Visit the Colca Canyon in Arequipa

It is full of emotions that I am coming back to Peru for the second time, the occasion to do activites I didn’t before. Arequipa, the city we called white city, is the start of the famous trek of Colca Canyon. This is the deepest canyon in the world despite the fame is stolen by the famous Grand Canyon in ths US.

If you are advanced trekkers, you might prefer the trek version of 3 days and 2 nights inside the canyon itself. You will have the chance to go down inside ???

If you have little time, you can book a tour through an agency that will offer you some of the best viewpoint spots along the canyon.

In practice, how does it work ?

You will be pick up in the middle of the night around 3 am by the minivan. 15 of you will for the group for the day. From there, you will take the road to the Mirador del Condor in order to have the chance to see them. Warning, condors are there between 8h30 and 9h30 only. That is why you leave that early.

Finally, on your way back to Arequipa, you will be driven to several different viewpoint throughout the Colca Valley. There is an option for you to have a hot spring bath. And then you will be taken to the highest viewpoint of nearly 5000m altitude in order to have an amawing view of surrounding volcanos of the region.

Price : 55 soles (september 2019)

Tips

Peru is a country high in altitude (except for Lima and Pacific coast). You will need to take the time to acclimate yourself before going up at higher level. Drink a lot, don’t eat too much, walk at your own path. If you have headaches, take paracetamol and/or ibuprofen. If you have trouble breathing, slow down. And if really you don’t feel great at all, go down in altitude.

The Colca Canyon is a nice tour. Especially for the condors I got lucky to see. This is one of the highlights of Arequipa.