Our two day adventure into Colca Canyon was a journey through Peru’s breathtaking landscapes, but we never expected to get as close to the legendary Andean condors as we did. Seeing these magnificent birds soaring over the canyon is always a bit of a gamble some visitors wait hours without spotting one most trek or visit without ever seeing one. But we were about to experience something incredibly rare.

Day One: Into the Mountains

The trip began with a long drive from Arequipa into the towering Andean mountains. As we climbed higher, we made stops at various viewpoints, including the breathtaking 5,000-meter pass. At that altitude, the air was thin, and we all felt it lightheaded, sluggish, and just a little worse for wear, Dotty was sick, but recovered fast to our relief (though we later found out I left her straw out of her drink) which didn’t help her at all, epic fail on my part!

Ali had pounding headaches and Georgia just moaned (but there’s nothing new there). However, the stunning views made up for it. Snow capped peaks stretched in every direction, and the sense of vastness was overwhelming the landscape was striking rugged and endless.

By late afternoon, we were glad to be at a much lower altitude (3590 meters) where we arrived at our overnight stay at Magico, a small town nestled in the mountains. The moment we stepped inside the very basic accommodation the skies opened up, and the rain began to fall a steady downpour started that would last the entire night. Despite the storm, we enjoyed dinner in the highest Irish pub in the world(weird right) and then had an early night, knowing we had a 5 AM start ahead of us.

Day Two: The Condor Chase

At dawn, we boarded our bus in bright sunshine completely different from the stormy night before. As we made our way deeper into the canyon, we encountered small rockslides on the road, a common sight in this rugged terrain. At one point, I even had to jump out and help clear rocks to keep us moving a unique little moment that added to the adventure.

We made a few scenic stops before finally arriving at Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest canyons and a prime spot for condor sightings. At first, the sky was empty. Then, after about 15 minutes, we spotted two birds high above, circling in the distance. Before we knew it, they had drifted lower until one landed less than five meters away Georgia.

It was a juvenile Andean condor, still developing the iconic white collar that marks an adult. Georgia was quick to get snap with this rare visitor before it took off again, joining another condor in the air. We watched in awe as they swooped, played, and glided through the canyon. (This pics on Ali’s phone, I’ll upload them later)

The best was yet to come.

Our host, seemed confident that he could find more, he suggested a short hike to another viewpoint not typical for a bus tour so we were alone walking on the cliffs just 9 people and the rugged terrain. We set off on a 40-minute walk, but within less than 20 minutes, we were rewarded two adult condors who appeared in the sky, gliding effortlessly just 20 feet from us!

Seeing condors was a special experience, but getting this close is exceptionally rare we were told. These massive birds one of the largest flying creatures in the world and usually keep their distance from humans. The fact that we not only saw multiple condors but had them soaring just above our heads was unbelievable.

I managed to capture some incredible photos, but no picture can truly convey the feeling of standing so close to these majestic birds, watching them ride the thermals with effortless grace.

we continued our bus journey, stopping at a few more viewpoints before making the long trek back to Arequipa. By the time we arrived, we were utterly exhausted but completely overjoyed.

This trip gave us an extremely rare, up close encounter with one of the most iconic birds on the planet.

For anyone visiting Peru, a trip to Colca Canyon is always worth it. But if you’re lucky really lucky you might just find yourself standing mere meters away from an Andean condor, witnessing the true magic of the wild.

Would you go searching for condors in Colca Canyon? Let me know in the comments!