2 Day Colca Canyon Trek from Arequipa: Condor Cross & Sangalle

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/21

Duration2d

GroupUp to 11

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Walk into Colca Canyon and camp where the walls frame the sky

A two-day trek from Arequipa that descends into Colca Canyon with an English or Spanish-speaking guide, meals, and transport back to the city. You walk from the Condor Cross viewpoint down to the Sangalle oasis, spending a night in the canyon before the return climb. The itinerary combines the cultural stops around Chivay with the physical trek itself, so a single departure covers both the region and the interior landscape.

The Experience

The trek starts with a one-way transfer from Arequipa to the trailhead near Cabanaconde, passing through Chivay and the Condor Cross overlook where the canyon opens below. From there you walk down into the canyon itself—a descent that takes the morning and early afternoon—to reach the Sangalle oasis, a cluster of small lodges where water and vegetation exist inside the rock walls. Dinner and a night's rest happen there before the climb back out the next day, with lunch provided on the return and transport arranged back to Arequipa once you reach the rim.

The guide speaks English or Spanish and stays with the group throughout, handling the route and the logistics so you focus on the walking. Meals—lunch on day one, dinner and breakfast, then lunch on day two—are included, which matters because the canyon floor has limited options and the climb out demands fuel. The two-day format means you see the Condor Cross and the high-altitude views, then spend a night deep enough in the canyon to feel the scale of it, rather than turning around the same day.

This trek is built for people who walk regularly and have done some elevation gain before. The descent is steep and the return climb is the harder half, so cardiovascular fitness and strong legs matter more than technical skill. Bring water beyond what meals provide, sun protection for the exposed sections, and layers because the temperature swings between the rim and the canyon floor. The operator notes that travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health should not book this one.

What’s included

English or Spanish-speaking guide throughout the trek.
lunch on day one, dinner and breakfast at the oasis, and lunch on day two.
one-way transfer from Arequipa to the trailhead near Cabanaconde.
return transport from Cabanaconde to Arequipa.

Good to know

Demanding physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Oasis Palmeras Travel Tour Operator

Is this one for you?This trek suits experienced walkers who are comfortable with steep descents and high-altitude climbs and who want to spend a night inside the canyon rather than turn around the same day. If you have limited trekking experience or prefer a shorter day hike, a single-day Colca visit from Arequipa might fit better.