Colca Canyon 2-Day Tour: Cruz del Condor & Puno Transfer

Colca Canyon in two days: hot springs, condor flights, and the descent to Puno

A 2-day tour from Arequipa that crosses the high Andes to Colca Canyon, includes a night in Chivay, and ends in Puno. Day one takes you through reserves where vicuñas and alpacas graze, stops at the Patapampa viewpoint at 4,910 meters, and finishes at thermal springs in Yanque. Day two heads to Cruz del Condor to watch Andean condors in flight, then a 6-hour bus ride carries you across volcanic highlands to Puno.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arequipa to Chivay exploration

• Pick up from Arequipa hotels
• Drive past Chachani volcano slopes
• Visit Salinas and Aguada Blanca reserve
• Stop in Patahuasi for hot drinks
• Visit Tocrapampa wetlands
• Stop at Patapampa volcano lookout
• Descend to Chivay for lunch
• Visit Chacapi Hot Springs in Yanque
• Return to Chivay for hotel accommodation
• Optional dinner with traditional dances

Day 2: Chivay to Puno via Condor Cross

• Breakfast and depart to Condor Cross viewpoint
• Visit Yanque church and square
• Arrive at Condor Cross viewpoint to see condors
• Stop at Wayrapunku, Antahuilque, and Choquetico viewpoints
• Visit Maca town and colonial church
• Return to Chivay for lunch
• Bus journey from Chivay to Puno
• Stop at Cordillera Volcánica viewpoint
• Optional stop in Patahuasi for snacks
• Stop at Lagunillas for bird and camelid viewing
• Arrive in Puno and drop off at accommodation

The experience

Colca Canyon sits at the end of a long climb through the high Andes, and this tour builds the ascent into the first day so your body adjusts. You start in Arequipa city center and ride south through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca reserve, where South American camelids (vicuñas, llamas, alpacas) move across the slopes. A stop in Patahuasi offers hot drinks like muña and chachacoma to ease altitude sickness before the road climbs to Patapampa, a viewpoint at 4,910 meters where volcanic peaks fill the horizon in every direction. The descent into Chivay brings pre-Inca agricultural terraces into view, layered across the canyon walls in patterns that have held for centuries.

After lunch in Chivay (your choice of buffet, à la carte or menu), the tour moves to the Chacapi Hot Springs in Yanque, where thermal pools heated above 35°C sit open to the sky. You can soak, walk the trails, or simply sit on the edge and watch the canyon. The night is spent in a 2-star hotel in Chivay. Dinner is optional at a local restaurant where traditional dances sometimes play. Day two starts early toward Cruz del Condor, one of the deepest viewpoints into Colca Canyon at 4,160 meters. The giant Andean condors, birds with wingspans over nine feet, ride the thermals here, and the viewpoint is positioned so you watch them rise and turn against the canyon walls. The return route stops at smaller viewpoints: Wayrapunku, Antahuilque and Choquetico, each one a chance to photograph the landscape or spot more birds and camelids. Maca, a colonial village, offers a taste of Colca Sour before you return to Chivay for lunch.

The final leg is a 6-hour bus ride from Chivay to Puno, with stops at the Cordillera Volcánica viewpoint and Lagunillas, where the high Andean birds and camelids appear again. The bus has a bathroom on board. You arrive in Puno around 7:30 pm. If your hotel is in the city center, the driver can drop you there.

What’s included

• Hotel accommodation in Chivay.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the canyon section.
• small-group tour with an accredited guide in English and Spanish.
• bus with bathroom from Chivay to Puno.
• pickup from your hotel in Arequipa city center.

Before you book

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 07:30 and 08:00, from US$ 138 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 08:00

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 98 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by NATIVA TRIPS

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see condors at Cruz del Condor and the canyon's high-altitude sites as part of a set itinerary with other travelers, rather than designing your own route.

Traveler reviews

4.54★★★★★★★★★★

28 verified traveler reviews

5 ★21

4 ★4

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What animals will I see on this 2-day tour?

Vicuñas, llamas and alpacas graze in the Salinas and Aguada Blanca reserve on day one. Giant Andean condors fly at Cruz del Condor on day two, and high Andean birds and camelids appear again during the bus ride to Puno.

How high does the tour go?

The highest point is Patapampa at 4,910 meters, where you stop to see volcanic peaks. Cruz del Condor sits at 4,160 meters, the depth of Colca Canyon itself.

What happens at the hot springs in Yanque?

Chacapi Hot Springs are thermal pools with water above 35°C. You can soak in them, walk the canyon trails, or simply rest and take in the views. Other activities like horseback riding, quad biking and zipline are available but cost extra.

How long is the bus ride from Chivay to Puno?

The journey takes 6 hours, with stops at the Cordillera Volcánica viewpoint and Lagunillas. The bus has a bathroom on board.

Where do I sleep on this tour?

You stay one night in Chivay at Anita's House, a 2-star hotel. Dinner is optional at a local restaurant.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes the 2-star hotel in Chivay, an air-conditioned vehicle for the canyon section, a small group, an accredited guide in English or Spanish, and the bus with bathroom from Chivay to Puno. Meals in Chivay (two lunches and one dinner) are not included. The buffet costs 10 USD and dinner 8 USD. A foreign income tax of 70 USD applies (40 USD for Latin American nationals, 20 USD for Peruvian residents).