Peru Guide
Around Arequipa
Mirador Cruz del Condor
The mirador is the most popular point for looking into the depths of Colca canyon – it's around 1200m deep here – and where you can almost guarantee seeing several condors circling up from the depths against breathtaking scenery (best spotted 7–9am; the earlier you get there the more likely you are to have fewer other spectators around). For safety's sake, however, stand well back from the edge. These days it's a popular spot, and most mornings there will actually be more tourists here than in the Plaza de Armas in Arequipa.
The settlement of Pinchollo is the gateway to the Mirador Cruz del Condor. It has a small museum and a tourist information office with photos and a model representing the canyon. Here you can purchase a tourist ticket for the Colca area ($12), which covers access to the Mirador Cruz del Condor as well as all the churches in the valley (which don't actually charge).