There are a lot of options if you want to visit the Colca Canyon with a guide or in a tour. However, visiting the canyon independently is easier and more enjoyable.  Hiking independently has lots of advantages over the tours organized from Arequipa. For example, you’ll have more time in Cabanaconde which will permit you to interact more with the local people, and better understand their way of living and their customs.  However, don’t forget to ask us for information about the safe places to hike before going into the canyon.

Pachamama Backpacker Hostel promises to give you comprehensive information and valuable recommendations about traditional and alternative hiking routes. However we are not responsible if something happens to you in the canyon.

The best option is to spend the night in Cabanaconde to get to know the town and acclimatize to the altitude.  The next day you can depart for the small towns in the canyon such as San Juan de Chuccho, Sangalle, Llahaur, Tapay, etc. We offer the best information in town about the canyon and its surrounding areas (such as Valley of the Volcanoes).

Please don’t hike in the canyon without obtaining information beforehand.

If you’re uncomfortable going into the canyon without a guide, we can arrange a local guide for you.

The information given below is for all independent travelers. Please remember that Pachamama Backpacker Hostel is not responsible if something happens during your trek. The information below is based on the experiences of the owner of Pachamama, Ludwig Betalleluz, who has been a guide in the Colca Canyon for 8 years. There have been incidents where tourists have gotten lost or injured, however, the information below will help you avoid pitfalls and plan a safe hike.

CABANACONDE – SAN GALLE

Duration: 2.5 hours to go down / 3.5 hours to come up
Distance: 5km.
Sleeping: bungalos, hostels

The shortest and most direct way to descend to the bottom of the canyon is the path from Cabanaconde to Sangalle.  Start very early in the morning if you want to return to Cabanaconde the same day.  This path starts at Grau Street, the street that’s in front of the church in the plaza. After a few blocks, this street will end and you’ll see a rock wall on your right. Follow this path until the Cejana viewpoint. The path is wide and easy to follow and it’s almost impossible to get lost. In Sangalle, you can have lunch and relax in their fresh-water pools.

CABANACONDE – SAN JUAN DE CHUCCHO – COSHIÑIRWA – MALATA –OASIS

Duration: 4 hrs. from Cabanaconde to San Juan de Chuccho, then 3.5 hours to Sangalle, then 3.5 hours from Sangalle to Cabanaconde
Distance: 13 km
Accommodations: Homestays, bungalos, hostels

This route is the same as is offered in the tour agencies and is the easiest and most travelled route in the canyon.

Walk northeast from Cabanaconde to the San Miguel viewpoint.  From there, take the path on the right hand side and begin your descent. This descent lasts approximately 3 hours until you arrive at the San Juan de Chuccho bridge. Follow this path until San Juan.

The following day, leave early for Coshiñirwa and  Malata.  The path will take you past a football field and a school after which you will begin to gradually ascend. About 30 minutes later you’ll pass a water canal.  Cross the Cinkumayu bridge and begin a steep ascent towards the town of Coshñirwa.  Follow the main path to arrive in Malata and then begin your descent until Sangalle.

There are a lot of options along this route - some people sleep in Sangalle while others just rest and have lunch before coming back to Cabanaconde the same day.  The path up to Cabanaconde is very very steep and very tiring so it might be best to spend the night in Sangalle and hike up the next day when you’re refreshed.

When returning to Cabanaconde, it’s best to leave Sangalle by 3:00pm at the latest so that you arrive in Cabanaconde before dark.  When you arrive at the top of the canyon, follow the path to Cabanaconde. It is a well-marked path and easy to follow.

Cabanaconde – San Juan de Chuccho – Tapay - Coshñirwa – Malata – Sangalle

Duración: 5 ½ Cabanaconde – Tapay / 3 ½ Tapay – Sangalle / 3 ½ Sangalle-Cabanaconde
Distancia: 16km.
Accommodations: Homestays, bungalos, hostels

Another alternate option is to sleep in the town of Tapay, a traditional town with beautiful views of the canyon.

The path to Tapay is the same as to San Juan de Chuccho. After you pass San Juan, take the steep path northward past the football field. There’s only one path and goes directly up to Tapay (2 hours).

When you start out the next day, go to the entrance of the town, and take the first path on the left hand side. This path will take you down to the bridge and then to the towns of Coshñirwa and Malata.

From Cabanaconde’s main plaza, head west towards the Achachiwa viewpoint.  You’ll pass a bullring and a football field and afterwards, you’ll begin to descend. You’ll be on a wide, safe path that will zigzag down the mountainside and will meet a wooden bridge at the bottom of the canyon. Cross the bridge and continue on the path until you reach the large metal bridge of Pacclla.  You’ll see a smoking geyser on the right hand side of the bridge and you can climb down to examine it if you’d like. From the bridge, follow the path to the left, and after ascending a little, you’ll pass by little adobe houses. From here, you’ll need to look for the path that descends to the Huaruro bridge so that you can cross it and enter Llahuar.

On the second day, start walking back to the large metal bridge (past the little adobe houses). Before you reach the bridge, there will be a path on the left hand side that ascends until the town of Paclla. About 15 minutes after you pass Paclla, look for a steep zig-zag path that goes up the mountain. Follow this path for about 2 hours until the Apacheta viewpoint. After this viewpoint the path is flat and narrow but safe.  Take the first path you see that goes downwards (i.e. to the right) and you will arrive in Sangalle after about another 30 minutes.

From Cabanaconde’s main plaza, head west towards the Achachiwa viewpoint.  You’ll pass a bullring and a football field and afterwards, you’ll begin to descend. You’ll be on a wide, safe path that will zigzag down the mountainside and will meet a wooden bridge at the bottom of the canyon. Cross the bridge and continue on the path until you reach the large metal bridge of Pajlla.  You’ll see a smoking geyser on the right hand side of the bridge and you can climb down to examine it if you’d like. From the bridge, follow the path to the left, and after ascending a little, you’ll pass by little adobe houses. From here, you’ll need to look for the path that descends to the Huaruro bridge so that you can cross it and enter Llahuar.

To go from Llahuar to Fure, take the path towards Llatica that leaves from the top of Llahuar. Right in front of the entrance to the town of Llatica, there is a big bridge. After crossing the bridge, go left and follow the path as it ascends up to the town of Fure. In order to see the waterfalls at Fure, you’ll have to walk 40 more minutes past the town. You can ask the local people in Fure how to get to the waterfalls.

Be careful when hiking to the waterfall. The rocks can be very slippery because of the spray.

- Always walk on safe paths and avoid shortcuts, no matter how promising they look!

- Bring water purification tablets since there’s lots of access to fresh water in the canyon

- Bring change with you as it’s hard for the small towns to break big bills

- Use the viewpoints (San Miguel, Achachiwa, Tapay…) to orient yourselves and make sure you’re going in the right direction

- Don’t touch plants that you aren’t familiar with as there are many dangerous plants in the canyon, such as the QATUPA, which when broken releases an acidic white liquid which can burn your skin and eyes.

- Ask people before you take their picture. Most likely they’ll ask you for a small tip in return.

- Don’t litter. Pachamama recycles plastic bottles and batteries so bring these back with you and dispose of them here.

- It’s not necessary to bring sleeping bags or a tent since there are a lot of inexpensive hostels in the canyon (from 5 – 15 soles per night).  Also, staying at these hostels helps the local population.

- All the hiking paths in the canyon are safe, however if you get lost, return to the main path instead of continuing on since some non-hiking paths turn into dangerous, narrow donkey paths. Again, avoid shortcuts.

It depends on the number of days you want to go hiking for, but in general:

- Good hiking shoes since many parts of the canyon are slippery

- A medium-sized hiking backpack since it’s best to carry as little weight as possible.

- A sleeping bag to put on top of a bed in the hostels (few hostels in the canyon regularly change their sheets). You don’t need a very warm sleeping bag since it’s not cold in the canyon.

- A hat – very important!!

- Sunglasses

- A towel (there are pools in Sangalle and hot springs in Llahuar)

- Long pants and shorts

- A bathing suit

- A sweatshirt and a T-shirt. The temperature at night drops to around 10°C

- Chocolate and snacks

- Thick socks

- A headlamp or flashlight

- A watch

TOURS WITH LOCAL GUIDES FROM CABANACONDE

No one knows the canyon better than the locals and they can teach you all about the local customs and the plants and animals of the canyon.

The price per day is  S./ 60 or $25 for groups of up to 5 people. With a personal guide, as opposed to a group tour from Arequipa, you have more freedom and flexibility over where you go and what you see.

DOWNHILL BIKING FROM THE CRUZ DEL CONDOR TO CABANACONDE

We are the only ones who offer downhill in town. Downhill biking is a great alternate way to see the condors in the Cruz del Condor. You can take a bus or truck up to the Cruz del Condor, watch the condors fly for as long as you like, and then return to Cabanaconde on bicycle, passing by two beautiful viewpoints. You don’t need any downhill experience for this tour.

The tour includes:
- Mountain bikes, helmets, gloves
- Transportation to the Cruz del Condor (only there, not back since you’ll come back on your bikes)

Price:  $25
Duration: 3-4 hours
Minimum 02 people

DOWNHILL BIKING FROM SORO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON

This is an extreme ride! The tour starts at Cabanaconde (3287 meters above sea level) and ends at Soro (2000 meters above sea level). The landscape is beautiful and the ride is exhilarating! However you need downhill experience to do this tour.

The tour includes:
- Mountain bikes, helmets and gloves
- Transportation from Soro to Cabanaconde
- Boxed lunch

Price: $80
Duration: 8 hours
Minimum of 2 people. The cost is reduced for groups of 3 or more.

HIKE TO THE VALLEY OF VOLCANOES

This spectacular hike is considered one of the best treks in the whole of Southern Peru. You will pass through the lost towns of the canyon such as Choco and Miña and travel through diverse parts of the canyon, valley and river systems. You will arrive in Cerani (5000 meters above sea level) where you will have excellent views of the Coropuna Volcano (6330 meters above sea level) and the Valley of Volcanos – Andagua. This trip is full of beautiful views, highly contrasting landscapes and diverse flora and fauna.

Distance: 65 km
Duration: 5 days, 8-10 hours per day
Accommodations: Camping or homestays
Minimum 2 people