Colca Canyon Trek

The Colca Canyon is the canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru. It is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Arequipa.

The Colca Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world at 10,725 ft (3,269 m), it is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States. The Cotahuasi Canyon nearby to the northwest is referred to as being a deeper canyon at 11,488 ft (3,501 m). Since they are such major features of the landscape, the Colca and Cotahuasi canyons are both easily recognizable in even low-resolution satellite photos of the region. The Colca Valley is a colorful andean valley with towns founded in Spanish Colonial times and formerly inhabited by the Collaguas and the Cabanas. The local people still maintain ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces

Itinerary : Colca Canyon Trek 4 days | Arequipa

(B)=Breakfast ; (L)=Lunch ; (D)=Dinner

DAY 1: AREQUIPA
Assistance at your arrival to Velazco Astete Airport (CUZ) and transfer to your Hotel after a quick tour of the beautiful Plaza De Armas. Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 2: AREQUIPA - COLCA
6:00 AM - We set out for the bus station to catch a local bus to the small town of Cabanaconde. We arrive in Cabanaconde (3,287 mhsl) after a 6 hour trip. Upon arriving we will have lunch at a restaurant, Valle del Fuego. We start the trek down to the Colca River (3:30 /4 hrs. Aprox). On the way down to the bottom of the Canyon we will visit a typical village named San Juan de Chuccho, 2200 mhsl. During the dry season in Colca the weather maintains an average temperature of about 30şC. In the bowels of the canyon we will find a variety of volcanic stones. We will spend the night in the village of San Juan de Chuccho in typical huts with dinner prepared and served by a local family.

DAY 3: COLCA - OASIS
6:00 AM - Get up and have a breakfast. On this day we will hike to Tapay (2900 mhsl), about 1 hour and 30 mins. going up. This colonial village is known for its Quechua-speaking population. Also, it affords us a lookout to the opposite side of the Canyon. Continuing the hike, we make a 2 hour descent to the villages of Coshńirhua (2350 mhsl) and Malata (2350 mhsl), and then another hour of hiking to arrive at the oasis of Sangalle (2000 mhsl). Lunch. The oasis of Sangalle is a great place to relax and appreciate nature, while also taking advantage of the lukewarm swimming pools (18şC). The owners of the oasis have built small houses of bamboo where we will be spending the night. Our guide will explain the various native fruits growing in the oasis, such as the lucma, the pacay, and the chirimoya. You will also have the opportunity to taste them.

DAY 4: OASIS - CHIVAY - AREQUIPA
4:30 AM - Back up to Cabanaconde (1200 m up). We will be setting out a little early to catch the sunrise over Colca Canyon, and also to make time for our stop at Cross of the Condor to watch for condors. There is also a possibility of spotting condors on the trek up to town from the oasis. We will have breakfast when we arrive in Cabanaconde. We then take the local bus to Condor’s Cross (25 min.) to admire the condor in flight (about an 1 hour and a half) before continuing on to the town of Chivay to relax in the thermal hotsprings (38şC). In order to enjoy more time in the hotsprings we will bring along a lunch of sandwiches and fruit. Afterward we make the return trip to Arequipa, arriving at approximately 5 PM.