Arrival
in Arequipa
DAY 1. We will pick you up from the
airport or bus terminal and transfer you to your accommodation in the city
center. The rest of the day is free, and you will stay overnight at the hotel.
City
Tour and Santa Catalina Convent
DAY 2. Breakfast at the hotel. The
tour begins with pick-up from your hotel in the historic center of Arequipa to
start an incredible excursion through one of the most beautiful and touristic
cities in Peru. This tour is quite interesting and the order of visits may
vary.
We will visit the Plaza de Armas, one
of the most beautiful squares in the country, adjacent to the imposing
17th-century Arequipa Cathedral, which has been completely rebuilt after
several earthquakes. We will see the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of
Jesus (1590), considered a classic example of local baroque architecture, which
houses an exceptional collection of paintings and murals.
The Arequipa Cathedral is a gem of
Arequipa architecture built in the 17th century from volcanic materials like
sillar. It has undergone several reconstructions due to earthquakes.
You will also visit the impressive
Santa Catalina Monastery, an authentic medieval cloister built in September
1579, still in use today. Covering 20,000 square meters, this mysterious
convent was constructed with sillar, the main material of local architecture.
We will visit the districts of
Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, which have viewpoints offering panoramic views of
the Arequipa countryside and the volcanoes surrounding the city: El Misti,
Chachani, and Pichu Pichu, undoubtedly a fantastic sight. There will be time to
take photos.
You will visit the main square of the
Cayma district and the Church of San Miguel Arcángel de Cayma located in the
same place. The parish church has a collection of paintings by an anonymous
artist reflecting the miracles of the Virgin.
After this incredible experience
visiting Arequipa and Santa Catalina, we will return you to the hotel.
The rest of the afternoon is free, and
you will stay overnight at the hotel.
Classic
Colca Canyon in 2 days
DAY 3. Our adventure begins in the
morning in the city of Arequipa, as we embark on an exciting 160 km journey to
the city of Chivay.
Along the way, we will pass through
the charming village of Yura, whose streets and squares have been declared
historical monuments.
We will continue our journey through
Pampa de Arrieros and Pampa Cañahuas, home to the Salinas and Aguada Blanca
National Reserve in the Colca Canyon, where majestic vicuñas roam freely.
You`ll have the chance to marvel at the beauty of these creatures while we
admire this incredible landscape.
We will make a brief stop in Patahuasi
for you to enjoy a refreshing coca tea, a traditional hot beverage from the
Andes that greatly helps with altitude sickness. You`ll also have the
opportunity to admire beautiful birds, such as flamingos, during our short stop
at the Tocra wetlands. We`ll follow the route passing by the crater of the
Chucura volcano, and we`ll stop at a fantastic viewpoint of the volcanoes.
We`ll continue visiting charming
picturesque villages and enjoy impressive views of the volcanoes from a
viewpoint, conducting a cultural tour in the villages of the Colca Valley.
Finally, we will arrive in Chivay,
where you will have free time for lunch (optional). We will transfer you to
your hotel for a short rest.
Afterwards, we will explore the town
of Chivay and its market, immersing ourselves in the Andean culture high in the
Colca Canyon. Then, we will visit the La Calera hot springs.
Colca
Canyon and return to Arequipa
DAY 4. Breakfast. Wake up early to
enjoy a delicious breakfast before heading to the famous Cruz del Condor
viewpoint. We will arrive in time to contemplate the magnificent depth of the
Colca Canyon and, if we are lucky, observe condors in the Colca Canyon.
These impressive birds of prey are
some of the largest in the world, and seeing them fly over the canyon and
valley is a magical spectacle you won`t want to miss.
On our way back to Chivay, we will
visit the traditional village of Pinchollo and the Antahuilque viewpoint, where
you can marvel at the ancient terraces built 1,500 years ago by the Collagua
culture, which preceded the Incas.
We will continue our exploration by
visiting Maca, a charming Andean community that suffered an earthquake in
November 1991, and the village of Yanque, famous for having the most beautiful
church in the valley. We will return to Chivay for lunch (optional).
Finally, we will return to the city of
Arequipa and transfer you to your hotel, closing an unforgettable experience in
the Colca Valley.
Sillar
Route
DAY 5. Breakfast at the hotel. In the
morning, we will pick you up from your hotel to start a very special tour: The
Sillar Route.
We will head towards the Cerro
Colorado district until we reach the Añashuayco Quarries located at the foot of
the Chachani Volcano, adjacent to the Chili River. This place boasts a
wonderful natural and cultural landscape. We will walk through the area of the
master cutters and appreciate handmade artworks such as facades and colonial
carvings.
We will admire the Pink Sillar, an
area of the quarries that reflects an intense pink color in the sunlight due to
the combination of sillar with sand and rocks.
We will also visit the artisan
workshops to learn about the work done with sillar and see how they craft it
with ancestral tools. You will have the opportunity to buy crafts (optional).
Continuing this fantastic tour, we
will visit the Culebrillas Quarry and walk through this impressive natural
ravine formed by water and wind erosion.
We will walk through these narrow
walls and observe the Culebrillas petroglyphs with animal shapes such as birds,
felines, and snakes about 30 meters high. These drawings belonged to the Wari
culture, an Andean civilization that developed between the 7th and 13th
centuries AD.
Sillar has been used for constructions
in the city of Arequipa, declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
At the end of the tour, we will return
to the hotel. The rest of the day is free, and you will stay overnight at the
hotel.
Private
Tour to the Countryside, Founder’s Mansion, Sabandía Mill
DAY 6. We will visit the Chilina
Valley to admire the vibrant colors of the countryside from its great
viewpoint. Here, you will have wonderful views of wide green fields and the
Chili River.
We will visit Paucarpata, which has
terraces and viewpoints with spectacular panoramic views of the Arequipa
countryside with landscapes of the imposing Misti volcano.
We will continue the tour visiting the
Founder’s Mansion, a traditional sillar mansion built in the 16th century by
the founder of Arequipa, Garcí Manuel de Carbajal. Located 20 kilometers from
the Plaza de Armas and near the Socabaya River, its colonial style is still
preserved, as is its original decoration.
The mansion was occupied by different
personalities such as doctors, bishops, generals, and priests. It has a small
chapel, a beautiful main patio, and colorful gardens. During the tour, you will
see rooms adorned with paintings, ceramics, and furniture brought from Europe.
Just 9 kilometers from the city is the
Sabandía Mill, an architectural gem dating back to 1621 made of sillar, and it
still works today! Surrounded by beautiful and spacious gardens, with local
trees and plants like cacti and succulents.
Master stonemason Don Francisco Flores
was in charge of building this interesting place, and today it is one of
Arequipa’s most important historical monuments.
At the end, we will return to the city
center to drop you off at your hotel. The afternoon is free for you to continue
enjoying this beautiful city. Overnight stay at
the hotel included.
Departure from Arequipa
DAY 7. Breakfast at the hotel. We will
pick you up and transfer you to the bus terminal or airport.