April 27th - From Puno to Chivay

Today we are on our way to Chivay which is the gateway to the Colca Canyon, our ultimate destination.  We took a bus from Puno to Chivay early in the morning. Even though the bus ride was long, we passed by some gorgeous landscapes. Most of the terrain is barren and desolate with a smattering of a few sparsely populated towns along the way. There are mountains and hills, some of them snow-capped surrounding the plateau as well. The whole area is a high plateau at around 4000m above sea level, known as the altiplano. There are only two seasons, wet and dry, with temperatures in the dry season fluctuating between hot during the day and well below freezing at night. 

Our first stop was Lagunillas Lake where we saw birds and pink flamingoes. As we drove we also saw herds of alpaca grazing on the grass and on occasion, the rare vicuña (vicuña are endangered because they are hunted due to the fact that they have the finest quality wool).

We next spotted an active volcano in the distance. We could see smoke rising from the top and our guide told us that the villages near the volcano were having trouble because of it. Later on we passed by some more volcanoes, including Misti which is the symbol of Arequipa. These volcanoes were dormant.

After a brief rest-stop for a snack we continued on our way but had to pause again for a herd of alpaca who took their time crossing the road. As we climbed higher the terrain became rugged and mountainous although still beautiful and majestic. It was hard to imagine anyone sustaining a living in such harsh surroundings and indeed the houses and people we saw were few and far in between.

Our last stop before Chivay was the highest point of the journey Patapampa, at 4910m above sea level where we stopped to view four volcanoes, one of which was active. Utabamba is the volcano where the muumifed body of the Inca sacrificial princess Juanita was discovered and which now resides in a museum in Arequipa. Mismi is important because the Amazon river originates in that mountain. We then reache Chivay which is at 3600m above sea level.

After checking into our hotel and getting lunch we went to a local market where we bought supplies for our three day trek into Colca Canyon the next day. We then headed back to the hotel for some rest and to repack for the trek. Dinner was at a local restaurant that also included a band playing local music and performing folk dances, so we got in a dose of local  Canyon culture at the same time. Our very own Connor was invited to join in. Next Kathleen was asked to join a strange and exotic malaria/yellow fever dance where she got spun around on someone's back, had to lie down on the floor and then pretend to be kidnapped. Later Kyle and Hannah got roped into a group dance. They were all such good sports and represented our group splendidly. Our new guide Pablo told us that 40% of Chivay's 4000 residents are involved in the tourism industry and looking around the restaurant packed with tourists this is evident.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel to turn in for the night. Another early morning wake up call as we leave at 6 a.m. for the Cruz del Condor (condor crossing) to watch the condors take off from the canyon before beginning our trek down to the canyon floor.  No wifi until we return on Wednesday so families, don't panic if you don't hear from us for a few days : )