From Arequipa: Tour Colca Canyon 2 Days with End in Puno

The clever part of this two-day Colca Canyon trip is its finish in Puno. You see the canyon without backtracking to Arequipa, then continue toward Lake Titicaca, making the $95 fare useful for a longer Peru route. The first day also packs in vicuñas, alpacas, high mountain views, and Chivay’s hot springs.

I like the small group limit of 18 and the private room in Chivay. I also like the practical rhythm: scenic stops on the way up, a relaxed afternoon, an early canyon viewpoint on day two, and a direct onward journey. The main caution is altitude, followed by the uneven English guiding reported by one guest. Most guiding is intended to be bilingual, but the quality of English explanation may vary.

Key points at a glance

• Puno drop-off saves a long backtrack: Finish at Puno’s bus station around 7:30pm instead of returning to Arequipa.
• 4,800-meter Volcanoes Viewpoint: The highest point of the road brings wide views of the western mountain range, but altitude can hit hard.
• Condors at Cruz del Condor: Allow about 45 minutes at the main Colca Canyon lookout.
• Chivay gives you a real overnight stop: Sleep in a private room, eat dinner, and choose an optional folklore show.
• Chacapi hot springs cost extra: The pools range from 35 to 38 C, with entry listed at S/. 15.
• Budget for add-ons: Canyon entry, two lunches, dinner, hot springs, and some optional drinks are not included.

Why the Arequipa to Puno route works so well

Many Colca trips return to Arequipa after the canyon. This one takes you onward to Puno, which is a smart choice if your route already includes Lake Titicaca. You spend the second afternoon and evening on a tourist bus rather than repeating the road to Arequipa.

The total price is $95 per person. That includes hotel pickup in central Arequipa, transportation throughout the trip, tourist stops, a private room in Chivay, breakfast, an English and Spanish guide, and the Chivay to Puno transfer with stops along the way.

You still need to pay for several basics. The Colca Canyon entrance is S/. 70 for people from Europe or the United States, S/. 40 for Latin American visitors, and S/. 20 for Peruvians. Hot springs entry is S/. 15, and the listed buffet lunch costs S/. 40. Dinner with the folklore show is S/. 35. The second-day lunch is also separate.

That makes the real cost higher than the advertised fare, but the package remains good value if you need to reach Puno. A standard canyon outing that returns to Arequipa would not give you that onward transfer.

A high-altitude first morning from Arequipa

Pickup runs from 7:30 to 8:00am at hotels in central Arequipa. If your hotel is remote, you meet at the Cathedral in the main square. The vehicle is brought as close to the hotel as traffic rules allow, and the guide asks for passengers by name.

The first part of the route takes about four hours, including stops, before reaching Chivay. This is not four hours of uninterrupted driving. You get out repeatedly for short visits, which helps break up the road and gives the journey a clear purpose.

Your first major stop is the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve. This high protected area is home to vicuñas, the smaller wild camelids of the Andes. They are one of the best reasons to keep your camera ready from the start. You may also see the broad open terrain of the reserve, though the tour schedule does not promise a specific number of animals or a long walking visit.

At Patahuasi, you can drink coca tea. It is treated locally as a traditional aid for altitude sickness. The tea is not a guarantee against discomfort, so I would still arrive in Arequipa at least a day early, eat lightly, and avoid treating this morning as a good time for heavy exertion.

The road then reaches the Toccra wetlands, called bofedales locally. Alpacas graze freely here, giving you a close look at another important Andean camelid. This is a quick scenic stop rather than a wildlife tour, but it adds variety before the road climbs higher.

The 4,800-meter stop you should take seriously

The Mirador de los Volcanes is the highest point on the route, at about 4,800 meters above sea level. From here, you can see a large section of the western mountain range. The view is a major reward, but the altitude is the practical issue.

You may feel headache, breathlessness, dizziness, or fatigue even if you are generally fit. The tour information specifically recommends arriving at least one day before the excursion to acclimatize. I would follow that advice, keep your first evening in Arequipa easy, drink water, and eat lightly.

After this viewpoint, Chivay is about 40 minutes away. You arrive around 12:30pm for lunch. The timing is sensible because the morning has involved a high climb and several stops, but remember that lunch is not included. A buffet option is listed at S/. 40, or you can choose another meal at your own expense.

Chivay gives the first day a comfortable pause

Chivay is the overnight base and the most relaxed part of the trip. After lunch, you check into a private room and have the afternoon free. The accommodation is described as tourist class, and the feedback gives a fair picture: it may be simple, but one guest found it better than expected, while another found the room cold and gloomy.

That means you should think of the hotel as a clean, functional place to sleep rather than a reason to book the tour. The private room is valuable after a long high-altitude morning, especially if you prefer not to share a dormitory.

The optional visit to Chacapi hot springs is the day’s best comfort break. The pools range from 35 to 38 C, and the warm water is a pleasant counterpoint to the cool mountain air. Entry is S/. 15. Bring whatever you need for a pool visit, as the supplied details do not specify towel service or changing facilities.

Dinner is also on your own. For S/. 35, you can choose dinner with a folklore show featuring local music and dances. One guest described the evening as very fun, while another praised the guide and found the simple accommodation acceptable. The show is a good choice if you want a social, distinctly local evening, but it is not part of the core canyon visit.

Cruz del Condor and the main Colca Canyon view

After breakfast on day two, you drive about 30 minutes to the Mirador de la Cruz del Condor. This is the main observation point for Colca Canyon and the place to watch Andean condors ride the air currents.

The planned stay is about 45 minutes. That gives you time to look over the canyon and wait for condors without turning the morning into a long hike. The tour does not promise a guaranteed sighting, so keep expectations sensible. The attraction is the combination of the canyon viewpoint and the possibility of seeing the birds in flight.

The condor viewing also works well for people who want the canyon but are not looking for a strenuous trek. This is a lookout-based visit, not a multi-hour descent into the canyon. You can focus on the scale of the gorge, the sharp mountain walls, and the agricultural terraces below.

After Cruz del Condor, the route pauses at additional viewpoints. These stops show the valley’s extensive terraces, known as the Andenería del Valle. They are more than scenic steps cut into the slopes. They show how people have used steep mountain terrain for farming over generations.

You also stop in Maca. The town’s church is part of the visit, and you can optionally try a Colca Sour made with local products. This is a short cultural stop, not a full town tour, but it gives the return route a human scale after the grand canyon viewpoint.

The afternoon transfer to Puno

Lunch in Chivay is scheduled around noon and is not included. At 1:00pm, the group begins the return portion of the route toward Arequipa. At about 1:30pm, you change to another vehicle for the journey to Puno.

This transfer is an important detail to understand. You do not return to Arequipa. The second vehicle has a professional guide and makes stops at points of interest and protected natural areas between Colca and Puno. The precise stops can depend on the weather and the group, especially if some viewpoints from the first day were missed.

The long afternoon on the road is the price of the convenient one-way route. You leave Chivay after lunch and arrive at Puno’s only bus station around 7:30pm. The station is about five minutes by taxi from central Puno. You will need to arrange that final taxi yourself.

I see this as a practical transport day rather than another major sightseeing session. The protected areas and scenic stops make it more than a simple bus ride, but you should still expect a long travel period. If you dislike sitting in a vehicle for much of an afternoon, a return-to-Arequipa tour followed by a separate Puno journey may feel easier.

English guiding and the small group setup

The tour offers English and Spanish guiding, with a maximum group size of 18. That is small enough for a more personal feel than a large coach, and it should make hotel pickup and viewpoint visits easier to manage.

English delivery is the point to watch. One verified booking reported difficulty understanding the guide and said most of the guiding was in Spanish. Other feedback praised the guide as informative, kind, or excellent, and one guest specifically thanked a guide named Roy. The safest expectation is bilingual assistance with variable English fluency, not a detailed English lecture at every stop.

If you want to ask questions, do so early and clearly. Confirm the pickup time, lunch plan, and Puno transfer with the guide at the start. The guide’s role is especially useful on a route with several vehicles and optional stops, so good communication will make the day smoother.

What you should budget beyond the $95 fare

The headline cost is attractive, but I would set aside extra soles before departure. Your likely additions include:

• Colca Canyon entry: S/. 70 for Europe and the United States, S/. 40 for Latin America, or S/. 20 for Peru
• Chacapi hot springs: S/. 15
• First-day lunch: the listed buffet option is S/. 40
• Dinner with folklore show: S/. 35
• Second-day lunch
• Optional Colca Sour in Maca
• Taxi from Puno’s bus station to your accommodation

The tour includes breakfast on day two, but not lunch or dinner. You also pay for the canyon entrance separately. Even with those costs, the package offers solid value when you need both the Colca visit and transport to Puno.

The best value comes from combining three needs: canyon sightseeing, an overnight in Chivay, and onward transport. If you only want a quick canyon excursion from Arequipa, you may prefer a shorter outing with fewer transfer hours.

Who should book this two-day Colca trip

I would choose this experience if you are traveling from Arequipa toward Puno and want the canyon to serve as a natural bridge between the two cities. It suits people who prefer organized transport, a private room, scheduled scenic stops, and a first look at Colca without committing to a demanding hike.

It also works well if you want a gentle mix of nature and local culture. You see vicuñas and alpacas, taste coca tea, visit Chivay, have the option of hot springs and folklore, watch for condors, and pass through Maca.

I would think twice if you need polished English commentary at every stop, dislike early starts, or are especially sensitive to altitude. The 4,800-meter viewpoint is serious, and the journey to Puno is long. You should also be comfortable paying for several meals and entry fees separately.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if the one-way finish in Puno is useful to your plans. That final transfer is the strongest reason to choose it, and the private Chivay room, breakfast, hot springs option, camelid stops, and condor viewpoint make the two days feel full without requiring a canyon trek.

Skip it if you want a luxury hotel, a slow schedule, or guaranteed polished English guiding. For most people who want a practical Colca Canyon visit at a moderate price, especially those heading onward to Lake Titicaca, it is a sensible and well-packed choice.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

Pickup is provided from hotels in central Arequipa between 7:30 and 8:00am. If your hotel is remote, the meeting point is at the door of the Cathedral in Arequipa’s main square.

Where do I spend the night?

You spend one night in Chivay in a private room at tourist accommodation. Breakfast is included on the second day.

Is the Colca Canyon entrance included?

No. The entrance fee is separate and is listed as S/. 70 for Europe and the United States, S/. 40 for Latin American visitors, and S/. 20 for Peruvians.

Are the hot springs included?

No. The optional Chacapi hot springs visit costs S/. 15. The pools are listed at temperatures from 35 to 38 C.

Is food included?

Breakfast on the second day is included. Lunch on both days and dinner on the first day are not included. Dinner with a folklore show is listed at S/. 35, and the optional first-day buffet lunch is listed at S/. 40.

Does the tour return to Arequipa?

No. The tour changes vehicles during the second day and continues to Puno. Arrival is planned for about 7:30pm at Puno’s only bus station.

Is the tour available in English?

Yes. The tour offers English and Spanish guiding. English explanations may vary, so ask the guide to repeat or clarify important information if needed.