Colca Canyon Trek 3 Days/ 2 Nights – Level 2

  • Destination: Arequipa/ Colca Canyon
  • Duration: 3 days
  • Price per person: $300
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The Colca Valley is a colorful andean valley with many small towns founded during the Spanish colonial times. It is still inhabited by people of the Collaguas and the Cabanas cultures who maintain the ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces.

The name Colca refers to small granaries of mud and stone, built into the cliffs of the valley and the canyon. These repositories were used during the Inca and pre-Inca times to store food such as potatoes, quinoa and other andean crops. They were also used as tombs for important people.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arequipa – Colca Canyon

We will depart at 7:30 am from Arequipa, driving 160 km to the town of Chivay, capital of the Province of Caylloma. At the beginning of our excursion we will enjoy the majestic views of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes
before approaching the National Reserve of “Salinas y Aguada Blanca”, where our transportation will make a short stop to observe the wild Vicuñas (one of the 4 types of American camels) in its natural habitat. At this point we will be about 4,000 meters above sea level. Moving on we will arrive to “Alto Sumbay”, an Andean community at the opposite border of the reserve. Here you might enjoy the natural formation of rocks and the view to the backside of the Misti and Chachani volcanoes. To prevent altitude sickness we will have an original Andean “Mate de Coca” drink or another hot drink in a rustic restaurant on the road (service of bathrooms are here available). Continuing on the road we will pass “Tocra”, a high plain at more than 4,400 meters, where we will observe lakes with wild birds and get pictures of the “Antiplano” with its Llamas and Alpacas. The highest point of our tour will be “Pata Pampa” (Pata=high, Pampa=land) located at 4,910 meters, where we’ll observe the volcanoes Ampato, Sabancaya, Hualca-Hualca, Mismi (the source of the Amazon River), and the “Cordillera de Chila”. When we are getting close to the town of Chivay (3,651 meters) we will start to wonder at the spectacular multicolor view of the terraces of the Colca valley. We keep our drive until Coporaque town and visit the Lodge La Casa de Mamayacchi, where we will have our lunch (cost of lunch is not included in program).

After lunch your guide will invite you to a short walk through Coporaque and its surroundings (this walk takes around 1 hour and is optional). We’ll come back to our transportation and visit a natural “hot springs” where we will enjoy a relaxing bath. (Entrance fee and personal towels to the baths are not included). After this exciting day we will bring you to your hotel or lodge.

Day 2

Hike into the Canyon – San Juan de Chuccho

We will have our breakfast very early in the morning and leave to the famous “Cruz del Condor” point. As soon as we arrive to the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, the group will split and you will continue with our transportation and driver to the town of Cabanaconde where you will meet your trek guide and start your 2 days hike into the canyon. We will at first head down a steep way all the way to the Oasis in Sangalle. There we shall have a lunch break, rest a bit and get some energy for the rest of the day. This route is a beautiful hike down to the canyon wall, with the growing feeling of being truly inside the Colca canyon. From the Oasis we will then hike up to the other side of the Colca, only halfway up, to catch the road to Malata and Tapay. After walking along the immense Colca Wall we will go down again walking through villages and fields to finally arrive to San Juan de Chuccho. There we shall get a well-deserved night of rest after a nice dinner. Overnight.

Day 3

Walking up to Cabanaconde – Chivay Town

The next morning, we should leave at 4:00 am, after having a nutritious breakfast to start the ascent of a steep route that’ll lead us out of the Canyon. This hike will look harder than it is but is still not to be underestimated as it’s perhaps less steep than the way down on the day before, but slightly longer. If we are lucky and considering that it is very early, maybe we can see some condors. We will arrive around 8:30 to 9:00 am in San Miguel, just outside of Cabanaconde town where we will meet our driver and transport and then join again the Colca classic tour group. On the way back to Chivay we’re going to visit the traditional village of Pinchollo and the “Antahuilque viewpoint”, where 1500 year-old terraces can be observed. We also will make a stop at the look-out point of “Choquetico” with its hanging tombs “Tumbas colgantes“, and take a look to the litomaqueta, a model of the canyon terraces carved in a rock. We will continue visiting Maca, an Andean community that experienced an earthquake in November of 1991 and the village of Yanque with the most beautiful church in the valley. Lunch in Chivay town (Cost of Lunch is not included in program) and return to Arequipa city around 4:00 pm.

Included:
  • Pick-up from your Hotel in Arequipa
  • Drop off at your Hotel in Arequipa
  • 24-hour-support from the company owner
  • Tourist group Transportation
  • 2 English-speaking guides
  • First-night accommodation in Hotel/ Lodge with breakfast
  • Second night in basic Lodge in the Canyon
  • 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, and 1 dinner in the Canyon
  • 2 snack boxes (cereal bars, fruits, ..)
Not Included:
  • US$ 26 tourist entrance ticket to the Colca Valley
  • Excursions or meals not mentioned in this program
  • US$ 6 entrance to the hot springs thermal baths
  • Snacks/ beverages/ drinks
  • Insurance of any kind
Recommendations, what to bring:
  • Warm clothes for the night and early morning
  • Sturdy shoes
  • A small backpack
  • Camera and recharger
  • Drinking water
  • Sunblock
  • Rainjacket
  • Sunglasses, sun hat
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Swimming suit
  • Money for souvenirs and drinks
  • Travel towel, sandals
  • Flashlight, batteries
What do we need when you make a reservation:
  • Full name as it is written on your passport
  • Passport number
  • Nationality
  • Date of birth
  • Tour departure date
  • Send a deposit of 60% of the total price of your tour. (The remainder of your balance will be due upon your arrival in Arequipa) Payment may be made via *Western UnionPayPalABN AMRO Bank in Holland

Price per person: US$ 300
Price is based on two people.

Single person pays +US$ 40 per night.
Children under 12 years get a discount of 20% on the Tour (whilst booking with Hotel Mamayacchi).

Upgrade your Hotel:
(double room, the addition of price per night is based on 2 persons)

Hotel Pozo del Cielo: +US$ 25 per person.
Hotel Casa Andina: +US$ 30 per person.
Hotel Colca Lodge: +US$ 90 per person.

Exclusive international transaction fees: The amount of the extra transaction fees depends on how the payment is made and on your bank. For further information please don’t hesitate to ask.

Terms and Conditions

With each booked tour with Green Peru Adventures, you will receive a free walking tour of the mysterious and historic city of Cusco. You will be guided by one of our multilingual, professional guides.

We are looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for you.