Mirador Cruz del Cóndor — Attraction in Cabanaconde

Visited in 2005

The Colca Canyon is located off the Colca River in southern Peru, located about 160 kilometres northwest of Arequipa. With a depth of about 1000 – 2000 m (3300 – 6600 ft) (whereas bottom is at cca 2000 m and edges are at 3000 – 4000 metres above the sea level), it is one of the deepest canyons in the world. Its length is about 70 kilometres (43 mi). The Colca Valley is a colorful Andean valley with pre-Inca rooted inhabitants, and towns founded in Spanish colonial times, still inhabited by people of the Collagua and the Cabana cultures. The local people maintain their ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces, called abdenes.

We visited Yanque - unspoiled history. See the picture below of the hawk.

The canyon is home to the Condor bird. The condors can be seen at close range as they fly past the canyon walls, and are a popular attraction. The Andean Condor typically lives about 60–70 years, and has a wingspan of about 2.1–2.7 metres (7–9 ft). A lady in our tour asked if the Condors eat insects - the guide said No - they eat donkeys.... a memory of how large these birds are - perhaps the second largest species in the world. A truly...

At over 3,200 meters (10,500 feet) deep, Colca Canyon is among the world’s deepest. The sheer scale is overwhelming — especially when you’re perched at one of the lookouts like Cruz del Cóndor, watching condors rise on thermals as the sun lights up the cliffs.

Condors the stars of the show. If you're lucky (and most people are), you'll see these massive, majestic birds gliding silently just meters overhead — it’s a moment that gives you chills.

The canyon offers incredible multi-day hikes, often starting at Cabanaconde and descending into the canyon to oases like Sangalle, with turquoise pools, palm trees, and rustic lodges. The hike back up is steep and challenging, but the sense of accomplishment — and the views — make it...

Fabulous overlook full of tourist busses waiting to see condors. Plan on getting there around 8am and plan at least an hour. The condors start rising with the thermals as the sun hits the valley! And they did not disappoint! It was breathtaking to see how big they actually were because they seemed so small down in the canyon, which just shows how deep the canyon is. When some of the condors actually buzzed the crowd it was such a thrill. Well worth the time spent there. We took a tour with Machu Travel Peru which made it easy. There was a very limited ladies room and quite a long line and you need to bring your own paper. But again still...