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Explore the incredible Colca Canyon in Peru
Arequipa is Peru’s second largest city
Take in the panoramic views over Colca Canyon – one of the world’s deepest canyons
Discover the Uros people and their floating reed islands on Lake Titicaca
Sail to the Bolivian side of the lake and visit the birthplace of the sun in Andean legend
Spend an afternoon exploring Chivay
Lean about local traditions and skills
Travel through spectacular farmland on your way to Colca Canyon
From: Arequipa
To: Puno
£605
See more ideas for: Peru
Take a 7 day scenic journey through Peru, from Arequipa to Puno with a Lake Titicaca trip. Begin by discovering the old colonial charm and culinary scene of Arequipa then ascend to the stunning Cruz del Condor vantage point for panoramic views of the vast Colca Canyon - one of the deepest in the world. Spot Condors soaring high above the canyon before continuing on to Lake Titicaca to visit the reed islands and the birthplace of the sun in Andean legend.
Spend 2 nights in Arequipa, Peru’s second largest city, and enjoy a guided tour that will explain the city’s historical and architectural heritage. Known as the white city, it takes this name from the colour of its buildings made from sillar, a white volcanic stone.
Next, travel by land to the Colca Canyon where you will spend two nights surrounded by stunning scenery. Here we’ve included guided excursions, including a visit to Condor Cross where you will hopefully have the chance to witness the flight of the Andean condor.
Your last stop will be Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable body of water in the world. Lake Titicaca is captivating with its deep blue waters, stunning mountainous scenery and culture, being the long time home of highland civilizations steeped in the old ways.
This itinerary can be tailored to suit your requirements please contact one of our consultants to start planning your dream trip.
On arrival in Arequipa you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to settle in and perhaps to start exploring the city - one of the culinary capitals of Peru.
After breakfast you will join a guided group tour to discover the city’s rich cultural history. The tour visits the Main Square and the Convent of Santa Catalina. This 20,000 sq meter complex is a citadel within the city and one of the most fascinating religious buildings in Peru. You will also have time to visit other historical edifices, among which the Society of the Jesus, a masterpiece of local baroque art. Finally you will be taken to the residential districts of Yanahuara and Chilina from which the magnificent Arequipa countryside and the volcano Misti can be appreciated. After the tour you will have plenty of time to visit marvel in this city at your own leisure.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before an early morning start to head to the Colca Valley by bus. You will leave the city through Yura, a district characterised by impressive geographical features that include gullies, mountain ranges and canyons. On route, visit the Pampa Cañahuas Reserve, the Toccra Pampas and skirt the crater of the Chucura Volcano to reach the Los Andes Scenic viewpoint in Patapampa at an impressive 4800 masl. Lunch is included in the town of Chivay where you will stay overnight. The afternoon is free for you to relax or you may choose to visit the hot springs.
Today you will go to the Condor Cross viewpoint, from where you can appreciate the sheer size of the Colca Valley (one of the world's deepest canyons with over four kilometers at its deepest side). At the Cruz del Condor viewpoint you will be able to spot the huge and majestic condor flying close above.
Back in Chivay, you will visit the Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque towns, and the Antahuilque and Choquetico scenic viewpoints. After lunch, you will visit the Coporaque town and the Chininia Colcas, incredible pre-Inca constructions on vertical natural walls. Then you will go to the Ocolle Scenic Viewpoint, the Amphitheatre and you will take an optional short hike to the identified yet little explored Uyo-Uyo archaeological remains. You will return to Chivay in the afternoon where you will have the rest of day free to spend at your own leisure.
This morning you’ll depart Chivay and take a wonderfully scenic route that passes through magical landscapes of high plains and forests and sky-blue lagoons. You will stop at points of interest, including Patahuasi, arriving in Puno after a 6-hour trip.
Today you will be picked up from Puno's lake port and transferred to the floating islands of the Uros on Lake Titicaca.
The Uros are an ancestral society that inhabits a series of artificial islands built with totora, a reef that grows in the lake. After a one and a half-hour tour, you will continue your trip to the Taquile Island. Unlike other islands, inhabited by Aymara-speaking people in the lake, its residents speak Quechua and the vestiges of the Inca Empire can be noted in their buildings. After a brief presentation about the island, you’ll have time to explore until lunch time, when you will descend the 550 steps to the main pier to return to Puno City.
A guide will pick you up from your hotel at the established time and will accompany you back to the airport.
Peak season in Peru runs from June to August, this is dry season in the Andean highlands and Eastern rainforest and is the best time to visit for festivals and highland sports, including trekking. September to November and March to May is a good time to head to Peru if you want to avoid the crowds, also a good time for rainforest trekking. Low season runs from December to February, rainy season hits the highlands and the Amazon is very wet.
This itinerary is purely a suggestion, and can be tailor-made to your requirements, so please contact us with your dates and requests and we’ll put together a bespoke quotation for you
6 nights in 3* accommodation. Accommodation in this standard includes:
