Full-Day Colca Canyon

The tour departs at 4:00 am from Arequipa. You need an early start in order to get to all the incredible views while the sun is still high. Once you arrive at Chivay — the gateway to Colca Canyon — you’ll stop for breakfast. Next stop is Cruz de Condor, a must-see sight when you visit the canyon. Cruz de Condor is a known hotspot for spotting extremely rare Andean condors flying over the dramatic plunge of the canyon. The canyon is 11,155 feet (3,400 m) deep and is one of the deepest canyons in the world.

As you make your way toward some more vistas, you’ll stop at some of the area’s rural villages. On a trip here, you’ll get to visit the villages of Pinchollo, Maca, and Yanque — tiny villages originally founded by the Spanish. Maca is surrounded by agriculture and still has a 16th-century colonial church. Yanque has a nicely preserved 18th-century church. Pinchollo itself doesn’t have many points of interest but is well-known for the surrounding geothermal activity.

Next, you’ll arrive at the Antahuilque Viewpoint. From here you can get a better idea of the sheer size of the canyon walls. Within the canyon, you’ll see evidence of bygone civilizations, including the Choquetico Tombs that are carved at an impressive height.

After seeing the canyon, it’s time to head back to Chivay for a noontime lunch. Then you’ll begin your return journey to Arequipa, which includes a couple of incredible views along the way. Mirador de los Andes is 16,000 feet (4,910 m) above sea level, on a windy peak where you can see some of the region’s far-off volcanoes. When you stop at the National Reserve of Pampa Cañahuas, you’ll have a chance to see native vicuñas, llamas, or alpacas. Finally, you’ll arrive back at Arequipa at around 6:00 PM.