Price per person:
City tour and Santa Catalina
US$64
Colca Canyon 2 days 1 night
US$368
AREQUIPA CITY TOUR AND SANTA CATALINA
US$60
Afternoon: City tour to Historical Center , taking in the Plaza of Armas, the Jesuita Church of the Society of Jesus, the Santa Catalina Monastery , then visit to the Yanahuara Neighborhood, the beautiful colonial district, where we visit the "Mirador". Finally return to your hotel .
COLCA CANYON 2 DAYS 1 NIGHT
US$ 360
Day 1 Arequipa Pick up
Early in the morning, depart on a wonderful four hours bus trip to the ColcaCanyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world (3,400 mts.). On the trip we drive across Pampa Cañahuas in the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, inhabited by herds of vicuñas and alpacas (South American camelids). We also see beautiful pre-Columbian terraces, still being cultivated by native Collaguas. Box lunch. On your arrival at Colca Valley, transfer to the selected logde.
In the afternoon, we recommend you to rest and get used to the altitude. If you are in good shape, you will have free time to stroll around the lodge's surroundings or you could take a repairing bath at the hot springs nearby the lodge. Dinner and overnight at selected lodge at the Colca Valley.
Day 2 Colca: Condor Cross / Arequipa
We leave early in the morning to the "Condor's Cross", where the biggest bird in the world can be usually seen flying. On the way back we visit the colonial towns and churches of Yanque, Coporaque, Achoma and Maca. Good opportunity to appreciate the life of these people that has changed little since Inca times.
Lunch at a local restaurant. Late afternoon return to the selected hotel in Arequipa evening free.
COLCA VALLEY
151 km / 94 miles north of Arequipa (3 hours by car)
The extreme northeastern section of the department of Arequipa is located here. The highest point is the inactive volcano Mount Ampato (6288 masl), and the lowest at the confluence of the rivers Colca and Andamayo (970 masl). The Colca valley is 100 km in length and occupies only part of the Colca river basin, comprising the districts of Callalli and Huambo.
There are sixteen villages in this zone made up of descendents of the Collaguas and Cabanas tribes, inheritors of rich cultural traditions. The towns of Chivay and Cabanaconde are the most visited by tourists.
In the latter, you can watch condors soar from the Cruz de Condor (Condor Crossing) Lookout. The Colca valley forms part of the South American tectonic plate and contains the active volcano Sabancaya, located on the volcanic mountain Hualca Hualca. This valley possesses a great diversity of flora and fauna. Among the most representative species are the condor, the kestrel, the peregrine falcon, and the Andean tinamou.
COLCA CANYON
42 km / 26 miles west of the town of Chivay the capital of the province of Caylloma(1 hour by car)
This is one of the deepest places on the planet, reaching a depth of 3400 meters / 11.155 feet at the lowest point in the location of Canco. On the right side, it is flanked by the Chila Cordillera (Bomboya, Serpregrina, Mismi, Queshihua) and on the other by Mount Hualca Hualca, Sabancaya, and Ampato. You can see Mount Ubinas and beautiful Mount Coropuna in the distance.
Colca Canyon, composed of 13 Andean towns, was formerly populated by the Collaguas and the Cabanas. The inhabitants of the area still conserve their old traditions and cultivate the pre-Inca terraces. It is the perfect place for practicing adventure sports, as well as seeing the majestic flight of the condor. The Colca impresses with its eye-catching terraces, its steaming volcanoes, magnificent condors, sleepy Andean towns, the deep canyon and the river that runs through it, towards the Pacific. Colca Canyon is located 42 kilometres from Chivay, the capital of the province of Caylloma. This colourful village is usually the starting point for many tourists who wish to visit the various attractions in the area, including the Cruz del Condor (Cross of the Condor) which is 60 miles away and an excellent vantage point to observe the flight of the world's largest bird.
