Right after arriving in Arequipa we rested up for one night and headed straight to Lunar Canyon on the Rio Colca. We took an early morning bus ride and before we knew it we were in the town of Huambo. We thought we had burros (pack mules) coming to help us carry our boats for the 6 hour hike down to the river. Turns out that the burro driver was celebrating after ripping off the last group and was drunk somewhere in town (expect to pay around 30 soles plus driver fee/tip). Spending the night in town the Alex´s went out in search of another burrow driver the next morning. They were able to find two locals and before we knew it Equipo Cuatro y Cuatro had formed. In a fashion that Don Quixote would have envied we began the long march down to the river. One important thing if you ever do this run is to hire a burrow driver. The road is being built but, it will be years before it is complete. Hiking with a loaded boat would be just, sketchy. On the hike you are walking under what I can only describe as avalanche paths. One such path was fresh enough that our footsteps were the first to cross it. Mean while a cloud of dust is visible rising from a fresh slide in the distance behind us. The path is only a foot wide and very steep dropping down into another canyon 800 ft down on your left. Make sure your boat is strapped on to the burrow or its going to go for a long slide to the bottom.
Our team arrived down at the river in the dark and after a dinner of pistachios, went to bed. There are hot springs here but we were to tired to look for them. I guess you are supposed to wade into the river and search around for where they come out of the bottom. Another early morning, it seems to be a theme with our group, and we hit the river. After a short paddle you reach a confluence with a river coming in on the right. This is the best spot to pump water, the water at put in is warm and full of sulfur and algae. Then you come to one of the biggest runnable rapids after this confluence where the river does a big horseshoe bend. More class III and then you reach a big rapid that we decided to walk but goes if your really feeling it. Then lots more class III with the occasional IV until you hit Chocolate Canyon. Maybe forty minuets above Chocolate Canyon is an amazing waterfall cascading down on the left, Dulche de Condor. As the water falls off the edge of the canyon wall it forms a light mist that catches the sunlight. Below this several years ago some of the canyon wall fell and created a pile of rocks that you can´t kayak though. It is intimidating because everyone here made it seem like it was easy to miss. The whole trip I was a little on edge about not missing the portage and ending up in the sieve pile. The portage comes after Chocolate Canyon and there is an eddy on river left that you can get out and walk through the water towards a gravel bar. Then after pushing and pulling your boat under some rocks you come out the other side. It could be easy to miss or get caught below the last chance eddy so just be cautious and scout.
After this there is one more big portage and then you are pretty much out of the canyon, and it´s a mellow run out with one long fun class IV when you start seeing huts again. This river was great with some of the best scenery we have had on our trip. The river really gorges up in some spots becoming really tight. Most of these spots are just pools allowing you to look around and marvel at all the geology. This river took us almost one day to do but would be more enjoyable in two days, camping somewhere after the second big portage. Take out is when you get close to the road, get out and hitch to Aplo where you can get a bus back to Arequipa. Kayaking past this point is rocky gravel bars and lots of shrimp traps.
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