Honest Colca Canyon One Day Tour Review (+ Map) – Is it Worth it?

If you’re planning to visit Colca Canyon, you’ve probably asked yourself: Should I book a Colca Canyon one day tour or stay longer? This post is for travellers just like you – short on time, but eager to experience a great Colca Canyon tour from Arequipa without the need for a multi-day trek.

After visiting Colca Canyon, we’re sharing our honest experience – our itinerary, what’s included, the highlights (soaring condors!), and what could be improved.

Whether you’re a backpacker on a budget, short on time, or simply someone who doesn’t fancy hiking at almost 5,000 meters (17,000 feet) altitude, this review will help you decide if this Colca Canyon full day tour fits your travel style.

So grab a coca tea, get cosy, and let’s dive into what it’s really like to explore the Colca Canyon, Peru, in just one unforgettable day.

• Honest Colca Canyon 1 Day Tour Review
  • Itinerary of the Colca Canyon Full Day Tour
  • Day Trip to Colca Canyon from Arequipa – Our Honest Opinion
  • What Other Travellers Say About the Arequipa to Colca Canyon Tour
  • What Does the Colca Canyon Day Tour Tour Include?
  • Conclusion: Is the Colca Canyon 1 Day Tour Worth it?
  • Where We Stayed in Arequipa

Honest Colca Canyon 1 Day Tour Review

There are many tours to Colca Canyon from Arequipa, and we opted for a full day tour.

You can book this tour both on Viator and GetYourGuide. Feel free to compare both for the best offer.

Itinerary of the Colca Canyon Full Day Tour

This is the itinerary of the day trip to Colca Canyon from Arequipa we went on:

Colca Canyon Map

1. Sunrise at Mirador de los Andes

We were picked up at what felt like the middle of the night (around 3 a.m. to be precise). To be fair, the pickup and communication were super smooth, so we didn’t mind that much.

On the bus, we were handed blankets, cosied up, and fell back asleep.

We arrived at our first stop, Mirador de los Andes, just in time for a spectacular sunrise.

The Mirador de los Andes sits at an altitude of 4910 m (over 16000 ft) and overlooks seven volcanoes, including Misti.

It might be cold, but when the weather is clear, the views are truly spectacular.

2. Breakfast in Chivay

Our next stop was breakfast in Chivay. We had bread, butter, jam, coca tea for the altitude and a hot quinoa drink, which we found quite yummy.

3. Exploring Maca

Our first longer stop was in Maca, where we had free time to explore the centre and the church.

The town is surprisingly touristy with llama photo ops, girls performing a traditional dance, and quite a few souvenir stalls. Still, we enjoyed it.

4. Mirador de Wayrac Punku

We got our first actual glimpse of the Colca Canyon at the Mirador de Wayrac Punku. Here, we saw pre-Incan terraces that are still used to grow Andean produce like corn, quinoa, and quiwicha.

We also could try Colca Sour, the local twist on Pisco sour featuring the sancayo fruit.

5. Cross of the Condor

This stop was our highlight of the day. We stopped at the Cross of the Condor for about an hour, which was enough time to leave the busy main viewing platform behind and look for a quieter spot.

Condors use thermodynamics to climb up the canyon every day, and our guide timed our visit perfectly for us to spot plenty of the enormous birds up close.

6. Yanque Hot Springs

Next up was our only optional stop of the day, the Yanque Hot Springs. We stopped at Baños Termales de Chacapi where we had the option to:

• Soak in the hot springs.
• Go kayaking.
• Go zip lining.
• Just wait (there are seating options that are comfortable enough).

We had around an hour here, and we think that this is enough time. Like almost everybody in our group, we decided to visit the hot springs. To be honest, the water could have been a tad warmer, but it was still a pleasant place to relax for a while.

7. Buffet Lunch

By the time we reached our lunch spot, we were quite hungry. We enjoyed the food very much – especially considering that it was a buffet lunch, which was included in a super budget-friendly tour.

We particularly liked that there were loads of fresh vegetables and traditional Andean food options.

8. Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve

Our stop at the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve was only a quick photo stop, but we wouldn’t want to have skipped it for the world. We saw dozens of wild llamas and vicuñas up close – it was quite spectacular.

9. Quick stop at Patahuasi

Our last stop at Patahuasi was only advertised as the last toilet break before Arequipa, but don’t let yourself be fooled. Use your time to walk around a bit and find cool rock formations, nice photo spots, and maybe more llamas.

Day Trip to Colca Canyon from Arequipa – Our Honest Opinion

We went on this full-day Colca Canyon tour knowing it would be a long day – and it absolutely was. But it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences we had in southern Peru.

Communication before and during the tour was excellent. Pickup was punctual, and we always knew what was happening next. Our guide spoke both Spanish and English fluently and was not only informative but also genuinely warm and attentive. She happily answered all our questions, made sure everyone was doing okay with the altitude, and even offered to take photos for us.

The van was comfortable, and the driver was skillful, which made all the difference given that we spent quite a few hours on the road. We appreciated that there were regular stops for sightseeing and photos – it never felt like we were stuck in transit for too long.

As people who don’t particularly enjoy hiking (yes, we know that we are bad Germans), this tour was absolutely perfect. You still get to enjoy all the stunning landscapes and learn about the Colca Valley’s culture and nature – without the physical challenge of hiking in and out of one of the world’s deepest canyons.

The food exceeded our expectations, especially considering the tour’s very reasonable price. Breakfast was simple but tasty, and the buffet lunch offered plenty of variety, including fresh vegetables and traditional Andean dishes.

All in all, if you’re short on time or simply want to experience the canyon without hiking, we can wholeheartedly recommend this tour.

What Other Travellers Say About the Arequipa to Colca Canyon Tour

⭐ Rating: 4.6 / 5 (823 reviews, GetYourGuide) and 4.6 / 5.0 (420 reviews, Viator)

A great (albeit very long!) day in the Colca Canyon. We saw 9 condors at the amazing viewpoint, had a great guide, transportation was comfy and the food was really good. Would highly recommend for anyone with time constraints when in Arequipa but still wanting to experience this amazing part of the world!

What Does the Colca Canyon Day Tour Tour Include?

The tour we did includes:

• Transportation
• Guide
• Breakfast (bread, scrambled eggs, jam, butter, tea, coffee, juice)
• Buffet lunch with traditional Andean dishes

The tour does not include:

• National park entrance fee (70 soles per person)
• Hot springs entrance fee (15 soles per person, optional)

Conclusion: Is the Colca Canyon 1 Day Tour Worth it?

Yes, it is a long day with a lot of stops, and you’ll – literally – only scratch the surface of one of the deepest canyons in the world. But the Colca Canyon one day tour is absolutely worth it – especially if you’re short on time or you can’t / don’t want to hike.

If you have more time and don’t mind a bit of a physical challenge (Colca Canyon sits at a very high altitude which makes hiking into the canyon hard and hiking out of it even harder), consider a 2-day trek, which either ends in Arequipa or Puno.

Where We Stayed in Arequipa

We stayed at Park Hostel, which was a budget-friendly and central accommodation. The views from the rooftop, where you can relax and the free breakfast is served, are amazing. You can also use the shared kitchen and enjoy your own meals on the terrace.

We could store our luggage for free both before and after the night bus.

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