Photo: Church at Cabanaconde
On Friday, Liz, Han, & I got up early for the Colca Canyon tour. Liz was with a different group than Han & I. The other two people on my tour were Colin & Amanda from Canada who I had met the previous day and told them about the trek.
Our guide, Pipi, met us in a taxi and took us to the bus station. He told us it was his birthday and he had been drinking. Pipi was so drunk he was unable to go and that another guide would meet us in Cabanaconde, where the trek begins. On the bus were several different groups of gringos and their guides doing much the same trek.
Photo: Nestor, our guide
On the road to Chivay the bus was approaching a railroad crossing with a train coming our way. The bus driver sped up instead of stopping, narrowly beating the train. Most of the passengers were upset with the careless driver.
Upon arrival at Cabanaconde, Jose, one of the other guides, stopped a local kid riding a bicycle across the square and gave him 200 soles (about $70). Jose then introduced the biker, Nestor, to us and told us he would be our guide. Nestor led us to a local caf where we had lunch. He returned shortly after changing into his guiding clothes and spoke to us in good English.
After lunch we started our hike down into the canyon, dropping 4000 feet to reach the river. Nestor, who lived in the local town, gave us many explanations of various plants, trees, cactus and told us of their use as medicine, tea, food, or hallucinatory drugs.
Photo: Colca Canyon cactus
Photo: Ralph at beginning of Colca Canyon trek
Photo: bridge over Colca Canyon
Photo: Ralph & fruit of cactus
Photo: Colca Canyon pigs
Photo: Solar heated shower
Photo: Colca Canyon village
Photo: Colca Canyon church
Photo: Ralph in Colca Canyon
Photo: Nestor in Colca Canyon
Map of South American trip
