Tuesday 12 January 2010
Highlights: Snow fights at high altitude, Colca Valley

Today we headed off to the Colca Valley and Canyon from Arequipa. The journey took us over 5 hours and we got to our highest point on the trip 4,920 metres above sea level. Andrew got to experience his first ever encounter with snow. He managed to nail Titch with one snowball!

The sparse Colca Valley itself is amazing. They grow basic food products and have cows in the area but due to the high altitude production isn’t as high.

Until the 1940s the valley was cut off from the rest of Peru, you had to hike to get here. In the late afternoon we were scheduled to visit thermal pools however I seemed to have gastro problems so I decided to stay in the hotel, the first thing activity I had missed due to illness. I’m hopeful that 12 hours of sleep will help make me better.