Things to do in Arequipa
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Colca Canyon 2-Day Tour: Arequipa to Puno with Condor ViewYou’ll travel from Arequipa to Puno in just two days—soaking in hot springs near Chivay, spotting condors over Colca Canyon at sunrise, and meeting locals in Andean villages along the way. This tour is perfect if you want real experiences—not just photo stops—and an easy transfer straight to Lake Titicaca.
Walking Tour Arequipa: Santa Catalina Monastery with GuideThis 3.5-hour walking tour of Arequipa includes hotel pickup, a professional guide in English or Spanish, and entry to Santa Catalina Monastery—the world's largest monastery at 20,000 square meters with four neighborhoods that replicate the city's colonial layout. The tour passes through the historic center, Plaza de Armas, La Compañía Church, and includes a stop at Mundo Alpaca Arequipa to see alpacas, llamas and textile exhibits. A minimum of two people per booking is required.Is it for me?Book this if you're comfortable walking at 2,325 meters elevation; the steady pace covers colonial streets and the monastery over 3.5 hours with a guide who handles navigation and stops.
Arequipa city tour with private guide and Yanahuara viewA private guided tour of Arequipa's historic center and the viewpoint neighborhood of Yanahuara, with optional airport transfer on the same day. Your guide speaks English or Spanish, drives you between stops, and adjusts the itinerary to your comfort — you set the starting time and can finish early if you need to. The tour covers Plaza de Armas, La Compañía Church, San Camilo Market, and the oldest streets of San Lázaro, plus a stop at Mundo Alpaca to see alpacas and vicuñas and watch traditional fiber techniques.Is it for me?The fixed itinerary is flexible — you set the start time and can skip stops or leave early without penalty, so the tour fits around your flight time or your energy level rather than the other way around.
Walking City Tour Arequipa: Santa Catalina Monastery & MarketA guided walking tour of Arequipa begins at San Camilo Market and moves through the city center to the Plaza de Armas, the Church and Cloister of La Compañía de Jesús, and the Santa Catalina Monastery. The guide provides entry to both the Saint Ignacio Cupola and the monastery itself, and walks with you through each stop over three hours. Suitable for all fitness levels; live guide in English or Spanish.Is it for me?The three-hour walk moves at a steady pace through the city center and involves climbing into colonial buildings and navigating the monastery's courtyards and passages—choose this tour if you're comfortable with sustained walking and want a guide to unlock the history and art at each stop rather than exploring on your own.
Salinas & Aguada Blanca Reserve Day Trip from ArequipaYou’ll spot wild vicuñas and flamingos, walk near a mini-volcano, and soak up mountain air—all with a local guide who knows every twist of this high-altitude reserve.
Arequipa City Tour: White City highlights with guide and pickupA guided city tour of Arequipa covers the historic center, the traditional district of Cayma, the Sillar stone quarries where the white volcanic rock is extracted, and the market and plaza of Yanahuara, with all entry tickets, an English or Spanish-speaking guide, and hotel pickup included. The tour runs four hours and ends at the Monastery of Santa Catalina or the main plaza, depending on your preference.Is it for me?Book this if you're covering Arequipa's historic center and surrounding towns in one morning or afternoon—the guide speaks English or Spanish, and all tickets are included.
Rafting Río Majes from Arequipa: Class III-IV rapidsA full-day rafting trip on the Río Majes near Arequipa takes you through a 20–25km section of high white-water rapids, with a professional guide, all gear provided, and hotel pickup from the city. After 3 hours on the water, you eat lunch featuring the famous Majes River shrimp and visit the Toro Muerto petroglyphs carved into the valley walls. The river put-in is a 3-hour drive from Arequipa's center; children from age 10 are welcome, and no prior rafting experience is required.Is it for me?The rapids demand steady paddling and comfort in moving water, so this trip suits someone with at least moderate fitness who wants to be active on the water rather than watch from a boat. The full day—drive, 3 hours of paddling, lunch, petroglyphs and the return—means an early start and a late finish, which works if you have the time and want the valley experience built in, not just the rapids alone.
2-Day Colca Canyon Tour from Arequipa: Cruz del Cóndor viewpointA 2-day Colca Canyon tour from Arequipa includes hotel pickup, a live guide in English or Spanish, one night accommodation in Chivay, and breakfast on the second morning. Day one runs north through Pampa Cañahuas national reserve and Patapampa viewpoint (4,830 meters) to Chivay; day two departs at 6 AM to reach Cruz del Cóndor for an hour watching condors ride the thermals above the canyon, then returns to Arequipa by mid-afternoon. The tour covers multiple stops in traditional villages and viewpoints; lunch and the optional hot spring entrance fee are arranged separately.Is it for me?The 5 AM start on day two and the high-altitude stops (Patapampa at 4,830 meters) mean this tour suits travelers comfortable with early mornings and mountain elevation. If you prefer a slower pace or lower altitudes, a single-day canyon tour from Arequipa would be easier; this one trades convenience for the full experience of the condor viewpoint and the thermal valleys in between.
Rafting in Arequipa: White water in Chilina ValleyRafting in Arequipa's Chilina Valley is a four-hour white water adventure where you navigate the rapids with a professional guide, private transport and basic snacks included. Children from age 12 are welcome; guides speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. The operator's strength is river tourism with high safety standards and personalized service.Is it for me?Book this if you want to paddle the rapids yourself rather than sit as a passenger—the Chilina Valley is where you make the decisions about line and timing, which is what turns a boat ride into an activity. The four-hour window fits an afternoon free, and the volcanoes on the horizon mean you're not just looking at water.
Arequipa Walking Tour: Colonial Streets & Local CultureA guided walking tour of Arequipa takes you through the city's colonial heart and traditional neighborhoods on foot, with a professional guide in English or Spanish. The route covers the Plaza de Armas and its Cathedral, Andean Baroque religious architecture, a former colonial estate now housing artisan shops, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, and Mundo Alpaca Arequipa—a cultural center dedicated to alpaca textiles and Andean craftsmanship. The tour runs two hours and suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?Pick private if you want to set the pace and linger on details that interest you most; pick shared if you prefer the energy of a group and a lower cost.
Arequipa city and countryside tour: Panoramic bus with guideA four-hour panoramic bus tour of Arequipa with a professional guide covers the Historic Centre, the Plaza de Armas, the Yanahuara viewpoint overlooking the city, and the rural Sachaca district. Transport and guide are included; the route moves by bus with stops at key squares, overlooks and landscape stretches of La Campiña countryside. Minimum age is 18.Is it for me?The bus does most of the moving, so this suits anyone who wants to cover a lot of ground without walking between sites—you see the city layout and countryside in four hours without arranging your own transport or navigating between stops.
Arequipa City Tour with Santa Catalina MonasteryAn afternoon city tour of Arequipa with hotel pickup includes a guided walk through Santa Catalina Monastery, the Plaza de Armas, and viewpoints over the city. The tour runs about four hours, departing around 2pm and returning by 6pm. Your guide speaks English or Spanish and leads you through the monastery's cloisters and original rooms, then through the city's main square and surrounding neighborhoods. Meals are not included.Is it for me?The afternoon schedule means a 2pm start, so you can spend your morning elsewhere in Arequipa before the tour begins. The four-hour loop returns you by early evening, leaving time for dinner in the city.
Private Arequipa City & Santa Catalina Monastery TourA private tour of Arequipa's colonial landmarks and Santa Catalina Monastery with a professional guide in English or Spanish, lasting three to four hours. You choose the start time, and the monastery entrance fee is included—unlike standard group tours. The guide stays with you throughout, answering questions at your own pace.Is it for me?If you speak English or Spanish fluently, a private guide means you set the pace and ask questions without waiting for a group to catch up—the three to four hours stretch or compress based on what holds your attention at each stop.
Arequipa Walking Tour & Juanita Mummy Museum: Colonial CenterA guided walking tour of Arequipa's historic center and the Andean Sanctuaries Museum, where you see Juanita, a 13-year-old Inca girl found frozen on Ampato Volcano in 1995 and kept in a climate-controlled chamber. Hotel pickup is included; the guide speaks English, Spanish and French. The mummy is on display May through December; January to April it enters conservation and Mummy Sarita is shown instead. Cameras and phones are not permitted inside the museum, but lockers store your belongings.Is it for me?This is a shared walking tour with a guide, so you move at the group's pace and follow the planned route through the colonial streets and museum. Choose it if you want the history and context of Arequipa's architecture and the Inca artifacts explained as you walk, rather than navigating the sites on your own or reading placards alone.
Private City Tour Arequipa: Local Guide, Flexible RoutesA private city tour of Arequipa with an experienced driver and personalized routing. You choose the length—anywhere from a single hour to a full two days—and the stops, whether that's the city center, Colca Canyon, or Salinas y Aguada Blanca. Pickup is included, and the driver offers local recommendations based on what interests you most. Air-conditioned vehicle; complimentary water and beverages on request.Is it for me?The driver speaks Spanish and English, so if you're comfortable following conversation in either language, you'll get local insight as you drive. This works best for travelers who want to set their own pace and choose their own stops, rather than follow a fixed group itinerary—you're paying for the vehicle, the driver's knowledge, and the flexibility to change direction if something catches your interest.
Arequipa City Tour and Santa Catalina Monastery with GuideA half-day guided tour of Arequipa picks you up from your hotel and moves through four stops: Carmen Alto viewpoint overlooking the Chili river valley and the Misti and Chachani volcanoes; Yanahuara, a 19th-century district with its own viewpoint; the Company Church, a World Heritage Site begun in 1590; and Santa Catalina Monastery, a 16th-century convent built by ashlar stone. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or French, and monastery admission is included.Is it for me?Book this if you want a guided group tour with fixed stops at Carmen Alto and Yanahuara viewpoints plus the Company of Jesus basilica, rather than piecing together your own Arequipa itinerary.
Arequipa City Tour: Santa Catalina Monastery & Plaza de ArmasThis guided city tour of Arequipa covers the Santa Catalina Monastery, the Plaza de Armas cathedral, and the city's colonial architecture in three hours, with hotel pickup and entrance tickets included. The route moves on foot through the historic center, led by a professional guide in English or Spanish. Suitable for all fitness levels; minimum age 12.Is it for me?The three-hour pace on foot through the historic center works best if you want to move steadily through the main sites without a rushed schedule—the guide has time to explain the architecture and history at each stop, and you're not racing between monuments. If you prefer a slower, more leisurely exploration or a longer deep dive into fewer places, a private guide or a half-day option might suit you better.
Arequipa City Tour: Plaza de Armas & Santa Catalina MonasteryA guided city tour of Arequipa's historic center starting from your accommodation, with a bilingual guide leading stops at the Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, Company of Jesus, Santa Catalina Monastery and the San Francisco complex. The tour runs roughly three hours on foot, departing at 08:00, 09:15, 11:00, 14:00 or 14:30. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included; entrance fees to the sites are not.Is it for me?Choose this small-group tour if you prefer a guided walk through colonial plazas and churches with a bilingual guide leading the route, rather than navigating independently.
Private Arequipa City Tour: Juanita Mummy and Santa CatalinaA private city tour of Arequipa with a professional guide and driver takes you through the White City's major sites in five hours. You visit Santa Catalina Monastery, built in 1579 with white volcanic rock and designed in colonial style; the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries, where the Juanita Mummy is preserved; and the colonial suburbs of Cayma, Sabandia and Yanahuara for views of the city and its volcanoes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, as is lunch at a local Picanteria restaurant. A minimum of two people per booking is required.Is it for me?The five-hour pace keeps the major sites—monastery, mummy museum and colonial views—inside a single morning or afternoon without rushing between them. Your guide handles the route and timing, so you move through Arequipa without managing transport or entry logistics yourself.
Rafting Rio Chili Arequipa: Rapids II–IV, 3 hoursRafting on the Rio Chili in Arequipa is a half-day activity on rapids rated II–IV, starting with a 25-minute transfer from the city center to the launch point. You put on a wetsuit, helmet and life jacket, listen to a safety briefing from the instructor, then paddle through the river as it runs between volcanic walls. The route stays inside the city but feels remote—pure air, adrenaline and views of the Chili Valley and Arequipa's white buildings from the water. Pickup from your hotel is included; departures run at 8am, 11am or 2pm.Is it for me?Book the morning or midday departure if you're staying in central Arequipa without a car—pickup from your hotel means you don't arrange the drive to the river, and you're back in the city by early afternoon with the rest of your day open.
