The second deepest canyon in the world

Located 180 km north of Arequipa, in the Chivay district, Colca Canyon is the result of the erosive forces of the Colca River. The canyon stretches for around 70 km and reaches a maximum depth of 3,191 meters, making it the second deepest canyon in the world, surpassed only by its neighbor, the Cotahuasi Canyon (160 meters deeper).

Inca and pre-Inca granaries

The name Colca refers to the small granaries (or storehouses) made of mud and stone, carved into the rock of the canyon. These stores were used in Inca and pre-Inca times to preserve food such as potatoes, quinoa and other Andean crops, and were also used as tombs for important people.

The realm of the Andean condor

The Colca Valley offers beautiful landscapes with strong winds, and is home to the majestic Andean condor, which has a wingspan of around 3.2 meters and can live up to 100 years in captivity. The canyon is also home to large hummingbirds, eagles and geese, which find a particularly favorable habitat thanks to the presence of numerous volcanoes: Ampato, 6,310 meters high (where the Juanita Mummy was discovered), Coropuna (6,425 meters), Solimana (6,117 meters) and Huallahualca (5,025 meters).

Life and herding in the valley

Above the small town of Chivay, at an altitude of 3,650 meters, farming gives way to livestock, mainly alpaca and llama: 80% of the world's alpaca fiber is raised in this region. Below Chivay, the valley opens up to reveal one of the most intensely terraced landscapes in the world.

The Colca Valley is home to the Quechua-speaking Cabana, likely descended from the Wari culture, and the Aymara-speaking Collagua, who moved into the area from the Lake Titicaca region and were already living in the valley in pre-Inca times.

Colonial history and traditions

The Incas arrived in the Colca Valley around 1320 AD, establishing their rule through a policy of marriage alliances rather than weapons. The Spanish, under Gonzalo Pizarro, arrived in 1540, and in 1570 Viceroy Francisco de Toledo ordered the inhabitants to leave their scattered settlements and gather into a series of “pueblos” in the central part of the canyon, which remain the main towns of the valley today. Franciscan missionaries built the valley's first chapel in 1565 and its first church in 1569, in Coporaque.

The region hosts numerous festivals throughout the year, including the Wititi festival in Chivay, from December 8 to 11: Wititi is considered the most representative dance of the Arequipa region and a Cultural Heritage of Peru. Colca is also known for two forms of craftsmanship: 100% baby alpaca knitwear, and a unique style of embroidery that decorates skirts (polleras), hats, vests and other everyday garments.

The Colca River is one of the best places in Peru for canoeing and kayaking.