Sangalle Oasis

Sangalle sits on the canyon floor below Cabanaconde where the Colca river runs, at around 2,100 metres against the rim's 3,300, and it is green because there is water - palms, fruit trees and a cluster of basic lodges with spring-fed swimming pools, in a canyon that is otherwise dry rock. The standard trip is down in the afternoon, a night at a lodge, and up again before dawn. The descent takes about three hours on a steep dusty switchback trail with loose stones; the ascent takes four to six and is the part people underestimate badly - 1,200 metres of climbing at altitude, usually started at four or five in the morning to avoid the sun, with mules available for hire at the bottom for those who cannot face it. Heat exhaustion and injuries on the descent are both common. Lodges are simple, with cold water and limited electricity.

What you actually see

• The oasis - palms and spring-fed pools on the dry canyon floor.
• The descent - three hours down 1,200 metres of steep switchbacks.
• The ascent - four to six hours back up, started before dawn.
• The canyon walls - the Colca rising 1,200 metres on both sides.

When to go

April to November, the dry season. Descend in the afternoon, climb out before dawn. Mules can be booked at the bottom the evening before.

Honest expectations

The climb out is genuinely hard - 1,200 metres at altitude, and people badly underestimate it. Loose stones on the descent cause falls. Lodges are basic with cold water. Heat on the canyon floor is severe by mid-morning.

Nearby

Cabanaconde is on the rim above; Cruz del Cóndor is along the rim road.