Colca Canyon Tour from Arequipa to Puno 3 Days/ 2 Nights
Duration
From
Overview
The Colca Valley is a colourful 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 cultivating 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.
Full Itinerary
Your journey begins at 7:15 am, when a private bus picks you up from your hotel. We will take the road to Yura, heading towards the beautiful Colca Valley. You will travel along this road, which is half asphalted and half unfinished sand, for 4 hours towards your first night’s destination. The 4-hour trip is not direct and leads us through some of the local area’s most important places! The first stop will be at the National Reserve of Agua Blanca and Salinas, the place where you can observe the famous vicuñas and the volcanoes of Arequipa.
Before approaching the National Reserve of “Pampa Cañahuas”, we will make a short stop to observe the wild Vicuñas (one of the four types of American camels) in their natural habitat. At this point, we will be at about 3400 m.a.s.l. Moving on, we will arrive at the “Pata Wasi” (Pata=high, Wasi=home), an Andean community at the opposite border of the reserve.
We will then continue our journey to our third stop, the restaurant El Chino. Here, you can appreciate the ”stone wood” formations, use the bathrooms, and enjoy a coca tea, which is very good for your stomach and the altitude.
From here, we will pass “Tocra”, a high plain at 4500 meters, where we will observe migrant birds at stunning lakes and get pictures of the “Antiplano” with its Llamas and Guanacos. The highest point of our tour will be “Pata Pampa” at 4820 meters, from where we can observe the volcanoes Ampato, Sabancaya, Hualca-Hualca, Misti (the source of the Amazon River), and the “Cordillera Chila”. Getting close to the town of Chivay, we will enjoy some spectacular views of the multicoloured terraces of the Colca Valley.
Arriving at Chivay, we will have lunch first, and then you will have some free time to visit the local market. Afterwards, we bring you to Hotel la Casa de Mama Yachi, in Coropique town, on the other side of the Colca Valley, where you can relax before joining a 30-minute walk or taking the car to the Hot Springs. Here you can enjoy the warm natural waters (35°C / 95ºF) in the outdoor pools, surrounded by mountains, on the shores of the Colca River. After sunset, we return to the hotel and have dinner.
(In case you stay in a different hotel, the tour guide will coordinate your afternoon activities and pick you up the next morning. Colca lodge has its host spring )
Accommodation: Hotel La Casa de Mama Yacchi
We will have breakfast early in the morning and then leave for the famous “Cruz del Condor” lookout point. Upon arrival, you will have enough time to enjoy the breathtaking view of the deep Canyon and, if the weather permits, to observe the majestic flight of the Condors.
After a coordinated time, our guide will take you for a short walk near the Canyon (approx. 1 hour). On our way back to Chivay, we’re going to visit the traditional village of Pinchollo and the “Antahuilque viewpoint” from where we can observe the wonderful 1500-year-old terraces, which were constructed by the Collaguas, a culture well before the Incas’ time. We will also make a stop at the lookout point “Choquetico” with its hanging tombs “Tumbas colgantes“ and observe the Litomaqueta, a model of the canyon terraces carved in a rock. We will continue our journey by visiting Maca, an Andean community that experienced an earthquake in November 1991, and the village of Yanque with the most beautiful church in the valley.
Afterwards, we arrive in Chivay to have lunch and explore the town. You will have time to relax in your hotel before the rest of the day is free for personal activities such as hiking, horse riding, or biking (not included in the package, but we can organise it for you if you would like).
Accommodation: Hotel La Casa de Mama Yacchi
After an early breakfast at your hotel, a Coporaque villager will take you to visit his home, and together you will plan the work that has to be done this morning. We can't precisely define this day, as it depends on the season and day of the week. However, the routine activities include, amongst others, supporting in the fields, herding animals, and preparing the land for sowing or harvest.
Around midday, your host will accompany you back to your hotel to pick up your luggage. Then, you will continue on your way towards Chivay.
We will stop for Lunch in Chivay before heading to Puno, where we'll cross through the breathtaking scenery of the Altiplano and leave behind the stunning views of the Colca Canyon. On our way, we continue ascending a minor road until we reach the highest point of our trip, the lookout point of the Andes (4800 m/15,748 ft). At the very top, we will get off the bus for a few minutes and enjoy the stunning landscape with the great volcanoes, including Mismi, Misti, Chachani, Sabancaya (active) and Ampato.
Along the paved road, we will see many small towns, as well as the beautiful lagoon Lagunillas, where we can explore trout farms and observe Andean flamingos among many Andean birds. Following an ascending road, we will then reach the Viscachani. We take a short break, stretching our legs, using the bathroom if needed, and enjoying a typical coca tea or coffee at the local restaurant.
Later on, we will drive through the national reserve park of the Peruvian Altiplano to finally reach the beautiful city of Puno, close to the majestic Titicaca Lake.
Included/Exclude
- Pick-up from your Hotel in Arequipa
- Drop off at your hotel in Puno
- 24-hour support from the company owner
- Tourist Transport
- English-speaking guide
- Accommodation in Hotel La Casa de Mama Yacchi with breakfast (Optional: upgrade your accommodation in Chivay to Colca Lodge, Casa Andina or Pozo del Cielo)
- S/70 soles tourist entrance ticket to the Colca Valley
- Meals: 2 lunches, two dinners
- S/. 10 soloes entrance to the hot springs thermal baths
- 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 towels, sandals
- Flashlight, batteries
What 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 can be made via Western Union, PayPal, ABN AMRO Bank in Holland, or securely and directly through our website by selecting your desired tour and clicking the BOOK NOW button.
Prices
Price US$280 per person, based on two people.
A single person pays +US$40 per night.
Children under 12 years get a 20% discount on the Tour (whilst booking with Hotel Mamayacchi).
Upgrade your Hotel:
(double room, the addition of price per night is based on two persons)
Hotel Pozo del Cielo: +US$30 per person.
Hotel Casa Andina: +US$35 per person.
Hotel Colca Lodge: +US$95 per person.
“With every tour you book with Green Peru Adventures, you can request a free walking tour of Cusco’s mysterious and historical city, accompanied by one of our professional guides, who speaks several languages.”
We are looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for you.
