Arequipa is a beautiful colonial town in the south of Peru. It is known for the white stone that much of the city is constructed with. The courtyards throughout the town, full of restaurants and bars, create intimate moments. These spaces make an intricate maze that is incredibly interesting to explore. You can truly spend a whole day wandering in and out of the historical center buildings to find different rooftops, courtyards, shops, and restaurants.
3 hours outside of Arequipa is the Colca Canyon. The canyon is the second deepest in the world (much deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States) and attracts visitors with its world-famous condor viewpoints, charming small towns with rich culture, relaxing thermal baths, and abundant trekking opportunities. The main towns of the Colca Canyon region are Chivay, the cultural center of the area, and Cabanaconde, the trekking hub of the area.
While hiking is one of the main reasons to visit the Colca Canyon, this guide discusses the other things to do in the region and how to slot in the hiking around these other activities.
Getting to Arequipa, Peru
Even though Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru, you will still need to take a bus or a plane from Lima, Cusco, Puno, or other cities in the region. In terms of flying to the city, the airport of Arequipa is a small 4-gate terminal located north of the city. Many people fly into Arequipa from Lima or Cusco.
The other option is taking a bus. If you are coming from Bolivia or Lake Titicaca, there is a bus option from La Paz through Peru Hop. The advantage of taking Peru Hop is that they will drop you off directly at your accommodations. Other buses will go from different towns in Peru to Arequipa as well, including from Cusco. If you go with a different bus company, the cost may be cheaper than Peru Hop but they will drop you off at the main bus station of Arequipa, the Terminal Terrestre in the southern part of the town.
Where to Stay in Arequipa, Peru
The town of Arequipa is relatively small and the historical center is where most of the tourist activities are located. It is best to stay as close to the historical center as possible. Selva Alegre and Vallecito are two neighborhoods near the center where you can find many hostels, hotels, short-term rentals, etc. If you stay close to the Plaza de Armas, you will be right on the action of nightlife, restaurants, and bars.
Day 1: Getting to Know Arequipa, Peru
Once you have arrived in Arequipa, you will want to learn about the city through a “free” walking tour with Free Tour Arequipa. The tour talks about the different important sites of the historical center of Arequipa. You will visit one of the many churches in the city and your tour guide will tell you the hours of the other beautiful monuments so you can go back to visit them. In addition, this tour is great for learning about different bars and restaurants in the area where you can get some authentic Peruvian or Arequipan food, including guinea pig (cuy), “cheese” ice cream (queso helado), or chocolate.
After completing the tour you can have time to arrange your transportation to the Colca Canyon which you can read more about here.
There are numerous great restaurants in Arequipa such as Zig Zag which offers delicious meat, El Fuego de San Antonio which serves traditional Arequipan food, and Kao which is a delicious Thai Peruvian fusion concept. These are just a few of the amazing restaurants in this town!
Day 2: Arriving in Chivay (Colca Canyon)
The second day is dedicated to getting to the Colca Canyon and starting to explore the region. If you are hiking into the canyon on a one-, two-, or three-day adventure, you will want to get to the region the day before and be prepared to start your hike early the next morning.
Some transportation to the Colca Canyon, especially with tour groups, starts at 3 AM. However, there is no need to take such early transportation if you follow this guide. The majority of the transportation options to Colca Canyon will depart in the morning and arrive in Chivay in the afternoon. You can read more about how to get to the Colca Canyon here.
This will allow you to walk around the small town and enjoy the sites such as the Plaza de Armas and Puente Inca. There are also plenty of restaurants near the main plaza to try out and one great lunch option is Polleria Tiznao.
Finding a Tour of the Colca Canyon
After walking around the town, you can stop in at some of the tour agencies in town to coordinate a group tour of the Colca Canyon. Some of these tour agencies will be able to add you to a longer tour group (going from Puno to Arequipa for example). Other tour agencies have tours that start and end in Chivay. Both of these tour types cover the same viewpoints in the Colca Canyon. We used Nativa Express as our tour agency in Colca Canyon. Not only did they help coordinate a tour for us, but they also helped us get back to Arequipa on a comfortable tourist bus.
If you are traveling with a small group and want more flexibility, you can coordinate a full-day tour where a taxi will take you on an extended tour of the Colca Canyon, which includes a small hike.
If you are continuing on a hike in the Colca Canyon later in the week, you will want to talk to the agency about your use of the Colca Canyon Boleto Turistico. Every person entering the Colca Canyon must pay 70.00 Soles to receive a ticket that is checked throughout your trek and at some checkpoints along the road through the canyon. The tour agency can help coordinate the purchase of the ticket and ensure the proper entry and exit of the canyon to maintain the validity of the ticket. (While the ticket is valid for 7 days, it is unclear if you can exit and re-enter the canyon area on the same ticket.)
Having a Relaxing Evening
After coordinating your desired activities you can check in to your lodging. You can stay in, or near, Chivay to make it easy to get to your tour the next day. There are some hostels and boutique hotels in the region that could allow you to really take in the region.
In the evening the temperatures drop and it is a great time to visit one of the popular hot springs in the canyon. People usually choose to visit Aguas Termales la Calera near Chivay, Banos Termales de Chacapi near Yanque, or Banos Termales de Sallihua near Chivay. Banos Termales de Sallihua is set down a slope near a secluded section of Rio Colca. It was recommended by locals as the best option and does not disappoint for a relaxing evening in the hot springs.
Day 3: Exploring the Colca Canyon
On this day you will participate in a tour of the Colca Canyon. The tour starts early in the morning and typically leaves from the Plaza de Armas in Chivay. The following discusses what we did on our tour through the canyon. Different groups may or may not differ from what is below. However, all groups stop at the major tourist attraction of the Mirador Cruz del Condor to see the condors flying overhead.
Start of the Day
We started our morning by stopping in the small town of Yanque to view traditional dancers and go into the Iglesia Inmaculada Concepcion. If the volcano is active, from this town, you may even see smoke coming from Volcan Sabancaya in the distance.
Next, you will stop at a few viewpoints along the route to the main attraction to see the Canyon with the pre-Incan terraces lining the hills above the Rio Colca.
You will also pass through a control where you will have to buy a Tourist Ticket for 70.00 soles if you do not have one already. (We purchased ours from the tourism office in Arequipa.)
Seeing the Condors
The next stop was the Mirador Cruz del Condor which is the main attraction to see the incredible condors flying above the Colca Canyon. The morning and the late afternoon are the optimal times to see the condors because food is left out for them.
The tour will stay at the Mirador Cruz de Condor for about an hour where you will see an incredible show of the magnificent condors above your head. It is the highlight of the day (but the rest of the day in the canyon does not disappoint!).
Exploring the Culture of the Canyon
After seeing the condors, we went for a small hike at Mirador Cruz del Cura and learned about other trekking options in the canyon. Another stop was in the town of Maca where we explored the shops to purchase local products and went inside Iglesia de Santa Ana.
The final stop on the tour was at a viewpoint to admire the incredible views one more time. We had the option to partake in an additional buffet lunch in Chivay with your tour group before saying goodbye.
After the Tour
In the afternoon you can return to your lodging (or go on to your next lodging in Cabanaconde if you are hiking) for a relaxing afternoon, return to one of the hot springs, or coordinate a private taxi to take you to other areas in the canyon.
Some other notable activities in the Colca Canyon include visiting the Complejo Arqueologico de Uyo Uyo, hiking to Miradores near the town of Cabanaconde for views of San Juan de Chuccho or Sangalle Oasis, or going to the Planetarium in Colca.
If You Are Hiking the Next Day
If you are hiking for 1 or more days in the Colca Canyon the next day, you will want to stay in Cabanaconde on this day. There are many hostels in this town where you can prep for your hike the next day. These hostels may also allow you to store larger luggage while you are on your hike.
Optional Day 4+: Hiking in the Colca Canyon
We did not have time to go hiking in the canyon unfortunately but had heard about many other hikers choosing to visit the canyon in this way. If you are going with a tour group, the sites visited on Day 3 will be covered with that tour. However, if you are visiting on your own, which many people do, you will have to pursue the sites of day 3 on your own or follow our guide to find a tour group to visit them.
To hike in the canyon, there are different hikes that range from 1 to 3 days. There are hostels at the various stopping points so you do not need to hike with camping equipment. The hike days will be pretty long and challenging if you choose to do the 2-day hikes. We have also included a 1-day hiking option for people who may not have a lot of time.
2-Day Hike (option 1)
Cabanaconde -> San Juan de Chuccho -> Sangalle (Stay) -> Cabanaconde
Starting from Cabanaconde, you will hike through San Juan de Chuccho to Sangalle (the Oasis). This is where you will want to find an accommodation. Many hostels are located along the river with swimming pools filled with spring water. On the second day, you will go from Sangalle back to Cabanaconde on a 3-4 hour uphill climb.
2-Day Hike (option 2)
Cabanaconde -> Llahuar -> Sangalle (Stay) -> Cabanaconde
This second option visits a different side of the canyon. It still includes the steep final day from option 1. You will start from Cabanaconde and hike through Llahuar to Sangalle (the Oasis), where you will find an accommodation. Many hostels are located along the river with swimming pools filled with spring water. On the second day, you will go from Sangalle back to Cabanaconde on a 3-4 hour uphill climb.
3-Day Hike (option 1)
Cabanaconde -> San Juan de Chuccho (Stay) -> Sangalle (Stay) -> Cabanaconde
Starting from Cabanaconde, you will hike to San Juan de Chuccho. This is where you will want to find your first accommodation. On the second day, you will hike from San Juan de Chuccho to Sangalle (the Oasis), where you will find your second accommodation. Many hostels are located along the river with swimming pools filled with spring water. On the third day, you will go from Sangalle back to Cabanaconde on a 3-4 hour uphill climb.
3-Day Hike (option 2)
Cabanaconde -> Llahuar (Stay) -> Sangalle (Stay) -> Cabanaconde
This second option visits a different side of the canyon. It still includes the steep final day from option 1. You will start from Cabanaconde and hike to Llahuar. This is where you will want to find your first accommodation. On the second day, you will hike from Llahuar to Sangalle (the Oasis), where you will find your second accommodation. Many hostels are located along the river with swimming pools filled with spring water. On the third day, you will go from Sangalle back to Cabanaconde on a 3-4 hour uphill climb.
3-Day or 4-day Hike
Cabanaconde -> Llahuar (stay) -> Sangalle (stay optional) -> San Juan de Chuccho (stay) -> Cabanaconde
This option is the longest of all the options and combines the other two 3-day hikes into one longer loop. This option also does not include the steep final day climb back to Cabanaconde and has a longer and more gradual climb. To do this in 3 days, you will want to go from Cabanaconde to Llahuar to San Juan de Chuccho to Cabanaconde. To do this in 4 days, you will want to go from Cabanaconde to Llahuar to Sangalle to San Juan de Chuccho to Cabanaconde.
1-Day Hike
Cabanaconde -> Sangalle -> Cabanaconde
If you do not have the time to do a multi-day hike, you have the option (albeit challenging option) to hike into and out of the canyon in one day. This hike will be out-and-back from Cabanaconde to Sangalle and back. Because of this, you could always hike into the canyon as much as you want, see some different viewpoints, and turn around and return to Cabanaconde.
Getting Back to Arequipa after Your Hike
You can take a minibus from Cabanaconde to Arequipa after your hike is done if you choose. Otherwise, you can stay another night in Chivay (using a minibus or taxi to get to Chivay), and take a comfortable tourist bus to return to Arequipa (see the Final Day.)
Final Day: Final Activities in Arequipa, Peru
There are a few options to return to Arequipa from the Colca Canyon. One is to return with the minibusses called Centella that took you to the canyon. These will leave as they fill up to go back to the city. The other option is to coordinate a ride with a tourism agency, such as Nativa Express. They have tour groups that pass through the Colca Canyon and may be able to add you to one of these tour groups so you can have a comfortable ride back to Arequipa. You will want to coordinate this the day before.
Early morning transportation will allow for additional time to visit a few more locations around Arequipa in the afternoon. Upon arriving in Arequipa and checking in to your lodging you can stop at Picanteria La Mundial for a traditional Arequipa lunch.
With the additional energy, you can explore some of the remaining amazing sites around town such as:
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- Monasterio de Santa Catalina which can be self-guided or with a professional guide available at the entrance. This is truly a must-visit!
- Mirador Yanahaura for amazing views of the volcanoes towering above Arequipa
- Basilica Catedral de Arequipa which can be visited during the day with a guide or for free after 5 pm
- Mercado San Camilo where you can buy local products or even sample the famous local dessert of Queso Helado from Senorita Rosita on the second floor
Other Tours from Arequipa, Peru
There are a few other sites and tours that can be visited from Arequipa including:
- Volcan Misti
- Reserva Nacional de Salinas
- Canteras de Sillar
These tours can be coordinated at different tourism agencies throughout the historical center of the city.