Full day
Andean condors, pre-Inca terraces and traditional villages in one of the deepest canyons in the world
Departure from Arequipa: we pick you up at your hotel between 2:30 and 3:00 a.m. with the Flamenco Travel team and head to the Colca Valley, skirting the snow-capped Chachani volcano. We leave this early to reach Cruz del Cóndor at the time when condors are easiest to see in flight.
Breakfast in the Colca Valley: after about 3 hours on the road, we reach the Colca Valley, where we have breakfast.
Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint: in about an hour we arrive at the Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint, at 3,500 m a.s.l. It offers the best panoramic view of the canyon, with a drop of about 1,200 meters from the viewpoint to the river. It's also the best place to watch the Andean condor in flight, a bird with a wingspan of up to 3 meters. We spend about 45 minutes here.
Valley viewpoints and the village of Maca: on the way back we stop at the valley viewpoints to see the pre-Inca terraces, still used today to grow grains and other crops. Then we visit the village of Maca and its church.
Hot springs (optional): before lunch you can enjoy a relaxing soak in the valley's hot springs, with water between 35 °C and 38 °C. This activity is optional.
Lunch in Chivay: in Chivay you'll have free time for lunch.
Return to Arequipa: on the way back we stop at the Volcanoes Viewpoint, at 4,800 m a.s.l., the highest point of the route, with great views of the region's volcanoes. Further on we pass through an area where vicuñas roam free. We arrive in downtown Arequipa around 5:00 p.m.
