Start Packet Peru- Arequipa

Arrive Arequipa

You will arrive in Arequipa early in the morning by bus or flight, the white city and its famous historic downtown.

Arequipa is Peru’s second largest city with a population of over 800,000 people and arguably the most beautiful city in Peru. Situated about 2,335 metres above sea level in the shadows of the stunning ice capped Misti Volcano (5,822 metres).

The perfect place to acclimatize to altitude before your tours in the Colca Valley.

Included a 1/2 day city walking tour.In our city tour we will show you all its charms of the main streets and colonial buildings, where you will visit The Main Square, The Cathedral from outside, La Compañia a Jesuit’s church, the highlight of Arequipa is the 16th century Santa Catalina Convent which is a city within the city – built on the XVI century and closed to the public for almost 400 years until 1970, and it’s still home of a few nuns. This beautiful complex of plazas and buildings is remarkably intact and remained closed to the outside world until 1970.

Optional you also can visit the star of Arequipa “The Mummy Juanita “. The tour continues to the local market with a lot of colors, fruits and local food? Try in the evening the amazing alpaca steak!

Arequipa Reality tour

Do you want to have a taste of how Peru really is?

Take the Arequipa reality tour and see how daily life can be in Peru. See how people are working together and get a taste of how the Peruvian society organizes itself to provide the basic needs for daily living. We depart from Arequipa around 8.30 am for a 3,5 hour trip around Arequipa and its outskirts. First we visit the local market. After the market  head towards the place where sillar (volcanic stone) is extracted in a traditional way, to use it later for the construction of houses.

On the way we inform you about political, social and economical reality of Peru and Arequipa. We continue to the shanty towns and give you insight in the way of life of the poor people of the area: visiting a comedor popular (see how the mothers cook food for their family). The tour is our way of showing you the hard working poor people of Peru and how creative they are in their struggle for satisfying their basic needs. A part of the money of this tour is to support the comedor popular.

Colca Canyon  2 days

After breakfast you’ll be picked up for your journey to the Colca Canyon. It’s a scenic route 165 km from the city of Arequipa. You’ll enjoy beautiful views of the Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes as you climb towards the Canahuas National Reserve. Along the way, you will pass through Pampas Cañahuas, a plain in the midst of the Aguada Blanca y Salinas National Reserve. On the way you’ll stop at 3800m to drink some coca tea to counteract the effects of altitude sickness.

As you climb further up onto the Altiplano, you’ll begin to spot wild vicunas, llamas and alpacas as well as some interesting bird life on the lakes. After reaching the highest point at about 4900m, you’ll descend a little to the town of Chivay where we have lunch. The Colca Canyon is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, although its incline is much more gradual. Here we stop for lunch. After we bring our luggage to the hotel, in the afternoon we will go to the nearby hot springs: La Calera. It’s a 1 night hotel  in the small village Chivay, or other village in the canyon

Colca canyon  2 days Finish in Arequipa

After an early breakfast, you will start the journey through the main towns of the valley,  stopping at Yanque, where you will appreciate its typical dances exposed in the main square. Then departure towards “El Mirador de la Cruz”, 60 Km from Chivay, the best spot to observe the deepness of the canyon of 11,155 ft deep and 124 miles long, before arrival to “Cruz del Cóndor” passengers can choose for a short walk (45 min.) along a path at the edge of the canyon. Arrival. This is the place from where almost always is possible to see the majestic fly of the condors.

There is no an exact hour to see the Condors, as many said, you can see them at any time, it depends on luck and patience. We are looking for the world’s largest bird, the majestic Andean condor, gliding on the thermals that rise up through the canyon. Be sure to bring your camera! On the way back visit some very interesting places such as: Pre inca hanging tombs, terraces viewer and Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma, Yanque towns. Arrival at Chivay. At 13.15 Pm were have lunch buffet .After lunch we return back to Arequipa where you sleep 1 more night

Leave Arequipa

Transfer to the bus terminal or airport to leave Arequipa

NOTA / Optional in chivay you can change bus ( or private car) and drive for about 6 hours more over the altiplano direction puno.