Colca Canyon

Colca Canyon seems to be a popular spot to visit that is driving distance from Arequipa. I don't have a car -- and would not consider renting one here -- that would be pure madness -- so booked a tour. 

All the tours use Mercedes Sprinter vans.  

It's a long, lonely four hour drive over the mountains off to Colca Canyon.

The tour operators have do e this many times of course -- so they have all these preselected 'Kodak Moments' -- spots where the views and such make a good place to stop. 

Here is my bus stopped -- to take a picture of a volcano probably. Everybody wants you to take pictures of the volcanos. I did. 

Here is a panorama of the route up to the canyon. The land started mostly dry and rocky, gradually changed to tufted grass or maybe they are bushes. The tour guide said this is the food of the llamas and alpaca, and other kind that I can't remember or spell. The name starts with 'cu' as I recall. I am writing this without internet access or anything -- so I can't research or double check anything, makes it a lot harder. 

We saw some of these critters out the buss window. There are domesticated grazing animals and also wild. The wild are rounded up every two years and shorn for the wool. 

Our first real stop. For bathrooms, coca tea, stretch the legs -- and of course -- take pictures of volcanos.

Here is a picture of some tourists taking a picture of a volcano. All the rage here!

The coca tea. Gotta have it. Coca leaves and two spoons of sugar. It is nice -- not a strong taste, like herb tea. 

I remember being told the altitude is 16,000 feet here. I seem to be not to affected by the altitude. Maybe mostly because I mostly just walk and such. I had a bit of a problem later in this tour -- but I think I was asking for it.

They had a gift shop inside -- and vendors outside. I resisted the 'Llamas Xing' sign. 

Here are the outdoor vendors. There are people selling pretty much everywhere. Sidewalks, car windows, and every inside  spot might have some selling something. 

Here is the 'guard dog' at this stop. Dogs are loose everywhere but mostly seem OK and must receive some kind of care. 

Wait for Colca Canyon Part 2/3