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Chivay is higher than Cusco, at an altitude of 3,600m (11,800 ft.). But the road from Arequipa to the Colca Valley climbs much higher, to 4,910m (16,100 ft.). Travelers who haven’t yet spent time in either Cusco or Puno/Lake Titicaca should try to take it easy for at least a day or two in Arequipa before heading out to Colca, avoid heavy meals, and drink plenty of water and mate de coca, or coca-leaf tea, or mate de muña, another herbal remedy. For those who suffer from altitude sickness, sorojchi (or soroche) pills available in pharmacies in Arequipa are recommended; it’s best to take them 24 hours before going to the highlands. |
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Colca can be visited at any time of year, but by far the best time to visit is from March through June, when there are a greater number of condors in the area. The Valley is incredibly lush and green just after the rains from December to March. |
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Though usually sunny during the day, it can also get quite cold (below freezing) at night, especially during the months of June, July and August. It is necessary to take sweaters, gloves, sunscreen and hats. Casa Andina also recommends guests to take swimming suits to enjoy the hot springs of the area. |
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Because all the groups go early in the morning to Cruz del Condor (from 8am to about 10am, when most of the condors set out along the river), it can get very crowded. If you’re looking for a more serene experience, visit Cruz del Condor on a private tour in the afternoon, when the condors return from their hunting expeditions downriver. Although timing their return may require some patience, you have the benefit of being virtually alone at the site. |
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If after Colca you’re thinking about heading to Puno and Lake Titicaca, don’t first return to Arequipa to leave from there. A more direct land route is departing from Colca – you’ll save nearly an entire day’s travel time and it’s a dramatic and scenic 4-6 hour journey (especially near Lagunillas, where you’ll see abundant flamencos). To make travel arrangements from Colca to Puno, contact us at travel@casa-andina.com. |
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Colca is famous for its therapuetic thermal waters. Besides the well-know pool near Chivay, we recommend the hot-spring pool in the small village of Coporaque (for more details, see Off the Beaten Track). |
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Chivay and Colca remain very traditional and uncommercialized, and there’s just a single ATM machine in town. It’s best to bring all the cash you will need in Colca, just in case. |
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| QUICK LINKS |
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| Casa Andina Hotels in Colca |
| Casa Andina Activities in Cola |
| Arequipa Travel Guide |
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More than 15 years of publications, including 220 books and guides about Peru and its environment. |
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More than 15 years of publications, including 220 books and guides about Peru and its environment, five encyclopedias and more than 1,000 articles in magazines in Peru and abroad. He is considered the most prolific publisher on ecological topics in the country in the last decade. Forest engineer, journalist, publisher, professional photographer and analyst of environmental topics, Wust is the only Peruvian to publish five articles in National Geographic magazine. Currently he is the director of Wust Ediciones. |
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Ten years crisscrossing Peru, producing 240 TV programs on diverse topics. |
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Ten years crisscrossing Peru, producing 240 TV programs on diverse topics. A journalist and writer, for nearly a decade he has directed and hosted the TV program Tiempo de Viaje, in which he travels throughout Peru (and occasionally other countries), documenting natural, historical and human scenes infrequently visited by conventional tourism. His perspective is not that of a tourist, but of a traveler, who immerses himself in what he finds and shies away from nothing in his reporting. He is also the author and/or publisher of an extensive series of books about Peruvian culture. |
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The author of 15 travel guides to cities and countries around the world, including 4 editions of Frommer’s Peru. |
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The author of 15 travel guides to cities and countries around the world, including 4 editions of Frommer’s Peru, and articles on subjects ranging from the travel industry to food and wine. A travel writer, journalist and photographer, Schlecht first traveled to Peru and trekked to Machu Picchu as a student in 1983, and he has returned repeatedly to Peru over the last two decades. He has also been a consultant on international development projects for the European Union and USAID, as well as a correspondent for a Spanish art magazine. |
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With nearly 15 years of travel experience, and having lived in different places in Peru. |
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With nearly 15 years of travel experience, and having lived in different places in Peru. Agronomist, theologist, and holding an M.A in Amazonian anthropology. He’s lived 7 years with the Aguarunan people of Alto Marañon; also in Huanchaco (Trujillo), Urubamba (Cusco), and Madre de Dios. Consultant in tourism, collaborator for several media resources and professor of Sustainable Tourism Diploma at Ruiz de Montoya University. |
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