Trekking 1 Day
Cabanaconde-Oasis: 2 ½ - 3 hours downhill
Oasis-Cabanaconde 3 – 3 ½ hours uphill
Trekking 2 days: Cabanaconde-San Juan-Oasis-Cabanaconde
Day 1: Cabanaconde - San Juan de Chuccho – Oasis: 4 hours downhill to San Juan de Chuccho (lunch) and 2 more hours to the Oasis (mix of uphill, downhill and flat). Dinner and the night in the Oasis.
Day 2: Oasis – Cabanaconde: 3 hours trekking uphill.
Trekking 3 days: Cabanaconde-San Juan-Tapay-Oasis-Cabanaconde
Day 1: Cabanaconde - San Juan de Chuccho – Tapay: 4 hours downhill and 2 hours uphill. Dinner and the night in Tapay.
Day 2: Tapay – Coshnirhua – Malata - Oasis 3-4 hours downhill. Dinner and the night in the Oasis.
Day 3: Oasis - Cabanaconde: 3 hours trekking uphill.
The time taken for these treks can vary depending on fitness and experience. Some people will take either more or less time between destinations.
- If you are convinced that you have the experience and knowledge to do the non-traditional treks in the canyon without a guide, that’s your decision. However, you take full responsibility for any problems that might arise. The only thing we can do is give you all the information you request. We recommend contracting a local guide to do non-traditional routes (see non-traditional routes recommended to do with a guide). We can put you in touch with local guides, but please make a request at least a day beforehand.
- You can also rent mules, horses and muleteers through our hotel – please make a request at least a day beforehand.
- When you go trekking in the Colca Canyon we can store your large backpack in our hotel (please don’t leave very valuable items). This is a free and secure service.
- If you sleep in the canyon and trek back up to Cabanaconde very early and you need to catch your bus to Arequipa and would like to have a shower before travelling, you can do so in our hotel (there is a charge).
- If you don’t like seeing a lot of other tourists, we recommend that instead of going to the Cruz del Condor you go the natural lookout point of Achachihua. This is located just 15 minutes walk from our hotel. In this natural spot you can also see condors and there are spectacular views of the canyon, including the Oasis, pre-Incan terraces, and, in the distance, the Huraruo waterfall. We have binoculars which we will happily lend you so you can enjoy the views form Achachihua.
- If you just want to stay in Cabanaconde and not trek into the canyon there are also plenty of other things to do, including visiting the fields around Cabanaconde to get to know local people and their work. We can give you advice and help you plan your trip from our office in Arequipa.
Organized treks with a guide in the Colca Canyon
Important: when you go trekking with us, if there is an accident we will assist you and help you to get in contact with the nearest hospital or medical service. However, the cost of the tour doesn’t include any insurance. You must have appropriate travel and accident insurance.
We offer a range of options – unusual routes, individualized treks – just let us know how many hours you want to walk. Options include:
- Trek to the Mucurca lagoon
- Non-traditional canyon trekking routes including hot springs and waterfalls
- Combined trekking and biking
- Combined trekking and horse riding
- Horse riding only
- Trek of 5-7 days crossing the Andes to reach Andagua, the Valley of the Volcanoes (maximum altitude 5,200 metres)
- Trek from Tapay to Madrigal (maximum altitude 5,200 metres)
- Trek to the deepest part of the canyon
- Trekking and horse riding from 2,000 to 4,600 metres of altitude
- Round trip from Cabanaconde to the deepest part of the canyon to the Mucurca lagoon and back to Cabanaconde
EASY TREKS AROUND CABANACONDE
If you just want to stay in Cabanaconde and don’t want to trek into the canyon (or want to stay more time and do something different) there are a number of easy treks and other activities in and around Cabanaconde. These include the following.
Visit the Cruz del Condor and walk back to Cabanaconde
Take an early bus fom the main plaza of Cabanaconde to the Cruz del Condor (15-20 minutes). After seeing the condors, return to Cabanaconde by the highway. After walking 30-40 minutes you will see to your right the lookout point of Tapay. Continue walking for 20 minutes more. You will see the village of Cabanaconde to your right. You will pass a small water reservoir. After 3-5 minutes more you will see a small pathway with stone walls on both sides (it’s like a street). Follow this pathway and you will arrive to the San Miguel pampa, where there are superb views of the canyon. From there head back to the main highway and continue to the main plaza of Cabanaconde.
Duration of the trek: approximately 3 hours. Most of the way is downhill, from 3,700 metres to 3,300 metres.
Take a walk through the countryside of Cabanaconde with its pre-Incan terraces
This circuit is on the other side of the Colca Canyon, winding along pre-Incan trails through pre-Incan terraces. You will see local people carrying out their daily activities. You can follow these trails for 1-3 hours. Ask in our hotel and we will give you directions.
Walk to the ruins of Kallimarca
This archeological site is located to the southeast of Cabanaconde, on top of a hill. The trek begins from Cabanaconde, at 3,300 metres. The first part is flat, then there is a climb to the top of the hill at 3,600 metres: a total of 1-2 hours walk.
At the summit there are ruins including a group of houses, streets, and a ceremonial plaza of Incan origin.
Note that the current village of Cabanaconde was designed and constructed by the Spanish. Before the Spanish arrived to the Colca, the Cabana culture lived in the place currently known as Kallimarca.
From the summit there are unbeatable views of the valley where Cabanaconde is located, the Andes mountain range and its volcanoes.
We then head back to Cabanaconde. Luego volvemos a Cabanaconde.
Duration of the tour: approximately ½ day.
Walk to Puquio (village water source)
Walk to the Achachihua lookout point and along the rim of the Colca Canyon
This is the easiest walk of all: it follows the southwest rim of the Colca Canyon and passes by several natural lookout points.
The walk is mostly flat with a few light uphill and downhill stretches, and it takes about 30 minutes. However you can spend up to two hours enjoying the views and surroundings. No guide is necessary: just ask for directions in La Casa de Santiago.
Rent a 4WD and head to the Mucurca Lagoon
This provides an excellent opportunity to observe Andean wildlife. The Mucurca lagoon is located at 4,600 metres above sea level. You can see vegetation such as the famous yareta (azórela compacta), ichu (Andean straw grass) and animals including llamas and alpacas, alongside the beautiful lagoon that lies in the shadow of the Ampato volcano where the ‘mummy Juanita’ was discovered in 1995. This is a wild and untouched place seldom visited by tourists.
Duration of the tour: approximately 7-8 hours.
Countryside visits (experiential tourism)
Our clients consider this tour to be one of the most interesting.
It involves visiting the countryside around Cabanaconde with a local guide (6-8 hours) to get to know local people and their work in the fields.
The experience begins when you are picked up from your hotel by the local guide after breakfast. You will visit the fields around Cabanaconde and accompany the local people in their daily activities. The local people and guide can also tell you an amazing range of things about local customs, history and other details such as the properties of medicinal plants. Depending on the season you can observe and participate in the following activities:
January-April: harvesting of green maize (choclo)
May: main maize (corn) harvest
June-July: irrigation, natural fertilization and preparation of the soil for planting
August-September: the main planting season, with many ceremonies and festivities
October-December: various activities to help the new maize plants grow
This is one of the best ways to discover and understand daily life in Peru.
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