After Cusco, we followed the tourist trail to Aerquipa, mainly to see the Colca Canyon and Condors. Our hostel was very nice (The colonial house Inn) with rooftop breakfast other than that there wasn´t an awful lot in Arequipa.
We were a bit disapointed by the choice of tours, on offer was an excruciating two day trek (the trek mightened have been too bad but 2 days of 2am starts and treking in the dark for hours just didn´t tempt us!) and so we settled for a (lazy) two day bus tour.
The tour was grand and we stopped a lot on the way for kodak moments of the vacuiñas, llamas and alpacas (all looking fairly similar and we´d seen them many times before!). We stayed in a town called Chivay which was small enough to walk around in a few minutes but big enough to have an Irish Bar!!!
Did a quick hike up to some andean graves and then went to some thermal baths, which were hot but nothing to write home about (especially after Santa Teresa on the Salkantay trail). Local restaurant for dinner with our group and enjoyed the traditional dancing (Ro even joined in!).
Early 5am rise to drive 2 hours alongside the canyon to the Condor Crossing in hope of seeing the worlds largest birds in action. We were disappointed to find another 500 gringos also condor watching. We waited patiently but alas only saw 3 birds in 2 hours which were quite far away so difficult to see, let alone photo!
On the way back we stopped in a couple of towns where the local children seem to dance constantly for the tourists (while Orla worried about their schooling!). Ro even got a falcon on his shoulder and head.
All in all it was a grand trip but not something we´d recommend to others if time is an issue. But here are a couple of scenery shots. 
We were a bit disapointed by the choice of tours, on offer was an excruciating two day trek (the trek mightened have been too bad but 2 days of 2am starts and treking in the dark for hours just didn´t tempt us!) and so we settled for a (lazy) two day bus tour.The tour was grand and we stopped a lot on the way for kodak moments of the vacuiñas, llamas and alpacas (all looking fairly similar and we´d seen them many times before!). We stayed in a town called Chivay which was small enough to walk around in a few minutes but big enough to have an Irish Bar!!!
Did a quick hike up to some andean graves and then went to some thermal baths, which were hot but nothing to write home about (especially after Santa Teresa on the Salkantay trail). Local restaurant for dinner with our group and enjoyed the traditional dancing (Ro even joined in!).
Early 5am rise to drive 2 hours alongside the canyon to the Condor Crossing in hope of seeing the worlds largest birds in action. We were disappointed to find another 500 gringos also condor watching. We waited patiently but alas only saw 3 birds in 2 hours which were quite far away so difficult to see, let alone photo!
On the way back we stopped in a couple of towns where the local children seem to dance constantly for the tourists (while Orla worried about their schooling!). Ro even got a falcon on his shoulder and head.
All in all it was a grand trip but not something we´d recommend to others if time is an issue. But here are a couple of scenery shots. 
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