I was not really sure what to expect of the Colca Canyons, and the drive out from Arequipa was pretty unimpressive. We saw many llamas, alpacas and vicunas roaming freely; stopped off briefly at the highest point (4,910m / 16,100 ft) to get a 360 degree vantage point of all the surrounding volcanoes - and I did momentarily feel the effects of the altitude. We stopped at Chivay (the main town in the Colca region) for a brief lunch before crossing the canyon over to our hotel in Coporaque, which is a small unspoilt village. The hotel had gorgeous views of the valley, and of the many acres of pre-Inca farm terraces lining the valley walls. Despite the encroachment of tourism in this area, the place felt relatively untouched, and the people kept bidding us a friendly "Buenas Tardes" (Good Afternoon) when Angelica and I took a walk around the farmlands behind the village.

At its deepest point, the Colca Canyon is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon at 3,400m / 11,150 ft - however, they do not match the grandeur nor beauty of the Grand Canyon. Still it was pretty enough, especially where the valleys just went on for miles of pre-Inca farm terraces against a backdrop of the mountain ranges.