Overview
The Colca Canyon Trek from Arequipa is the walking version of the valley route: same departure city, same return, but the middle of the trip happens on foot rather than from a bus window. Pick-up in Arequipa is between 03:00 and 03:30, since the descent has to start before the midday heat.
The drive north crosses the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve and tops out at Patapampa, 4,910 m, where vicuñas and a row of volcanoes fill the horizon. After a breakfast stop in Chivay at 3,635 m, the road continues 50 km west past Yanque, Maca and Pinchollo.
Cruz del Cóndor is the last stop before the trail. Andean condors with wingspans up to 3.2 m circle the rim on the morning thermals, usually between 8:00 and 10:00.
The trailhead is at Cabanaconde, 3,287 m, about 15 km further on. From the village the path drops roughly 1,200 m in 5 km of switchbacks to the Colca river at San Juan de Chuccho. The descent takes three to four hours and is harder on the knees than on the lungs.
The route then traverses the canyon's south side through the hamlets of Coshñirhua, Malata and Cosñirhua, small farming settlements linked by irrigation channels and prickly pear terraces. Mules still carry most supplies along these paths.
Sangalle, the oasis, sits at 2,100 m on the canyon floor. Palm trees and spring-fed pools cluster along the river, and the bungalows here are basic: cold showers, no wifi, electricity for a few hours after dark.
The climb out is the demanding part. The ascent back to Cabanaconde covers 1,100 m of elevation gain in about 4 km and starts around 05:00, taking two and a half to four hours. Mules can be hired the night before for anyone who prefers to ride.
After breakfast in Cabanaconde, the return follows the valley road back through Chivay and over Patapampa. The Colca Canyon Trek from Arequipa finishes where it began, with arrival in the city in the late afternoon, usually around 17:00 or 18:00.