A Daytrip from Arequipa to Colca Canyon: Condors, Hikes & Hot Springs
Colca Canyon is a must see on any trip to Peru.
The second deepest canyon in the world, it’s also renowned as a reliable place to spot majestic condor birds and a hiker’s paradise for treks down to the oasis at the bottom of the canyon.
If you’ve got a few days an overnight hike is a great option, but for those short on time or not prepared for a strenuous hike, a day trip from Arequipa is definitely worth it.
Featuring condors, hikes and hot springs, a day trip from Arequipa to Colca Canyon is one of the easiest way to experience this incredible natural attraction.
THE COLCA CANYON
A Colca Canyon tour is one of the top things to do from Arequipa, but why?
How about the fact that it’s one of the deepest canyons in the world, is home to the majestic condors and is steeped in pre-Incan history.
Reaching depths of over 3000m along its 70km length, the canyon is definitely impressive. Its almost double the depth of the Grand Canyon! Though there is an even deeper canyon located in Peru, Cotahuasi Canyon, it’s pretty difficult to reach so Colca Canyon receives a lot more tourism.
The main towns at the top of canyon are Chivay and Cabanaconde, with the first road from Arequipa being constructed only in the 1940s. Down in the canyon itself are small villages, such as the oasis of Sangalle and Sam Juan de Chucco. These villages offer accommodation for those completing multi treks within the canyon.
As for the condors, a wingspan of over 3m makes these beauties one of the largest flying birds in the world. The Andean condors soar the the wind streams of the Colca Canyon and this is one of the best places to see the birds in their natural habitat.
Your best chances to spot a condor are early in the morning, so this dictates the early departure of the day trips to the canyon.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON A COLCA CANYON DAY TOUR
Prepare to get out of bed early for a daytrip to the Colca Canyon! Pickups occur from 3am in the morning to start the 4hr drive from Arequipa to the Canyon.
There’s not a lot to see on the way out as most of the drive is pre-daylight, however the road can get pretty windy and bumpy in sections. Anti-nausea tablets are recommended if you’re prone to motion sickness! The majority of our group attempted to nap for the duration of the ride out there, with varying degrees of success.
The first stop of the day was at Mirador Cruz del Condor, where we had a couple of hours to walk the trails and spot as many condors as possible. These incredible birds were fascinating to watch as they soared the air currents of the canyon, and time passed rather quickly!
The viewpoint is the furthiest location on the tour, so from here, you’ll slowly make your way back towards Arequipa.
Our tour visited the village of Maca, a small village with a beautiful historic church. One of the main attractions of this stop seemed to be ladies with baby llamas posing for photos (for a fee of course). Note: Please avoid taking photos with the children posing with the baby llamas - this tourist trap is keeping them away from their classes at school.
After a short stop in the village, it was on to the hot springs at Chacapi. Whilst rather basic, they’re set in a beautiful location next to the river Colca. If you’re not keen on bathing, there’s not much else to do whilst hanging around waiting from those in the hot springs.
Lunch was at a buffet style in Chivay, and it seemed like a lot of tour groups stopped at the same place, particularly local Peruvian tour groups. The quality wasn’t much to write home about, however there was a plenty of food that was constantly being replenished.
Stopping for lunch in a local village gave us an additional treat after lunch - we were luckily enough to run into a religious parade passing through the village streets and it was brilliant to get a glimpse of traditional small-town Peruvian life.
The final official stop of the day was at Mirador de los Andes - a popular viewpoint of the active volcanic range with views over five different volcanos (including the most famous Misti), however our guide was happy to grant our request to stop in the middle of the (otherwise) empty highway and watch the herd of beautiful, graceful vicunas who had just passed across the desert in front of us. Such beautiful creatures!
The drive back to Arequipa was much more interesting with lots of small villages and local life that we had missed driving through in the dark that morning. After battling a bit of rush hour traffic, the tour concluded back in Arequipa about 5:30pm.
HOW TO CHOSE A COLCA CANYON TOUR PROVIDER
As a visit to the Colca Canyon is one of the most popular things to in Peru, there’s no shortage of providers to chose from, even at the last minute. We did some research online but ended up choosing the tour operator suggested by our hostel, as all the tours followed more or less the same route and the departure hour our tour worked to was one of the earliest available (condor spotting is more likely in the mornings).
Along with leaving super early, the best thing about our tour was that we went straight to the best condor viewing area first. Many other tours stop at other places on the way in, however we stopped at these other places on the way back. We found this to work really well as it resulted in us seeing quite a few condors soaring over the canyon and the crowds really started to build as we departed.
If I’m honest, the other stops on the trip didn’t add a lot to the experience (unless you’re really into hot springs), so find a tour that really prioritises your time at the canyon itself.
COST TO VISIT COLCA CANYON
A daytrip to Colca Canyon typically costs around US$30 if booked locally in Arequipa.
The following additional costs should also be allowed for:
Colca entrance ticket S/70 (US$20 / NZ$30)
Hot springs ticket S/15 (US$4 / NZ$7)
Lunch from the suggested buffet S/35 + drinks (US$10 / NZ$15)
Tips
The price of the trip includes:
Transport to all locations and dedicated driver
English speaking guide
Breakfast
WHEN TO VISIT COLCA CANYON
The Colca Canyon can be visited at any time of year, however different seasons each have their positives and negatives.
We visited in October and found temperatures to be cool in both the early morning and at the high altitude stop-off of at Mirador de los Andes. The temperatures were pretty warm for the rest of the day and along with Arequipa, it was the warmest place we visited in Peru and Bolivia. We definitely weren’t the only visitors at any of the stops, however they weren’t overcrowded either - this may have been helped by our early arrival at the canyon.
NOVEMBER TO MARCH
This is the rainy season in Peru which makes it the low season. This is great for less crowds, however there is a greater chance of rain and clouds affecting the views.
MAY TO JUNE
May to June is said to be the best time of year for spotting the majestic condors. It’s also the dry season, so expect sunny days but lower temperatures, especially at night. As its peak season it will get pretty crowded at the viewpoints and on the trails if you decide on hike the canyon.
SHOULDER SEASON - MARCH TO MAY AND JULY TO OCTOBER
March to May is a great time visit as it’s the start of the dry season, but it won’t be quite as busy as the peak periods. July to November is the end of the dry season, where weather is a bit more unpredictable but crowds have started to disappear again. Personally I’m a big fan of travelling in the shoulder season!
ALTITUDE AT COLCA CANYON
It’s very important to be aware of the effects of altitude throughout Peru, and a daytrip to Colca Canyon is no exception! The road to Colca Canyon reaches a height of 4900m of altitude, which is higher than anywhere on the Inca Trail!
Arequipa altitude: 2335m (7,500ft)
Chivay altitude: 3635m (12,000ft)
Cruz del Condor Viewpoint altitude: 3900m (12,800ft)
Mirador de los Andes altitude: 4870m (16,000ft)
Coming from Arequipa to Colca Canyon, the road passes through some very high areas before descending back down (relatively), though the majority of the attractions on the day tour are still at over 3500m of altitude.
To assist with acclimatisation avoid physical exertion, heavy meals and alcohol if possible. We carried the medication Diamox which can be used to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness, the illness caused by altitude. However, we found that we did not really need it.
If you’re planning on hiking in the canyon, be sure to allow time for acclimatisation in the area before heading out.
WHAT TO PACK FOR A DAYTRIP TO COLCA CANYON
It’s best to bring a daypack or small rucksack on a daytrip to the Colca Canyon. Non-valuables (such as a towel and swimming gear) can be left inside the tour vehicle at each stop, but keep all valuables with you at all times. Here are the essentials:
A warm jacket, for early mornings and high altitudes
Runners or sneakers, to check out the trails
A reusable water bottle, to avoid buying plastic at lunch
A good zoom lens, to capture the condors
A towel and swimming gear, for the hot pools
Sun protection, as there’s no shade at the canyon
Some spare cash, for tips & the hot pools
Travel sickness medication, if required
» SAFETY IN THE COLCA CANYON & AREQUIPA
Cusco and Arequipa both felt like a safe place for tourists, even alone at night. It’s best to stay aware of petty theft/pickpocketing, especially in the markets.
» TREKKING THE COLCA CANYON
If you have time, spend two to three days hiking down into the Colca Canyon.
There are many different routes to chose from, such as the popular route starting in Cabanaconde, through San Juan de Chuccho to Sangelle for the night, then back out to Cabanaconde.
I’d highly recommend Along Dusty Roads’ guide if you’re considering a trek into the Colca Canyon.
WHAT ELSE TO DO IN AREQUIPA
Not just a departure point for Colca Canyon tours, Arequipa has plenty to offer in it’s own right.
Guarded over by three impressive volcanos that supplied the beautiful white stone used to create the alluring architecture of this city, you can easily spend a few days exploring Peru’s White City.
» WHAT TO DO IN AREQUIPA
Start the day in the UNESCO World Heritage Historical Centre at the Plaza de Armas.
Basilica Cathedral de Arequipa is an extremely impressive structure made of white stone from the local volcanos.
Santa Catalina Monastery is an extremely vibrant, photogenic (hello, instagram) city within a city. It is a beautiful, calm place to explore for an afternoon.
Pop into Alpaca World (Mundo Alpaca) to say hi to a friendly, domesticated herd of alpacas.
Wander the charming streets of San Lorenzo. It’s the perfect place to stop for a beer whilst you’re at a slightly lower altitude!
Grab a fresh juice from Mercado San Camilo.
Read More: A Short Guide to: Arequipa (coming soon)
GETTING TO AREQUIPA
» BY BUS
Long distance bus travel is the most popular method for domestic travel for both tourists and locals. However, it’s important to chose a quality company with a safe, well-maintained fleet. Some companies are dubious to poor with their safety records.
The highways of Peru are not all the best quality, so unless you want to feel every pothole (and there are many!) a quality bus should also come with good suspension.
This will mean spending a little more, however bus travel is still relatively cheap, so the few extra soles will be well worth the comfort.
Within Peru we opted to use Peru Hop because of their quality fleet and the options for flexibility if we wanted to switch up our itinerary. Cruz del Sur is another reputable company.
Popular connections include:
Nazca to Arequipa | about 11h 30m
Cusco to Arequipa | about 11h
Puno to Arequipa | about 7h
However be aware that traffic can greatly impact on journey times.
WHERE TO NEXT?
After Arequipa & Colca Canyon, here are some suggestions on where to go next:
» CUSCO
Cusco is the most popular tourist destination in Peru, and for good reason. Not just a launch pad for the Sacred Valley and one of the seven wonders of the modern world and UNESCO World Heritage site, Macchu Picchu, the old Incan capital is full of archeological remains and grand colonial buildings, all connected by charming cobbled streets that exude a warm Quechuan vibe.
Read More: How to Hike the 4 Day Inca Trail
» VISIT HUACACHINA AND THE NAZCA LINES
A popular tourist location in Peru, Huacachina is a small desert oasis where the main attractions are sand boarding and dune buggy tours. About a four hour drive from here are the Nazca Lines. A scenic flight is the best way to see these mysterious geoglyphs, created on the desert floor around 500BC-500AD.
» PUNO
Head to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world.
TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR SOUTH AMERICA
Safe Travel NZ says is best: if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.
Always, always take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip.
One feature you’ll need to look out for when purchasing travel insurance, if you plan to visit areas at altitude, is to ensure you are covered for the correct altitudes. Many policies only cover up to 1500M.
Whilst World Nomads in my usual go to, their standard package will not cover the altitudes reached in Peru. You’ll need to add on additional cover for the correct altitude.
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