Tour Colca Canyon 2d -1n From Arequipa, Ending In Puno

Although not a tour stop, the journey kicks off in Arequipa, known as the White City for its colonial architecture built from white volcanic stone.
As you depart in the early hours, you leave behind Arequipa’s historical charm and volcano backdrop (Misti, Chachani) to venture into the rural Andes.

Chivay: A small market town in the Colca Valley, Chivay is the gateway to Colca Canyon​. Sitting at 3,635 m, it’s the first major stop where travelers can adjust to altitude. Here you will sleep on the first night.

A quaint village known for its baroque colonial church and cultural heritage. Yanque’s central square often has local women and children performing traditional Wititi dances in colorful attire for tips in the early morning.

The tour drives through or stops briefly, allowing you to appreciate the well-preserved church façade and perhaps see locals in their distinctive Colca Valley dress​

The Colca Canyon itself is the star attraction – a vast gorge over 3,000 m deep, making it one of the deepest canyons on Earth.

At the Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint, you stand at the canyon’s edge looking into its depths and across to the far side where tiny villages and terraced fields cling to the slopes. The highlight here is observing the Andean condors. With wingspans over 3 meters, condors often soar on thermal updrafts in the mornings, sometimes passing remarkably close to the viewpoint, to everyone’s delight​.

A popular relaxation stop, these thermal baths are located about 3 km from Chivay. La Calera offers several man-made pools fed by natural hot springs, with water temperatures around 35–38°C (95-100F).

Surrounded by canyon walls and with a view of the Colca River, it’s a scenic spot to soak your muscles. Facilities include changing rooms, showers, and a small snack bar. Bathing here is optional but recommended if you brought a swimsuit.

This high pass (4,910 m) is literally a breath-taking stop – the air is thin and cold, but the views are tremendous. Patapampa is marked by hundreds of small stone cairns (piled rocks) left by travelers. On a clear day, you can see several volcanoes: Ampato (6,288 m, where the famous Inca mummy was discovered), Sabancaya (5,976 m, often active and emitting fumaroles), Mismi (the source of the Amazon River), and others​.

The viewpoint has signboards naming the visible peaks. This stop illustrates the highest altitude you’ll reach on the tour – many tours offer coca tea or have an oxygen canister on hand here in case anyone feels the effects of altitude. It’s typically a short stop due to the extreme elevation, but a memorable one.

A vast reserve spanning the regions of Arequipa and Puno, characterized by high plains, wetlands, and volcano-dotted horizons. Pampa Cañahuas is a section of the reserve known for its herds of vicuñas – wild camelids that roam freely here under government protection​.

The tour’s stop in the reserve lets you observe vicuñas up close (sometimes right by the road) and distinguish them from their domesticated cousins, the alpaca and llama, which you’ll also see grazing (often tended by local herders).

The landscape here is open and windswept, with ichu grass and yareta plants (a type of bright green mossy shrub) dotting the ground. It’s a prime example of the Altiplano ecosystem at ~4,000 m elevation.

Puno: The final destination, Puno is a bustling town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. While the tour ends upon arrival, Puno itself is an attraction worth noting. Drop off point is close to the Plaza Mayor de Puno (3 blocks away from it)