Colca, Andes — Travelrags

Smithsonian MagazineJul 8, 2025

Each year in the first weeks of June, Indigenous communities in the Andes form a human chain to corral the camelids and shear their valuable wool

Rural town in the Apurímac Department of Peru

8 things in this story

ColcaViewpointRural town in the Apurímac Department of Peru
VicuñaPlaceBrought back from the brink of extinction, the llama-like animals have attracted the attention of poachers eager to…
chaccuFestivalAnnual celebration to herd and shear wild vicuñas
Pampa Galeras Bárbara D’Achille National ReserveSightNucleus of vicuña conservation effort, founded in 1967
Apurímac DepartmentNeighborhood
QuechuaPlace
IncaPlace
SpanishPlace

Colca