TOURS IN AREQUIPA & COLCA CANYON

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Arequipa is known as "the White City" and although it has a quiet vibe it is in fact the 2nd largest city in Peru, albeit just 1 tenth of the metropolis of Lima.

It is often referred to as the most beautiful city in Peru due to its fantastic colonial buildings many constructed from a locally obtained volcanic rock called "Sillar”.

The city center is in fact a UNESCO world heritage site.

The volcanic mountains of Misti and Chachani serve as a backdrop to the city and are popular climbs or day trips for mountain bikers.

The area also makes for some great treks from a few days to a week or more and rafting on the Chilli River is another great option for adventure seekers.

THINGS TO DO IN AREQUIPA

Around the city there are several notable attractions that you might want to visit, and it is easy to fill several days in Arequipa itself plus a few more visiting Colca Canyon.

Here are some ideas for things to do in Arequipa :

• Monastery of Santa Catalina - this series of old colonial building is a sprawling complex full of brightly painted buildings that takes up an entire city block.
• Inca Ice Maiden "Juanita" - which is located in the Museum Santuarios Andinos close to the main square - check in advance the times and that she is out on a travelling exhibition elsewhere though.
• Plaza de Arequipa & Cathedral – the buildings surrounding the central plaza is a shining example of the wonderful white Sillara stone architecture the city is famous for. The cathedral is the most dramatic example of this. Make sure you check it out both in daylight and at night-time.
• Central Market (San Camilo) – lots of people find the San Camilo market well worth a visit with its extensive range of cheeses and produce. Why not pick up some ingredients for a picnic – there are lots of nice places to sit and have lunch in the city.
• House Museum of Mario Vargas Llosa – this will be of most interest to fans of the Arequipa born author. Tours are in Spanish and last a couple of hours so if your local lingo skills are lacking it might not be for you. Otherwise, many people really enjoy this place.
• Mundo Alpaca – get up close and personal with some furry camelids, feed them, pet them and learn about how they make alpaca wool garments. You can also pick up some quality clothing from the store.

COLCA CANYON

Probably the most popular tour from Arequipa though are trips out to Colca Canyon which is the second deepest canyon in the world.

Tours can range from 1 day (a very long day though and a bit rushed) to more commonly 2 or 3 days with even longer tours of up to a week for treks in the area.

One of the highlights for many people is the stop made at the viewing point of the condors.

Here you often see condors in flight passing close by and even landing within meters of the group. It is probably the best place to see condors in their natural environment.

N.B. - We currently do not offer Colca Canyon Tours due to problems with our previous operator there - but we highly recommend you visit the canyon if you are in Arequipa!

Last Updated 3rd August 2018