Colca Canyon part 2

While getting to the Canyon was frustrating, being there was absolutely wonderful. There were individuals who signed up for a two day trek who hiked for seven hours the first day arriving at dinner time to a resort area called the oasis. They then hiked out early the next morning. We signed up for a three day trek in which we hiked for three to four hours per day. We stayed with a family who lived in the valley the first night, the oasis the second night and hiked out early the third morning.

The family we stayed with had adapted their property into a type of hostel for the tourists. They provided meals as well as a store of sorts for us to purchase water, snacks, alcohol, and other niceties that tourists want or need. A 2.5L bottle of water that costs less than $1 in town was $4 with the family and a 1.5L bottle was as much at the Oasis. It was a steep price to pay for water but so are the walking paths to these places that the family walked with everything we ate and paid for loaded on their backs. There are no vehicles that go to these places. A rich person owns mules to carry things up and down the thousand meters it takes to get out of the canyon. A slightly less well off person owns donkeys.

Hiking is hiking. A mix sweat, steps, and scenery. It is always difficult to navigate the path while attempting to soak in the grandeur around. Luckily for us we had an excellent group and guide. There was myself, Ashley, Ramona who is Schweiz, Bernadette from Austria, and our guide Angel from northern Peru. We were very pleased with our companions throughout the trip and took to sharing stories and enjoying the sights together. Our guide Angel displayed a passion for the people of the valley and stopped us many times to inform us of the culture of the valley. History, cultural practices, religious beliefs and practices, daily life, seasonal life, economic information, and medicinal practices he shared with us throughout.

Upon arrival at the host family we were greeted with lunch and then reclined on the lawn for the rest of the day. We were blessed by beautiful weather the entire trip which is unusual as this is their rainy season. It was wonderful to lay on the lawn with our companions and bond while sharing an extremely overpriced beer that couldn't have hit the spot more. Around two it clouded up and got cold with a chilly wind so our cold beer turned into hot coca leaf tea. After that it was dinner and bedtime for an early start to our next hike.