Colca Canyon Trekking: our complete experience of three days of hiking in Peru

The Colca Canyon is considered by many to be one of the most impressive trekking areas in Peru. The gorge is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and is known for its rugged rocky landscape, green terraces, and traditional Andean villages that have been inhabited for centuries. Many travelers opt for a multi-day Colca Canyon trek, descending into the valley, walking along the river, and climbing back up again. This trek is easy to arrange yourself without a tour. In this comprehensive blog, we share our entire experience, including practical tips on transportation, accommodations, and what to expect along the way.

An overnight stay near Cabanaconde or starting the trek immediately

We chose to spend the night before the start of our trek near Cabanaconde. This allowed us to leave Arequipa in the afternoon and get up at a normal time the next day to spot condors and start our trek. You can also choose to leave Arequipa in the middle of the night or very early in the morning so that you can start your trek on the same day.

Traveling from Arequipa to Colca Canyon: transportation to Chivay and Cabanaconde

For the trip to Cabanaconde, you have two options: the bus or the colectivo.

The bus departs from the central bus terminal. Departure times vary from the middle of the night to early morning. It is definitely advisable to check this before you go to the terminal. The advantage of the bus is that it goes directly to Cabanaconde without any transfers. The disadvantage is that the bus stops regularly along the way, which often makes the journey longer than with the collectivo.

We chose to go by collectivo because we wanted to spend the morning in Arequipa and therefore did not want to leave extremely early. The collectivo departs regularly from here and terminates in Chivay (so it does not go directly to Cabanaconde). If the collectivo is not yet full at the starting point in Arequipa, it will make another stop in Arequipa and wait until it is full. The total journey takes about four hours and costs 20 soles (about €5) per person. The colectivos depart until about 3 p.m., usually every hour.

The journey takes you through a landscape that changes every minute. From the vast plains, you drive towards the mountains, where vicuñas graze among the rocks and volcanic peaks become visible in the distance. Along the way, we even saw a small volcanic eruption.

In Chivay, a collectivo was supposed to be waiting to take us to Cabanaconde, the village that is the starting point for many hikers on their Colca Canyon hike. But upon arrival, we were surprised by the local timetable: all collectivos and buses run until 3:30 p.m. at the latest. As it was already almost 7 p.m., we had to continue by taxi. For 130 soles (about €32.50), the driver took us directly to our hotel, La Granja del Colca, in an hour, which was convenient because the hotel is a twenty-minute walk from the main road. Public transportation does not stop there, so a taxi turned out to be a logical choice after all.

Because the hotel is also a farm, the menu consists mainly of ingredients from its own land. We ate grilled trout and alpaca steak, both very fresh. The owner poured us a Maracuya Sour, a tropical variation on the famous Pisco Sour, with which we ended our first evening overlooking the Colca Canyon.

Day 1 of the Colca Canyon trek: condor spotting (or not...) and descending into the valley

Distance: 7.75 kilometers

Ascent: 113 meters

Descent: 1,040 meters

Highest point: 3,400 meters

Our first morning began with a mission: to spot condors at Cruz del Cóndor, the canyon's most famous viewpoint. It was only a three-minute drive from our hotel. Without a car, we were advised to hitchhike. That sounded more fun than it was: after standing by the roadside for a while, no one decided to give us a lift. Maybe they thought we wanted to go back to Arequipa. Oscar suggested imitating a condor with his arms to show that we wanted to go to the viewpoint, but unfortunately no more cars came by for us to put on that show. So we decided to walk. Fortunately, it was only 30 minutes.

Once we reached the viewpoint, we immediately regretted our decision. Dozens of people, selfie sticks, someone playing (out of tune) on a pan flute, and above all, a lot of noise. There was no chance of quietly spotting condors. And the condors probably felt the same way, because we didn't see a single one. After 1.5 hours of staring, we gave up.

When it turned ten o'clock, we decided to travel on to San Miguel, just before Cabanaconde and the official starting point of our trek. This also proved more difficult than expected. It was Sunday, and on weekends, public transport only runs to San Miguel/Cabanaconde from three o'clock in the afternoon, and almost all the minibuses in the parking lot were returning to Arequipa. In the end, a taxi driver offered a solution and we were able to start our hiking adventure after all.

The route on the first day was 7.75 kilometers long and led us into the canyon via zigzag paths. Although the view was beautiful, we found the long descent mostly monotonous and hard on the knees.

At the bottom of the canyon, we cooled off by the river and enjoyed the silence and shade for a while.

Only in the last stretch uphill did the landscape change completely. The dry slopes gave way to green terraces, cacti, fig trees, avocados, and colorful flowers. It smelled fresh and lively, exactly the kind of environment for which the Colca Canyon is famous.

We spent the night at Colibri Lodge, a small accommodation with a beautiful view over the valley. Our room had a private bathroom and a balcony overlooking the surrounding mountains. Here too, avocados were central to the menu. The only unexpected guest that evening was a baby scorpion in the shower, but fortunately it turned out to be harmless. In the evening, Lomo Saltado was on the menu. A dish that is normally made with beef steak, but here, of course, with alpaca meat.

Day 2: hiking from San Juan de Chuccho to Llahuar

Distance: 13,5 kilometers

Ascent: 495 meters

Descent: 715 meters

Highest point: 2,830 meters

The second day of the Colca Canyon trek was characterized by a longer route through hilly terrain. We departed around eight o'clock. The 13.5-kilometer route took us past small waterfalls, green valleys, and several suspension bridges that swayed above the river.

The first climb of the day was tough, but thanks to our previous treks at higher altitudes, we noticed that we had become stronger. Once we reached the top, the landscape changed again. Most of this section ran along the highway, which was less spectacular than the trails closer to the valley. The descent towards Llahuar made up for this, as the green nature returned here.

Llahuar is known for its thermal baths, which are located right next to the river. The village consists of two accommodations (Llahuar Lodge & Casa Virginia). We stayed at Casa Virginia, a simple accommodation with a beautiful spacious garden. The owners of the two accommodations have apparently been arguing with each other for some time, something we discovered when we asked for access to the hot springs of the “competitor” Llahuar Lodge. Although tourists are normally allowed to use the facilities for a fee, we were initially denied access because we were staying at the competitor's lodge. Only after some insistence were we allowed to enter, albeit at a higher price than usual. Despite this, it was wonderful to relax in the warm water, alternating with a refreshing dip in the river.

Day 3: the final climb to Cabanaconde, or not

The third day of the Colca Canyon trek is known for its challenging final climb of about 1,400 meters up to Cabanaconde. To catch the last colectivo or bus to Chivay on time, we would have had to leave between four and five in the morning. After two days of hiking, we realized that the climbing and descending routes were less beautiful than the valley itself, and that we would not enjoy starting a long zigzag climb in the dark. Moreover, the next day we had planned to climb the 6075-meter Chachani volcano, for which we wanted to save our legs.

When our hotel manager told us that he would be driving to Chivay at five o'clock to do some shopping and offered us the option of riding with him for 100 soles (about €25), the decision was quickly made. Sometimes it is better not to finish a trek and to choose what feels right.

After about a 2.5-hour drive, we arrived in Chivay, where we could enjoy a leisurely breakfast. From Chivay, we traveled back to Arequipa by collectivo. These depart from the bus terminal as soon as they are full, with the last one leaving around 3:00 p.m. We were back in Arequipa around noon.

Conclusion: is a three-day Colca Canyon trek in Peru worth it?

The Colca Canyon is a unique hiking destination in Peru, and we were particularly impressed by the green valley, the traditional landscapes, and the tranquility by the river. The accommodations along the route add to the charm of the trek. We found the paths up and down less impressive, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the trek was a special experience.

If you want to discover the Colca Canyon, we recommend walking the route in reverse. You then start with the long descent on day one from Cabanaconde to Llahuar. On day two, you walk from Llahuar to San Juan. On the last day, you make a slightly less strenuous climb back to Cabanaconde via San Miguel.

Finally, it is a good idea to take the local transport timetables into account. Start early in the day on both the outward and return journeys so that you arrive at your destination on time. It also gets hot quickly in the canyon, so always make sure you have enough water.