CRUZ DEL CONDOR, Colca Canyon, Peru

It was early in the morning. one by one, tour buses meandered through the winding road along Colca Canyon to arrive at Mirador Cruz del Condor, a popular destination in Southern Peru.  Everyone was anxious to arrive at the mirador (lookout) early in the morning, when warm air rose from the canyon, helping the majestic birds to take off for their flights from their cliff-side nests.  We arrived at the lookout at around 9:00am.  There were already many tourists gathering along the cliff for an unobstructed view of the gliding condors.

Condors are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere.  Their wing span can reach to over 3m wide.  These scavengers mainly feed on carrion of the South American camelids or domesticated livestock.  Andean condors become national symbols for a number of South American countries.  In Peru, condors had inspired many folklore and local beliefs.  Our guide told us that Andean condors were now threatened by secondary poisoning from the carcasses killed by local hunters.

We stayed at the mirador for about an hour, spending most of the time following the condors through our camera lens.  Before leaving, we also checked out the jewelry and souvenir stalls near the stone cross.

Colca Canyon is about 1200m deep at Mirador Cruz del Condor

Condors circling up against the canyon backdrop

A condor flew right above us.

The lookout at Mirador Cruz del Condor

Condor at Colca Canyon

Condor at Colca Canyon

A cross monument at Mirador Cruz del Condor

Condors, tourists and the cross.

Whenever a condor glided above the tourists, it would arose excitement in the crowd.

Stone plaque at Cruz del Condor

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Read other posts on Peru Trip 2010

LIMA
1. Peru Trip 2010
2.  Bumpy Arrival, Lima & Arequipa, Peru
AREQUIPA & COLCA CANYON
3.  Monasterio de Santa Catalina, Arequipa, Peru
4.  Plaza de Armas, Arequipa, Peru
5.  Volcanoes and Vicuna, Pampa Canahuas Natural Reserve, Patahuasi, and Patapampa, Peru
6.  Yanque, Colca Canyon, Peru
7. Cruz del Condor, Colca Canyon, Peru
8. Farming Terraces, Colca Canyon, Peru
PUNO & TITICACA
9. Road to Titicaca, Colca Canyon to Puno, Peru
10. Afternoon on Taquile Island, Titicaca, Peru
11. Morning on Taquile, Titicaca, Peru
12. Inka Express, Puno to Cusco, Peru
CUSCO & SACRED VALLEY
13. Pisac & Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley, Peru
14. Salinas de Maras, & Moray, Sacred Valley, Peru
15. Lucuma Milkshake & Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru
16. Saksaywaman, Cusco, Peru
INCA TRAIL
17. KM 82 to Wayllabamba, Inca Trail, Peru
18. Wayllabamba to Pacamayo, Inca Trail, Peru
19. Pacasmayo to Winay Wayna, Inca Trail, Peru
20. Winay Wayna to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Peru
21. Machu Piccu, Inca Trail, Peru
22. Machu Picchu in Black and White, Inca Trail, Peru
23. Afterthought, Inca Trail, Peru
LAST DAY IN CUSCO & LIMA
24. Farewell to the Incas, Cusco, Peru
25. Last Day in Peru, Lima, Peru