Getting High(er) on the Way to Colca Canyon

While Arequipa’s elevation is already nearly 8,000 feet - which is nothing to scoff at - our guide promised that our next day in the region would be spent exploring areas that are even higher on our way to the village of Chimay. Shortly after leaving the city we climbed up past 10, 11 thousand feet while the landscape shifted from a valley to a martian-esque high plateau. It was not long before we saw Peru’s national animal - the vicuna! These llama-like animals are also believed to be related to alpacas, and their wool is even more revered for its softness.

We maxed out at right around 16k, which is certainly the highest we had ever been. Standing at this elevation was a tribute to Pachamama - Peru’s Earth Mother goddess - with a heap of offerings laid at her feet. Even the short walk to and from the sculpture was taxing at this altitude, but our guide’s advice to “walk like you’re on the moon” helped in staving off the worst effects. Furiously chewing on coca candies also did not hurt.

We arrived in Chivay just in time for the “golden hour” as the sun reflected off of the mountains basking the small city square in brilliant light. As we snapped some photos a parade suddenly started filing into the main square with locals dressed in colorful costumes, playing tubas and shaking percussive instruments in time with their footsteps. The revelers also were swigging from bottles of chicha (a mildly alcoholic drink) while dancing under raised arches with mini Peru flags fluttering at the top. It certainly would not be the last time that we happened across an unexpected celebration while in the country, but in a town like Chivay surrounded almost entirely by locals it felt even more special.