Colca Canyon

Since I came to Arequipa I was sure about one thing – I am going to visit Colca Canyon (second deepest Canyon in the world) in Andes Mountains.

I was told that from 7th of December in Colca is a very important local celebration – the birthday of Virgin – so if it is traditional – I need to be there.

Everything started with a question: „Where should I stay?”, but it was solved very easily. As I am still living in Edgar’s family’s house (until this Sunday) and families here have so many relatives around the whole Peru, that they can’t even remember them, I was suggested by Edgar’s mom, that I can stay with one relative of hers. Unfortunately relatives in Colca don’t have cellphone there, but as she said I just need to arrive to the village called Chivay and ask for the name Avelino Ventura (I was told people should know him). The only thing which I can’t forget is to buy bread for them and Edgar’s mother also gave me some carrots and sugar. When I asked if it is because they don’t have it there, she replied that it is for them to host me, when I introduce myself as a friend of Edgar’s mom Isabel or grandmother - Juliana.

CHIVAY

The 3 h journey in the night through the mountains was incredible. I don’t have camera which could capture it, so just imagine. Andes mountains and behind their tops – shining moon, which creates this magical light supported by thousands of stars. This view not only amazed me, but also helped a lot to forget about the fact that this is one of the highest roads in the world and its peak reaches 5000m above sea level, which made me a bit worried, because I had no clue how my body will react for this sudden altitude change. Of course nothing happened, but I was also equipped with Coca leaves, which was supposed to help and give energy, but I just nicely fell asleep.

GOD OF SUN INTI AND CROSS ON THE MOUNTAIN

When I arrived in Chivay women with who I made friends in the bus, suggested me to take taxi, as it is late and dark, so I did. In taxi after speaking with another woman I found out that I am sharing taxi with Edgar’s cousin. It was a great surprise as her husband knew well where the Senior Avelino lives.

Later, I knocked at the door, explained the entire story and gave the food presents. Of course for old local mountain village people it is a bit wierd if there come Gringo (yes I am Gringita here) and says that I am friend of your family. They also did not remember who is Isabel and her mother, but still decided to allow me to stay.

The room where I entered was in few minutes filled with 2 mattresses and 5 blankets – I was staying in the warehouse of the little shop they have next doors. Incredible, people here are magnificent.

MY BEDROOM/ WEARHOUSE

HOUSE OF SENIOR AVELINO

On my first day I was alone here, because on Sunday it was elections of president and democracy here is obligatory, because if You don’t vote you need to pay a fine. So that is the reason why Edgar joined me only after and I had this great adventure for the beginning on my own.

First day after arrival I went to hike all around the closest part of Colca, for what Edgar draw me a map. It was breathtaking to get lost somewhere in between the tops of the mountains, where in this season everything is dry and suddenly after the turn discover a huge waterfall which is trembling the ground by a large amount of water which falls from the complete top of the mountain.

BREATH TAKING

People here are very kind and try to help You, but some of them do not speak well Spanish, because it is still common to speak Catchua (old Inka language). Local people here wear only traditional clothing, which represents the region they are from and there is plenty of rituals which accompany them on every step, like the „Pacha mama”which I described before.

YANQUE PUEBLO, PEOPLE RETURN FROM TERRACES 

All my 1st day hike after sweating like crazy, but still not getting of my jumper and trousers, because sun here just burns You like a little chicken, I ended up in the top of the mountain which I was recommended to visit by Edgar’s map, because  there are some old terraces and ruins of Inka. The breathtaking view I engaged there explained me just one thing – Incas were amazing culture. The vista when Andy mountains, valleys and canyon surround Your eyes, where the place where Inkas were living. I think it was one of the rare cultures which used to live only in the tops of the mountains. And it makes me think it was not a problem for them to climb thousands of meters, because also agricultural terraces for them were only on the top of the mountains, and never close to the ground like nowadays. 

INKAS MANAGED TO BRING STONES EVERYWHERE

DANCING

VIEW FROM INKA'S HOME

The next day Edgar arrived, and as we had made the plan before, that we will go together further than I alone the first day, because there is one village where his grandfather lives. Unfortunately grandfather was not there when we arrived, so we continued with all bags on our shoulders as the plan was to reach the grazer.

In lonely planet I read that this hike is 4 h one way, but I had no clue what I am signing up for. Maybe I repeat word incredible too often, but the trail was just like that. It was route through the top of the mountains which in the previous day I just adored from very far away. It was a lot of little small rivers where to refresh and incredible fenomens created by nature.

THE BEST FEELING

LOOK DEEP ENOUGH AND YOU WILL SEE IT. AMAZING NATURE.

EDGAR'S CHILDHOOD

One thing which I did not realize and Edgar was not telling me – was the altitude. At one point my body just started to feel different and it was quite hard to get energy for moving, but as we were walking already for very long time I thought it would be stupid to turn back. So despite everything, I continued to go further, just much slower. I knew that it is very high up there, because the snowy tops were so close, but when I asked Edgar, he said it is just 3000, which made me think, that he is again hiding the thought, so I stop thinking that I have problem with altitude.

We continued our way more and more up, which made my head more and more slower, but the view which was surrounding us, raised never ending smile and gave a power to continue. There were valleys of wild bulls, cows, lamas, alpacas, horses and I was so surprised how those horses can walk 500m more above my head and feel nothing about the lack of oxygen.

MUSTANGS RUNNING ABOVE MY HEAD

LAMAS AND ALPACAS

HAPPY SHEEPS

But suddenly all thoughts of altitude disappeared! It was a moment when in front of us we suddenly saw the smoke of the Grazer rising, so it was the sign that we are  very, very close.

WE SEE THE SMOKE

Of course by hiking with Edgar there is no normal tourist way. As the grazer is in the river, we got our shoes of and walked up the crazy river till the grazer. It was crazy, scary and incredible in the same time. The river was cold and refreshing, the stones slippery, but flow of the water – quite powerful. But team work here made the way. We ended up just like around 5m from THE HOLE of the ground. Also the ground around us, where we stopped for admiration, was letting out a smoke and in one moment I thought that this all can at once explode. Later after some screaming, because I accidentally touched incredible hot stones we climbed up the cliff, where on the top, above grazer we had our lunch. Incredible – later Edgar revealed the truth, that we actually are 5000m high.

THE BEST FOR ALTITUDE PROBLEMS

GRAZER

POWER OF PACHA MAMA COMES OUT HERE

But Ican only agree with what he said, that above 4000m the nature is completely different - the smell, the colors, the energy and the vibe of wildness. Incredible!

The next day was the day of celebration - local fiesta of the Chivay village and all Colca region. It was the religious celebration of birthday of Virgin Maria, where comes the point when it is incredible to see how Inka time pagan rituals are mixed together with nowadays Catholicism.

When you look in the Picture of the Virgen, You can see that she is in the Andy mountains and wearing local dress, which is all over covered with embroidery of local flora and fauna.

PREPARATION FOR FIESTA IN CHIVAY

PAGANIC CATOLISM AND DANCING VIRGIN

Very early on this day, I also went to visit Cruz Del Condor, it is one of the steepest places in Canyon, where it is possible to see Condors. Huge birds which eat dead meat and whose wings open in 4m wideness. 

It is so much better to go there very early with bus at 5:00 am from Chivay, but as I missed it I got on one at 7:30 am. When I got out of the bus I met a little girl, who was alone and she joined me for this walk. The breathtaking view of the enormous cliffs and snowy peaks and legend of mermaids the little girl told me, because her father saw them in the canyon river, which from this point of view was hardly visible. So we walked, talked, she made me a little drawing and I invited her to have some snacks, but in all this time no condor appeared. Just in the moment when I was already entering the minibus to return to Chivay I saw this huge black animal with white back above the wings. It was it – the condor!  All people who were there (mostly locals ending up the souvenir selling) started to shout: „Condor! Condor!” and wave with their hands.

CRUZ DEL CONDOR 

MARITA 

CONDOR (THIS IS NOT MY PHOTO) 

Later only after returning to party I realized why this bird is so special for them. Because during this celebration besides wearing the traditional costumes, they also dance the most famous dance of the region – Wititi. This dance is between boy and a girl and in their movements of the dance their represent condor. It is very,  very beautiful, and You can get so surprised by seeing how Young people enjoy this ritual dance and come for this festival from Lima or any other place where they have their everyday life.

The traditional clothes in Colca regions are very interesting, and one can spend hours for adoring them. Dress for the girl and skirt for the man are all embroidered with the representation of local flora and fauna. It is so rich of colors, symbols, animals, flowers and incredible that all this is made by hand (embroidery with a simple lock stich machine) and all the ornaments they do by heart, without drawing it before on fabric.

The hat and skirt of the man is because of the legend, that in olden times when guys wanted to visit girls, they were not allowed, so they put on skirt and this kind of hat to not be recognized and that was the way to meet the girls. In this celebration it is still left this way, and You can see an incredible proud with what local people wear these clothes.

WITITI - THE DANCE OF CONDOR

DANCING VIRGIN

Another difference here is between two different groups of people – Cabanas and Collagua, where each of them represent other area of the Colca region. Cabanas are coming more from the upper areas and Collaguas from the lower area. They can be recognized not only by different agriculture, but also by hats the women are wearing.

COLLAGUA

CABANA

TRADITIONAL CLOTHES FOR LOCAL MAN IN COLCA REGION

The brightest event before involving me into the condor dance was a visit of thermal waters. It was a spot which Edgar discovered in his childhood, when he was living in Colca. The thermal waters were placed inside in the cold Colca River and naturally separated by the stones like a Jacuzzi, but no sense of human touch.

There were only local people there and it was so interesting to watch them. After the harsh day in camp, where local people are mostly growing corn and potatoes they came with all their family to wash in the thermal waters (as most of the houses no have hot water). You see the man soaping himself and having this look and smile, that You can read in his eyes that he is thankful for everything he has. In other little pool of thermal water you can see an older man – father, teaching his younger son how to shave. At this point I thought that  it was not just the nature, where the river carries many smaller and bigger, hotter and colder Jacuzzis, but the emotions carried around here. 

THERMAL WATERS

We stayed in the thermal waters till it got dark, and even than it was against my wish to leave, but as there was no public transportation back, we needed to catch the track, where we just jumped in the back of it and by watching clear sky full of stars and erupting vulcano who decorated night with a red smoke, we returned to the Condor dance in the main square of Chivay.

All this trip for me was like a fulfilling the dream. Breathtaking adventures, relationship between people, beauty of the natural force in local people’s lives, new experiences and tastes.

Gracias Pacha Mama for having it all