Simply enter your details in the enquiry form to start personalising your experience or if you have any questions about booking this tour.
Round out your trip to Peru by adding a tour of Arequipa & the Colca Canyon. Known as the White City, Arequipa is Peru’s second largest city and the capital of the region of the same name.
We’ll escort you to the airport in Cusco to catch your flight to Arequipa (not included). After settling into your hotel there, you will embark on a tour of the White City itself, exploring its gorgeous architecture, churches and the famous Santa Catalina Monastery.
Day Two takes you out of Arequipa across the Andean pampa, and past the stunning peaks of the Chila mountain range including some dormant and active volcanoes, towards the famous Colca Canyon. If you’re lucky, you’ll also have the chance to observe some graceful vicuna grazing the fields!
The real treat comes on Day 3 as you begin your Colca Canyon Tour. Explore one of the world’s deepest canyons before returning to Arequipa; if you’re lucky, you may even get to spot some Andean condors as they soar through the canyon.
This 4-day Colca Canyon Trek includes a Standard style of accommodation. For examples, please see the hotels in our Standard category of hotel.
High quality personalized experience
Unique, off-the-beaten track routes
Experienced staff
Verified sustainability practices
$20 of every trek donated to Threads of Peru
We offer you the opportunity to personalize your trip and make your experience more comfortable through our Optional Extras and Upgrades.
All options are available during the reservation process; please ask your sales consultant for more information.
Important!
Want to join a trek? Ready to confirm a departure date of your own, but interested in having others join you? Then Trekkers Wanted is for you! Our innovative Trekkers Wanted system matches people up who are interested in hiking the same trek, bringing costs down and multiplying the fun for everyone!
Read More about Trekkers Wanted, post your trek or search for confirmed departures!
We pick you up from your hotel in Cusco in order to catch your morning flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival, our local partners will pick you up to take you to your hotel – about a 20-25 min drive. You’ll have the rest of the morning free to rest, settle in, and have lunch on your own.
Around 2PM, your guide will meet you at your hotel to start your walking tour of the White City.
First stop on our tour is El Mirador de Carmen Alto, where you can appreciate a view of the lush Chilina Valley, followed by Yanahuara, an Arequipa suburb where you’ll see many structures of pearly white sillar volcanic rock.
After this, we will head to the Monastery of Santa Catalina which dates from the 16th century and the Plaza de Armas, with its historic buildings and tree-lined central promenade. Lastly, we will visit the front of the massive Basilica Cathedral and the Church and cloisters of the Society of Jesus (Dome of San Ignacio).
At the end of the day, your guide will take you back to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast (at your hotel in Cusco)
Inclusions: Transfers to/from the airports in Cusco & Arequipa; English-speaking guide; all entry fees
Overnight: Tierra Viva, or similar (Arequipa)
This morning we say goodbye to Arequipa and head towards the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve where the graceful vicuña can sometimes be spotted.
We then continue along Vizcachani to Pampas Toccra where a variety of bird species can be observed. We keep driving along the border of the Chucura Crater to reach Patapampa (4800m / 15,748 ft) and the Mirador de los Andes, from which you can observe the Cordillera de Chila with the spectacular Mismi mountain peak, only a short distance from the Chuchura Huarancote volcano. You will also be able to get a view of the Ubinas, Misti, Chachani, Ampato, Hualca Hualca, and Sabancaya volcanoes, some of which are still active!
Finally we reach our destination, Chivay. We will stop in Chivay for lunch and then have the afternoon to visit La Calera hot springs, a great place to relax and soak your cares away.
Meals: Breakfast (at your hotel in Cusco), Lunch (in Chivay)
Inclusions: Private transport from Arequipa to Chivay; private English-speaking guide; entry fees to the Colca Canyon and hot springs
Overnight: Casa Andina, or similar (Chivay)
After breakfast, we’ll make an early departure and drive 41km to the Cruz del Condor. Here, you will enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Colca Canyon, and are very likely to see Andean condors in majestic flight.
From the Cruz del Condor, we return to Chivay passing through the small communities of Pinchollo, Maca, and Yanque, where you can see villagers in traditional dress. We will also stop at the viewpoints of Antahuilque and Choquetico.
Around noon we’ll arrive at Chivay for lunch. Then, we start the return journey to Arequipa, returning by the Patapampa route where we’ll stop again at the Mirador de los Andes.
To continue your Colca Canyon tour, we’ll drive along the edge of the Chucura crater to the Pampa de Toccra wetlands, home to a variety of Andean bird species.
After an approximately four-hour, 151km drive, we will arrive at the city of Arequipa, where we will transfer you to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch
Inclusions: Private transport through the Colca Canyon and from Chivay to Arequip; private English-speaking guide; entry fees to the Colca Canyon
Overnight: Tierra Viva, or similar (Arequipa)
Depending on the time of your flight, you might have time to wander around the city centre on your own this morning.
Then, after checking out of your hotel, we’ll pick you up from and transfer you to the airport in time for your outbound flight to Lima (not included).
Keep in mind: it is recommended to be at the airport at least 1.5 to 2 hours prior to domestic flights, and 3 hours prior to international flights.
Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions: Airport transfer
