Colca Canyon: 3 Day Hike

Colca Canyon

Getting there

The launch pad for Colca Canyon starts for most from Arequipa where you can either get a tour via a tour operator which is usually very expensive or you can get the local bus there. This is the option we went for. It is cheap and the busses are really nice. We worked out how to get to the bus station and booked our tickets one day in advance for 17 Soles a person. The next morning early we were of on our 6 hour bus ride to Cabanaconde. Here I have to say as well that there are different areas you can go in Colca Canyon. The local bus stops at Chivay and Cabanaconde. We of course went to

the latter seeing it is a bit less touristy and actually goes to the deepest part of the canyon. On the bus you will be approached by a person selling your permits for the Canyon. You NEED this and they do check your pass at least 3 times.  At the time it was 70 Soles per person. The view on the way is also amazing. Some good advice we got was to sit on the right side of the bus going there and man did that pay off. The place we stayed at was very affordable, 30 Soles for a private room with a bathroom (15 Soles per person). They also were not lying about the hot showers ;). If you don’t want to hike with all your stuff the place also has storage for 3 soles a day for some peace of mind. The village is small but it does give you that feeling of being in Peru. The first night we ate at Pachamama Hostel. John and Hannah our British friends got some seemingly delicious pizza with lots of veggies and Alpaca. Lindsay was not feeling well and had some fries. I had my first Alpaca on a scewer. Lindsay and I also had our first pisco sours.

The hike

Pricing:

               Permit: 70 Soles per person

               Housing : 30 Soles for a private or                                15 Soles per person for                                  any other room

               Water:  10 Soles a bottle in the                                   Canyon

               Beer:    10 Soles

               Dinner: 10 soles set menu in the                                  canyon

We decided to do the 2 night 3 day hike. Starting in Cabanaconde heading the first day to Llahuar hot springs, from Llahuar hot springs to Sangalle oasis the second day and hiking out the third day. We all thought that it would be down, straight, and then out. We were very wrong. We started hiking at around 10am. 

Day 1: The first day we hiked 5 hours. It was REALLY hot all the way down with almost no shade. We had about 12 litters of water between the four of us. Regardless to say we drank almost all of it. We made it all the way into the canyon in 4 hours only to hike another hour out the other side and down again.  The accommodation in Llahuar was 15 Soles a person. The room was a bamboo hut right next to the river with a shared bathroom. As the name indicates there were hot springs. There were three pools each of varying temperatures. Luke warm, warm, and hot (38 C degrees). We all jumped in the pools as soon as we could. We all made the mistake at the beginning of the day to wear thin socks with our boots. Halfway down we switched to flip flops so the hot springs were a great relief. Poor Hannah got off the worst with bad blisters on her feet. The place had a set menu for dinner for only 10 Soles. It was pretty good outside that there was no meat on the plate. There are some things to take note on. Beer is very expensive at 10 Soles a pop. So is water at the same price. 

Day 2:We filled our water bottles up with tap water and treated it with aquatabs. We headed off  not sure what the day will hold. Lindsay was still feeling really sick. We all thought that we will hike the day in the canyon. We were very very wrong.We had to hike almost all the way out the other side of the canyon. We hiked about 5 hours to lunch in Cosnirhua. We wanted to get lunch the town before but could not find a place. Thankfully the food was amazing. It was also a set menu for 10 soles. We pushed all the way down the canyon to Sangalle oasis after we let the food settle. We got rooms for 30 Soles a night with a shared bathroom. A set menu for 10 Soles. They told us dinner would be at 7P.M. So we waited and waited and waited. Finally the food came more than an hour late. After that we all crawled into bed wanting an early start the next day. 

 Day 3:The next morning we got an early breakfast at 6:30 for 6 Soles per person and headed up the canyon. Lindsay was very determined to get up as fast as possible to get antibiotics in town. The other two took the “slow and steady” approach like Hannah always says. Her feet were hurting pretty bad.  After a set menu for breakfast of coffee, bread, butter and jam, we set off. I don’t know how they expect one to hike on some bread and jam for 3 hours straight up hill. I think this angered Lindsay the most. ;) It was a good thing we started early so we got a lot of shade on the way up. It seemed like the never ending  journey but we pushed and made it in 3 hours to the top and the John and Hannah made it in 4. Lindsay and I rushed to town. I got an Alpaca steak and Lindsay got some fries. We waited for the bus at 2P.M. and took the long road back to Arequipa.