Force of nature
Peeling back the layers of southern Peru
Plunging canyons, frozen mummies, a bleached-white city and the world’s largest flying bird feature in the far reaches of Peru’s Andean deep south
After spending what felt like slightly too long straining to look over the edge of Colca Canyon, I turned around and glanced up to the sky to offer my aching neck muscles some respite. As I swivelled, something large and imposing appeared overhead, gliding on the thermals. “That looks pretty big. Is it…?” I pondered aloud with more than a hint of ignorance. “That’s a condor!” declared Yulisa Oxa, my enthusiastic guide.
We’d spent the best part of an hour gazing across the knobbly knit ravines of Peru’s Colca Canyon—twice the depth of the Grand Canyon—without much hope or expectation of sighting one of these magnificent birds.
Although it was nesting season for the Andean condors in Colca Canyon in November, plenty were out in force that morning (Laura Field)
Earlier that morning, Yulisa had tentatively managed my expectations, explaining that my chances of seeing an Andean condor, the world’s largest flying bird, were slim at this time of year. This was because I’d arrived in November, during nesting season, when condors are tending to their young and don’t venture out as much.
Luckily for me, these giants of the sky were out in force. In a matter of minutes, I was admiring condors of all sizes who were floating through the canyon before expertly dipping into their nests. It was the crowning moment of many high points on a trip that spanned Colca Canyon and the city of Arequipa, deep in the south of Peru.
The serene and inspiring landscape on the drive from Arequipa to Colca Valley
Visiting Colca Valley
After losing count of how many condors we’d seen, Yulisa and I chirpily agreed it was time to return to our base at Puqio, a luxury, safari-style tented camp perched on the slopes of the Colca Valley. Inadvertently spotting condors was only part of the fun here.
From horse riding up and down the Andes on my anxious but sweet-natured steed, Arenas, to sampling locally grown foods in the calming dining room with a panoramic window looking out to the valley, Puqio offered the perfect balance between outdoor adventure and contemplative downtime to admire the area’s quiet charms.
I sampled artichokes and broad beans from Puqio’s garden and dined on cuy (guinea pig, an Andean delicacy) that had been cooked using hot volcanic stones. This is the same way that meats have been prepared for centuries by the Indigenous communities of the Colca Valley.
Puqio’s picturesque dining room is where guests are served traditional Andean delicacies
The following morning, treated to another spectacularly blue-skied day at altitude, our adventure was to visit a geothermal phenomenon in the folds of the Andes. Pinchollo geyser was revealed in 1985 after an avalanche split the mountain and volcanic-heated waters began to spurt from the ground. The local community believed at the time that it was a representation of the devil, so they, understandably, feared the geyser and its boiling jet stream.
As I admired its power and the imposing backdrop of the rolling Andes, I contemplated how quickly the community’s attitude to the geyser had shifted from terror to the more casual approach I witnessed: using the scalding waters to hard-boil eggs. I duly picked at the warm egg I’d been handed, peacefully sitting on ground that had been the scene of devastating geological upheaval 40 years earlier.
Pinchollo geyser was revealed in 1985 after an avalanche
Layers of history
We speak often of the Incas, or at the very least, we’ve heard of the Inca Empire, but the layers of history in the Colca Valley and the people that have inhabited it span more than just one community. The Wari was the first community to arrive in Colca in roughly 600-1100 AD from the Altiplano (plateau) in the Andes. Other groups also arrived from the Altiplano, including people from the Collagua and the Cabana cultures. Each group inhabited a different part of the Colca Valley and to distinguish themselves from one another, they shaped the malleable skulls of newborns to match the volcanoes and mountains where they were born to identify their different ethnic groups. It’s said that the Collagua community shaped their skulls to be long and narrow, reflecting the shape of Collaguata volcano’s conical form. The Cabanas, on the other hand, typically flattened and widened their skulls to resemble Colca’s sprawling mountains.
In 1440, the Incas came to Colca and formed a strategic and more or less peaceful union with the communities already there. In 1560, the Spanish conquistadors arrived and brutally forced the individual communities to move from their homes and live together, all the while burning villages such as Uyo Uyo whose remains can be visited today. Yulisa explained that the faith system in Colca is mostly Catholic, but most people still believe in the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) and the mountains as gods too.
Puqio guide, Yulisa Oxa grew up in the Colca Valley and knows the region like the back of her hand
The Quechua language, used by the Incas, is very different in each part of Peru (it varies between Colca, Ayacucho and Cusco, for example). Yulisa shared that she speaks Quechua with her family and especially with her grandmother who speaks only Quechua. She explained that she tries to speak Quechua as much as possible because it’s no longer taught in Colca Valley’s schools; instead, they teach English in the hope of providing economic opportunities through employment in tourism.
I was mesmerised when Yulisa said that Quechua is a highly onomatopoeic language. Some words reflect the sounds of nature, therefore making them difficult to capture in writing. To illustrate her point, she started making a whooshing, flowing sound, which sounded something like “pahhhhcha” and in Quechua means “waterfall”. I understood her point; the word written down doesn’t quite hold as much magic or even really resemble a word at all.
The Colca Canyon is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon
Force of nature
More than a knowledgeable guide and language teacher, Yulisa also seamlessly became my impromptu nurse. This was when I experienced a bout of nausea upon reaching the Mirador de los Volcanes (Volcano Viewpoint) at 4,910m. After arriving, we duly admired the surrounding volcanoes and marvelled at Sabancaya Volcano in particular, which was spluttering ash in the distance. “Sabancaya” means “that which emits fire” in Quechua, so it was wisely named by the Incas.
On Yulisa’s suggestion, I then gave an offering of three coca leaves—one representing Hananpacha, the world above symbolised by the condor; one representing Caypacha, the world on our level symbolised by the puma; and one representing Uqupacha, the world below, which is symbolised by the snake.
Inca mate is a herbal tea using local leaves that is said to help avert altitude sickness
I conscientiously formed a personal mound of rocks, known as Apachetas, to ask that I be granted a safe onward journey. Ironically, no sooner had I completed the ritual and offering to the gods, than I started to feel strange. A sense of mild queasiness soon gave way to a baffling dizziness. I started to see firefly-style specs in front of me and my ears were pounding—in short, I was well on my way to fainting.
“I was desperate not to kick up a fuss, but Yulisa calmly walked with me and advised that I sit down.”
She asked a woman nearby, who was selling her artisanal textiles, for some agua florida (Florida water), a liquid made from a concoction of herbs. I was told to rub my palms together and then inhale the agua florida slowly from within my hands. After a few moments, sure enough my shroud of nausea lifted, almost as rapidly as it had appeared.
Was the fact that Sabancaya was erupting a sign of the deities’ anger? Why had I suddenly felt so unwell? Of course, the altitude is a logical explanation, but it seemed odd. Whatever is true, ancestral wisdom, community beliefs and the power of native plants came to the rescue, just as they have for centuries.
The Plaza de Armas is Arequipa’s central square and hub with sweeping views over the Andes
The White City
Back in Arequipa, Peru’s second-biggest city, I basked in the dry air and took time to explore on foot. It’s known as ‘The White City’ because of the bleached volcanic sillar rock used in its construction, and I delighted in seeing the sunlight bounce off the pale streets and buildings.
Between strolling the city and periodically looking up to catch glimpses of the majestic Misti volcano which acts as sentinel over the city, I popped into the Andean Sanctuaries Museum – my favourite stop in Arequipa. Here I learnt the story of the Inca teenager Juanita. Hers was not exactly a light-hearted tale; she was sacrificed to the gods, as was the custom in Inca times, and is now one of the best-preserved mummies in Peruvian history. Her body was discovered in 1995 on Ampato volcano at an altitude of roughly 6,000m. The icy conditions helped to preserve her remains, which have in turn helped to inform us about the Inca sacrificial ritual of Capac Cocha.
Juanita’s body was discovered on Ampato Volcano at 6,000m of altitude
One of the most important rituals in Incan society, Capac Cocha (meaning “royal obligation” in Quechua) was carried out in tough times such as drought, famine, natural disasters or the death of an Inca ruler. It was to appease the gods and involved sacrificing royal children — seen as representing purity and the future of the Inca empire — whose families were proud to have such an honour bestowed on them.
Children, such as Juanita, were given chicha, a fermented corn drink, to see them on their merry way as they were walked to the heights of the sacrificial sites. They often died of exposure or by blunt force, such as a blow to the head. In theory, they wouldn’t have felt this brutal attack, since they’d have been inebriated by chicha or so exposed to the elements that they would’ve been unconscious. My museum guide, Fabiola Rojas, told me the tale of Juanita’s demise with the perfect balance of respect and thoughtful pauses to allow me to digest the story. As I’d learnt in the Colca Canyon and now in Arequipa, the natural elements play a crucial role in Peruvian life.
My time in southern Peru reiterated that nature is powerful and can often communicate things to us more poignantly than spoken or written language itself. I made sure to come home with some agua florida, should I ever feel the potent effects of the natural world that I’d experienced in Peru again.
Need to know
When to go: You can visit Arequipa and the Colca Valley at any time of year. Rainy season in Colca Valley generally runs from November to March. Condor activity in Colca Canyon tends to increase from late March and reaches its peak in May and June. Days in Arequipa remain sunny year-round and nights are usually cooler, since the city stands at over 2,300m in altitude.
Getting there and around: There are no direct flights to Arequipa from the UK. Iberia flies to Lima via Madrid from London Heathrow and Air Europa flies to Lima via Madrid from London Gatwick; LATAM flies from Lima to Arequipa, which takes 1.5 hours.
Taxis and Ubers operate in Arequipa, and the city is very walkable. Renting a car or hiring a local driver is the easiest way to explore the surrounding areas and get to Colca Valley. The drive is spectacular, passing volcanoes and llama and alpaca-riddled plains beneath an often bright-blue, Andean-sunned sky, making the journey between Arequipa and Colca Valley a joy.
Carbon offset: A return flight from London to Lima via Madrid produces 4,500kg of carbon per passenger. Wanderlust encourages you to offset your travel footprint through a reputable provider. For advice on how to find one, visit wanderlustmagazine.com/inspiration/sustainable-travel.
Visa: UK nationals can travel to Peru visa free for short visits and tourism. Usually, UK nationals will be granted a 90-stay within a 180-day period.
Where to stay: Cirqa is a luxurious, meditative parador in the historic heart of Arequipa. A former monastery dating back to 1540, the hotel’s volcanic rock walls still hold a sense of spirituality and contemplation. It has 11 elegantly designed rooms, a refreshing plunge pool, a shaded roof terrace where they serve afternoon tea and the restaurant is where guests can enjoy traditional Arequipan flavours and ingredients.
Katari Hotel is right on Arequipa’s central Plaza de Armas. The rooftop terrace offers sweeping views not only of the Basilica Cathedral on the opposite side of the square but also the striking Misti Volcano that overlooks the city.
Puqio, a sister property to exquisite Cirqa, is a luxury safari-style tented camp on the slopes of the Colca Valley. Excursions range from undulating horse rides to visiting Pinchollo Geyser and of course, coveted condor spotting. The cosy restaurant and sitting room has a panoramic window looking out to Colca Valley’s majestic landscapes.
Hotel B in Lima’s artistic Barranco neighbourhood, is the ideal place to stop and soak up Peru’s capital city before travelling onwards to Arequipa. An elegant hotel adorned with a variety of exquisite artworks, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in one of Barranco’s many art galleries while wandering through this urban mansion.
Further reading & information: The author’s trip was supported by experts Journey Latin America. Travellers can visit Arequipa and Colca Canyon as part of their Condor: Peru in Depth trip. The author’s trip was also supported by PromPeru.
