Chasing Condors

Today was all about condors… which meant an early start.
A 7am departure had us on the bus heading deeper into the Colca Valley, the landscape already looking spectacular in the morning light — patchwork terraces, dramatic mountains and villages slowly waking up.
Our first stop was Yanque, where we visited the beautiful church and watched local school children perform traditional dances in the town square. A lovely moment — colourful, joyful and very much part of daily life here (and yes… a few Sol well spent).
From there we continued towards Colca Canyon and the famous Mirador del Condor.
The canyon is enormous — the river carving its way far below, ancient agricultural terraces lining the slopes, reminders of how productive this region once was. We joined the crowd, cameras ready… and waited.
And waited.
Eventually, tiny silhouettes appeared in the distance. Condors. Technically a success — visually… a bit underwhelming.
So we did what any determined travellers would do — we chased them.
Moving further down the valley paid off. Suddenly they were closer, gliding effortlessly on the thermals, huge wings stretched wide, completely unbothered by the excited humans below. One of those moments where you remember just how big and wild this landscape really is.
On the way back we stopped in Maca for a very welcome toilet break and a browse through the local market stalls — colourful textiles, souvenirs and plenty of friendly sales pitches. Bonus wildlife moment too — a hawk posing nicely for photos.
Today had everything: mountain scenery, culture, patience, persistence… and finally, condors doing exactly what condors do best.
Worth the early start.Read more