2005 10 Peru – Day 4

After a few hours the road took a drastic turn from pavement to a rough gravel road for another 5 hours before getting to the canyon it self. We had many stops on the way but there was virtually no chance of sleeping once you hit this road. We are in high altitude to begin with and our journey takes up to a maximum of 4900 meters our, over 16,000 feet. We'll be stopping at this point on the way back but even just sitting on the bus and taking it easy you could feel your breathing increase because of the lack of oxygen. After we passed the highest point it was switch backs all the way down to a small town where we would be stopping for some snacks. This small town could be seen clearly as we started our descent down the long narrow road. Our guide said that it was over 1100 Meters down to the town site, this gave us the reality of just how far up we really are.

A small market was set up near the town center and we saw what the local culture was about. Fruit and bread prices where quite reasonable and most of the merchants could understand a little english.

This was a good place for us to see the local people and see the true culture of the area away from the tourist areas.

We leave the small town and continue our way. We see many small farms built into the side of the mountain and it was impossible to count them all, some of them no larger than a city lot. Some how they manage to squeeze a living out of it all. It is springtime in Peru and most of the crops have not been planted with the exception of a few in the lower part of this valley.

As we continued our way along the rough roads we came upon a section of a mountainside that was slowly sliding its way into the valley. This caused the road to be constantly changing with dirt sliding off the hillside on to the road and it was a constant job for the road crew to keep it open. They were either changing the road completely by making it wide enough for at least one-way traffic. Some of the road was barely passable for our bus and it made many of us a little nervous to watch us pass through with hardly any guard rails to be found all along the route.

This picture shows the vast farming area on the mountain side. This is a sight I won't forget for sometime, taking a few pictures only captures some of it. Seeing and experiencing it by actually being here is so much better.

In the mountain side you can see holes and small rocks piled up that are burial sites for the local people.

Once we get to the viewing area we find the weather to be near perfect and a spectacular view. The big attraction in coming so early was to see the condors gliding up the canyon. As the morning sun warms the air thermal heat vents form that flow to the canyons upper ridge and beyond. It simple raises these large birds with their out stretched wings to the top of canyon. Without the rising heated air the condors could not make it out of this deep canyon.

The only problem was that on this particular day the condors decided not to visit. There was no guarantee as some days they may find something to eat down in the canyon below and they would be no need to float to the top. Our guide tells us that the birds are seen almost every visit but today we are out of luck.

Some of the local people put on a show for the tourists that come here on a daily basis.

The costumes had plenty of colour.

Back on the bus and we drive back to the small town. We visit the local hot spring for a relaxing dip in the large pool. Then it was time for lunch at a local restaurant for a good buffet meal, $20.00 Sols. Most of the restaurants we visit on this trip have some sort of live music playing and usually a tip was given from most of us. For ½ a sole it was worth the money but there were times when a little peace and quiet would have been more of a welcome.

Back on the bus and we start our long drive up the mountainside along the switchbacks to the highest part of our journey.

The bus stops at a viewing area where we all get out for a few pictures.

You can see some of my group and some local people trying to sell us something. This is the way many of them make an income for the few things that they need.