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Arequipa has a special attraction for naturalists, as it enables visitors
to enter some of the most spectacular areas of southern Peru.
The National Sanctuary of the Mejía Lakes is made up
of floodlands covered with swamp-like vegetation and totora
reeds which serve as a haven and a resting place for dozens
of resident and migratory bird species.
The Salinas & Aguada Blanca Reserve is an ideal spot for
watching waterfowl, vicuña herds and occasionally guanacos
(Lama guanicoe). The region features sweeping high-Andean
meadows, marshlands and flooded areas with peculiar geological
formations created by wind erosion (the Maucarquipa and Puruña
stone formations).
The area, which is fringed by a vast high Andean plain, is
split by the Colca River. The bird species in the valley are
similar to species that inhabit steppes elsewhere in the Peruvian
highlands. However, the cropfields and steep cliffs afford
the possibility of sighting fascinating species not to be
found anywhere else, such as the majestic Andean condor, the
largest bird on Earth capable of flight, which is found in
the part of the valley called the Cruz del Condor, near the
village of Cabanaconde.
Climate: The climate is dry and
balmy, sunny by day and frigid at night, with average annual
temperatures of 20°C. The best time of year for birdwatching
in the Mejía Lakes area is in summer in the Southern
Hemisphere (from January to March).
Access: The Mejía Lakes
lie 150 km or two hours from Arequipa, south of the Tambo
River delta. Access to Salinas & Aguada Blanca is via
the dirt roads that run from Arequipa to the Colca Valley
(150 km or three hours) or the city of Puno. The Puno route
is best, running through a vast queñual forest (Chiguata,
3,200 masl) and continues on to the vast Lake Salinas.
Click on the following links for birdwatching
opportunities:
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