Trekking in the Colca Canyon, one of the world's deepest, is an experience you cannot miss when visiting the Arequipa region. Descending towards the lush canyon floor, a stark contrast to the surrounding desert landscape, while Condors fly overhead is an experience that instills a true appreciation for the wonders of the natural world. You have the option to do a two or three day trek along a 25 km circuit in the Colca Canyon. Both tours are recommended for people with or without hiking/trekking experience.

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2 Day Trek Itinerary

 

Day 1 (Arequipa - Chivay - San Juan de Chuccho - Sangalle):   

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• Between 3:00 and 3:30 AM, you will be picked up from your hotel by a 18-passenger Sprinter van and head northwest to Chivay, the capital of the Colca Valley. Upon arriving, you will eat a simple breakfast of bread, butter, jam, tea and coffee.

• After breakfast, you will drive two more hours to the Condor Cross viewpoint. Here you will be able to look into the depths of the canyon and watch for condors flying overhead. If the sun is out you are almost sure to see condors, as there is a condor nesting site close to the viewpoint.

• Next, you will continue 20 minutes by car to San Miguel, where you will start the trek. First, you will descend 3-4 hours to the bottom of the canyon on a switch back path until arriving to a small town called San Juan de Chuccho.

• In San Juan you will stop to take a break and eat lunch. The first course will be a vegetable soup and the second course is typically rice, potatoes, and alpaca. There is a vegetarian option if desired.

• After lunch, you will continue for 2.5 hours, up and down along the canyon wall, until descending into Sangalle, which sits at the very bottom of the canyon. Sangalle is situated at 1,900 meters above sea level and is deepest point of the trek. Upon arriving, you will have the opportunity to relax in the natural fed pools of the Oasis Lodge. 

• At around 7pm you will be served dinner. This meal consists of vegetable soup, pasta with red sauce and tea. You will then retire to your shared  bungalow made of bamboo to get some rest before an early morning. 

 

NOTE: These accommodations do NOT have electricity or private bathrooms. There are shared bathrooms with showers, but there is NO hot water. 

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Day 2 (Sangalle - Chivay - Arequipa): 

 

• You will wake up at 5:00 AM to start trekking out of the canyon to Cabanaconde. This is by far the most demanding portion of the trek as you will climb approximately 1000m in 2-3 hours on a steep, switchback trail. 

• Once arriving to Cabanaconde, you will eat a simple breakfast of bread, scrambled eggs, butter, jam, tea, and coffee.

• After breakfast, you will be driven back towards Chivay making various stops along the way to see pre-Incan and Incan terraces, colonial towns, and more.

• The last stop is the Yanque hot springs where we will stay for approximately one hour to enjoy the hot baths.

•  Afterwards, you will be taken to a local restaurant in Chivay before returning to Arequipa. En route to Arequipa, you will make a couple stops along the way. The first stop is the Andes viewpoint situated at 4,900 meters in the Patapampa mountain pass, the highest point of the journey. The next stop is the wetlands of the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve to look for vicuñas, alpacas, and more local fauna in its natural habitat.

• You will arrive back in Arequipa at approximately 5:30 PM and you will be dropped off two blocks from the main square.

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3 Day Trek Itinerary

 

Day 1 (Arequipa - Chivay - San Juan de Chuccho):   

 

• Between 3:00 and 3:30 AM , you will be picked up from your hotel by a 18-passenger Sprinter van and head northwest to Chivay, the capital of the Colca Valley. Upon arriving, you will eat a simple breakfast of bread, butter, jam, tea and coffee.

• After breakfast, you will drive two more hours to the Condor Cross viewpoint. Here you will be able to look into the depths of the canyon and watch for condors flying overhead. If the sun is out you are almost sure to see condors, as there is a condor nesting site close to the viewpoint.

• Next, you will continue 20 minutes by car to San Miguel, where you will start the trek. First, you will descend 3-4 hours to the bottom of the canyon on a switch back path until arriving to a small town called San Juan de Chuccho.

• In San Juan you will stop eat lunch. The first course will be a vegetable soup and the second course is typically rice, potatoes, and alpaca. There is a vegetarian option if desired.

• After lunch, you will have the rest of the evening to relax and enjoy the small village before eating dinner and retiring to the shared bamboo bungalows to sleep. Dinner consists of vegetable soup with a main dish of rice, potatoes, and chicken. 

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NOTE: These accommodations do NOT have electricity or private bathrooms. There are shared bathrooms with showers, but there is NO hot water. 

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Day 2 (San Juan de Chuccho - Sangalle):   

 

• At 7AM, you will wake up to eat a breakfast of pancakes with chocolate sauce, tea and coffee. After eating, you will begin a 2.5 hour trek up and down along the canyon wall until descending to the Sangalle Oasis that sits at the very bottom of the canyon. 

• Sangalle is situated at 1,900 meters and is the deepest point of the trek. Upon arriving, you will eat a typical lunch.

• Afterwards, you will have the option to relax in the natural fed pools, fish, or play soccer.

• Later that evening, you will eat dinner before retiring to the shared bamboo bungalows to sleep. This meal consists of vegetable soup, pasta with red sauce and tea. 

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NOTE: These accommodations do NOT have electricity or private bathrooms. There are shared bathrooms with showers, but there is NO hot water. 

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Day 3 (Sangalle  - Chivay - Arequipa): 

 

• You will wake up at 5:00 AM to start trekking out of the canyon to Cabanaconde. This is by far the most demanding portion of the trek as you will climb approximately 1000m in 2-3 hours on a steep, switchback trail. 

• Once arriving to Cabanaconde, you will eat a simple breakfast of bread, scrambled eggs, butter, jam, tea, and coffee.

• After breakfast, you will be driven back towards Chivay making various stops along the way to see pre-Incan and Incan terraces, colonial towns, and more.

• The last stop is the Yanque hot springs where we will stay for approximately one hour to enjoy the hot baths.

•  Afterwards, you will be taken to a local restaurant in Chivay before returning to Arequipa. En route to Arequipa, you will make a couple stops along the way. The first stop is the Andes viewpoint situated at 4,900 meters in the Patapampa mountain pass, the highest point of the journey. The next stop is the wetlands of the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve to look for vicuñas, alpacas, and more local fauna in its natural habitat.

• You will arrive back in Arequipa at approximately 5:30 PM and you will be dropped off two blocks from the main square.

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