Colca Valley Tour: Watch Condors at Cruz del Condor

Andean condors circle the canyon walls at dawn while you stand at the rim.

This 2-day tour from Arequipa takes you into Colca Valley with a Spanish or English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and one night's accommodation included. Day one crosses the high-altitude Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Park where vicuñas, alpacas and llamas graze, then descends to Chacapi Hot Springs near Yanque for a soak in thermal pools above 30°C. Day two heads to Cruz del Condor viewpoint where Andean condors, enormous birds in danger of extinction, ride the thermals above the 4,160-meter-deep canyon, one of the world's deepest.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arequipa to Colca Valley and Chivay

• Pick-up from Arequipa hotels
• Drive past Chachani volcano slopes
• Visit Salinas and Aguada Blanca reserve
• Stop at Patahuasi for hot drinks
• Visit Tocrapampa wetlands
• Stop at Patapampa viewpoint
• Descend to Chivay town
• Lunch in Chivay (not included)
• Visit Chacapi Hot Springs in Yanque
• Return to Chivay for hotel accommodation
• Optional dinner with Colca dance show

Day 2: Cruz del Condor and Return to Arequipa

• Breakfast in Chivay
• Visit Yanque church and plaza
• Arrive at Cruz del Condor viewpoint
• Watch Andean condors flying
• Stop at Wayrapunku, Antahuilque, Choquetico viewpoints
• Visit Maca town and colonial church
• Taste Colca Sour in Maca
• Return to Chivay for lunch
• Drive back to Arequipa city
• Drop-off at Arequipa accommodation

The experience

You start from your hotel in Arequipa's city center and climb toward the Colca Valley, skirting the slopes of Chachani volcano. The route crosses Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Park, a high-altitude reserve where you'll stop to spot South American camelids: vicuñas with their slender frames, alpacas, and llamas grazing on the sparse plateau. A halt at a local stop offers hot drinks (muña and chachacoma, known as Inca mate) to help your body adjust to the altitude. Then you move through Tocrapampa Wetlands, where high Andean and migratory birds congregate, before reaching Patapampa Viewpoint at 4,910 meters above sea level, the highest point in the valley, where volcanic mountain ranges stretch in every direction.

You descend into the town of Chivay for lunch (your choice of buffet, à la carte or set menu featuring New Andean dishes), then head to Chacapi Hot Springs near Yanque. The thermal pools hold water above 30°C year-round. You can soak for nearly two hours, and optional activities (horseback riding on Colca trails, ATV rides, or zipline) are available if you want them. That evening back in Chivay, a visit to a tourist club restaurant is optional. It features performances of typical Colca dances and a chance to meet other visitors to the canyon. You sleep at Anita's House, a 3-star hotel in Chivay.

On day two, after breakfast, you drive to Cruz del Condor viewpoint, passing through the town of Yanque to visit its church and plaza. You arrive around 8:10 am and wait for the condors to launch from the canyon walls. These enormous birds, symbols of Andean culture and endangered in the wild, ride the thermals rising from the Colca Canyon: one of the deepest gorges on earth at 4,160 meters. The viewpoint sits directly above it, giving you an unobstructed view of their flight. On the return, you stop at the viewpoints of Wayrapunku, Antahuilque and Choquetico for photographs and short walks, then visit the town of Maca, which still has its colonial church, Santa Ana. You can taste the local Colca Sour before returning to Chivay for lunch and the drive back to Arequipa, arriving around 4:30 pm.

What’s included

• Guide in Spanish or English.
• hotel pickup from Arequipa city center.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full 2 days.
• one night's accommodation at Anita's House in Chivay.

Before you book

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 07:30 and 08:00, from US$ 85 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

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by NATIVA TRIPS

Is this one for you?Book this if you have exactly two days and want to catch condors at Cruz del Condor at dawn: the itinerary bundles the early morning viewing window with an overnight in Chivay so you won't need to add extra days or split across separate trips.

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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 (5 to 12 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What animals will I see in Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Park?

Vicuñas, alpacas and llamas graze across the high-altitude reserve on day one. You'll stop to observe them as the tour climbs toward the Colca Valley.

How deep is the Colca Canyon at Cruz del Condor?

The Colca Canyon measures 4,160 meters deep at Cruz del Condor viewpoint, making it one of the deepest canyons in the world. The viewpoint sits directly above it, so you see the full scale of the gorge.

What temperature are the Chacapi Hot Springs?

Chacapi Hot Springs hold water above 30°C year-round. You'll have nearly two hours to soak in the thermal pools on the afternoon of day one.

When do the condors fly at Cruz del Condor?

You arrive at Cruz del Condor around 8:10 am on day two to watch the Andean condors. They ride the thermals rising from the canyon in the early morning hours.

Does the tour include meals?

Breakfast is included on day two. Lunch on both days and dinner on day one are not included, though restaurant options are available in Chivay and other towns. You choose where and what to eat.

What is included in the accommodation?

One night at Anita's House, a 3-star hotel in Chivay, is included on day one. The hotel provides lodging after your afternoon at the hot springs and evening in town.