Colca Canyon: in one day or two, and when to see the condors

Where is Colca Canyon and how far is it from Arequipa?

In the province of Caylloma, in the Arequipa region. You enter through Chivay, the provincial capital, a little over 150 km from the city of Arequipa: three to four hours on a paved road, crossing the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve. From Chivay to the Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint it’s another 42 km, about an hour.

What makes Colca Canyon special?

It’s one of the deepest canyons in the world, deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States. The Colca River carved it by eroding volcanic rock along a fault, and since 2019 it has been part of the Colca and Andagua Volcanoes UNESCO Global Geopark, the first in Peru.

Upriver, in the valley, the slopes are lined with farming terraces built by the Collaguas and the Cabanas, two peoples whose customs are still alive.

When can you see the condors at Cruz del Cóndor?

In the morning. The Andean condor uses the warm air currents rising through the canyon to gain height and glide without flapping its wings, and from the viewpoint you can watch it fly close by and often.

On the Colca Canyon day trip you’re at Cruz del Cóndor at 8:15 a.m. On the Colca Canyon 2 days, 1 night tour you go on the morning of day two, after breakfast in Chivay.

Which towns and hot springs do you visit along the way?

Both tours stop in Chivay to eat, and on the 2-day tour you spend the night there. Yanque, 7 km away, has been a Pueblo con Encanto (Charming Town) since 2023: its Church of the Immaculate Conception has a facade that is unique in the region, and in its square people dance the wititi, the Colca dance that has been Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2015. Maca is on the same side of the river, on the way to Cruz del Cóndor.

Near Yanque are the Chacapi hot springs: the day trip stops there at 11:30 a.m. and the 2-day tour in the afternoon of day one. Entry is paid separately.

How high do you go on the Colca tours?

The valley is at 3,635 m above sea level, and the highest point on the route is the Mirador de los Volcanes (Volcanoes Viewpoint), at Patapampa, at 4,910 m. Above 2,500 m, altitude sickness (soroche) can set in: drink plenty of fluids, eat light and avoid strenuous activity when you arrive. The 2-day tour stops at Patahuasi for hot drinks, such as coca or muña tea, and carries an oxygen tank.

What is the Colca tourist ticket?

It’s the entry fee for the circuit made up of Colca Canyon, Salinas and Aguada Blanca and the Valley of the Volcanoes, and it’s managed by the Autonomous Authority of Colca (Autocolca). The tours don’t include it. The price depends on whether you’re Peruvian, Latin American or from another country, with reduced rates for children and for Peruvian students and seniors. It’s good for one use and is checked when you enter Chivay: carry it with your DNI or passport.

Day trip or 2 days and 1 night?

If you only have one day and don’t mind an early start, the day trip covers the highlights. The 2 days, 1 night tour goes at a calmer pace: you leave later, have the afternoon for the hot springs and sleep in the valley before seeing the condors. In the evening there’s an optional peña with traditional Colca dances.

With one more day in Arequipa, the Salinas Lagoon and Lojen mini volcano tour climbs to a salt flat at 4,300 m above sea level, inside the same reserve, with flamingos, vicuñas and hot pools.

What should you bring to Colca?

• Warm clothes: in the valley, temperatures range from about -3 °C to 25 °C.
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• A swimsuit for the hot springs.
• Comfortable shoes and a small backpack.
• Cash for the ticket, the hot springs and the meals the tour doesn’t include.
• Your DNI or passport, for the ticket.

Pick your date and book the Colca Canyon day trip or the Colca Canyon 2 days, 1 night tour.