Hiking in Colca Canyon | Tips, walking route, tours and information

Are you traveling through Peru and are you looking for a nice hike? Then Colca Canyon (Location here) is definitely one to consider! First of all, it is good to know that you can visit Colca Canyon in many ways. There are so many tour operators who offer two, three or four day tours there.

You can also easily visit Colca Canyon yourself. There are also different ways to do that. Below I will only discuss the independent hiking in this beautiful Canyon, because the tour operators will offer different things.

If you do it on your own, I would recommend not doing this all by yourself, but always with at least two people. This is purely for safety because cliffs are steep and the area is remote.

Tour in Peru (backpacking)

Peru; the land of the Incas, mysterious discoveries, colonial cities and the traditionally dressed population. Peru is the country of the impressive Andes mountains, deserts and high-altitude lakes. Are you looking for inspiration or information about Peru or are you already backpacking in the country? Then read the articles below packed with information, travel stories and practical tips…

Travel Route

If, like us, you are going to make the hike yourself, you must of course determine your route in advance. There are plenty of options, because you can, for example, choose to spend one, two or a maximum of five days in Colca Canyon. By the way, you hear the most two and three days. Even if you are going to take the trip through a tour operator.

We opted for a three-day hike that we were going to do ourselves, without a guide. This way you have two nights in the Colca Canyon. The stories are mixed about whether you should book the accommodations in advance. If you have already determined the route, I would recommend booking the accommodations. 

During this three-day hike start on day 1 from the village of Cobanaconde to Lahuar Lodge (see here). On day two we continued our route to Sangalle (location here) and of course we went back to Cobanaconde on day three. This route is very easy to follow via maps.me and involves the following:

Day 1

• Walking distance: 11,85 km
• Highest elevation: 3.314 meters at the start in Cobanaconde
• Ascend: 355 meters
• Descend: 1.370 meters

Day 2

• Walking distance: 9,88 km
• 2.830 meters highest point on the way
• Ascend: 982 meters
• Descend: 708 meters

Day 3

• Walking distance: 4,83 km
• 3.314 highest point back in Cobanaconde
• Ascend: 1.165 meters
• Descend: 20 meters

General tips and information

Preparation

Condition: It is difficult to indicate how fit you should be for a certain hike and what the best preparation is. Unfortunately I have to indicate that you descend and ascend so much, and that this involves many steep parts, that you must have some condition.

Walking sticks: Besides I can walking stalk highly recommend! With walking sticks you have less stress on your knees during both descending and ascending, so it automatically becomes a little less heavy.

Lunch and snacks: In preparation I would provide enough snacks for all days. Depending on the time of departure on the walking days, you may still be on the road during lunch time. This is especially true for days 1 and 2 in my example. So make sure you have lunch for these days. For example, on day 2 we were at the accommodation on time so that we could have lunch there in the restaurant. 

Backpack: As a final tip in the preparation, I would like to say that it is not necessary to prepare your large backpack to bring along! For example, we left our backpacks in our hostel in Arequipa, but you can also leave your backpack at hostels in Cobanaconde.

daypack: We met quite a few other travelers in Colca Canyon who took their big backpacks and got annoyed when they brought our small day packs saws! You really only need your hiking clothes, some clothes for the evening and your swimwear. That fits in a good daypack, along with some snacks and water! 

Also read: Travel information Peru | Everything you need to know in advance

Costs

A visit to Colca Canyon is not free. You must buy a ticket which is valid for a maximum of five days. You can buy these at several places, namely at the viewpoint for the condors and at the start of the hike. You can be checked for this ticket at any time, so don't throw it away!

If you don't have a ticket at the start of the hike, that's no problem either. You can buy the ticket as soon as you are checked. The ticket costs 70 soles per person (€17,50). 

The duration of the hikes

Above I have listed how many kilometers we walked each day, how many meters we descended and ascended and what the highest point of that day was. Of course everyone walks at a different pace, but to give you an idea about the number of hours we have been on the road:

• Day 1: 4 hours and 17 minutes
• Day 2: 5 hours
• Day 3: 3 hours and 37 minutes

These times are including breaks for food and drinks and of course taking pictures. Because we preferred not to walk in the sun for too long, we left early every day. Except for day 1, because then we could simply only start after arriving with the tour bus in Cobanaconde.

Day two we started walking at a little over 7 o'clock and on day three we even left at a little over 5 o'clock. We spoke to several other hikers who had completed the route a lot faster on day three. We nevertheless chose to leave on time, so that we knew for sure that we would catch the 09.30:XNUMX bus in Cobanaconde to Arequipa.

Arrival and departure

Arrival in Cobanaconde

If you want to visit the Colca Canyon yourself, you will first have to decide how long you want to go. This has (in my opinion) influence on the choice of how best to go there. In addition, it also depends on how long you are or want to be in Peru.

The hike to Colca Canyon always starts in Cobanaconde (Location here). The easiest way to get there is via Arequipa, by local bus or by tour.

Via the local bus

You can take a bus from Arequipa (Location here). These currently depart at 11.00am and drop you off directly in Cobanaconde. The only bus company for this route is Andalucia. You have to buy a ticket from them at the bus station. This is currently not possible online.

There are more buses (also at more times) that go to Chivay (Location here) to drive. This is a village about fifteen minutes before Cobanaconde. From Chivay you then have to take a collectivo (local bus) to continue your journey to Cobanaconde. In this way you arrive in Cobanaconde in the early evening and you sleep one night in this village and then you can start your hike the next day. 

Through a Tour Operator

We went to Cobanaconde at night by means of a bus tour of a tour operator. Of course that is also by bus, but not via a bus company. In this way, you will be picked up from your accommodation between 03.00:03.30 AM and 09.00:XNUMX AM and you will be in Cobanaconde around XNUMX:XNUMX AM. Then you can start your hike in Colca Canyon right away!

We did not use a tour in Colca Canyon, which is what the tour operators offer. We only used the transport, the night bus.

Departure

Back to Arequipa

When you have completed your hike in Colca Canyon and you are back in Cobanaconde, you have several options to leave the village. You can return with a tour bus, just as you came, but you must have agreed this in advance with a tour operator.

The disadvantage of this is that you definitely have to have a certain bus. The advantage is that you travel back to Arequipa (because of course you go back to the same place) faster, because you don't have to stop in between.

You can also take the bus company Andalucia back to Arequipa. These buses currently depart every day at 6.30:09.30am, 13.30:25am and 6,25:XNUMXpm. The cost of this Andalucia bus is XNUMX soles (€XNUMX) per person and you can only buy the ticket when you take the bus. 

Onward to Cusco

If you open your atlas, you will see that the Colca Canyon from Arequipa towards Cusco (Location here) is. You can therefore choose to continue to Cusco.

For this route, you must first grab a collectivo to Chivay. From Chivay the 4M Express. However, this only goes a few times a week and only if they know that there will be at least 6 passengers. If you want to take this route, check well in advance whether this bus will go at your desired time.

Closing comments

In addition, it is good to indicate that the 4M bus from Chivay to Cusco costs about €75 per person. We thought this was far too expensive and therefore chose to travel back to Arequipa first and catch a night bus to Cusco that same evening. A lot cheaper and because the 4M does not always drive exactly when you want it, strangely enough also faster.

Tour in Peru (backpacking)

Peru; the land of the Incas, mysterious discoveries, colonial cities and the traditionally dressed population. Peru is the country of the impressive Andes mountains, deserts and high-altitude lakes. Are you looking for inspiration or information about Peru or are you already backpacking in the country? Then read the articles below packed with information, travel stories and practical tips…