Why Colca Canyon with Giardino Tours?

• We offer daily excursions to the Colca Canyon for 2 and 3 days with a regular small group with fixed itinerary or as completely tailor-made Tour according to your interest, days and expectations.
• Our programs are flexible allowing you to finish the excursions with a return to Arequipa city or continuing to the City of Puno on Lake Titicaca.
• Our excursions start in Arequipa, but we can also organize a pick up from Puno city in order that clients can joing our excursions in Chivay town and continue to Arequipa.
• Giardino Tours transportations have regular strict controls and selected drivers with experience and regular trainings.
• All our transports in Tours to Colca Canyon are supported with a bottle of oxygen in case of need.
• Also Giardino Guides are profesionals with many years of experience and annual trainings, many of them also in case of any situation of emergency.
• Giardino offer you “a safety record” with many recognitions and is accredited by the local government and international Tourism organizations. (Review our site “About us“)

With us you will have the Best value for a reliable and unique service.

Will I see Condors on these tours?

The Colca Canyon is the “best place” in South America to see the Andean Condor and during our tours we will visit different viewing points to increase the chances to experience them closely. But we cannot guarantee that you will be able to see them, but if you get lucky they will fly just above your head!

Can I finish in Puno instead of Arequipa?

Yes, this is possible! Normally the last day of our excursion we will return to Chivay town about 12 PM and you will have also time for lunch before departing to Puno. The transfer to Puno is included in our tour if we have a minimum of 4 persons that want to end the tour in Puno, if this is not that case,  we organize the transfer to puno for our clients from Chivay town with a good tourist Bus company that offers this service (we will inform you the options 2 days before the tour). The coordination and logistic will be in our hands, so you don’t need to be worry and only relax and enjoy the tour! :). You will be arriving in Puno about 7pm, and the drop off will be in your hotel (If it is located in city center), if your hotel is located out side of city center (Hotel GHL, Sonesta, Jose Antonio, Casa Andina Premium etc) an extra charge can be added for transfer to your hotel.

I do not want to take all of my luggage to the tour. Where can I leave my luggage?

For excursion to Colca Canyon with return to Arequipa city, hotels and hostels will normally store luggage in their safety deposit for free until you check-in again in your return. In case your trip keep forward to Puno city, please inform us with time so we can organized you with a group with similar schedule and provide with a transport with enough luggage space.

I want to do the Trek into the Colca Canyon but I am not traveling with any camping equipment.

You do not need any special equipment for our trekking to Colca canyon. The overnights take place in basic rustic lodges at the bottom of the Canyon (provide bed, blankets and bathroom). But it can get cold at nights and there is not heating, so it is important that you take with you warms clothes for the night and also light clothes for the day because can get very hot. – Very good Trekking shoes or boots is important.

How difficult is the Colca Canyon trek?

The speed of your walk and the route you choose to walk through Colca Canyon are among the variables that contribute to the difficulty level. But climbing out of the canyon is steep and that made more challenging with the high elevation, leaving even a fit person with some troubles of getting air. Sections of the trail are also steep and narrow, so be sure to walk to the inside of the trail.

Remember to spend a few days adjusting to the high elevation before you strat your trekking. Arequipa is a very good option to get slow to altitude before you keep forwards to Colca.  Drink plenty of water, start your days early to beat midday heat, and consider hiring a local to ride their donkey if you’re fatigued.

I am afraid about altitude sickness on tours of the Colca Canyon?

Altitude sickness can catch many travelers and normally we recommend that clients stay at least one night in Arequipa city in order to help to get to altitude. To drink Coca Tea the frist day that you arrive to Arequipa will be very helpful! Also it is important to avoid alcoholic drinks and try to drink a lot of water. In our organized tours our transportation provides “oxygen botle” in case of need.

Colca Canyon Weather – Does it rain in Colca Canyon?

Similar to other high elevation destinations in Peru, Colca Canyon experiences a dry season during winter (May- November) and a rainy season during the summer (December- April).  Weather transitions are gradual between seasons.

In the dry Season Daytime temperatures are around 65°F (18°C) and get hotter in direct sunlight. At night, it dips to a crisp 25°F (4°C) without cloud coverage.