Colca Canyon 3 Day Trek
Travel through the Andean landscape and discover its culture.
Briefing
The Colca Canyon, also known as "The Valley of Wonders" is an essential place to visit in Arequipa. In this Colca Canyon 3 Day Trek we will visit the National Reserve of Pampa Cañahuas, Patapampa and the Mirador de la Cruz del Condor. In addition, we will visit some local villages, among them the Coporaque Village, where we will see their daily life and traditions of the place.
We tell you what these 3 days of tour will be like below ⬇.
Tour details
Included
- Transportation
- Guide
- Accommodation
- Breakfast
- Half day with local family (day three)
Not included
- Colca Valley ticket Access
- Lunch and dinner
- Access to La Calera hot springs ($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.
Groups are small, between 10 to 14 travelers.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation!
If you cancel at least 15 days before the tour starts, you will receive a 100% refund of the amount paid. After this time or in case of no-show, no refunds will be made.
Tour itinerary
DAY 1 Arequipa - Patapampa - Coporaque
Highest elevation: 4910 meters
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Departure from Arequipa
We will leave Arequipa at 07:30 a.m. in the direction of the town of Chivay. During the trip, we will be able to enjoy the landscapes of the Misti, Chachani and Pichupichu volcanoes, arriving shortly after to the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca, where we will be able to see vicuñas.
The Patapampa viewpoint
Around Tocra, we will see vegetation and fauna characteristic of the area, such as llamas and alpacas. We will arrive at the highest point of our trip, Patapampa, with an altitude of 4,910 meters that will allow us to observe the volcanoes Ampato, Sabancaya, Hualca Hualca, Mismi and the Chila mountain range.
Visit to Chivay
Crossing the traditional terraces of the Colca Valley, we will arrive in the town of Chivay. We will stop in the traditional village of Coporaque where we can rest and have lunch. The guide will give us an optional guided tour of Coporaque surroundings for about 60 minutes.
To finish the day, we will visit the hot springs of Coporaque. After a relaxing bath, we will go to rest in the selected accommodation in Chivay, to spend the night.
DAY 2 Cruz del Condor viewpoint - Pinchollo - Antahuilque - Choquetico - Yanque
Cruz del Condor viewpoint
Our first stop f the day will be the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, where we can be impressed by the depth of the canyon and even see condors, which visit the viewpoint in the mornings.
Full Day Colca Canyon tour
We will visit the traditional village of Pinchollo and the viewpoint of Antahuilque, seeing more closely the Pre-Inca terraces with more than 1,500 years old. We will make another stop at the Choquetico viewpoint to see the hanging tombs.
Furthermore, 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 rest of the afternoon will be free time to explore the place and rest.
DAY 3 Coporaque - Chivay - Arequipa
Colca Canyon Culture
On our last day, we will discover and experience the daily life and traditions of the Coporaque people with a local family, doing activities such as harvesting, preparing the land or taking care of animals.
Finally, we will visit the village of Chivay where we will have time to explore and have lunch. We finish the Colca Canyon 3 day Trek heading to Arequipa or, if you chose the extra, to the city of Puno.
What to bring to Colca Canyon 3 Day Trek tour
- 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
- Swimwear and towel for the hot springs
Where does the tour Colca Canyon 3 Day Trek start
If your starting point is Lima, you can fly to Arequipa with the full-service airlines Avianca or Latam or with the low cost Peruvian Airlines and LCP, among others. If you decide to travel by bus - note that it is a 16 hour trip - you can travel with Cruz del Sur, Oltursa or Civa (especially comfortable in its “exclusive” category). If you arrive from Puno, you can travel by bus, it is a six hour trip that is offered by Civa and Cruz del Sur. Alternatively, you can take a plane from Juliaca, which is the nearest airport. However, we recommend you to arrive by bus. If you arrive from Cusco, the bus ride lasts 10 hours, and you can book with various providers such as Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Excluciva and others. Alternatively, you can also choose to take a flight. This particular route is operated by Latam, Avianca, LCP or Peruvian Airlines.
Questions & Answers
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.What is the extra: transfer 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 it's located in the city center.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.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.Can I have a single room?
Yes, it is possible to have a single room, but it has an extra cost. If you want to make a reservation with this type of room, please contact us.
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