Trek to the Route of the Sillar and Culebrillas in Arequipa

Arequipa’s white stone is not just pretty building material. At Añashuayco Quarry, you see workers cut the pale volcanic stone by hand, then try shaping a block yourself. The quarry walls rise around you, and a huge carving of the Church of the Company of Jesus gives the visit a memorable focal point.

I like two things here: the tour connects Arequipa’s grand colonial buildings with the quarries that supplied them, and the short walk through Culebrillas Canyon adds a quieter, more natural stop. The main drawback is traffic. One August visit took much longer than expected to reach the quarry, and another visitor felt the schedule at the sculptures was too rushed. This is a good-value outing, but it is not a leisurely full-day excursion.

Key points to know

• Añashuayco is a working quarry: You can see how ashlar stone is cut and learn how local stonemasons use it.
• The Church of the Company carving is the visual centerpiece: The large stone artwork was made by quarry workers.
• Culebrillas offers a short canyon walk: Plan on about 20 minutes inside a narrow gorge shaped by water.
• The tour lasts about four and a half hours: It begins at 9:15 a.m. and finishes near Avenida La Marina.
• The price is low, but an entrance fee is extra: Transport and a professional guide are included, with 10 soles listed separately for site entry.
• The Chivay hot springs are not part of the timed route shown: Confirm this before booking if a hot-spring soak is essential to your plans.

Why Arequipa’s Sillar Route matters

Sillar is the pale volcanic stone that gives central Arequipa much of its distinctive look. The city is famous for buildings made from this material, but the quarries show the work behind those elegant walls.

At the Route of the Sillar, you are not simply looking at old masonry. You are visiting places where the stone is still extracted and worked. That makes the experience more useful than a quick photo stop in the city. You get a basic understanding of how raw volcanic rock becomes blocks, decorative pieces, and carved facades.

The tour also gives you a practical link between Arequipa’s architecture and its volcanic setting. The first view toward the volcanoes and the Chilina Valley helps place the city within the wider region. Depending on the season, the operator may use a different traditional viewpoint at the beginning, but the purpose is the same: get a broad view before reaching the quarry.

Leaving central Arequipa at 9:15 a.m.

The meeting point is the main office at C. Álvarez Thomas 115, on the corner listed by the operator. Your name is checked there before departure, followed by instructions for the outing.

The first vehicle ride is listed as about 20 minutes. The route then reaches a viewpoint in the Andes area, where you have roughly 20 minutes for photos and a short break. This opening stop matters because it prevents the quarry visit from feeling like an isolated industrial excursion. You first see the setting, then the stone.

Bring your camera, but also take a moment to look beyond the obvious volcano shot. The Chilina Valley view is part of the story. It helps explain why the stone, the city, and the surrounding volcanic terrain belong together.

Traffic is the biggest timing concern. The journey to the quarry is expected to take about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how the route is organized and road conditions. A previous August outing lost substantial time in traffic before reaching the quarry. If you have an afternoon flight, a fixed lunch reservation, or another timed activity, leave plenty of space afterward.

Entering the Añashuayco Quarry

Añashuayco is the main stop and receives about an hour on the stated schedule. The quarry is still operating, and stonemasons begin their work early. You can see the broad extraction area, with tall ignimbrite walls shaped by years of removing stone.

The quarry walls are the first thing you notice. They are not smooth cliffs created by natural erosion alone. Their form reflects the practical work of cutting and taking out blocks. That gives the place a raw, physical quality that is quite different from polished colonial courtyards in downtown Arequipa.

Your guide explains the origin of ashlar, how it is produced, and the ways it has been used. The guide is also meant to connect the process to local life, rather than treating the quarry as a simple photo stop. English and Spanish guiding are available.

A useful feature is the chance to meet a stonemason. The worker can explain the daily job and demonstrate how a stone block is cut. You may also be invited to try cutting a piece yourself. Do not expect a full workshop or a long hands-on class. The value is in feeling, even briefly, how much effort goes into shaping a block that can look almost weightless once it becomes part of a church or courtyard.

That contact with the worker is one of the strongest parts of the outing. It turns an abstract explanation into something you can see and feel. The stone is not a decorative idea. It is heavy, dusty, and made useful through skilled labor.

The giant carved church facade

The quarry’s large carving of the Church of the Company of Jesus is the stop’s main visual prize. Local stonemasons created the work, and its scale helps you understand what can be done with ashlar beyond simple rectangular blocks.

The carving also gives you a reason to look closely at the stone. You can compare the rough quarry walls with the detailed work on the church image. That contrast is the point: the same material can begin as a raw volcanic wall and end as highly worked architectural decoration.

This is where the pace matters. One person who took the tour felt the sculptures deserved more time and that the group had to move on too quickly. I would treat the one-hour quarry visit as an approximate schedule, not a promise that you can study every carving at length.

If you enjoy photography, this is likely the place where you will want extra minutes. The pale stone, vertical quarry walls, and carved facade create strong shapes and textures. If you prefer a slow cultural visit, tell your guide early that you would like enough time to examine the main works before leaving.

A short walk inside Culebrillas Canyon

After Añashuayco, the vehicle ride to Quebrada de Culebrillas takes about 30 minutes. The canyon was formed by the passage of water, and the visit includes a walk of roughly 20 minutes inside the narrow gorge.

Culebrillas changes the mood of the tour. Añashuayco is open, worked, and marked by human activity. The canyon is enclosed and quieter, with rock walls close around the path. It is a useful second chapter rather than another version of the quarry.

The route here is short. You are not signing up for a long mountain trek. The schedule allows about 30 minutes for the stop, including photos and the visit itself. That makes it manageable for most people who are comfortable walking for a brief period, but it also means you should not expect a full hiking day.

Wear shoes suited to uneven ground. The supplied details do not specify the trail surface or difficulty, so you should keep your expectations modest and practical. This is a short canyon walk within a half-day tour, not an expedition into remote terrain.

The canyon is also a good place to slow down after the quarry. Look at the marks in the rock and the way the narrow passage has been shaped by water. You get a simple lesson in how natural forces created a setting now used as part of a cultural route.

The return to Arequipa

The return ride is listed as about 45 minutes, ending at Avenida La Marina in Arequipa. The full activity is advertised at 270 minutes, or four and a half hours, with the morning departure beginning at 9:15.

In practice, the schedule may stretch because of traffic. The vehicle rides add up, and the quarry is outside the city. The best way to plan is to regard this as a half-day activity with a flexible finish, rather than a tour that ends precisely at a certain minute.

The final drop-off near Avenida La Marina is useful if you want to continue exploring central Arequipa, but the information provided does not promise a return to the original office. Make sure you know where the vehicle will leave you before the group departs.

What the $13 price really covers

At $13 per person, this is one of the more inexpensive ways to see the Sillar Route from Arequipa. The price includes tourist transport and a professional guide. For a route that combines city pickup, a viewpoint, two out-of-town stops, and a return transfer, that is solid value.

An additional entrance charge of 10 soles is listed separately. The wording does not make clear if this is a single fee covering the sites or a combined amount collected for entry, so confirm the exact arrangement when booking. Carry small cash in soles to avoid a last-minute problem.

The low price also helps explain the tour’s limits. You are paying for shared transport and a compact route, not a private architectural study or a full-day quarry workshop. The experience works best if you want an affordable introduction to the area and are comfortable with a fixed group schedule.

The current rating is 4 out of 5 from nine ratings, which fits the experience fairly well. The strongest praise focuses on the impressive carvings and an enthusiastic guide. The main cautions are traffic, a quick pace at the quarry, and one very serious complaint about poor guide conduct. That last point is not something to ignore. Since individual guide names are not provided, confirm the operator’s current guide arrangements if service quality is especially important to you.

Is the Chivay hot spring included?

The highlights for this experience mention relaxing in the hot springs of Chivay after the trek. But the detailed route begins and ends in Arequipa, visits Añashuayco and Culebrillas, and lasts 270 minutes. Chivay is not included in the timed sequence provided.

That creates an important booking question. Do not assume a hot-spring visit is part of this particular half-day outing. Ask the provider to confirm whether it refers to a separate itinerary, an optional extension, or a promotional description shared with another Colca Canyon program.

If the hot springs are your main reason for booking, get a clear answer before paying. If your priority is the Sillar Route and Culebrillas, the listed route is much easier to understand and offers a focused morning outside Arequipa.

Who should book this outing?

I would recommend it to you if you want three things in one compact trip: a volcano viewpoint, a working ashlar quarry, and a short canyon walk. It suits first-time visitors who want context for Arequipa’s white-stone architecture without spending a full day away from the city.

It is also a good match for budget-conscious visitors. The included transport is important because reaching the quarry independently would require arranging your own ride, and the guide adds useful context at the stoneworks.

You may want another option if you dislike shared schedules or need exact timing. Traffic can delay the route, and the quarry stop may feel quick if you want to study every carving. People looking for a serious hike should also note that the walking portion at Culebrillas is only about 20 minutes.

Families and mixed-age groups may find the route manageable because the main walking sections are short, but the provided information does not give an accessibility rating or detailed trail conditions. Ask the operator if someone in your group has mobility concerns.

Booking details worth knowing

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately, which is useful if your Arequipa schedule is still changing.

Guiding is offered in English and Spanish. The meeting point is at C. Álvarez Thomas 115, with coordinates listed as -16.4003911, -71.53703469999999. Arrive ready for a morning departure and check the exact start time when you select your date, since availability can vary.

The operator is Arequipa Explorer y Actividades Turisticas. Because the information does not identify a particular guide, ask who will lead the group if you care about language, guiding style, or the hands-on stone demonstration.

Should you book the Sillar Route and Culebrillas tour?

Book it if you want an inexpensive, practical introduction to the stonework behind Arequipa’s famous buildings. The working quarry, giant church carving, and short Culebrillas walk provide more substance than a simple viewpoint tour, and the price includes transport and guiding.

Skip it if your schedule cannot absorb traffic delays, if you need a slow art-focused visit, or if the Chivay hot springs are essential. Before booking, confirm the extra 10-sol fee, the exact finish time, and whether the hot springs belong to this route at all. For the right expectations, this is a worthwhile half-day outing with real local craft at its center.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at C. Álvarez Thomas 115 in Arequipa. The meeting point is the main office on the corner, where your name is checked before departure.

What time does the tour start?

The stated departure time is 9:15 a.m. You should check availability for the exact starting time when selecting your date.

How long does the experience last?

The activity lasts 270 minutes, or about four and a half hours. Traffic can make the actual return later than the planned schedule.

What is included in the price?

Tourist transport and a professional guide are included. Guiding is available in English and Spanish.

Is the entrance fee included?

No. An additional entrance charge of 10 soles is listed separately. Confirm with the provider whether this is one combined fee or how it is collected.

Is the Chivay hot spring visit included?

The supplied route does not include a Chivay stop. It begins and ends in Arequipa and lists the Volcanoes and Chilina Valley viewpoint, Añashuayco Quarry, and Quebrada de Culebrillas. Confirm the hot-spring detail before booking.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later to keep your plans flexible.