The Colca Canyon is about 4-5hrs from Arequipa and the 2nd deepest canyon in the world at 11,488 ft deep (more than 2x deeper than the Grand Canyon).
From Arequipa, you travel across an “altiplano” – a desert plane at 14-15,000ft-so high and so cold the water falls are “ice falls.”
The horizon stretches flat broken by small bits of scrub, rocks and occasional mountain bogs called ” bufadales.” 
The altiplano is framed by (active) giant volcanos with Quechuan names like Waulka Waulka and Picchu Picchu (if it sounds great once, why not repeat it?).
We were on the lookout for the timid vincuña. Vicuñas are the wild cousins of the alpaca, rare and prized for their luxurious wool, soft as butter and prohibitively expensive. (To shear the vicuñas, herdsmen have to catch them, hold them down, and shear within 3 minutes as they are so emotionally frail that they will die of a heart attack if stressed for too long *awaiting fact check*)
On our way to the Colca, we couldn’t pass up a roadside alpaca party. These friendly camels of the Andes were surprisingly tolerant of all the attention from passing tourists.
Near our lodging, was a thermal vent that creates a geyser when ice melt runs over the top. Unlike Yellowstone, there are no roped off areas, no signs of caution and no other tourists.
.
While we are on the subject of signage, we almost missed these caves as the turn off is so poorly marked you really need a guide that knows where they are. Like many small landmarks and historical sites in Peru you won’t find much information to guide you through. I can’t tell you the age or people group who might have left these petroglyphs behind. The alpaca, condor and human shape are so graceful. 
Anderson’s go South... 