Full-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno
Only have one day to explore the Colca Canyon? On the Full-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno, you'll enjoy an immersive and comprehensive experience that combines nature, culture, and adventure in the southern Andes. We'll leave Arequipa in the early hours of the morning to see condors in their natural habitat, enjoy the thermal springs, and end the day in Puno, by the majestic Lake Titicaca.
From Arequipa to the heart of Colca
The adventure begins between 2:30 and 3:00 a.m., when our guide picks you up from your hotel. On the way to Chivay, the starry sky accompanies the first few miles of the route as we cross high-altitude landscapes. Upon arrival in the village, you'll enjoy a typical Andean breakfast with coca tea and local products that help with acclimatization. From there, we'll continue to the Condor's Cross, the most famous vantage point in the valley. Watching the Andean condor soar over the vastness of the canyon is a magical experience that no traveler ever forgets.
If you wish, you can take an optional hike from the Cruz del Cura to the Cruz del Cóndor.
Andean villages, vantage points, and hot springs
After visiting the vantage point, we'll explore several natural viewpoints and the pre-Inca agricultural terraces of the valley. We'll pass through traditional villages such as Maca, where life revolves around colonial churches, craft markets, and customs that are kept alive, such as the Wititi dance, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Here, you can try the Colca Sour, a drink made with the Sancayo fruit. We'll then make other stops at some vantage points along the way, such as the Wayrapunku viewpoint to see the end of the valley and the start of Colca Canyon, the Choquetico viewpoint, where we'll see the hanging tombs and the stone models, and the Antahuilque viewpoint, from where we'll see all the terraces of the valley and the Mysterious Lagoons.
Next, we'll visit Yanque, where you'll have the option to relax in the hot springs of Chacapi, whose waters reach over 38°C and 40°C and are ideal for unwinding for an hour. Back in Chivay, we'll head to a restaurant to enjoy an all-you-can-eat lunch (not included) before continuing the route to Puno.
Road to Puno: High Andean Landscapes
After lunch, we'll cross the Patapampa Pass (4,910 meters above sea level), also known as the Volcanoes Vantage Point, from where we can see the snow-capped Ampato, Sabancaya, and Huallca volcanoes. The tour continues to the Toccra wetlands, where we'll see some South American camelids, such as llamas and alpacas, as well as some migratory birds. We'll then arrive at the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve, home to vicuñas. Before reaching our final destination, we'll make a last stop at the Lagunillas Lagoon, a natural sanctuary for high-Andean birds such as flamingos and geese. Finally, we will arrive in Puno at approximately 7:00 PM.
