Tourism in Colca Canyon affected by heavy rains

WHERE DOES THE MONEY FROM TOURISTIC TICKETS GO TO?

70 soles for nothing!

By The Colca Specialist

Last week several incidents happend in Colca Canyon. The heavy rains Arequipa had in the last week are causing much trouble not only in Arequipa but also in several parts of Peru.

In the Colca Canyon there were many car accidents provoked by the heavy rains and the fog.Even the president of the Regional Goverment Dr. Juan Manuel Guillén Benavides suffered a terrible car accident when he was traveling to Caylloma province,a province of Arequipa where the Colca Canyon is located. The reason of his trip was to check the damage suffered by a water channel that takes the water of Colca River to Majes irrigation area which is located after the Colca Canyon.

The landslide that destroy the channel happened in the surroundings of Achoma, a settlement located in the Colca Valley.The channel and the road were destroyed and many tour vans had to take an alternative road to reach the condor cross area but at the end they couldn´t because of the mud that didn´t allow the tour vans to reach the place.

The Colca Specialist was in the area and the the trip was a five star trip thanks to the van provided by Naturaleza Activa which was a 4x4 jeep which allow us to visit the whole place without any kind of problems. The other tour vans stayed on the way because they couldn ´t arrive to the canyon because they got stuck on the muddy roads.

The Colca Specialist recommends you that in order to have a successful trip to the Colca Canyon it is better to travel in a 4x4 van in order to avoid surprises on the way specially in this rainy season.

It is not recommended to travel in big buses to Colca Canyon because the unpaved roads that take you to the canyon have no pavement and with the heavy rains they are very muddy and slippery so it is better to travel with the adequate transportation.

Safety first and don´t forget that your holidays are important so the decision you take is up to you! Here I am sharing with you some of the pictures I took of my trip to the Colca Canyon last week!

The Colca Specialist

This is a picture of the road between Arequipa and Colca Canyon.The fog doesn´t allow you to have a good visibility of the way!

This picture was taken on Patapampa which is the highest point on the road to Colca Canyon (4,800 meters).The caterpillar machine id trying to rescue the van that has fallen outside the road!This was the first accident on the way!

The muddy roads in Colca Canyon touristic circuit! How it is possible that the authorities are charging tourists with a touristic ticket that costs 70 soles? What do they do with the money obtained from the touristic tickets? Autocolca SUCKS!

Many tour vans got stuck on the way. Colonial Tours and other travel agencies couldn´t arrive to the condor cross with their vans which are not adequated for this trip and this weather!

The Colca Specialist having fun inside the 4x4 wheel-car provided by Naturaleza Activa!

Yahooooooooooo!

A Coca -Cola truck which crashed against a wall in the area of Cabanaconde!

Dr. Juan Manuel Guillén Benavides,the president of the Regional Goverment of Arequipa during a conference before the accident he had in Pampa Cañahuas area on the way towards Colca Canyon!

The van that was taking the president of the Regional Goverment,Dr Juan Manuel Guillén Benavides ended like this on the way to Colca Canyon.The accident was provoked by a truck which has invaded its way!

Naturaleza Activa presents new downhill circuit in Arequipa

by The Colca Specialist

New Downhill Circuit in Misti volcano is awesome!

The Colca Specialist was invited to the presentation of the new downhill circuit in Misti volcano in Arequipa. There is no doubt that many tourists would like to have the same experience I had in Misti volcano. The creator of this circuit is Eduardo Sánchez “Lalo” the manager of Naturaleza Activa and the guide was the most condecorated tour guide from Arequipa Guillermo “Kamikaze” Rendón .

The tour starts at midday so if you come to Arequipa you can visit the downtown area in the morning and in the afternoon you can have this wonderful tour.

The tour is really well prepared and the guide provides you a good quantity of information about Arequipa. This tour is mix of the city tour,countryside tour and the much recommended reality tour: a tour where you can see the “both sides of the coin” in Arequipa. Watching the different neighborhoods on the way and receiving high quality information about the actual situation of Peru was very interesting. Four tours for the price of one! Excellent!

The circuit is not technical at all and it is adapted to the needs of the clients. The tour is designed for the complete satisfaction of all the clients.

There is a saying that says that an imagen speaks much more than thousand words so I am publishing the pictures I have taken during the tour. Thank you very much for reading The Colca Specialist and I hope you enjoy the pictures and the views of this circuit as much as I did! See you soon my friends!

The circuit is designed for people of all ages who want to have a wonderful experience in Arequipa!

As you can see the circuit is not technical at all

The area is peaceful and there is no much traffic in the area

A wonderful view of the inca terraces of the area.Behind we can see the impressive view of Misti volcano.

The visitors´faces expressing their happiness in this picture

A little chapel in los Arenales area.

Pichu-Pichu volcano appearing behind the green terraces

The people of the area continue keeping the inca legacy: the agriculture.

the sunset is starting in the area of Chiguata.

Misti volcano (5,825 mts) was chosen as symbol of Arequipa and its people. Arequipenians are called "mistianos" or "children of Misti"

The shadows of the sicsera cactus. A typical cactus of these areas.

Driving towards the sun... a special feeling!

a beautiful sunset in the area of Chiguata.

The sun hides behind the eucaliptus tree in Chiguata area.

We said good bye to Misti but I promised it to come back soon again!

Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros:the most famous tour guide in Arequipa speaks out

GUILLERMO CARLOS RENDON CUADROS

The most famous tour guide speaks out

by César Ballón

Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros is his full name and he is the most successful and recognized tour guide from Arequipa. His fame comes not from his sports career as a downhill mountainbiker and martial artist but as a tour guide involved in the promotion of Colca Canyon as one of the natural marvels of the world.

Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros is the actual secretary of the local tour guides association from Colca Canyon ASGUIP TUCAY and named spokesperson of the native people from Caylloma province where one of the deepest canyons in the world is located.

Guillermo Rendón has declared a frontal war against ABUSIVE TOUR GUIDES COMMISSIONS and against AUTHORITIES CORRUPTION which is a cancer that is affecting tourism in Colca Canyon. Tourism doesn´t benefit all the people in Colca Canyon just a group of businessmen who manipulate authorities.

The fight started when a corrupted director of tourism of Arequipa wanted to cancel local tour guides from Colca Canyon. Tour guides association from Arequipa backed up the idea. The voice of the leader was heard and a revolt started.

Sustainable Tourism is an unknown word in the lexicon of the travel agencies from Arequipa.
For the locals Guillermo Rendón Cuadros is the Mallku Jaqe or the Kondor Man, which is the name of a mountainbiking raid that took place in Colca Canyon area. In that time , Guillermo Rendón took part in this mountainbiking champions raid which started from the top of a mountain at 5;100 meters and after a three day adventure the cyclists arrived to the Pacific Ocean. The distance covered was more than 500 kilometers.

But at the same time Mallku Jaqe has other meaning. In the Inca religion, a Mallku or a Condor is a person who has inherited the inca ancient knowledge and traditions. Rendón is considered also as a Chaka Runa or Man Bridge a person who has the knowledge of the Mother Culture (Inca) and The Father Culture (Spanish).

Guillermo Rendón Cuadros is not only a tour guide or a well-known sportsman. He was a teacher and he taught Philosophy, History and his specialty :Comparative and Inca Religion. Others considered him as the Tupac Amaru or Shining Snake who fought against the abusive conquistadors. Guillermo Rendón doesn´t offer his clients just “empty explanations” but a real experience with the inca culture.

The reaction of the tour guides from Arequipa was expected. Slanderous blogs against his person were done with the purpose of taking away from tourism through attacking his good imagen.
Involved in the creation of this campaign against him are travel agencies from Arequipa whose interests in keeping this unbearable situation are notorious. A student from Chivay who defended the right of the natives through his web page was killed in Chivay. His body was thrown to Colca River.

Rendón is still there like a mountain. His power according to him comes from the Truth. The Truth for him is the evidence collected during more than 15 years that shows all the corruption of tourism in Arequipa. Most of the tour guides and travel agencies from Arequipa are considered by the locals as PARASITES who lived from commissions obtained from the locals and from the tourists.

Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros was declared by the major of Chivay as ADOPTIVE SON OF CAYLLOMA PROVINCE because of his labour in the DEFENSE OF THE RIGHTS OF THE NATIVE PEOPLE FROM COLCA VALLEY AND COLCA CANYON.

He is the only tour guide in all Arequipa Region that has received such condecoration and such honour.

Guillermo Rendón Cuadros is until the moment the most awarded tour guide from Arequipa and nothing can be done to stop the Condor Man who has announced publicly the FALL OF THE CORRUPTED ONES AND THE BEGINNING OF THE REAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IS COLCA CANYON.

The Colca Specialist would like to thank association of local tour guides ASGUIP TUCAY for having us provided the pictures of this significant ceremonial where Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros WAS DECLARED ADOPTIVE SON OF CAYLLOMA PROVICE.

The ceremonial was performed in Chivay´s main square. It was a small but significative ceremonial.

The patriotic ceremonial is about to start and an association of nurses and the representative of mothers´s association were present in the ceremonial.

Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros singing the national anthem with the hand on the chest.Symbol that the country´s noble ideals are in our hearts.



Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros, the adoptive son of Caylloma province was invited to raise the flag of Caylloma province,a honour never given to anybody but to authorities.

The protocol is important too. A policeman is telling the Governor of Caylloma province that the ceremonial is over.






Inside th Townhall of Chivay, the representative of the major will proceed with the awards ceremonial.

The Governor giving a message to the people of Chivay about the importance of fullfilling our roles in society.

Guillermo Rendón speaking about the importance of sustainable tourism and the importance of preserving the cultural identity of our peoples.

We cannot be indiferent with the suffering of our people! There is still a lot to be done and each one of us has to become a promoter of our cultural values.! -said the adoptive son during the ceremonial that was filmed and watch by millions of peruvians in national TV.

The Major of Caylloma province giving a condecoration to Guillermo Carlos Rendón Cuadros declaring him AS ADOPTIVE SON OF CAYLLOMA PROVINCE FOR DEFENDING THE RIGHT OF THE NATIVE COMMUNAS AND FOR ITS OUTSTANDING WORK IN THE PROMOTION OF COLCA CANYON AND IN THE PRESERVATION OF THE NATIVES CULTURAL IDENTITY.

The secretary of local tour guides association ASGUIP TUCAY from Caylloma province giving an award to the USAM which is a Mountain Rescue Unit in Chivay. They are the ones who are risking their lives for tourists that sometimes don´t recognize the labour of these brave policemen.

The Colca Specialist Crew would like to thank our readers for their time and the same time for backing us up in the diffussion of the culture and traditions from Colca Canyon and Perú.

More videos about GUILLERMO CARLOS RENDON CUADROS:

Guillermo Rendón was awarded as Cultural Ambassador of Caylloma province-Arequipa