Hotel Vallehermoso — Hotel in Cotahuasi

I’ve stayed at Valle Hermosa twice, once in April 2015 and again in December 2017, with a motorcycle each time.

I enjoyed both stays and the administrator is very attentive and friendly (Spanish only, typical of the whole village). The rooms are clean and basic with good hot water. Included breakfast is good for 2 days after which you’ll want to add eggs, or something else for a little extra.

The grounds are peaceful, I don’t think you’ll find a better place to stay in the village of Cotahuasi.

On occasion, you may come back to the hotel gate and no one answers the doorbell, either because the administrator is picking up food or cannot hear the ring. It’s best to save her cell # and have the ability to call just in case.

General advice for visit: -April is better than December (more verdant with waterfalls & less dust) -Bring sufficient Peruvian Soles. There is ability to exchange USD but I don’t believe there’s an ATM. -I didn’t find Wifi in the Cotahuasi but Claro data/voice works (disconnecting is good too!) -I was told you have to get to one of the overlooks early in the morning (before 6:30 AM) for best chance to see condors.

For motorcyclists: It's 7.5 to 9 hrs between Arequipa & Cotahuasi depending on speed/traffic.

In 2017 the village guide advised against riding to Quechualla due to having street tires (F800GS) & at risk of flat tire but it was manageable and worth it riding 2-up. The attached map is out of date; vehicle access is possible to Quechualla.

In 2015 I took a KLR650 from Cotahuasi to Cusco via Puyca/Churca/Izcahuaca. It took me 16 difficult hours to reach Izcahuaca after dark (I stayed in Pampamarca and continued to Cusco in the morning). If you want to try it, it’d be better to start early from Puyca instead of Cotahuasi. Full tank from Cotahuasi’s gas station is enough to reach Izcahuaca. All road pictures are of that route, focused on the worst conditions but a lot of the route is in...

Cotahuasi Canyon is one of the best places in which to hike and do some serious trekking.||||The town of Cotahuasi is the main town of the whole canyon. Other villages include Charcana, Pampamarca, Toro, Alca, Churca, Tomepampa, Huaynacotas and Puyca. Cotahuasi is one of the lower situated ones at 2700 metres above sea level. Almost all other villages are above 3000 metres above sea level.||||You can take a bus from Arequipa to Cotahuasi - it takes 12-14 hours and departure is usually in the afternoon with arrival at about 3-4-5 in the morning depending on delays on the road. It is a remote valley - and I always suggest at least 3 weeks to do justice!||||1. The villages are somewhat close to each other, making hiking very easy albeit exhausting if you aren't acclimatised to these heights. ||||2. There are buses going from Cotahuasi to the other villages, so you can easily hike on one of the myriads of hiking trails until next village and take the bus back to Cotahuasi or simply sleep in the village before moving on.||||3. It is easy to get into touch with the local quechua. They will gladly show you how they work in the fields, how they prepare food and so on. Cotahuasi has not been spoilt - and it is too far away for most conventional tourists which is why I go often - I have pretty much everything for myself.||||4. The nature and vistas are so stunning! I hike everywhere - and the variation is so impressive.||||5. I do recommend staying at the Valle Hermoso (which I've reviewed earlier) and simply do a lot of hikes - one trail per day or take a bus to the next village and hike back (usually 7-10 hours). ||||6. You may need to ask for a key, not sure if they will give you it unless they know you. They always give me a key. Otherwise you will have to wait a bit for them to open the door, but that's really a...

My friend and I stayed at Vallehermoso in the upper reaches of the town of Cotahuasi in the world's deepest canyon, Cotahuasi Canyon.||||Cotahuasi can be reached by an overnight bus from Arequipa. It takes 12-14 hours. The trip is extremely dusty and brings you to a pass at 4700-4800 metres above sea level before descending into the Cotahuasi Canyon. A very impressive trip, even at night.||||The rates include breakfast and the rooms are very comfortable and have a great view across the town and of the other side of Cotahuasi Canyon. The garden is lovely! It is located at 2800 metres above sea level. From Cotahuasi it is easy to venture into the wilds - there's an abundance of hiking trails, so you can hike on one trail one day and take another the other day and so on. ||||It is also very easy to take one of the early buses to the other villages in Cotahuasi Canyon. You should definitely spend a minimum of a fortnight in the canyon. We spent 5 weeks. There are so many trails, so many beautiful spots and the scenery is breathtaking. Imagine yourself wake up at Vallehermoso, go out of the door and directly see...