Cañón Del Colca

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

South America

$29.99

Shop Book

Terraced pastures and mountains in Colca Canyon.

Getty Images/Westend61

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Cañón Del Colca

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

It’s not just the vastness and depth of the Colca that make it so fantastical, it’s the shifts in its mood. There are more scenery changes along the river canyon's 62-mile (100km) passage than there are in most European countries; from the barren steppe of Sibayo, through the ancient terraced farmland of Yanque and Chivay toward the cruising condors riding warm air currents, into the steep-sided canyon proper beyond Cabanaconde that wasn’t thoroughly explored until the 1980s. Of course we shouldn’t turn a blind eye to the vital statistics. The Colca is the world’s second-deepest canyon, a smidgeon shallower than its near neighbor, the Cotahausi, and twice as deep as the more famous Grand Canyon in the US. But, more than that, it is replete with history, culture, ruins, tradition and – rather like Machu Picchu – intangible Peruvian magic.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Cruz del Cóndor

Cañón Del Colca

This famed viewpoint is for many the highlight of their trip to the Cañón del Colca. A large family of Andean condors nests by the rocky outcrop and, with…

Mirador de San Miguel

Cañón Del Colca

The spectacular views here are a highlight of Cabanaconde, taking in the mountain range, with the villages resembling specks of white dust clinging to its…

Uyo Uyo

Cañón Del Colca

The remnants of this pre-Inca settlement aren't visible from the road, but can be reached by a half-hour uphill hike from Yanque (or one hour along Carr…

Museo Yanque

Cañón Del Colca

This university-run museum is unexpectedly comprehensive for a small village, explaining the culture of the Cañón del Colca in conscientious detail…

Astronomical Observatory

Cañón Del Colca

No light pollution equals excellent Milky Way vistas. The Casa Andina hotel six blocks southwest of the Plaza de Armas has a tiny observatory which holds…

Baños Chacapi

Cañón Del Colca

These hot springs, a more basic version of La Calera in Chivay, are a 30-minute walk down to the river from the plaza. The early-bird opening time is…

View more attractions