arequipa and colca canyon

We’ll enjoy a morning exploring Arequipa, aka the “White City,” named for the use of sillar volcanic rock in many of its streets, walls, and buildings. Beginning with the district of Carmen Alto, we will visit a viewpoint offering a panoramic view of Arequipa’s surrounding volcanoes, including Misti, Mount Chachani and Pichu Pichu Peak. Also on display are stretches of rural farmland and Andean terracing: the same type of terracing that’s been in use beginning with pre-Columbian people for many centuries. Continuing to the district of Yanahuara, we will stroll through the streets to observe the Spanish-influenced colonial buildings and the many constructions made of pearly white sillar rock. This short walk takes us to the Yanahuara viewpoint, where we’ll attain an amazing overview of the city. Observe the colonial architecture of the San Juan Bautista Church, located on the small plaza near the overlook. Next, we´ll go to the historic center, where we will visit the La Compañía Jesuit church and school, which has a beautifully painted chapel. The paintings on display here are from the renowned Cusco school, which thrived in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, and focused on portrayals of religious figures and events. After a short visit to the cathedral, we’ll continue to the Tambo del Matadero, historically a place where travelers were sheltered and fed during a respite from their journeys. We will visit the San Camilo Market, where you can observe a plethora of colorful offerings of all kinds: potatoes, produce, meat, consumer goods, and other items for sale by local vendors and producers. Last but not least, we’ll visit the Santa Catalina Convent. Built in 1579, it was a cloister for Dominican Nuns, and it houses folks dedicated to the monastic life to this day. Covering an area of over 20,000 square meters, the cloister comprises a gallery, a chapel, the devotees’ living quarters, and a central plaza, all beautifully maintained by a group associated with the convent. We’ll return you to your hotel richer in experience, after your immersion in the history and beauty of the “White City.”

Leaving from Arequipa in a private car, we’ll travel through the fields of Cañahuas and the Aguada Blanca National Reserve. Here, we’ll have a chance to observe vicuñas, from which domestic alpacas are descended. We’ll pass by riparian wetlands rich with avian species like Ibis, Caracara falcons, Andean geese, and colorful flamingoes on stilt-like legs. At the high point of Patapampa at 4910 m (16,108 ft), we’ll gain an amazing overview of all the volcanoes of the region. We will continue driving down to the valley until arriving in the town of Chivay, the capital of the Colca Valley. We´ll have a free afternoon to explore the area on our own and we´ll sleep in a comfortable hotel.

Departing from your lodgings after an early breakfast, we will journey for approximately one hour along the left side of the Colca Valley to reach the “Mirador de la Cruz del Cóndor” viewpoint. Gazing down into the deep canyon, (among the deepest in the world!), we’ll feel suspended amid cloud and sky. The canyon at this point is over 1000 meters (3280 ft) deep! There is a high probability that we will be able to observe the magnificent Andean Condor cruising the thermals as the morning sun begins to warm up the air currents. Marvel at these threatened creatures, which may have a wingspan as great as 3 meters (10 ft), as they soar the sky, rarely deigning to flap their wings as the thermals carry them effortlessly aloft. Andean Condors are among the largest flying species in the avian world! An added feature of your experience is that the condors appear to fly close to the viewer, due to the great height of the canyon vis-á-vis the location of the viewpoint. You won’t soon forget the sheer majesty of these incredible creatures in flight. After our visit to the Cruz del Condor, we will continue our journey through the valley to other viewpoints, beginning with the vista del Tapay. From here, the villages of Tapay, Sangalle, etc. appear in miniature in the depths of the canyon. Returning to Chivay, we will stop at several additional points, from where we’ll observe panoramic views of the canyon as well as pre-Inca agricultural terracing still in use after many centuries! We will be able to observe residents in typical colorful dress in the towns of Yanque and Maca, named for the superfood, Maca (Lepidium meyenii), which grows in the Andes. We can also get a glimpse of colonial churches and architecture as we make our way through these small villages, eventually landing back in Chivay, where we can enjoy lunch (on your own). We can continue to Puno from here or drive to Arequipa where we´ll arrive in the early evening, around 17:00 hrs, after this exhilarating experience.