Arequipa Travel Forum

Hi, I'm going to Arequip next week and I would like to do a trekking in Colca Caņon. Does somebody knows where or how I can book it?

All suggestions are welcome!!!

Hayde

Hi Hayde!!!

Last week I did colca trekking. I booked it in an agency in Santa Catalina Street 203 (i think). they are called A.I. Travel Tours.
The guide I had, spoke English. The service of this agency was excellent!
They even bought my ticket for my next stop Puno! Then I didn't have to do it myself!

Now more about Colca?
The trip was hard, but beautiful! I saw Condors, lama's, Alpaca's...
We stayed in bungalows in a Oasis! Really, it was a GREAT experience.
The guide explained me a lot about the way of living of the people of Colca...the vegetation,....etc...

So!
Succes!
Maiconi

hi i am now staying in arequipa with a owner of a travel agency call Valle de colca, and will go to valle to colca too. so fi you want i can get you the info or ask ana, the owner to write you.

There's no need to book it, you don't need a guide. As long as you've got a sleeping bag you can do it independently. If you're interested, mail me and I'll give you more details.

I think that's not really friendly for the peruvian people, who try to earn some money,...
For that little money I have their service and I help them by working and earning!!!!
So....a little respect for the hard life of that people,...
To those who WANT to work I gladly buy their services....

Hayde

How long the trip take in Areqip and Colca ? I will be there but only have 2 days , thanks .

I just got back from 5 days in the canyon. Didn't use a guide but paid for my lodging and a couple meals at all 4 towns and at Cabanaconde and Chivay. I doubt I have disrespected anyone by going independently - it is just that some of us find that exploring on our own is more exciting than being shuffled around in a group. It can and is being done by guided and unguided travelers and everyone is happy. We wanted to save money so we could climb with a guide later in the week. Whatever the reasons for going solo, the agencies in Arequipa are anything but poor! FYI - it is very easy to find good guides on arrival in Arequipa and leave the next day for the canyon and it is also possible to get a good guide in Chivay or Cabanaconde on arrival. Definitely a worthwhile trip however you decide to undertake it. We did Cabanaconde to Llahuar to Fure to Tapay to Sangalle to Cabanaconde. In my opinion if you have limited time the Cabana - Llahuar - Fure - Sangalle - Cabana is the most stellar part of the canyon. Just one man's opinion though.

Cheers

Scott

Hayde, my wife is Peruvian and I have spent two years living there so please don't accuse me of not being friendly to the Peruvian people. She and my friends there all agree that you get a clearer view of what their beautiful country is like if you see it without the time and logistical restrictions of travelling with someone else. They are less money driven than us in the USA, UK, Europe etc and generally prefer that foreigners come away from Peru with a positive impression of their country. Unless you arrange a guide to take you personally ie you talking to the guide and aranging a price between the two of you, then a (probably US owned) business takes most of the money you pay anyway. Just because I choose not to use one service provided by Peruvian people doesn't mean I'm being disrespectuful of hard work or anything like that.

If you are worried about contributing to the economy of the country then here's a list of ways you can do so, and I have done so other than using a guide:
- eat at small family run restaurants, not chains like Norky's, McDonalds, Pardos, the big hotels in the sacred valley which import their ingredients and are often owned by American of Chilean companies.
- buy Peruvian coffee and bring it back home for people who like it. Nestle has undeercut the local coffee growers so much that Peruvians buy instant nescafe rubbish rather their own fresh produce.
- when in Cusco try to avoid the bars that are owned by foreigners and drink in bars that are Peruvian owned.
- Use buses to get around rather than planes, all the airlines are owned by Chilean or Central American companies.
- Spend time in Lima, where most Peruvians live, rather get out as soon as you can like most travellers do.

the tour in colca, you can do a one day tour which leaves at 2am or take it slowlly for 2 days.