Some trips are born twice - Peru April - May 2025 (page 2 of 13)

What was the average price of the restaurants you visited in Arequipa and elsewhere?

Sorry, I don’t really remember. I think a good meal cost around 15 € per person. That was only in Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, and Ollantaytambo. In any case, the value for money was excellent compared to restaurants in Europe.

Peru is renowned for its outstanding cuisine, and we really treated ourselves. It was our first trip “to the other side of the world” after Covid. Between 2021 and 2024, we stayed in Europe, which allowed us to take some wonderful trips too, since we didn’t want to travel without our old dog. Anyway, we didn’t really watch our spending in restaurants.

Saturday, April 19

This morning, the driver picks us up at 8:30. Traffic is heavy leaving the city, and the national road is packed with trucks.

We gain altitude and cross high plateaus where we spot llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas. Rufo, our driver, also points out a few guanacos—it’s the first time we’ve seen them. We stop at Laguna Pampa Blanca to take some photos. A few pink flamingos are wading in the water, and the landscape reminds us of the Sud Lípez in Bolivia.











At 4,000 meters above sea level, we take a break at a restaurant to drink coca leaf tea and other herbal infusions. According to Rufo, this drink is effective against altitude sickness. We don’t feel any effects from the altitude at all—we’re doing just fine.

We arrive at the Mirador de los Andes, located at 4,910 meters. From this viewpoint, you can admire several volcanoes. Unfortunately, the clouds are thick and prevent us from getting a good view of them.





We then head down toward Chivay and, shortly after, stop at a small restaurant where they raise trout. Rufo seems to know the owner. The place isn’t touristy at all, and the garden is really pleasant. The portions are huge—the trout comes with rice and fries.





Since we lost a lot of time with photo stops, Rufo—who has to return to Arequipa and make the trip again tomorrow—arranges for another driver to take us to Cabanaconde, located at 3,296 meters above sea level. Along the way, we spot a few condors returning to their nests on the canyon walls.

In Cabanaconde, we check in at Hotel Casa de Santiago and take a walk to the Mirador Achachihua, where the view of the canyon and the Sangalle oasis is stunning. We end the day with a pizza at Pachamama restaurant.

Sunday, April 20

We have breakfast at 6:30 AM and set off at 7:00 AM for our two-day hike. The descent along the trail to Sangalle is very steep. After about 30 minutes, I slip on the small pebbles, lose my balance, and slam my lower back hard against a large rock. The pain takes my breath away, and I think our trip to Peru is over.

After a few moments, with Benoît’s help, I manage to stand up. My back is really painful, but I decide to keep going.

The view of the Sangalle oasis and the orange rocks is stunning. At this time of year, there are flowers everywhere. Some rock faces are beautiful, almost like living paintings. After four hours of walking—including photo stops and my little accident—we finally reach Sangalle. It took us much longer than planned, but I didn’t want to risk another fall. We take a break to rest before starting the climb toward Malata and Cosñirhua. From Cosñirhua, we descend back to San Juan de Chuccho, arriving after seven hours of hiking.



















We booked a room at Colibri Lodge. The room is lovely, the bed huge, the shower water hot, and we have a small balcony overlooking the garden with its avocado and mango trees. We take a short walk around the village, but we don’t linger too long because it starts raining. The family running Colibri Lodge is adorable, and the evening meal is excellent.

Even though the mattress is good quality, I hold back a scream when I lie down. The pain is sharp, and I don’t know how to move without suffering. We’re far from everything, and seeing a doctor would be complicated.

(Looking back, I think I was right not to see a doctor in Peru. The exams we had after returning to Switzerland revealed several injuries: two fractured apophyses and a torn fibrous ring in my spine, a cracked floating rib, and internal bruising. If I’d known about these results during the trip, I probably would’ve given up on some of our hikes.)

Monday, April 21st

The night was tough—I couldn’t lie on my back or my right side. But I finally found a position that let me sleep. The alarm goes off at 4:40 AM, and I struggle to get out of bed. I tell myself the canyon climb is going to be rough. For breakfast, the lady makes us pancakes over a wood fire and serves avocados with crackers.

We leave Colibri Lodge at 5:30 AM, guided by our headlamps. I took an anti-inflammatory for my back and realize I feel better standing up. The pain is less sharp when I’m walking.

After 35 minutes of descent, we reach the bridge crossing the Colca River. We immediately start the 1,200-meter ascent. Climbing turns out to be easier than going down. A young condor flies nearby but quickly moves away. We pass the first tourists as we near the top.















Hiking this trail in the opposite direction of the tour operators coming from Arequipa is a great way to avoid crowds. Plus, the view of the canyon is more stunning from the Sangalle side—you get to enjoy it more on the way down, with the colorful cliffs and oasis right in front of you.

After four hours of walking, including plenty of photo stops, we reach Mirador San Miguel. A large tour group and two guides are getting ready to start their descent. We still have 30 minutes to go to reach Cabanaconde. Along the way, we stop at the small Juanita Museum. The visit is free and gives us a chance to use the restrooms, but there’s really not much to see.

We grab a plate of pasta at Pachamama restaurant before heading back to Casa Santiago. We take a nice hot shower and spend the rest of the afternoon reading. A storm rolls in, followed by a power outage. By evening, the electricity still isn’t back. We go out to grab some supplies for a picnic and eat in the breakfast room by candlelight, just like other travelers staying at the hotel. The vibe is cozy, and the conversations with fellow travelers are great.

The view of part of the village from the rooftop terrace at Casa Santiago.



You can find the rest of the travel journal here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11461768;a=11461768

Kudos for your courage and perseverance. For a year now, everyone’s been struggling with their travel journals, and I’m encouraging the next travelers to be extra careful 🙂

I’m thrilled to discover the breathtaking and spectacular views and horizons you’re sharing with us.

Bravo for your courage and perseverance. For a year now, everyone’s been struggling with their travel journals, and I encourage the next travelers to be extra careful 🙂

I’m even wondering if I didn’t start the trend in Marrakech? 🤪 Do you think our advanced ages 😉 might be partly to blame? If so, you’re off the hook with your latest travel journal in progress 😄

Wow Carmen, what a fall! And what courage to keep going! I hope you don’t have any lasting effects.

We immediately start the 1,200-meter ascent.

That’s way too much for me... even without falling the day before 😏 (though the landscapes do seem worth it).

Wow! 1,200m of elevation gain with a wrecked back and altitude—way to go, Carmen! 👏

It's magnificent, and what a beautiful performance after such a severe fall!

Thanks to everyone for your messages.

The climb up the canyon turned out to be easier than the descent, and there’s always something to see along the way. April is actually the perfect time to enjoy the blooming flowers in the canyon.

We’re used to hiking in the mountains, and high altitude hasn’t been an issue for us—at least, not so far.

For my back, I truly believe motivation made all the difference, and as I mentioned before, I felt much better standing and walking. Later, at Lake Titicaca, I tried a somewhat unconventional “treatment” to ease the pain, which let me fully enjoy the rest of the trip. But I won’t be covering that in the travel journal.😅

More to come tomorrow.😊

Hello Carmen, It’s a pleasure to catch up on your story—it’s enjoyable to follow despite your accident. I hope there won’t be any lasting effects. Thanks for taking us along on your journey! 😊😊

Readers who tend to mix up Ticapi, Muriel, and Rouquine are asked if two of them could change their profile pictures.

Readers tend to mix up Ticapi, Muriel, and Rouquine, so two of them are asked to change their profile pictures.

But leopard print is *so* in right now!

P.S.: Leopard or cheetah, for fashion, there’s no difference. I’m just saying this for those who’d want to hurt flies

At Lake Titicaca, I went through a somewhat unconventional "treatment" to reduce the pain, which let me fully enjoy the trip. But I won’t be covering that in the travel journal.😅

Sounds like a coca leaf cure! 🤪 Or maybe muña? 🤔

Since readers tend to mix up Ticapi, Muriel, and Rouquine, two of them are being asked to change their profile pictures.

Personally, I don’t really feel like changing my avatar... and like Bruno said, leopard print is in style this year 😉

Smells like a coca leaf cure! Crazy Or maybe muña 🤫

No, not tea or other herbal preparations, nor meds... You’ll never guess... no point trying.😉

Welcome JF! :)

You’ll have to tell us all about your trip to Iceland.

Smells like a coca leaf cure! Or maybe muña? 🤔

No, not tea or other herbal concoctions, and definitely no meds... You’ll never guess... no point trying! 😄

I at least tried the local remedy... But I wouldn’t push it 😕

Hi Carmen,

I’ve finally caught up—writing to you live from the Paris-La Rochelle train 😉

It would’ve been a shame to skip that hike in the canyon. Your photos are stunning, and I can only imagine how much more beautiful it is in person! I also really love the view of the volcano with the cathedral in the foreground.

That said, I cringed again reading about your fall in Bangkok 🏴‍☠️ After taking a few tumbles myself, I now hike with poles on long or tough trails, and ever since I’ve embraced my lack of coordination (and my age 😛), I’ve fallen less !

Tuesday, April 22

Marco, our driver, picks us up at 7:30 AM. We stop at various viewpoints to watch the condors. At the Cruz del Condor lookout, around twenty of them soar above us. We stay for 50 minutes—the show is amazing.









Next stop at the Cruz del Cura lookout, where we see a few more condors. Some fly really close to us—it’s incredibly impressive.



Shortly after the Antahuilque lookout, we take a dirt road to the village of Lari. After yesterday’s storm, the road is in bad shape, but Marco handles his vehicle perfectly and gets through the tough spots without getting stuck.



We ask Marco to stop at a small shop to buy our midday picnic. We offer to share our meal with him, and he happily accepts. We eat in the parking lot, at the starting point for the hike to the Chimpa fortress. Marco tells us he’ll rest in the car while we do the hike.

After an hour of climbing, we reach the Chimpa fortress. The view of the canyon and the volcanoes is stunning—the colors are unbelievably sharp.

The Chimpa fortress



The start of the Colca Canyon from the Chimpa fortress



Back at the parking lot, Marco suggests we stop at the Chacapi hot springs near Yanque before heading to the Miskiwasi Bed & Breakfast. The warm water feels great on my back.

After the hot springs, we visit the village of Yanque. We had a fantastic day with Marco—he’s really funny and went out of his way to communicate with us.

At the Miskiwasi Bed & Breakfast, we meet a French couple who stayed at the same hotel as us in Arequipa. We decide to eat together and have a lovely evening.

For the rest of the travel journal, click here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11461824;a=11461824