Chasing condors

I must admit that Peru proved to be a far more spectacular destination than expected. Aside from the more popular experience, Machu Picchu and like, we encountered many more memorable locations. Take, for example, Arequipa, our first destination beyond Lima. We knew that Arequipa would be magical the moment we stepped out of the plane. We were greeted by a series of stunning snow-capped volcanoes, including Chachani over 6000 metres high and El Misti a perfectly conical mountain.

Arequipa is about 2300 above sea level. You notice the attitude immediately. Garry and I took several days to acclimatise but managed to avoid any serious altitude sickness. However, at least four of our group took to their beds with nausea and headaches. Ultimately the only time either of us really noticed the altitude was during a brief stop on a 4000 metre mountain pass we traversed a few days later. I felt a little light-headed and the simple act of stepping down off the bus left me short of breath.

Arequipa is a truly beautiful city centred around a picture-perfect central plaza. A few block west of the plaza a rocky, fast-running stream has carved a steep gully through the inner city. In the distance, a tall and hazy mountain crowns the horizon. The city is home to approximately 700,000 people, making it Peru's second most populated city. It's also known as the nation's legal capital, as Peru's constitutional court is based here.  

Arequipa's strategic location at the crossroads of the colonial silver trade route and that of the post-independence wool trade route has seen it progressively develop as an administrative, commercial, and industrial hub. As a result, the town's colonial centre is home to an array of imposing colonial buildings and churches. We took time out to explore them by day and by night, and dine under their floodlit arches.

We also visited the town's famous Ice Maiden, a frozen Inca human sacrifice discovered in 1995. Mummy Juanita, as the ice maiden is officially known, was sacrificed to the Inca gods sometime between 1440 and 1480. At the time of her death she was approximately 12–15 years old. She was found on the summit of Mount Ampato, a dormant volcano in the southern Andes. As a result, unlike mummies found elsewhere in the world, Juanita’s remains and garments were not desiccated but rather, preserved as frozen flesh.

Our group’s second day in Arequipa was devoted to a memorable day trip to Colca Canyon. This stunning location is 3191 metres at its deepest point (deeper than the Grand Canyon). The road leading through the area traverses a valley tiered with ancient Inca agricultural terraces, many still in use today. At the valley's deepest and narrowest point, we stopped for several hours at the Mirador Cruz del Cóndor lookout to watch Andean Condors soar on the morning thermal currents.

Watching these magnificent birds sweeping through the valley was truly mesmerising. At times their massive outstretched wingtips passed mere inches from the canyon’s rocky walls. We learned that an adult condor can have a maximum wingspan up to 3.3 metres and a weight of up to 15 kg. This makes it one of the world’s largest flying birds. Incredibly they can live up to 70 years, making them one of the world’s longest lived birds.

On our way back to Arequipa, we stopped briefly in Maca. This small canyon village, sitting at 3,262 metres, is known for the Iglesia de Santa Ana de Maca, an incredibly photogenic whitewashed church. The present building was built after a fire in 1759 destroyed an earlier structure. It was recently restored after an earthquake damaged it in 1991. As you see above, I took time out to get up close and personal with a few of the friendly locals.

Our day trip also served up another cool milestone. We drove over the Patapampa Pass, which at 4,879 metres (16,007 feet) was the highest elevation we experienced while in South America. We stopped briefly at the summit to savour the moment.  

Thousands of travellers before us had stopped here, each participating in a ritual that involves the stacking of stones into teetering piles. We saw dozens of them scattered across the landscape.  Yes - Garry and I added a stone of our own.

Here is where I experienced the light-headedness I mentioned earlier.  However, the thinning air doesn't seem to hinder the locals. We encountered more than one farmer and their Alpaca traffic jam over the course of the day.

Our last full day in Arequipa was spent wandering the streets of Monasterio Santa Catalina de Siena, a colourful old convent in the centre of town. It was founded in 1579. Incredibly, the convent is completely isolated from the surrounding neighbourhood, despite being located in the middle of the city. A great and solid wall of 4 meters of height isolated the life of the women who inhabited it. The photos we took barely do justice to this stunning complex. 

From Arequipa we drove to Lake Titicaca, stopping to watch wild Vicunas (a rare type of Llama) and tour the crumbling funeral towers of Sillustani. Rather than trying to dazzle you with my own words, I'll let Wikipedia outline Sillustani's history. 

The complex is a pre-Inca cemetery on the shores of Lake Umayo, approximately 30km west of Puno. The tombs, built above ground in tower-like structures called chullpas, are the vestiges of the Quila people, an ethnic group that was conquered by the Inca Empire in the 15th Century.

These stone structures housed the remains of complete family groups, although historians believe they were probably limited to nobility. Over time many of the tombs have been dynamited by grave robbers, while others were left unfinished. However, despite this desecration, you can still see the incredible precision and workmanship that went into their construction.

I'll finish this post with our first glimpse of Lake Titicaca as we drove into Puno. The lake looked awesome in the late afternoon sun. In the distance, we could see its famous reed banks and beyond lay the island of Taquile, our next destination. In the final photo, you'll see we also caught a glimpse of Cristo Blanco, an all-white statue of Christ blessing the township below.

Our adventure in Peru continues here.