Arequipa resides in the southern area of Peru surrounded by the Andes mountains. The history dates back to pre-Inca times and is best known for its architecture that blends Spanish colonial, indigenous, and mestizo influences. This was on of our stops on our Peru trip in June of 2022. We went on multiple excursions and stayed in an AirBnb in town.
Colca Canyon Tour
The first excursion we went on was to Colca Canyon. They picked us up from our AirBnB in Arequipa in the morning and we took a tour bus to the canyons. The drive was beautiful once we made it out of the town area. The first area we stopped allowed for watching for Andean condors. The Andean condor is the largest flying bird in the world with a max wingspan of almost 11 feet! We chose to walk to the second location (less than a mile) but some people chose to ride the bus to that location. The second area had large rocks you could climb onto to sit and watch for the condors. This was fun because the large group of people would all point them out and get excited when one came close by. There was also a man dressed up in a condor outfit, feathers and all, that people were taking pictures with.
For the second part of the tour, we took a short bus ride to an area that had some hiking and swimming. There were hot springs, horse rides, and a zipline. We chose to do the zip line through the canyon. We climbed to the top of the hill and enjoyed the amazing views. There was a little shop that sold beverages and snacks. Overall this was a really fun tour. The views were gorgeous and it was good for all levels of ability.
Rafting in Arequipa
Our second excursion while in Arequipa was water rafting. One of the biggest things I liked about this excursion was that it was just the two of us. They picked us up from our AirBnB and brought us to the small shop. At the shop we changed into our swim suits and they provided us with wet suits. We brought dry clothes and dry shoes for afterwards. Then they drove us a little ways away to the river. Our guide was amazing. He obviously had a lot of experience and led us through the water with ease. The water was pretty chilly so I was glad we had the wet suits. Another guy from the company took photos at the beginning and met us along the river to take photos as well. A big pro of this excursion is it is right in Arequipa so it took less than half a day. Overall, we really liked this excursion and would for sure recommend it if you are looking for something a little different!
The Town
The AirBnB (this one) we stayed at was great because it wasn’t too expensive, they held our bags after check out, and there was a rooftop bar where they served breakfast and we got drinks in the evening. We adventured to a couple of different bars and found some live music. Everything was within walking distance including street vendors. One of my favorite parts of Peru is getting food from street vendors because it’s so cheap and always delicious. The only big negative of where we stayed was the massive club across the street. It was very loud late into the night. If you are looking to party, this would be a great spot! Sadly, we planned early excursions and transfers to our next location so we were not looking to party all night long. One thing you cannot miss is getting Queso Helado (cheese ice cream) from the street vendors in the afternoon. It is inexpensive and delicious!
If you are planning a trip to Peru, we would love to chat about our experiences. Below you can find links to similar tours!
Here are our other posts from Peru:
- World Wonder – Machu Picchu Inca Trail 2-Day Excursion
- Adrenaline Excursions Huacachina Oasis – Lima, Peru
- The Full Experience of Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley, Peru
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