Photo of the Day - Colca Canyon, Peru

Trekking in magnificent Colca Canyon, near Arequipa, Peru

Although not officially the deepest canyon in the world (that accolade goes the Cañon del Cotahuasi, about 50 miles to the west), the Cañon del Colca is the second deepest and the more accessible, and certainly worth the trip out of Arequipa. Organised tours are not everyone’s idea of adventure, but the tour firms in Arequipa provide the simplest way of visiting the canyon in one/two/three night packages, including varying degrees of hiking and sometimes rafting. Tours pass through the barren Parque Nacional de Salinas, where you’ll see wild alpacas, llamas and vicuñas foraging, before descending into the canyon. Although itineraries vary, the highlight of most people’s trip is rising early to see the condors soaring off the thermals at Cruz del Condor. The sight of the world’s largest bird swooping overhead (sometimes a little too close for comfort) is worth the trip alone.


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