimensions

Altering from Providers: Operators typically may differ in regard those dimensions widely influencing how personal that entire journeys are certainly.
Value issues: Shorter dimension ones will probably fee more. That involves specialised service besides ease
Communication Styles: Less tour gatherings generally inspire far better interactions coupled with instruction together between local expert combined together folks.

Responsible Travel in Colca Canyon: Protecting Culture

Considered travel method inside the Colca is actually highly affecting those sustained welfare inside local’s group ecosystem. Simply by travelling smartly individuals may easily lessen negative has effects on whilst that heightens positive that encompass endorsing localized preservation attempts

Approaches Intended For Journey Considerately

Support community run companies: Picking support small businesses, that encompass lodges in contrast that will to enormous worldwide series straight advantages communities’ economic systems.
Minimise Squander products: Travel reduced-waste as things are definitely possibly taking back materials wherever that you could even though sustaining that natural environment really clean.
Be conscious by society practices: Take value for place traditions with society to follow guidelines of perform including getting esteem designed for traditional gatherings just by having authorization earlier photographic digital camera usages.
Give back: Consider carefully causing local non-profit groups even though that encourages sustainability attempts amongst Colca neighborhood folks

When travelling ethically guarantees visits have solid good has effects on amongst which everybody takes pleasure simply by experiencing that all round trip

#ColcaCanyon #Arequipa #PeruTravel #CondorFlight #AdventureTime