Colca Canyon Trek 3 Days: Two Nights in the Canyon and the Climb on Rested Legs
$160 Full Day
Overview
2 days
Down on day one, up on day two
1,300 m
The climb out, on the second morning
4 meals
Two breakfasts, a lunch and a dinner
$119
Per person, shared service
The Colca Canyon trek in two days. Down to the river from the condor viewpoint, a night at the oasis, and the climb out before dawn.
Most visitors look at the Colca Canyon from the rim. This trek walks into it. After the condors at the Cruz del Condor, the path leaves the road at Pampa San Miguel. It drops for three and a half hours to the river. It crosses the bridge at San Juan de Chuccho for lunch and climbs to the villages of Cosnirhua and Malata. Then it comes down again to Sangalle, the oasis at the bottom. There are pools fed by springs and cabins among the trees. The next morning the climb starts at half past four. It is 1,300 metres of switchbacks to Cabanaconde, done before the sun reaches the wall. Breakfast in the village, the bus to Chivay, and Arequipa by five.
The climb out is the whole trek in three hours. Be honest with yourself.
The path from Sangalle to Cabanaconde gains 1,300 metres in about three hours. It is loose stone, and dark for the first hour. It is not technical and thousands do it each year. But it is done on the second morning, after a long first day, at over 3,000 metres. Anyone who walks regularly will manage it. Anyone who does not should take the three day version. It splits the descent and gives the legs a night before the climb. Mules can be hired in Sangalle for the ascent, paid in cash on the spot.
Two Days or Three in the Canyon
The same path in both directions. The difference is where you sleep on the first night.
This page
Two days, one night
Day one
Condors, then down to the river, up to the villages, down to the oasis. Seven hours on foot.
Day two
The climb to Cabanaconde from half past four. Bus to Chivay, lunch, Arequipa by five.
Price
119 dollars with four meals and the night.
The kinder pace
The shape
Seven hours down and along on day one. Three hours straight up on day two.
The nights
One, at Sangalle, after a long day.
Price
160 dollars with seven meals and two nights.
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Dress for two seasons in one day
Sangalle is a cluster of lodges at the bottom of the canyon. It has spring fed pools and no road. The cabins have beds, a private bathroom and a candle or a bulb. There is no heating and no phone signal. Dinner is cooked on site. It is the most remote night most of our travellers spend in Peru. It is the one they talk about.
Altitude matters more on this trek than on the bus tours. The walk starts at about 3,300 metres and finishes at Cabanaconde at 3,290. In between it goes down to about 2,200. The pass on the drive in is 4,910. Two nights in Arequipa first, at 2,335, is the least you should do. Three is better if you have come from sea level. Coming from Cusco or Puno, you are already ahead. See our note on arriving at altitude for the reasoning.
Not a walker? The two day Colca tour sees the same condors from the rim and sleeps in a hotel with hot springs. Heading east afterwards? The Arequipa to Puno via Colca tour puts the canyon on the way to Lake Titicaca. The Arequipa city tour is a good afternoon before you leave. Our guide to the Cruz del Condor explains when the condors fly and how close they come. All of our Colca Canyon tours are together on one page.
Tour Highlights
- ✓ Into the Colca Canyon on foot, from the condor viewpoint to the river and back out in two days.
- ✓ The Cruz del Condor before the walk begins, with the birds rising out of the canyon on the first thermals.
- ✓ A night at Sangalle, the oasis at the bottom, with spring fed pools and cabins among the fruit trees.
- ✓ The villages of San Juan de Chuccho, Cosnirhua and Malata, reached only on foot or by mule.
- ✓ The climb to Cabanaconde before dawn, 1,300 metres of switchbacks finished before the sun hits the wall.
- ✓ Four meals, the night, the bus both ways and a guide in English, all in the price.
What to Expect
Seven hours of walking on day one, three on day two. A night at the bottom of the canyon between them.
The bus collects you at three in the morning and reaches Chivay at about seven for breakfast. Then down the valley to the Cruz del Condor and an hour for the birds. Twenty minutes on to Pampa San Miguel, where the path begins. The descent takes three and a half hours. Cactus and thorn at the top, fruit trees at the river.
The bridge at San Juan de Chuccho, lunch in the village, and an hour uphill to Cosnirhua. Then Malata on the flat, and the last drop to Sangalle. Pools, dinner and a cabin.
Half past four on day two, in the dark, the climb to Cabanaconde. Three hours. Breakfast in the village, then the bus to Chivay with a stop for the terraces at Maca. The springs if you want them, then lunch. Arequipa by five.
Tour Itinerary
1
Condors, then down to the oasis
Arequipa to the Cruz del Condor. Pickup between 03:00 and 03:30. Four hours in the dark over the pass at Patapampa to Chivay, where breakfast is included. Then down the valley to the Cruz del Condor. An hour at the viewpoint while the condors climb out of the canyon on the morning air.
The descent to the river. Twenty minutes on to Pampa San Miguel, where the path leaves the road. The descent takes three and a half to four hours. The vegetation changes as you drop, from thorn and cactus to the green of the valley floor. The bridge over the Colca river at San Juan de Chuccho marks the bottom. Lunch in the village.
Villages and the oasis. After lunch an hour uphill to Cosnirhua, then flat walking to Malata, both villages without a road. The last stretch drops to Sangalle, the oasis at the bottom of the canyon. Pools fed by springs, dinner, and a night in a cabin. About three hours of walking in the afternoon.
Departs 03:00 AM
Pass altitude 4,910 m
Descent to the river About 4 hours
Descent height About 1,100 m
On to the oasis About 3 hours
Overnight Cabins at Sangalle
2
The climb out, then home to Arequipa
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Good to know
On the walking
Day one is about seven hours on foot, most of it downhill, with lunch in the middle. Day two is three hours of climbing before breakfast. Times are for an ordinary walker and the guide sets the pace to the slowest. Mules can be hired at Sangalle for the climb. Lunch in Chivay on the way home is your own.
✓
Inclusions
- ✓ Shared tourist bus Arequipa to the canyon and back, with pickup at your hotel
- ✓ A professional trekking guide in English
- ✓ One night at Sangalle in a cabin with a private bathroom
- ✓ Two breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner
- ✓ The visit to the Cruz del Condor on the way in
X
Not Included
- X The Colca tourist ticket, 70 soles for most foreign visitors and 40 for Latin Americans, paid in cash
- X The La Calera hot springs, 15 soles, optional
- X The last lunch in Chivay on day two
- X Drinks, and mules for the climb, hired in Sangalle
- X A single cabin, 16 dollars extra
- X Tips and travel insurance
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About the exclusions
On the price
The price is 119 dollars per person on the shared trek. It covers the bus both ways, the guide and the night at Sangalle with a private bathroom. Two breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner are in. The ticket, the springs, the last lunch and any mule are cash on the day. A single cabin is 16 dollars more.
Departure Information
Available: Daily departures
Group Size: Up to 16 people
Start Time: 3:00 AM
Pickup: Your hotel in central Arequipa
Frequently Asked Questions
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk seven hours downhill on day one and climb 1,300 metres in three hours on day two. Nothing on the path is technical. It is steep, loose in places and done at altitude. Regular walkers manage it. If you are unsure, take the three day version or plan on a mule for the climb.
What is the accommodation like?
Which meals are included?
Do I pay for the tourist ticket?
Can I hire a mule for the climb?
How much altitude is involved?
What should I carry?
Where does my luggage go?
Is the trek shared or private?
Can I go on from Chivay to Puno instead of returning?
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