The Stunning Landscapes of Colca Canyon, Peru
We travelled over 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Arequipa, Peru’s second largest city, to the town of Chivay in the Colca Valley. The purpose of this trip was to witness the raw beauty of one of the deepest canyons in the world – the Colca Canyon.
Famed for its rugged landscapes and massive Andean Condors, the Colca Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Peru. It’s also said to be twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in Arizona. With a bold claim like that, we had no choice but to see it for ourselves!
The bus journey took about 4 hours and passed through the “Mirador de los Volcanes” in the Andean plateau, reaching heights higher than 15,000 feet. The brochures and guide books didn’t lie – the landscapes are out of this world. Our only regret was not dedicating enough time to tackle some of the world class hiking trails in the area.
Below are some photos from our trip to the Colca Canyon.
Incredible landscapes along the “Mirador de los Volcanes” in the high Andean plateau
At the base of an intimidating volcano. Can you spot the wild llama?
A perfect volcano in the vast desert plains of the high Andean plateau. Beauty!
Years of erosion reveal interesting rock formations
A simple yet elogant church overlooking snow-capped peaks
One of many lookout points along the canyon
Checking out the breathtaking views. It’s a long way down!
A massive Andean Condor flies high above the “Cruz del Condor” lookout point
Dwarfed by the mighty Andes that surround the canyon
Nicole taking a look over the side. It’s a dizzying drop!
Not a bad place to spend the day! Beautiful scenery
To get a sense of scale, look at the people standing at the bottom of the above photo
Villages and lush terraces in the Colca Valley
Villages surrounded by Inca and pre-Inca agricultural terraces and irrigation systems
Read more from our time in Peru:
- There is MUCH more to Peru than Machu Picchu
- Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru
- Daydreaming in Peru’s Massive Sandbox
- Pictures of Machu Picchu, the Lost Incan City in Peru
- Peruvian Desert Oasis of Huacachina
The Colca Canyon is the third most visited tourist destination in Peru. Can you guess what the other two are?
See map below to find out where this photo taken.
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Great photos guys, looks like a rippa of a place to visit.
Thanks Chris! Glad you like the photos. It’s a beautiful place. We didn’t expect to see views like that in Peru
Wow stunning… I’m so fascinated by Peru, thanks for sharing the Colca Canyon, just another destination to add to my list! x
It’s certainly a must if you find yourself in Peru!
I loved watching the sun and the condors rise over the Colca Canyon some time ago…freezing cold…waiting, waiting and watching as everything came to life on the canyon rim. Then totally blown away by a visit from some tiny hummingbirds whilst their massive cousins wheeled and arced up on the morning thermals.
Quite the feathery contrast.
Great post!
Thanks for sharing your moment Ben! It sounds like it had a great impact.
It’s certainly easy on the eyes!
That photo you use for scale is necessary! Wowwww!
Indeed! When we flipped through some of the photos we felt like they just didn’t do it justice. The mountains on the opposite side of the canyon are HUGE!
It’s intriguing that part of it looks fertile and the other part looks arid. Either way, beautiful landscapes.
The trip from Arequipa to the Colca Canyon passed through some extreme eco-systems. At one point we were standing in dry desert landscapes surrounded by volcanoes, then we’re looking over lush terraces and lowland villages, then we’re face to face with rocky mountains and deep canyons – all within a 3 hour drive!
Loved this place and your photos brought back memories!
Thanks Pete – glad the photos triggered some fun memories for you!
wow, loved this post…it really brought us back to the Colca Canyon….one of our favorite memories in all of South America!!!! what countries did you hit in your most recent SA journey? and was it just you two or baby in tow?
Hey guys, glad you like the post!
We spent 3 months in SA, visiting Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.
No, that trip was before baby. I can’t imagine doing that trip with a wee one. Maybe when he’s a little older
puurrrrrdy!
Love the photos, really taking me back. Remembering the alpaca meat on sticks in Chivay, so tasty!
Stunning indeed! Very inspiring 🙂 Peru is unsung, I would say – it has so much to offer, and I think it’s not very touristy. Right?
Beautiful pictures, and it seems like a fun holiday. I’ll have to visit.
Amazing scenery. Canyon is inncredible beautiful.
Peru is quite unsung, really agreed with Renuka. Good news for long stayers, Peruvian immigration allows 6 months stay.
Awesome photos you have here. Great to see Peru and its awesome colca canyon. my husband and I would definitely love to be there!
Awesome photos images. Such a very nice place.. I will surely plan my upcoming vacation to this place.
The pics of this place are amazing…. Peru is really a great place to enjoy the landscapes.
The scale of the Colca Canyon makes me wonder why more people don’t know it…
lovely pictures and article