Day 1: Arequipa – Colca Canyon and Valley
Your trip to the Colca Canyon and Valley will start with the boarding at your hotel in Arequipa at 8:00 AM with the presence of your English speaking guide. Your mini-bus will take the left side road of the Volcano Chachani and then you will continue towards Northwest (if you prefere to walk and do a trek in the Colca Canyon in 2 ou 3 days, click here). The road to Chivay crosses the "Salinas and Aguada Blanca" National Reserve and you will stop to watch numerous animals belonging to the camelid family and especially magnificent Vicuñas and Alpacas. Second stop in Patapampa where you can drink an infusion of Colca leaves (particularly recommended to lower altitude sickness) and where from you can observe the "bosque de piedras" (rock forest). Then you will continue the route up to the Volcanoes Mirador located at 4910 meters above sea level (16108 ft.). There, the panorama is incredible! Afterwards, descent until Chivay at 3635 meters (11925 ft.) to have lunch (not included). In the afternoon, little walk of acclimatization to altitude in the middle of pre-inca terraces before going to the local hot spring baths where you can relax in these volcanic waters between 32 and 35 degrees °C. Then dinner (not included) and overnight stay in Yanque in a charming hotel.
Day 2: Yanque - Cross of condor – Arequipa
After the breakfast, early departure with your mini-bus to the Cross of Condor. Once arrived at this impressive viewpoint dominating the Colca Canyon (second deepest canyon in the world!), you will be able to admire the flight of Andean Condors which appear generally around 8:00 AM to take advantage of the morning air streams. Then you will make some stops on the way to Chivay on some vantage points facing thousands of pre-inca terraces of the Colca Valley. The panorama is impressive! Lunch in Chivay (not included) before heading back to Arequipa. Arrival around 5:00 PM. We can also book you a direct bus from Chivay to Puno (not going back to Arequipa), don't hesitate to consult us about it.
