Walking in Coporaque with the Colca Specialist

by the Colca Specialist

Coporaque is one of the beautiful villages in Colca Valley. In one publication of my blog you can read more about this place where the incas established their center of power when the Kollawas and Cabanas were conquered.

This tour I did was specifically to visit this place. The are many advantages of traveling in a private tour is that you can take it easy and you can have more time for your pictures and visits.

Our holidays are important. Quality and not quantity is the rule for having an unforgettable trip in Peru and in Colca Canyon.

Well now it´s kodak time and I will guide you in this beautiful trip to Coporaque.

This is a picture of Chachani volcano at 5:00 am in the morning. The sun is about to come in the highlands of Arequipa!

Great! The sun is coming out in the highlands of Arequipa...How many of us have we seen a sunrise in the morning?

We arrived to Chivay at midday after some stops we did on the way. After our lunch we went quickly to Coporaque and on the way we can see this little gorge on the way to Coporaque!

After the little gorge, we stopped in this place to see the views of these fields in the area of Coporaque.

Along the way to Coporaque we can see remains of the old terraces that are still being cultivated in this area of Coporaque.

Now we are watching remains of inca houses that are on the way to Coporaque.

Finally we are arriving to the village of Coporaque or place where the corn is given. Our adventure is going to start here in this place in some minutes more...

This is the church of Coporaque which is one of the oldest chapels in Peru. See the difference between the towers... the duality is present in the inca and in the preinca world...

This church is dedicated to Santiago,one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Why the spanish conquerors built churches in the power places of the inca or preinca people and they put Santiago just in specific places of Peru?

Next to the church we have this chapel dedicated to San Esteban.

We left the village and we took a path that is going to take us to Yuraq Qhaqha to see the burials of our ancestors.

Views from San Antonio de Chijra from Yuraq Qhaqha area.

Coporaque seen from Yuraq Qhaqha or white rock.

After a walk of some minutes finally we arrived to the area where the burials are located.

We dont´t understand why the local authorities don´t protect this place. You can find bones scattered in the place and there are many skulls that present a notorius craneal deformation. This place should be protected and tour guides should respect this place during their visits.

The cult to the death is still alive in Peru. There are many obscure ancient ceremonials that are still performed in Colca Valley in which the death is involved.

After the tombs of Yuraq Qhaqha we continue with our way and now we will visit the ancient town destroyed by the spanisn cavalry in 1570.

We are at the top of the hill and we are watching wonderful viewes of one of the most important shrines of our ancestors in the area of Coporaque.

Nice view of Coporaque from the top of the hill.

We are in the inca ghost town and we see remains of the old terraces done by our ancestors.

Apu Wayra or Lord Wind is the keeper of these places where according to the old people,the spirit of the ancient ones is still alive there...What kind of rituals are still performed in these places?

Now we can see Yanque village and down there we can see some inca terraces that look like a greek amphiteather...incredible!

Now we are descending in order to go back to Coporaque after a nice walk in the area, trying to understand the way of living of our ancestors...

After a walk in which we talked a lot about history,anthropology,architecture,etc we come back to the square of Coporaque very happy of having learned much about our ancestors.

On the way beck to Chivay we can see this beautiful view of Qotallaulli volcano or purple lake in Aymara language,the language of the Kollawas the original inhabitants of Colca valley area.

The sun is about to be eaten by the Pachamama...it will take the shape of a puma or cougar to travel into the underground world.The next day will come in the east again to give life and heat to all living creatures...

I hope you enjoy watching this pictures. Thank you very much and see you later!