Colca canyon

After a driving period of four hours to the north of Arequipa, there is the impressive Colca canyon, which the deepest in the world with up to 3400 m depth in some places (twice the depth of the Grand Canyon in USA!).  It is surrounded by high volcanic peaks, it measures more than 100 km. The Colca River is passes at the valley bottom; in this place there are many typical villages around, which inhabitants still cultivate terraces built during the Inca period. Above all, the canyon is the perfect place to observe an emblematic Andean animal; the condor. At Cruz del condor (the condor cross), these birds gather early in the morning and sometimes, they fly very close to visitors who are gathered at the cliff edge.