Arequipa to Chivay

Today was our first real taste of the Andes as we travelled from Arequipa to Chivay, heading deep into the spectacular Colca Canyon region.
Leaving Arequipa, the impact of a huge rain event from just days ago was impossible to miss — landslides, damaged roads and muddy detours reminding us how powerful the landscape is out here. It felt raw, recent and very real.
As we climbed higher, the scenery changed quickly. The city disappeared, replaced by vast open plains, rocky hills and, allegedly, towering volcanoes surrounding us in every direction (but covered in cloud). The land looked harsh and barren, yet somehow people live, farm and raise animals here — a quiet reminder of how resilient life in the Andes is.
Along the way we stopped several times to stretch our legs and meet the locals — vicuñas, llamas and alpacas grazing calmly in the thin mountain air. Seeing vicuñas in the wild was a highlight — elegant, watchful and perfectly at home at altitude.
One memorable roadside stop introduced us to Misti tea, a local herbal infusion often recommended (along with coca tea) to help with acclimatisation. Whether it worked or not… I’m not entirely sure — because as we pushed toward nearly 5,000 m, I definitely started to feel it. A bit light-headed, slightly off… the altitude making its presence known.
The journey itself was stunning — creeks and rivers fed by ice melt, wide open plains dotted with grazing animals, old stone buildings standing alone in the landscape, and endless skies stretching across the Altiplano.
By the time we reached Chivay, it felt like we had travelled not just in distance — but into a completely different world.
High, remote, dramatic… and unforgettable.Read more