Arequipa & Colca Canyon Tour Review: Is It Worth It?

Arequipa, too it’s often called the “White City,” with its colonial buildings crafted from volcanic rock, serves as a captivating starting point for perhaps one of South America’s most breathtaking excursions: the Colca Canyon. The Arequipa Classic Tour that is going to take you to Colca Canyon over two days and one night. That might just be a great way for people to get a taste of this natural beauty, plus experiencing some local culture along the way. It begs the question, is it a worthwhile adventure, though?

First Impressions: Arequipa’s Allure

So, before you think about diving deep into the Colca Canyon, it’s almost crucial to spend some time soaking up the atmosphere in Arequipa itself. You might just want to stroll through the Plaza de Armas, that’s the city’s main square, which showcases its stunning cathedral and colonial architecture, as a fine place to start your acclimatization. Plus, many of the tours kick off bright and early from Arequipa, meaning you’ll probably need to be there the day before anyway. You could use that time to, like, adjust to the altitude, as well as getting a feel for the local scene before heading out into the canyon.

Day 1: Crossing Pampas Cañahuas National Reserve

Alright, now the tour really begins. The first day usually involves a fairly early start, typically to beat traffic. The itinerary might have you traveling toward the Colca Canyon, and there is a pretty magnificent stop at the Pampas Cañahuas National Reserve along the way. This place is so something else entirely, high-altitude plains are home to vicuñas, which are relatives of llamas, plus alpacas, and even perhaps the occasional vizcacha which are cute, rabbit-like rodents. The views here are that wide open, with the Andes mountains looming in the distance, that it really gives you an appreciation for the scale of the landscape.

It could be a good thing to have your camera ready for this portion, in some respects. Because spotting vicuñas roaming free is definitely a highlight. The tour guides usually provide information about the local flora and fauna. It gives some context to what you’re seeing.

Chivay and Thermal Baths

As I was saying, after the national reserve, the tour frequently continues to Chivay. That’s a primary town near Colca Canyon. That’s where many tours stop for lunch, plus it lets everyone check into their hotels. You may want to opt for the La Calera Thermal Waters which might just be a popular choice after a long day of travel, where the hot springs are a brilliant method to loosen up as you let the minerals work magic. So, it’s a fairly chill experience to sit in warm water, when you are surrounded by cool mountain air.

I mean the town of Chivay itself, it’s a pretty small place, anyway. Yet it often provides a glimpse into local life with its market and main plaza. If the tour includes a cultural performance at night, then you might just want to check it out for local dances plus music, in short you can be quite entertained.

Day 2: Condors at Cruz del Condor

Frankly, the second day dawns early too it’s to reach the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, basically the highlight of the tour for many people. So it’s that strategic spot where you’re able to see condors soaring on the thermal currents, a sight you will just want to see to believe, very. It’s like your arriving there around sunrise that offers perhaps the best chance to watch these magnificent birds in action. It might get crowded though, because many tourist groups visit at same time, it can still be amazing if you see it, like.

I mean it really relies upon your luck as far as viewing the condors are concerned. Because these animals, just like they are in nature, might be slightly unpredictable. You might see heaps of them. Then you might see very few. If you have a knowledgeable tour guide that offers information about the condors and about the canyon’s geology. They really enhance the experience.

Exploring the Colca Canyon

As a matter of fact the tour very often includes a visit to a couple of the local villages that might just be around the Colca Canyon, namely Yanque and Maca, so. This gives that look into how life works there and some glimpse into their customs, as well as how things are around here in general. It’s typically offered for people to try local foods or look at handmade crafts during those stops.

You could find some fantastic photo ops in these towns, with the locals sometimes wearing traditional attire. The churches and main squares typically showcase pretty awesome colonial architecture, if you like old things.

Is the Arequipa Classic Tour Worth It?

Honestly, when thinking about the two-day, one-night Arequipa Classic Tour of Colca Canyon, one could just really focus on some key aspects of it. For those of us who want to view gorgeous landscapes but they don’t have time for extensive trekking, then, just like your getting to Cruz del Condor, it can be a great reward.

Yet you could find yourself on a packed schedule as a result of seeing lots of tour operators at one place all at once, like. You might have to dedicate additional exploration time in the villages if you’re a travel enthusiast, still that tour usually just barely touches that. Basically what makes it great is its suitability to travelers needing some limited-time engagements, plus it provides fantastic experiences while you are at it.

Recommendations and Tips

As I was saying, remember to pack for all types of weather because conditions might just change pretty rapidly when you are there. Very frequently there are pretty dramatic shifts as you go up and down in altitude. Having layers is a must, with the warm jacket also being a practical choice.

Basically you’ll want to ensure that you adjust yourself to Arequipa’s altitude, roughly about 2,335 meters (7,661 feet), prior to commencing that journey. A bit of altitude sickness is that very worst enemy on trips.

Final Thoughts

• Witness Condors: Basically don’t forget to have that binocular because those flying condors at Cruz del Condor is like one of life’s precious things, basically.
• Learn about Local Villages: Those glimpses from village life give some good views from the communities living near the Canyon, as I was saying.
• Consider Pace: Just prepare for an adventure with several parts involved, and plan what it is you want to achieve while there.

Seriously, just seeing Arequipa on the way to Colca Canyon’s Classical trips in a two day period could just turn out an impressive trip that goes along some unforgettable, scenery, and some fantastic cultural engagement opportunities. Don’t pass that up.

Okay. Hope you all travel safely, too.