The 7 Best City Tours in Arequipa

1.Arequipa Walking Tour city center and drinks experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 2 hours 37 minutes (approx.) · from $10Our pick

Walk central Arequipa with guides such as Paolo, Jorge, or Johan Paolo, beginning with alpaca textiles and continuing through volcanic-stone churches, colonial streets, Fundo El Fierro, and the Plaza de Armas. You’ll also sample Peruvian chocolate and tea, then finish with rooftop views of the city and volcanoes. The tour lasts about 2 hours 37 minutes and costs $10.

“No one showed up at the meeting point. Calls went straight to voicemail. Really disappointing - zero communication, if we had been told before we could have joined a different tour.”

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2.Arequipa, Historic and Colonial City and Santa Catalina Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $61

Start with hotel pickup and ride to Carmen Alto and Yanahuara for volcano views and sillar architecture. Then walk through Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa’s Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, and the Church of the Society of Jesus. English, Spanish, and multilingual guides may be available. Admission to the monastery is included.

“Tour comprehensive, guide very knowledgable. I booked English tour but all were Spanish speakers. Guide's descriptions very long so found myself waiting many minutes for information. Suggestion:- break each description into smaller sections? Had Eng guide in St Catalina but felt obliged to give tip”

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3.City and Country Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 27 reviews · from $23

Explore Arequipa by panoramic bus with a bilingual guide, visiting the Plaza de Armas, Yanahuara, Carmen Alto, Sachaca, Tingo, the Mansion del Fundador, Sabandia Mill, and Paucarpata terraces. You’ll see Misti and Chachani, learn about Quechua culture and South American camelids, and return to the city center after four hours.

“This was a great way to get an overview of the City of Arequipa, some of the surround suburbs and countryside.”

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4.AREQUIPA BIKING CITY TOUR

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 3 hours · from $39

Join guide Julio for a three-hour, small-group bike tour from central Arequipa through Chilina Valley, San Lázaro, Selva Alegre, Chilina Bridge, and Yanahuara. You get modern bicycles, helmet, gloves, water, cultural explanations, and photo stops with views of Misti and Chachani.

“Fantastic tour with very good information from the tour guide. We saw a beautiful view at the two volcanos Chachani and Misti. We vent to the neighbourhoods of Arequipa. It’s a very different thing to see Arequipa on a bike. The tour guide tells you many things, about the Incas ond the Spanish people who lived in Arequipa in the old days. Also interesting things about the buildings in the city. All and all a fantastic trip. 😃🚴🏼‍♂️”

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5.Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 4 hours · from $79

Spend four hours tasting Arequipa’s signature foods, learning to grind ocopa with a traditional batán, and walking from San Camilo Market through the historic center to Yanahuara. An English-speaking guide leads a small group of up to 10, with all food and drinks included.

“The guide was really good. Was a small group, only 2 people so could ask any questions and felt like a personal experience. Walked between restaurants so got to see a few different places in the city and try a few traditional dishes.”

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6.City Tour and Santa Catalina Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $70

See Arequipa from Carmen Alto and Yanahuara, visit the Basilica of the Company of Jesus, walk the main square, and spend time inside Santa Catalina Monastery. Hotel pickup in the Historic Center, admission, and a live guide in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese are included. Guides such as Mariela add useful restaurant tips and keep the pace relaxed.

“mariela, the guide, was super kind and gave a very informative and fun tour. she also had nice restaurant and bar recommendations. the tour is great because it covers both the city center and a couple cool viewpoints, as well as the st catalina monastery with detailed explanation.”

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7.The White City Origins – Sillar Route Half Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 4 hours · from $23

Visit Añashuayco and Culebrillas quarries outside Arequipa with an English or Spanish guide. See sillar extraction, meet artisans, walk past the Pink Sillar, and view Wari petroglyphs. Guides such as Andreas and Fiorella have added local and cultural detail for past groups.

“Tour molto completo e soddisfacente. La nostra guida, Andreas, è stata veramente disponibile e precisa. Andreas è una persona appassionata e riesce a trasmettere tutta la sua passione. Ti dà informazioni complete non solo sulla Ruta de Sillar ma anche sulla cultura peruviana, su Arequipa, la sua gente e i suoi distretti. Iper consigliato!”

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