"After having spent one month in the wonderful white Cordillera we didn’t have enough and we felt like exploring deeply the Arequipa region, one of the most savage area in Peru, an area with active volcanos, aloft deserts, hot springs, salt lakes and canyons. We thought we would enjoy and we were not disappointed…

Program: exploration of the 2 deepest canyons in the world, the Cotahuasi and the Colca; and climbing on the 2 great volcanos, the Misti and the Ubinas. Let’s go for a ride into the canyons…

Firstable, we left for Cotahusai canyon. We had 5 days and chose a long and not often ran version, beginning in the last valley, Pampamarca Valley, in the village which has the same name, 3350m height. Spectacular panorama, with 6000m glaciers at the back, terrace cultivation, blue sky…

We met many great persons, especially at the end of the afternoon, when it’s time to find a place to sleep. Tourism is not very developed in these far-off lands so it’s quite easy and pleasant to get on well with people and to sleep at their place. If you don’t like super roots conditions, don’t come!

When we went in Cotahuasi Valley, we caught sign of amazing landscapes with incredible colors. Contrasts were strong.

We saw Velinga and Quelchualla oasis; their few inhabitants are almost self-sufficient. They do even their wine, tested and almost approved! Cactus forests, nice bridges, ruins of old incas constructions complete this wonderful landscape.

This canyon at the end of the earth will be engraved in our memories forever, with happy persons, generous, open-minded, living in harmony with Nature, far from any civilization temptation… this is just paradise!

After that, Franck’s family joined us for some days. We went to the Colca Canyon, did the classical route but nevertheless very pleasant. The atmosphere is very different from Cotahuasi Canyon. Indeed, this is more touristic."

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-          Cotahuasi Canyon

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