An impressive natural landscape 90 km (two hours) northeast of Abancay, along the dirt road to Cusco. The Apurimac Valley can be reached via the Saywite highland pass in the district of Cachora (45 km from Abancay / 3,600 meters). This majestic natural phenomenon, surrounded by the Salcantay massif, is considered one of the world's deepest and most beautiful, littered with enormous boulders and teeming with plantlife.
A hotspot for trekking and whitewater river rafting enthusiasts, the Apurímac River is riddled with unparalleled rapids and Class V falls and is held to be one of the best all-round rivers.
Nearby lie the Cconoc hot springs. And the archaeological site of Choqekiraw (Choquequirao), "the cradle of gold" believed to have been the last refuge of the Incas.
The Apurimac Canyon offers nature lovers a series of viewpoints from where one can gaze out over the stirring landscape, such as Cóndor Huachana, San Cristóbal, Capitán Rumi, Taramocco, Capulíoc, Kiuñalla, Cachicuna, Huascatay, among others.
Other local attractions in the Apurimac Canyon include bridges dating from different eras, built to overcome the obstacles of Nature with web-crafted structures. Some stand out for their simple design while others feature surprising dimensions as they span the raging river below.
The valley of the Apurimac River is without a doubt the most remarkable characteristic of the department of Apurimac. It has one of the deepest depressions on the American continent. The unevenness of the terrain explains the wide variety of climates, which range from tropical weather in the deepest part of the valley to colder temperatures in the high plateaus.
Straddling the departments of Cusco and Apurímac, the canyon is the most magnificent formation in the Southern Andes. The turbulent and winding waters of the Apurímac, river that later joins up with the great Amazon, cut through the canyon.
