When in Doubt, Travel: Arequipa and Colca Canyon

October 23rd - 28th

Another overnight bus ride and a full album of Aretha Franklin later, I found myself in Arequipa, a flatter yet still high-altitude city lying between three very impressive volcanoes. I like this city though I don't know why - beautiful views, very intricate Spanish architecture-esque storefronts, and the amazing color each building takes on when the sun rises or sets. It could also be the many cafes full of amazing food that line every street. After walking around for a bit, I decided on a hostel for the first night and headed out to explore the town and simultaneously shop for Colca Canyon tours. Plunging 4,160 meters into the ground below, Colca is one of the deepest canyons in the world, second only to neighboring Cotahuasi Canyon. When you are in a town that serves as base camp for all adventuring in the area, there is a plethora of tour companies that run multi-day tours - most with the exact same itinerary. Though I know shopping is NOT a strength of mine, I never fully understood to what degree. Turns out, the worst imaginable degree of indecisiveness...ever. It is always fun to learn new things about yourself :) Regardless, after two days of perusing nearly ALL companies in the city limits of Arequipa, I finally selected a three-day tour of this beautiful canyon! The other decision I made was to change to a smaller hostel that was half the price - we shall see in the morning if that was a good move or not. Early to bed for the 02:30am pickup time for the canyon tour. Word to the wise: If you are arising at an ungodly hour, please, for your own sake, make sure to account for your current time zone when setting the alarm - denying yourself one full hour of needed sleep is simply unacceptable.

Literally, one of the most amazing sights of the whole trip!

Cutest pigeon-whisperer so far.

After staggering to the van and joining my fellow sleep-deprived trekkers, we were provided blankets and told to just sleep until we arrived at our first destination for breakfast. The rising sun cast a beautiful golden orange shine against the Nevada-like flatland, sporadically decorated with spire-shaped rock formations and dramatic cliff sides. Our breakfast was...interesting? Puffed Incan corn, olives, strips of squeaky cheese, and a quinoa/oatmeal drink. Yeaaahhhh. Within minutes, I found myself bonding with two Americans over similar confusion about our culinary options. Jonathan and Benji - both Vanderbilt grads, the former with a voice like Barry White and the latter looking like a cast member of "Reno 911" - became my hiking partners for the rest of the day. Following breakfast, we stopped at "Cruz del Condor," an area providing amazing 360-degree views of the canyon below and, if lucky, sightings of the Andean Condor (largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere). Though there were no sightings at the lookout, as we drove to the starting location of our descent into the canyon, we were surrounded by three huge condors who inspire you to attempt flying off the back of a couch, as everyone did in their younger, more agile years. As we began our 1200 meter descent into the canyon toward San Juan de Chuccho, we were immediately mesmerized by the crazy honeycomb and jail bar-like rock formations that littered the steep canyon wall. Things like this both inspire me to take geology courses and make me wish I had payed more attention in the high school version of this subject. At the bottom, while waiting for all members of the group to reconvene, we met Angus, a crazy character with a thick Lithuanian accent who we appreciated the whole trip. After a short but very steep ascent into San Juan de Chuccho and a well-deserved Snickers, we all kicked back in our respective hut-style dorms set amongst the beautifully vibrant colors of the surrounding flora. The rest of the day included stuffing our face with lunch and dinner like we had never eaten food before, watching a bee pollinate a flower for about an hour, and converse (Spanish only) with Jean Carlos (our amicable, young guide) and two other guides. Highlights: amazingly funny interaction in which my German roommates asked me first for "plaster" (Band-aid) and, after receiving nothing more than a blank stare from me, then tried "bondage" and received a light bulb "ahhh" amongst many chuckles; having an instant understanding with a trekker from another tour company and spending hours talking about religion, bucket lists, morals, family, and life in general. A long but GREAT day.

The almighty Andean Condor soaring nearby.

Trail companions Benji and Jonathan during a much-needed trail mix break.

Crazy, crazy rock formations. Seriously, HOW???

Jean Carlos, our fearless leader and guide.

In the morning, we did quite a bit of up/downing and learning about various plants and their uses before passing through the towns of Cosñirhua and Matay. In Matay, we visited a small, one-room "museum" that explained the local crops, cuisine, dress, and culture. After a steep ascent, we were given a lesson about condors and their significance to the people and the area by Jean Carlos, who definitely earned himself the "rockstar" nickname. For about ninety minutes, we descended toward Sangalle oasis, a huge, circular area of green in a seemingly bland brown/orange/gray/brown backdrop. The walk into where we were staying was very "Secret Garden"-esque - handmade stepping stones leading you between rows of beautiful flowers and blooming bushes to an open green field and our thatched roof bamboo huts! While most people headed to the pool, I "rested my eyes" in the comfiest uncomfortable fishnet hammock in that canyon. I love how hammocks seem to heighten your senses and increase your awareness of all life present in that moment. I got my cook on with Jean Carlos and conversed with the owners of the "hostel lodge" while helping to prepare dinner.

If you are sitting there and wondering, "is that raw meat and fish hanging on a clothesline," you would be absolutely correct.

The museum. All of it. Seriously.

Classic group photo - please take special note of our resident Lithuanian, Angus, stage right.

Descending towards the Oasis.

The Se...cret Gar...den (please read in a Bruce Springsteen fashion).

Now, when I was shown what this tour entailed on a flat, 2-D illustrated map in their Arequipa office, I was led to believe there was minimal physical exertion required for this trek. When describing the third day, I was told "you wake up, have breakfast, and go up to where you have lunch." That "up" she was referring to turned out to be a very steep 1100 meter ascent (at 3280 meters...aka, minimal air) to the town of Cobanaconde. The ascent was NO JOKE, required multiple breath-catching pauses, and found me gazing longingly at mules that sped past us carrying the smarter trekkers, who paid the extra $20 to ride up in semi-style (let's be real, you are still on a mule) and omit the four solid hours of extremely arduous hiking. Well played, mule riders, well played. However, reaching the top provided that instant sense of accomplishment one gets as they, through the whistling of their expiratory wheeze, gaze out as the sun rises over the second deepest canyon in the world. There is a very warm, comforting, unspoken understanding every trekker who crested the hill had with those who came before them - an awesome feeling. Worth it...100%. And it wasn't even 9am! Two more meals and lots of driving to the soundtrack of Latin hits and American '80s rock ballads ensued. Once back in Arequipa, goodbyes were exchanged with the Vanderbilt boys and Jean Carlos before a Skype with the family rounded out a pretty amazing day!