July 15, 2012
After breakfasting and packing up, we went to the bus station to get a bus to Cabanaconde on the south bank of the upper Canon del Colca. As we waited we noticed a combi (minibus stuffed full of passengers that provides an alternative to public buses) getting ready to leave. We were told that this would be direct (as opposed to stopping along the way like the bus) and when a couple from Quebec said to us, "We'll go if you do," we jumped aboard. It probably would have been a quicker journey too, except our driver was detained by the police for half an hour as soon as we left Chivay, so that when we rolled into Cabanaconde the public bus was right behind us. Oh well, it wasn't a bad journey actually, with our driver going at a reasonable speed so that we could enjoy the scenery without losing our lunch.
On arriving (3,290 m or 10,800 feet), we checked into the Pachamama Backpacker Hostal, which again we'd pre-arranged. The hostal owner, Ludwig, was very helpful with information about hiking in the canyon and he arranged accommodation for us in Sangalle at the bottom of the canyon the following day. Before dinner we walked out to the edge of town to a lookout over the canyon. Not a bad view really ...
