Last aventure in Peru - a two day trip to the Colca Canyon

We wanted to do something special for the last couple of days we were going to spend with Marion and Keith and also celebrate Keith's birthday in a special way. We decided to take a private 2 day trip to the Colca Canyon with a driver. The canyon is situated north west of Arequipa. It is the habitat for giant condors (although they do migrate out of the canyon from October to March).
We left from Arequipa and crossed the altiplano at an high altitude up to 5000 meters. We arrived in Chivay, went to the hot springs in a nearby village and had a nice dinner in town. The next day we drove to the Colca Canyon  along a green fertile valley with lots of agricultural terraces. We hiked around the canyon and returned to Arequipa in the afternoon.Here are the pictures of this memorable trip.

Alejandro, our driver and Edwin, our guide

                                      Huge cement factory

We stopped to drink tea made with coca leaves. These leaves help prevent altitude sickness.

Interesting to see these mini tornadoes

Edwin, our guide

Alejandro, our driver

                                Arriving in Chivay

                                                                               The hot springs were we bathed in the afternoon

 Active volcano Sabancaya in the back

Dinner at a local restaurant in Chivay

Pisco sour with rica-rica grounded leaves in it (only to help digestion:))

 to celebrate  Keith's birthday

The restaurant was supposed to have a show with traditional dancing but no show that evening. Instead WE dressed up with traditional clothes and then seriously considered settling down in Chivay.....only for the time of the dinner :)) Oh boy did I love Glenn's hat!!

Doesn't Keith look like a local on this picture? Marion and myself?....not quite sure.

From Chivay to Colca Canyon - Beautiful agricultural terraces

The Colca Canyon is the second deepest canyon in Peru at 3270 m and is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.

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A viscacha

At 5000 m driving back to Arequipa

This concludes our traveling through Peru
 Next stop....Chile