The Colca Canyon is one of the most beautiful natural wonders of Peru. It is the second deepest canyon of the world after the Cotahuasi canyon (which is also in Peru).
This canyon was formed by the River Colca and is located in the Andes mountain range in the Peruvian region of Arequipa, which is located at the south of the country.
The name of the Canyon refers to the name of the ancient storerooms where the Incas stored food such as corn and potatoes. These storerooms were called Colcas. There were many buildings of this kind in the valley, because, it was an important agricultural center; therefore the Canyon was named Canyon of Colca.
The maximum depth of the canyon is 3180 meters (10433 feet, twice more deep than the Grand Canyon in the USA). The section before the canyon consists of an encased valley that runs from east to west, beginning in the cold “puna” (the highest region of the Andes) and running down to warmer regions, showcasing the region's great scenic beauty and cultural attractiveness.
The Colca River starts in “Condorama Crucero Alto” in the Andes and flows into the Pacific Ocean in the zone of “Camana”. The canyon is located in a zone with a great geological activity.
It is near of the Valley of the volcanoes, a region with around 40 volcanoes; therefore there are many thermal waters in the Colca canyon, such as in the zone known as “Infiernillo” or “Ducha del diablo” (“little hell” or “shower of devil”), where there is a beautiful geyser, which is located at bottom of the mountain Hualca Hualca. Unlike the great geysers of Yellowstone, this geyser is smaller; but, it is activated all the time.
The Canyon is home of a great and unique ecosystem. One of the most famous inhabitants of the canyon, is the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), the largest flying bird of the world (its wingspan can reach 3.3 meters, around 11 feet), whose population in South America is unfortunately dwindling, being the Colca Canyon one of the last refuges of this marvelous bird.
Many tourists arrive every year to the Colca Canyon to admire this beautiful bird endangered. “Cruz del Condor” is a popular point inside the canyon to see the condors. The magnificent birds can be seen mainly in the early morning and late afternoon, when they abandon their nests to search food. The condors are not birds of prey, so they don’t hunt, these animals feed on carrion.
The flight of condors is so good that they are able to travel to the coast (around 300 kilometers) to eat the remains of placentas left by sea lions and return to their nests for the evening. The flight of the condors is a spectacle really unforgettable.
Besides, the canyon hosts many other Andean species of fauna and flora such as fox, eagles, hummingbirds, llamas, alpacas, guanacos, vicuñas, pumas, etc.
Most visitors access to the canyon from Arequipa city, the capital of the Arequipa region and the second largest city of Peru after Lima. The trip for the Canyon usually starts in the town of Chivay and ends in Cabanoconde, crossing several beautiful towns and amazing landscapes like Pampa Cañahua (a natural reserve that protects the most beautiful South American camelid, the vicuña).
The Canyon has also wonderful landscapes, which are ideal to practice several adventure sports such as hiking, climbing, rafting, kayaking, horse riding, paragliding, amongst other.
The Canyon was well known and inhabited by the pre-Inca and Inca civilizations, which constructed in this valley many towns, irrigation channels and Andenes (terraces dug into the slopes of mountains by the ancient Peruvians, to produce cultivable hillsides), some of them are still used.
The Inca Empire conquered the Colca region in the XIV century. The main Inca settlement in the region was Coporaque, where according to the history; an Inca general established his home after getting married with the local princess Mama Yacchi. He built a copper palace, which was destroyed by the Spanish Gonzalo Pizarro in 1548, during the invasion of Peru.
During the colonial period Spaniards laid out townships along the valley, they planed to use Rio Colca valley as the route to Cusco and other Andean locations.
In this time the Spaniards constructed several churches along the canyon to convert to Catholicism to the villagers. Most of these churches exist still in the Canyon and they are an important part of the cultural patrimony of the Colca region.
The first scientific expedition arrived to the canyon in the 1930s. Then, the Colca was explored by the American Geographical Society. Nevertheless, the valley was forgotten again until 1980s, when several roads towards the canyon were constructed, because of the construction of a hydroelectric project in the basin of the Colca River. These roads allowed to discover a way of life that has endured in isolation for centuries.
The Colca’s zone is famous for the beauty of its fine craftsmanship. The people of the valley produce several designs of embroideries, hammered tinworks and engraved wooden objects. Now the Colca valley is one of the preferred destinations of Peru after Cusco and Machu Picchu. It is also one of the candidates to be elected as one of the world’s natural wonders.
Colca Canyon is really a fascinating place that is well worth visiting.