Classic Arequipa Tour: Explore Colca Canyon & Stunning Volcanoes

 We will pick you up from the airport or bus station, to transfer you to your accommodation located in the city center. Rest of the day off, and overnight at the hotel. 

We will visit the Plaza de Armas, one of the most beautiful squares in the country, adjacent to the imposing 17th-century Arequipa Cathedral, which has been completely rebuilt after several earthquakes. 

We will see the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus (1590), considered a classic example of local baroque architecture, which houses an exceptional collection of paintings and murals.

The Arequipa Cathedral is a gem of Arequipa architecture built in the 17th century from volcanic materials like sillar. It has undergone several reconstructions due to earthquakes.

You will also visit the impressive Santa Catalina Monastery, an authentic medieval cloister built in September 1579, still in use today. Covering 20,000 square meters, this mysterious convent was constructed with sillar, the main material of local architecture.

We will visit the districts of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, which have viewpoints offering panoramic views of the Arequipa countryside and the volcanoes surrounding the city: El Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu, undoubtedly a fantastic sight. There will be time to take photos.

You will visit the main square of the Cayma district and the Church of San Miguel Arcángel de Cayma located in the same place. The parish church has a collection of paintings by an anonymous artist reflecting the miracles of the Virgin. After this incredible experience visiting Arequipa and Santa Catalina, we will return you to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free, and you will stay overnight at the hotel.

Our adventure begins in the morning in the city of Arequipa, as we embark on an exciting 160 km journey to the city of Chivay.

Along the way, we will pass through the charming village of Yura, whose streets and squares have been declared historical monuments.

We will continue our journey through Pampa de Arrieros and Pampa Cañahuas, home to the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve in the Colca Canyon, where majestic vicuñas roam freely. You`ll have the chance to marvel at the beauty of these creatures while we admire this incredible landscape.

We will make a brief stop in Patahuasi for you to enjoy a refreshing coca tea, a traditional hot beverage from the Andes that greatly helps with altitude sickness. You`ll also have the opportunity to admire beautiful birds, such as flamingos, during our short stop at the Tocra wetlands. We`ll follow the route passing by the crater of the Chucura volcano, and we`ll stop at a fantastic viewpoint of the volcanoes.

We`ll continue visiting charming picturesque villages and enjoy impressive views of the volcanoes from a viewpoint, conducting a cultural tour in the villages of the Colca Valley.

Finally, we will arrive in Chivay, where you will have free time for lunch (optional). We will transfer you to your hotel for a short rest.

Afterwards, we will explore the town of Chivay and its market, immersing ourselves in the Andean culture high in the Colca Canyon. Then, we will visit the La Calera hot springs.

Wake up early to enjoy a delicious breakfast before heading to the famous Cruz del Condor viewpoint. We will arrive in time to contemplate the magnificent depth of the Colca Canyon and, if we are lucky, observe condors in the Colca Canyon.

These impressive birds of prey are some of the largest in the world, and seeing them fly over the canyon and valley is a magical spectacle you won`t want to miss.

On our way back to Chivay, we will visit the traditional village of Pinchollo and the Antahuilque viewpoint, where you can marvel at the ancient terraces built 1,500 years ago by the Collagua culture, which preceded the Incas.

We will continue our exploration by visiting Maca, a charming Andean community that suffered an earthquake in November 1991, and the village of Yanque, famous for having the most beautiful church in the valley. 

We will return to Chivay for lunch (optional).

Finally, we will return to the city of Arequipa and transfer you to your hotel, closing an unforgettable experience in the Colca Valley.

We will head towards the Cerro Colorado district until we reach the Añashuayco Quarries located at the foot of the Chachani Volcano, adjacent to the Chili River. This place boasts a wonderful natural and cultural landscape. We will walk through the area of the master cutters and appreciate handmade artworks such as facades and colonial carvings.

We will admire the Pink Sillar, an area of the quarries that reflects an intense pink color in the sunlight due to the combination of sillar with sand and rocks.

We will also visit the artisan workshops to learn about the work done with sillar and see how they craft it with ancestral tools. You will have the opportunity to buy crafts (optional).

Continuing this fantastic tour, we will visit the Culebrillas Quarry and walk through this impressive natural ravine formed by water and wind erosion.

We will walk through these narrow walls and observe the Culebrillas petroglyphs with animal shapes such as birds, felines, and snakes about 30 meters high. These drawings belonged to the Wari culture, an Andean civilization that developed between the 7th and 13th centuries AD.

Sillar has been used for constructions in the city of Arequipa, declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

At the end of the tour, we will return to the hotel. The rest of the day is free, and you will stay overnight at the hotel.

We will visit the Chilina Valley to admire the vibrant colors of the countryside from its great viewpoint. Here, you will have wonderful views of wide green fields and the Chili River.

We will visit Paucarpata, which has terraces and viewpoints with spectacular panoramic views of the Arequipa countryside with landscapes of the imposing Misti volcano.

We will continue the tour visiting the Founder’s Mansion, a traditional sillar mansion built in the 16th century by the founder of Arequipa, Garcí Manuel de Carbajal. Located 20 kilometers from the Plaza de Armas and near the Socabaya River, its colonial style is still preserved, as is its original decoration.

The mansion was occupied by different personalities such as doctors, bishops, generals, and priests. It has a small chapel, a beautiful main patio, and colorful gardens. During the tour, you will see rooms adorned with paintings, ceramics, and furniture brought from Europe.

Just 9 kilometers from the city is the Sabandía Mill, an architectural gem dating back to 1621 made of sillar, and it still works today! Surrounded by beautiful and spacious gardens, with local trees and plants like cacti and succulents.

Master stonemason Don Francisco Flores was in charge of building this interesting place, and today it is one of Arequipa’s most important historical monuments.

At the end, we will return to the city center to drop you off at your hotel. The afternoon is free for you to continue enjoying this beautiful city. Overnight stay at the hotel included.

 Breakfast at the hotel. We will pick you up and transfer you to the bus station or airport.