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Cruising the Canyon by 4x4Route: Arequipa - Corporaque - Cruz del Condor - ArequipaBesides our group Colca Canyon tour and longer Colca trek adventure, you can also explore the Colca Canyon independently by 4x4, with a private driver. This way, you’re not dependent on the bus schedule and you can stop whenever you see a scenic spot anytime during your Peru trip. On this Colca Canyon trip, you’ll stay in one of the best hotels in the valley. The lodge is right on the river and has its own hot springs. After a visit to the pre-Inca terraces you can spend the rest of the afternoon soaking in the soothing hot water. You'll feel fresh and rejuvenated early the next morning to head up to the Cruz del Condor for a close encounter with Peru’s national bird… During this Colca Canyon trip, you’ll be able to explore a unique part of Peru at your own pace. It’s a comfortable way to travel and, in our opinion, worth the extra cost on your Peru holiday. You can extend your stay here, together with an extra day with the car and driver. If you would like to see how you could fit this Colca Canyon trip into a longer tour around Peru and Bolivia, take a look at our suggested Peru holidays. |
| Duration | 2 days / 1 night |
Accommodation |
Breakfast included (browse our photos here). |
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Price |
£185 per person - based on 2 people sharing £260 per person - based on 2 people sharing on the extended tour (2 nights) |
Includes |
Transport, accommodation |
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Transport |
4x4 with (Spanish-speaking) driver |
Excludes |
Other meals, entrance fee Cruz del Condor (approx US$ 13 per person), other excursions and entrance fees |
Day 1 Arequipa - Colca ValleyOn the first day of this Peru trip, you'll be picked up around 8.30AM at the hotel in Arequipa by your driver, where you'll climb into the 4x4 and set off on your Colca Canyon trip. As you drive out of Arequipa, the road begins to climb steeply into the mountains and you’ll have some fantastic views of the Andes and the Misti volcano. Crossing the Pampa Cañahuas national park, you’ll be able to spot llamas, alpacas and Andes foxes and even the rare vicuñas. You can set your own pace today, stopping to take pictures or stretch your legs whenever you see a nice spot. You’ll stop off for a mate de coca, the national brew made from coca leaves. It’s known to help alleviate altitude sickness, which may well come in handy.You’ll be covering quite a change in altitude on day one of your Colca Canyon trip: starting at 2300m in Arequipa, you’ll climb to a mountain pass at 4800m before descending into the Colca Valley at 3500m. Because you’ve spent a couple of days in Arequipa you won’t have much trouble adjusting to the altitude. |
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Around midday, you’ll arrive in the small town of Chivay where you can grab some lunch in one of the local restaurants (excluded). The Colca Valley is deeper than its famous companion, the Grand Canyon, and over 100km long. It wasn’t the Incas, but the Colluhuas, a civilization dating back another 1000 years, that developed the steep cliff faces into stepped terraces for use as farmland. It’s mind-boggling how these terraces could ever have been made by human hands. Driving through the valley, you can’t help but gasp at the never ending views of your Colca Canyon trip. Ask the driver to stop if you want to take pictures or to take a closer look at the terraces, or even just to sit down on a rock and take in the breathtaking scenery. Around 3pm, you’ll arrive at your lodge with plenty of time left to take a dip in the hot springs or go for a stroll around the area. |
| You’ll be staying in the romantic lodge with a fairytale atmosphere. The luxury lodge is right on the river and the terraced bungalows all have their own veranda overlooking the valley. The lodge is built using exclusively local materials and is run on an ecological basis: the water in your bathroom for example is heated by solar energy. The designer communal lounges and the bar/restaurant with fireplace are stylishly decorated and very comfortable. |
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The hot springs here are an absolute luxury. We can’t think of a better way to soothe your aching muscles at the end of a long, tiring hike, as you listen to the sound of the Colca river and gaze out at the towering cliff faces and the clear, starry sky above you. It certainly beats the bath tub at home… Why not indulge yourself on your Colca Canyon trip and book an extra night here? Try horse-riding through the valley or take a canoe trip down the river. A bit of exercise makes your dip in the hot springs all the more rewarding. |
Day 2: Colca - Cruz del Condor - Arequipa - End of tripAfter an early breakfast, you’ll continue your Peru trip and set off at 6.30am to drive deeper into the valley. You'll pass the nearby town of Yanque, following the road along the 'bottom' of the canyon past several sleepy villages and more spectacular vistas to the Cruz del Condor viewpoint where you'll arrive around 8.30am.Cruz del Condor is the only place in Peru where you can see the condors up close. Between 8am – 10am the sun begins to heat the air deep in the canyon. The condors love to glide up on these warm thermal currents and, if you sit still, they’ll swoop right over your head. Be patient, find a comfortable rock in the sun and keep your binoculars handy. Around 9.30am you'll climb back into your 4x4 and continue your Colca Canyon trip, via the same road back to Chivay. Though, with the ever changing views you'd never know you've driven the same road twice. |
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On the way back, you’ll make a few stops, including the viewpoints at Huayra Punko and Antahuilque for some final sweeping views across the stepped terraces of the Colca Valley. You’ll also make a stop in the villages of Maca and Yanque where you can get a good idea of rural life in Peru. Yanque has one of the most beautiful churches in the Colca Valley. Around lunch time, you’ll arrive back in Chivay where you can enjoy some lunch at one of the restaurants around the central square, before continuing on to Arequipa where you’ll arrive back at the hotel around 4.30pm, marking the end of your Colca Canyon trip. After another night in the pretty white town of Arequipa, you can head east to the floating islands on our Lake Titicaca tour or, pull on your hiking boots for our Sacred Valley tour or an Inca Trail holiday to visit the majestic Machu Picchu. Please note: With this module you can also travel directly from the Colca Valley to Puno, without having to backtrack to Arequipa. Please get in touch with our Peru tour operator for more details. |
Colca Canyon trip - Accommodation (Click to enlarge)
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