Duration 2 days and 1 night (night in Chivay).
Schedule pickup 07:30 – 08:00 a.m. (day 1) / arrival in Arequipa 05:00 p.m. (day 2).
Distance the Colca Valley is 151 km from Arequipa; you reach Chivay in about 3 hours of direct travel (4 hours with the tourist stops).
Altitude Chivay, the valley's main town, is at 3635 m a.s.l. The highest point of the route is Patapampa, the Volcanoes Viewpoint, at 4910 m a.s.l.
Best time to go April and May
On this 2-day tour, we'll explore Colca Canyon, known as "one of the deepest canyons in the world." We'll also have the privilege of seeing one of the largest birds on the planet, the Andean condor, and admiring the majestic flight of this enigmatic bird at the Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint.
We'll also enjoy direct contact with nature. A specialist guide will accompany us and tell us the history of the cultures that inhabited this area. We'll enjoy a relaxing soak in the Chacapi hot springs and savor a delicious lunch of Andean dishes made with local produce.
The tour starts with pickup from your hotel between 07:30 and 08:00 a.m. At 08:00 a.m., we'll begin our journey to one of the deepest and most beautiful canyons in the world. Our base of operations will be the town of Chivay, which we'll reach in about 4 hours, including all the tourist stops.
Our first stop will be Pampa Cañahuas, where we'll see the vicuñas that live in this area. Nearby, we'll visit Patahuasi for a traditional coca tea, an essential drink for altitude sickness (soroche). Then we'll make a short stop at the Toccra wetlands, where we'll see large numbers of alpacas grazing freely. We'll make a must-do stop at the Volcanoes Viewpoint, the highest point of the route (4910 m a.s.l.), where we'll take in much of the western mountain range; from here, it's only 40 minutes to Chivay.
At 12:30 p.m., we'll arrive in Chivay to enjoy a delicious lunch (paid by you) and then check into our hotels. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot springs (optional entrance, paid by you), whose thermal-medicinal waters range between 35 °C and 38 °C in the pools. During dinner (paid by you), we can enjoy a folk show with traditional dances from the area. Overnight in Chivay.
After breakfast, we'll head to the Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint, 1 hour away. It's the observation point for Colca Canyon and the spectacular flight of the condor. We'll spend an average of 45 minutes here taking in the beauty of the canyon.
On the way back, we'll stop at the area's viewpoints, where we'll see the valley's impressive terraces, and in the town of Maca, where we'll see its church and, optionally, taste local drinks such as the Colca Sour, made with local products.
At 12:00 p.m., we'll have lunch in Chivay (paid by you), and at 01:00 p.m. we'll head back to Arequipa. If we missed any point on the way to Chivay on the first day, we can stop on the way back to complete all the tourist stops, depending on the weather and the group. At 05:00 p.m., we'll arrive in Arequipa and drop you off near the Plaza de Armas.
Condor sightings can't be guaranteed, but you're very likely to see them almost all year round, except in the rainy season, when some condors migrate elsewhere in search of better weather.
The Colca Valley is 151 km from Arequipa. After about 3 hours of travel, you reach Chivay, the main town, where you'll find the main services: accommodation, restaurants, nightlife and more.
You can visit Colca all year round, but the best season is between April and May, when the rainy season ends and the valley's terraces and landscapes are at their greenest.
Yes. There are usually tourist transport companies with daily departures from Chivay to Puno, generally after lunch. We can also help you buy the tickets.
Chivay, the main town, is at 3635 m a.s.l. On the way from Arequipa, you pass through Patapampa, the Volcanoes Viewpoint, at 4910 m a.s.l., the highest point of the route.
You buy it at the entry checkpoint before Chivay or at the checkpoint halfway to the Cruz del Cóndor, cash only. It costs S/ 70 (foreigners), S/ 40 (Latin Americans), S/ 20 (Peruvians) and S/ 5 (Peruvian students).
The tourist ticket (boleto turístico) lets you visit different attractions in the Colca Valley, such as archaeological sites, viewpoints and trekking circuits. It doesn't include museum visits or entrance to the hot springs in towns such as Chivay, Yanque and Coporaque.
It can be purchased at 2 points: at the tourist entry checkpoint before reaching Chivay, and at another checkpoint halfway to the Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint. Payment is cash only; credit cards aren't accepted.
After your visit to Colca, you can travel directly to Puno: there are usually tourist transport companies with daily departures from Chivay to Puno, generally after lunch. We can also help you buy bus tickets from Chivay to Puno.
