Peruvian women in national clothing, Chivay, Peru - Stockfoto

Chivay is a town in the Colca valley, capital of the Caylloma province in the Arequipa region, Peru. Located at about 12,000 ft above sea level, it lies upstream of the renowned Colca Canyon. It has a central town square and an active market. Ten kilometers to the east, and 1,500 meters above the town of Chivay lies the Chivay obsidian source. Thermal springs are located 3 km from town, a number of heated pools have been constructed. A stone "Inca" bridge crosses the Colca River ravine, just to the north of the town. The town is a popular staging point for tourists visiting Condor Cross or Cruz Del Condor, where condors can be seen catching thermal uplifts a few kilometers downstream.http://bem.2be.pl/IS/peru_380.jpg