Arequipa Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Arequipa tours, Peru’s elegant “White City” built from white sillar volcanic stone beneath snow-capped volcanoes: walking tours of the UNESCO colonial centre, the dreamlike Santa Catalina Monastery, and the unmissable Colca Canyon — one of the world’s deepest — where Andean condors soar at dawn. Add countryside reserves, Chili river rafting, volcano treks and chocolate workshops. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Peru trip.
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Explore Arequipa by interest
Whatever brings you to Arequipa — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
White City
Sillar colonial centre.
ExploreSanta Catalina
Colourful convent.
ExploreColca Canyon
Condors at dawn.
ExploreCountryside
Sillar & reserves.
ExploreRafting & treks
Chili river & volcanoes.
ExploreFood & chocolate
Picantería & cacao.
ExploreCruz del Cóndor
Iconic condor viewpoint.
ExplorePuno & Titicaca
Onward to the lake.
ExploreTop attractions in Arequipa
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
White City
Sillar colonial centre.
Santa Catalina
Colourful convent.
Colca Canyon
World’s deepest canyon.
Cruz del Cóndor
Condor viewpoint.
Salinas Reserve
Vicuñas & lagoons.
Chili River
White-water rafting.
El Misti Volcano
Iconic volcano trek.
Picantería Cuisine
Food & chocolate.
Arequipa in 1 day
- 1White City walk
- 2Santa Catalina
- 3Viewpoints & volcanoes
- 4Picantería dinner
Arequipa in 2 days
- 1Day 1: White City
- 2Day 2: Colca Canyon
- 3Condors at Cruz del Cóndor
- 4Hot springs
Arequipa in 3 days
- 1Day 1: White City
- 2Day 2–3: Colca Canyon
- 3Trek & villages
- 4On to Puno
Arequipa with kids
- 1White City walk
- 2Santa Catalina
- 3Sabandía mill
- 4Chocolate workshop
Day/2-day awayColca Canyon
Condors at dawn.
In city awaySanta Catalina
Colourful convent.
1.5 hrs awaySalinas Reserve
Vicuñas & lagoons.
20 min awayChili River
White-water rafting.
40 min awaySillar Route
White-stone quarries.
On from Colca awayPuno & Titicaca
Floating islands.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Arequipa visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
May to October is the dry season — sunny, clear days ideal for the city, the Colca Canyon and condor viewing.
Dry season (May–Oct)
Warm, clear days and cold nights make this the peak time; canyon roads are reliable and condor sightings excellent.
Rainy season (Dec–Mar)
Summer brings afternoon rain, especially in the highlands, which can occasionally affect Colca roads; the landscape turns green.
Sunny all year
Arequipa is famously sunny — nicknamed for its clear skies — so most of the year is pleasant for the city itself.
For condors
Condors are seen year-round at the Cruz del Cóndor, but clear dry-season mornings offer the best viewing conditions.
Altitude note
Arequipa sits at 2,300m and Colca higher still — allow time to acclimatise before strenuous canyon treks.
One day
The White City and Santa Catalina.
Two days
Add a Colca Canyon trip for condors.
Three days
The sweet spot: city plus a full Colca trip.
Onward to Puno
End a Colca trip in Puno for Lake Titicaca.
Acclimatise
Spend a day in the city before high-altitude Colca.
Peru loop
Arequipa pairs with Cusco, Puno and Lima.
On foot
The compact colonial centre, Plaza de Armas and Santa Catalina are best explored on foot.
Taxis & apps
Taxis and ride-hailing apps are cheap and handy for getting around the wider city; agree the fare or use the app.
Tours for Colca
The Colca Canyon is best visited on a guided tour with transport, given the long mountain drive and early starts.
Getting there
Arequipa has an airport with flights from Lima and Cusco, and bus links to Puno, Cusco and the coast.
Take it slow
At altitude, walk gently the first day, stay hydrated and consider coca tea to help acclimatise.
Sun protection
The high-altitude sun is strong — bring sunscreen, a hat and layers for cold evenings.
Peruvian sol
Peru uses the sol; carry cash for markets, taxis and small vendors, though cards work in hotels and larger restaurants.
Condors at dawn
For the best condor sightings, take a Colca tour that reaches the Cruz del Cóndor in the morning when the birds ride the thermals.
Acclimatise first
Spend a day in Arequipa before the higher Colca Canyon, and take altitude gently.
Colca tourist ticket
A boleto turístico (tourist ticket) is required to enter the Colca Valley; tours usually arrange or include it.
Try a picantería
Don’t miss Arequipa’s traditional picanterías for authentic regional dishes like rocoto relleno and chupe de camarones.
Pre-book Colca
Colca Canyon tours fill up in the dry-season peak — book ahead.
Colca Canyon tours
Day and two-day canyon trips sell out — book ahead.
Santa Catalina
Guided convent visits are popular — reserve early.
City walking tours
White City tours fill up in peak season — pre-book.
Rafting & treks
Chili rafting and volcano treks have limited spots — book ahead.
Colca-to-Puno trips
Two-day trips ending in Puno fill up — reserve early.
Dry-season peak
May–October is busy — plan ahead.
City walking tour
Around €12–30 for a guided White City tour.
Santa Catalina
About €12–25 for a Santa Catalina monastery visit.
Colca day tour
Roughly €25–50 for a full-day Colca Canyon condor trip.
Colca 2-day trip
About €45–90 for a two-day Colca tour, often ending in Puno.
Rafting
Around €25–45 for a Chili river rafting trip.
How to save
Join group tours and combine Colca with onward travel to Puno.
Arequipa through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Colca, condors.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best; cold nights.
- Best for
- Clear skies, value.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great shoulder.
- Best for
- Fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- First rains.
- Best for
- Green landscapes.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Some road effects.