Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [148]
Another possible day trip from Cotahuasi is to the hillside community of Pampamarca. From here, a two-hour hike up a steep switchbacking trail will bring you to an interesting group of rock formations, where locals have likened shapes in the rocks to mystical figures. A short walk from town brings you to a viewpoint with a view of the rushing 80m high Uscune falls. To get to Pampamarca, combis leave the main square in Cotahuasi twice daily in the early morning and afternoon (S5, two hours), and return shortly after arriving.
Trekking trips of several days’ duration can be arranged in Arequipa (Click here); some can be combined with the Toro Muerto petroglyphs, and, if you ask, they may return via a collection of dinosaur footprints on the west edge of the canyon.
Sleeping & Eating
Hostal Alcalá (054-83-0011; Plaza de Armas, Alca; dm/s/d without bathroom S10/15/25, s/d S25/40) In Alca, this guesthouse has a good mix of clean rooms and prices, including some of the most comfortable digs in the whole valley. There is 24-hour hot water here.
Hostal Justito (054-58-1141; off main plaza, Cotahuasi; s/d without bathroom S15/30, s/d S20/40) Easy to find if arriving in the early morning, rooms here are adequate and the owners are happy to host travelers.
Posada Inti (posada_inti@yahoo.com; near main plaza, Tomepampa; r per person S20) A convenient place to crash in Tomepampa, rooms have private bathrooms with hot water and local TV and are decently clean.
Hostal Hatunhuasi (054-58-1054, in Lima 01-531-0803; hatunhuasi@gmail.com; Centanario 309, Cotahuasi; s/d S25/50) A notch above the other options in town, this friendly guesthouse has plenty of rooms situated around a sunny inner courtyard and hot water most of the time. Food can be made upon request, and the owners are good sources of hard-to-get information for travelers.
In Pampamarca, ask around for basic family guesthouses (S10 per person) that provide travelers with beds and meals.
Getting There & Away
The 420km bus journey from Arequipa, half of which is on unpaved roads, takes 12 hours if the going is good (S25). Over three-quarters of the way there, the road summits a 4500m pass between the huge glacier-capped mountains of Coropuna and Solimana (6323m) before dropping down to Cotahuasi. Wild vicuña can also be spotted here running on the high altiplano. Reyna (43-0612) and Transportes Alex (42-4605) both run buses that leave Arequipa around 4pm. Buses return to Arequipa from Cotahuasi at around 5pm.
There are hourly combis from the Cotahuasi plaza up to Alca (S3, one hour) via Tomepampa (S2, 30 minutes). For Pampamarca, there are two daily buses (S5, two hours) departing in the early morning and again mid-afternoon.
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LAGUNA DE SALINAS
This lake (4300m above sea level), east of Arequipa below Pichu Pichu and El Misti, is a salt lake that becomes a white salt flat during the dry months of May to December. Its size and the amount of water in it vary from year to year depending on the weather. During the rainy season it is a good place to see all three flamingo species, as well as myriad other Andean water birds.
Buses to Ubinas (S12, 3½ hours) pass by the lake and can be caught on Av Sepulveda. A small ticket booth on Sepulveda sells tickets, and schedules vary so it is a good idea to inquire a day before you wish to go. You can hike around the lake, which can take about two days, then return on the packed daily afternoon bus at around 3pm (expect to stand) or try to catch a lift with workers from the nearby