Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Machu Picchu To reach the Colca Canyon we crossed the altiplano through a Vicuna reserve. These small animals are smarter than the others (Alpacas, Llamas and Guanacos) in that they won't breed in captivity, so they are free to roam except for a once-a-year shearing. At one point in our journey we reached an altitude of 4,800m (about 15,600 feet) before descending into the Colca valley. The high altitude affects almost everybody, and we were no exception. Next morning we set off early to Cruz del Condor, to see these huge birds (with wingspans up to 15ft) as they soared up on the thermals. To say the Colca Canyon is deep is a bit like saying the Himalayas are high - it's 10,700 feet deep (over 2 miles), but unlike the
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