Arequipa & Colca Canyon

Let our expert travel consultants organise a luxury tailor-made holiday to Arequipa & the Colca Canyon in Peru. It may not have the global appeal of Cusco or Machu Picchu, but Arequipa more than deserves its spot on the extraordinary showreel of Peru.

For the visitor, there are four particular points of interest in this region of Peru, located in the Southwest of the country. The first is the gorgeous Arequipa city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its lovely colonial buildings and colossal cathedral, which when set against the city’s dramatic volcanic backdrop creates a seriously Instagramable scene.

Three mighty volcanoes, including the towering El Misti, fringe the city and the area is popular for all kinds of adventure sports from volcano trekking and climbing to whitewater rafting. It takes around eight hours to hike to the summit of El Misti and the views are magnificent. We recommend a soak in the famous hot springs afterwards.

Back in the city, be sure to make time to sample the city’s emerging gastro scene, which has powered an unlikely global renaissance for Peruvian cuisine, from New York to London, before heading out to see the magnificent Colca Canyon. This epic gorge – twice as deep as the Grand Canyon – is just two hours or so from Arequipa and remains a standout natural attraction even by Peru’s standards.