Colca Canyon in the second hundred of Geological Heritage sites! The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) announced the list in February 2024, on which the Tectonics section includes the site: The Evolution of the Andes in Colca Canyon, Peru. https://iugs-geoheritage.org/publications/

The application was submitted by the INGEMMET Institute, congratulations. We hope that the inclusion on the list will not only increase the number of visitors but also encourage the local government and Geopark authorities to make efforts to protect this unique place.

Geopark Colca and Volcanoes of Andagua

On September 8-9, 2018, the candidacy of Geopark Colca and Volcanoes of Andagua was successfully considered at the UNESCO International Geoparks Conference in Italy. In 2019 official proclamation UNESCO Geopark Colca y Volcanes de Andagua. Congratulations to all those who have tried to protect and promote the geodiversity of the Colca Canyon and the Volcanoes Valley.

First Peruvian Symposium on Geoparks was held in Arequipa in 14-17.07.2015. The main reason for the organization of the Symposium was to begin efforts to create a Geopark Colca Canyon and Valley of the Volcanoes, which would be part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.

Among the invited speakers were mainly geologists and people related to the design or management of geoparks in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay and Spain. A representative of the Polish Scientific Expedition to Peru was also asked to participate. Symposium organizers have ordered a paper “Proposals geosite and attractions geotourist in the proposed Colca Canyon National Park and the Valley of the Volcanoes”. The paper was prepared by a team: Andrzej Gałaś, Andrzej Paulo, Krzysztof Gaidzik, Tomasz Kalicki, Justyna Ciesielczuk, Jerzy Żaba, Barbara Radwanek-Bąk, Slávka Gałaś and Joanna Krupa. It was delivered by Andrzej Gałaś.

Bilberto Zavala (INGEMMET) was appointed the head of the Peruvian project. The project covers the entire Colca Valley (from Sibayo the Madrigal), Colca Canyon (up to Rio Majes) and the Valley of the Volcanoes (below the massif Antapuna).