Colca Canyon Tour, Day 2

I2/24/14, 1:37 PM

On the second day of our Colca Canyon tour, we were picked up early, at 6:30 AM, and driven to the principal condor viewing point, Mirador el Condor. We stayed for an hour during which time I saw five condors. Apparently, the condors are so big and bulky that they go to this particular spot in the canyon because there are warm winds that lift them up enough to get them going on their own.

Condor flying

When our time with the condors was up, the fourteen of us in the tour group loaded back up in the bus to head back to Chivay for lunch. Both the route there and back were full of stops. We stopped for good views of the valley, an old church, and even pre-Incan tombs located in the mountainside.

Colca Canyon

After a buffet lunch at another restaurant catering to tourists in Chivay, the group of us left for Arequipa. Only one stop for the bathroom and a tire change interrupted the three and a half hour journey. Because we had a night bus to Nasca, instead of a hotel, Alli and I were dropped off downtown near the central plaza, Plaza de Armas.

Arequipa Cathedral

We split up for an hour and a half to explore what is known as "The White City" because of the white lava rock used in the construction of many of the buildings in town. Alli went to a museum, and I wandered around the streets near Plaza de Armas. We met back up again for dinner. I had found a place with outside seating overlooking Plaza de Armas. Fortunately for me, the restaurant featured a fixed price vegetarian meal for 8 soles (less than 3 dollars). the meal was quite good, possibly the best food I've had in Peru so far.

Arequipa

After dinner, we took a taxi to the bus station to catch our Cruz del Sur night bus. This time, we had no problems at the station; everything worked out exactly as it was supposed to... until we arrived at our destination, Nasca, an hour and a half late.