Colca Canyon 2 days
Explore and enjoy the Andean landscape
Briefing
If you are thinking of visiting Arequipa, the Colca Canyon will undoubtedly be a must on your trip. Embark on this Colca Canyon 2 days tour, and you will observe an authentic Andean landscape. Walk surrounded by volcanoes, alpacas, small villages where the inhabitants wear colorful traditional costumes and, of course, the immense Colca Canyon and its impressive viewpoint Cruz del Condor. You will also take a tour of the Andean culture, visiting places such as Pata Wasi, Coporaque or Chivay, among many others.
Are you coming?
Tour details
Included
- Transportation
- Professional guide
- Hotel accommodation
- Breakfast
Not included
- Tourist ticket to the Colca Valley
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Access to the hot springs La Calera ($4.50 USD)
Important information
The price of the Colca Valley ticket for foreigners is $21 USD for adults and $6.50 USD for children. For Peruvian adults, $6.50 USD and children $1.50 USD. They must be paid at the destination and in cash.
The groups are of small size, between 10 and 14 travelers.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation! If you cancel at least 8 days before the tour starts, you will receive 100% of the amount paid. After this time, or in case of no-show, no refunds will be given.
Tour itinerary
DAY 1 Arequipa - Pata Wasi - Coporaque
Highest elevation: 4910 meters
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Departure from Arequipa
We leave Arequipa by minibus and head to Chivay, 160 km away. On the way we will enjoy views of the imposing Misti, Chachani and Pichupichu volcanoes. We arrive and visit the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca.
Ascent to Patapampa
We will continue our trip to the area of Tocra, where we will stop for a walk, and then we will continue our way up to the viewpoint of Patapampa at 4,910 meters of altitude, which offers views of the different altiplanic lagoons, the Ampato, Sabancaya and Hualca Hualca volcanoes and all the birds that will accompany us during the ascent.
Return to Coporaque and Chivay
To finish the long morning of adventure, we descend to Coporaque in Peru where after lunch, we will have the opportunity to take a guided tour of about an hour.
And there is no better way to end the day than with a visit to the hot springs of Coporaque. After a relaxing bath, we will settle into our selected accommodation in Chivay or surroundings, where we will spend the night.
DAY 2 Cruz del Condor Lookout - Arequipa
Cruz del Condor viewpoint - Arequipa
We have an early breakfast to arrive on time to the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, getting up early will be worth it because we will be able to see the condor up close. We will make a brief visit to the village of Maca and the church of the village of Yanque, the most beautiful of the valley.
The condor, one of the largest birds in the world, and when they spread their wings can reach 3 meters in wingspan. It takes advantage of the warm morning air currents that help it to ascend.
Colca Tour
We will make a one hour trekking along the margin of the canyon observing the immensity of this place, we will visit places like Pinchollo and the viewpoint of Antahuilque, from where you can see the beautiful terraces with more than 1,500 years old.
After the short trekking we will start our way back to Arequipa, passing through Chivay where we will make a stop and enjoy a traditional Andean meal.
Return to Arequipa or Puno.
After lunch, the group is divided in two. The travelers who chose the extra "transfer to Puno" will get on a minibus that will take them to this city, arriving at 6:00 pm. The other part of the group will continue the way back to Arequipa, where they will arrive around 4:30 pm. Our Colca Canyon 2 days tour will have come to an end.
What to bring to Colca Canyon 2 days
- Warm clothing
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hiking boots
- Refillable water bottle
- Raincoat
- Medication to avoid altitude sickness (in case you consider it necessary)
- Cap or hat
- Sandals / flip flops
- Bathing suit and towel for hot springs
Where does the tour Colca Canyon 2 days start
La mayoría de viajeros suelen llegar a Arequipa desde Lima, hay muchas aerolíneas que operan esta ruta, así que te resultará fácil encontrar un vuelo que se adapte a tu horario. Si decides hacer el recorrido en bus ten en cuenta que es un viaje de 16 horas que ofrecen varias empresas, como Cruz del Sur, Oltursa o Civa (especialmente cómodos en su categoría “exclusiva”)
Si llegas a Arequipa desde Puno puedes hacerlo en el bus que ofrecen Civa y Cruz del Sur entre otras (trayecto de 6 horas) o tomar un avión desde Juliaca (el aeropuerto más cercano), aunque nosotros recomendamos hacer este recorrido en bus, ya que Juliaca está ubicado a 2 horas de Puno, por lo que finalmente no ahorrarás mucho tiempo.
Si tu ciudad de origen es Cuzco el trayecto en bus tiene una duración de 10 horas y se puede reservar con Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Excluciva y otras. También puedes optar por tomar un avión, ya que es una ruta que también tiene muchos vuelos diarios.
Questions & Answers
What is the extra transport to Puno?
Many travelers visit Lake Titicaca after Arequipa. To make this trip more comfortable we offer the possibility to go in a minibus with a guide from Chivay to Puno. Along with saving time on the trip, you will be more comfortable and it will take you directly to your hotel in Puno.If I select the extra: transfer to Puno, can I take all my luggage to the tour?
Yes! If your reservation includes the extra: transfer to Puno, you will not return to Arequipa at the end of the tour, so you can take all your luggage with you. We recommend that you also take a small backpack with the necessary items to spend the day (documentation, water, snacks...). The rest of your bags will be stored in the back of the minibus.Do I have to carry all my luggage to the tour? Can you keep it for me?
We do not recommend bringing all the luggage on the tour. In our opinion, it is better to carry only a backpack or small suitcase with what is necessary for those days. To keep the rest of the luggage, we recommend you contact your accommodation in Arequipa to be able to leave it there. It is a very common service offered by almost all accommodations.Can I suffer altitude sickness during the tour?
During the tour of the Colca Canyon, you will be at a high altitude. To avoid altitude sickness it is advisable to adapt to the altitude by arriving a day before in Arequipa, eating lightly, and avoiding alcohol and physical effort. If you have symptoms during the tour, the guide will give you instructions on what you can do to recover. When you arrive at the hotel the staff will help you improve if you are still feeling unwell. Most of them will also have oxygen tanks.What clothes should I bring?
We recommend you take several layers because there is a lot of variation in temperature throughout the day. In the morning and in the afternoon we advise you to wear comfortable clothes and mountain shoes. The nights are cold so we advise you to bring a jacket and warm clothes. In the months of December to March, you should carry thermal and waterproof clothing because it is a rainy season. In your backpack, you will also need sandals or flip-flops, a hat or cap, bath linen, and a towel for the hot springs.Will I have electricity during the tour?
If there is electricity, we recommend you take an electric adapter. Depending on the area and accommodation, there will be a certain type of plug.
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