Canchacanchajasa, Mountain summit in Calca Province, Peru
Canchacanchajasa is a mountain summit in the Urubamba range of the Andes located in Calca Province, rising to about 4,987 meters high. The peak sits above the Cancha Cancha valley and features the steep slopes characteristic of high Andean summits.
The Andes began forming about 70 million years ago through plate tectonics, making this mountain range one of the youngest on Earth. This peak remains part of the ongoing geological activity that continues to shape the highlands of southern Peru.
The name comes from Quechua words meaning enclosures and mountain passes, connecting visitors to the indigenous roots of this region. Walking here, you notice how the landscape itself reflects the way local people have named and understood their surroundings.
Reaching this summit requires mountaineering equipment and careful acclimatization to the high altitude before attempting the climb. The Lares trek is the main approach route and gives visitors time to adjust to the elevation.
From this summit, visitors can see several neighboring peaks including Sirihuani, Condorhuachana, and Huamanchoque spread across the horizon. These sight lines between peaks reveal how the mountains in this region form a connected mountain landscape.
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