Colca Canyon Trek 3 Day 2 Night

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Arequipa, Peru

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

3 days (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

What's Included

3 breakfasts
2 lunches
2 dinners
2 nights accommodation
guide
round trip transportation

tourist ticket to enter the colca btc reserve
hot springs (optional)
last lunch
waters
snack

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

THE PICK UP ARE PERFORMED FROM YOUR HOTEL FROM 3:00 AM TO 3:40 AM.

Operating hours
.3:30 am

What To Expect

Mirador Cruz del Condor

Oasis Sangalle

Hot Springs Chacapi

Cabanaconde

Colca Canyon

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Nehalem_K

The three day Colca Canyon trek was so special! The hiking and the views were absolutely spectacular. Our guide Carlos was such a kind and patient person and he shared his knowledge of the animals, plants, and culture along the way. I highly recommend the 3 day vs the 2 day if you have the time, as you will have more opportunities to stop to take photos, try local fruit, and relax at the sweet accommodations in the canyon. The whole tour was extremely well organized and well worth the price.

Reviews

4.8

based on 332 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Magical Experience!

Nehalem_K, Feb 2026

We had a great time doing...

Polly_A, Oct 2025

We had a great time doing the 3 day Colca Canyon trek. Willy was a great guide, he let us walk at our own pace and gave us lots of insight into the local community. The accommodation was really nice (especially the pool in Sangalle) and the food was good too. Highly recommend this trek!

3 day walking experience in Colca Canyon

Margaret_W, Sep 2025

My 3 days hike was a pleasant experience. First two days we reached our destination before lunch and could enjoy and relax. Our tour guide, Will, was attentive and shared his knowledge about fauna of the canyon along with history, traditions and challenges of the valley. The 3rd day was quite a challenge. Early start and a steep climb to the top of the canyon. Overall, very happy with the experience that ended in hot springs and a short stop in a national reserve to see lamas, alpacas.

Not the best hike

Helen_M, Dec 2024

The hiking was a miserable experience, food and accommodation was ok. The guide was pleasant enough but mostly absent and clearly didn't want to be there. Scenery was nice but the hiking was rough, in places quite dangerous, relentless and not enjoyable. It wasn't an achievement, more of a relief to be over. The best bit was the limited time at the hot springs on the last day. Lots of pressure for timings on last day and the lunch you need to buy was not great value for money. However, you didn't have much choice. I can't say I recommend it.

Amazing experience

Fabian_A, Dec 2024

Amazing experience. The treck is not for beginners. Once in a lifetime experience in the Canyon. The food was great The accomodations were basic. The guides were super friendly and it was all well organized.

The 3 day is awesome!

Lyle_B, Sep 2024

Rafael was a superb guide and taught us many things about the people and history of the region, as well as the plants and animals - and helped us practice our Spanish. He managed a big group of 13 very well - including when one member had altitude sickness (we stayed in Arequipa for 3 full days before and were fine, but it’s worth having medication handy - despite the trek starting at 3300m, the bus out there passes 4900m). The 3 day hike definitely seems the best option as opposed to the 2 day hike (we were very happy we booked the 3 day option). 21km and 9 hours of hiking seems nothing for 2 days. But descending over 1000m with no shade and extremely high UV is very tough. Followed by 3 more hours of ups and downs would be hard going for one day - particularly when you have to get up at 4am the following day to hike the 3 hours back up the 1000m ascent. We loved the 3 day option as it was more laid back, there was more opportunity to pause and take in the beauty of the canyon, as well as relax in the afternoons and evenings. It’s a really interesting loop hike - starting in dusty, rocky terrain with condors flying overhead, to green villages and terraces along the river. It’s a hugely rewarding experience! One of our favourite things we’ve done in Peru. And though it’s busy, once you’re in the villages, they feel surprisingly off the main gringo trail. They’re genuine traditional valley villages, where donkey is still the main method of transportation (and useful for anyone who needs one to take them out of the canyon on the following morning). A bonus outside the trek is the amazing drive through the Andes with Condors and Vicuñas - the hot springs are okay, if not a bit busy (I found the river more refreshing after a hot morning’s climb). The included meals are great, with huge portions (hugely appreciated after lots of hiking) - and they were all very accommodating of two coeliacs and vegetarians in the group. The accommodation is much more luxurious than expected - we had a private room with a double bed and en-suite both nights. A few pieces of advice: - The UV is higher than you’ll expect. At points it feels like you’re being cooked. Wear long sleeved tops, trousers if possible and a very good hat! All the guides and locals barely have any skin on show. We were advised to reapply sunscreen every 40 minutes FYI. - Brings more snacks than you think. Breakfast is after the hike on the final morning. And you eat lunch when all your party has arrived at the accommodation - so depending on fitness levels, it could be a while! - Drink more water than you think. We brought along purification tablets, and 2 1L bottles each, and we still felt dehydrated. You can buy water out there, it’s expensive but some places a 1L bottle was 5 soles, so okay. - Take advantage of the river on day 1 (strangely the hardest day) to cool off after a hot hike! - It’s cool in the evenings but there’s no need for thermals, maybe a jumper and some linen trousers. There are mosquitos on day 2 so insect repellent is a good idea. Have fun, it’s an amazing trek! The only thing we didn’t enjoy was the final lunch. It isn’t included and is expensive - 40 soles for a slightly rubbish buffet lunch. Being dropped off somewhere nicer in Chivay would be a better option.

Amazing hike through the canyon

Brage_H, Aug 2024

The Colca Canyon is an incredible place, and we had a lot of fun hiking through it. Our guide Ivan was amazing, he gave us a lot of information about the canyon, and helped us with everything we needed. The lodging and food were excellent, and on the second day there was a very nice pool available. For this route there is a two day as well as a three day option. We did the three day one, and I would highly recommend this option unless you have a high fitness level. The route is streneous, and with the two day option the first day is very long. With three days there is also more time to enjoy the canyon. Especially the second day was nice for us, because after hiking in the morning we had time left to spend by the pool before the sun went down.

Colca Canyon

Alexander_H, Jul 2024

This was a challenging, yet rewarding 3 day trek through Colca Canyon. Our tour guide, Eric, was a pleasure to hang out with and very knowledgeable about the area, its history, and very helpful. I cannot recommend this enough - it's a phenomenal value for the money. I would recommend taking the 3 day tour instead of the 2. The two day is a bit rushed (in my opinion).

Beautiful Colca Canyon hiking

Fred_B, Jun 2024

Eric took great care of us. The canyon is absolutely beautiful. Please be aware that this is a very strenuous hike. Be capable of high altitude hiking with a very rocky terrain.

Amazing Views, Well Organized, but accommodations and interpretation were lacking

Shaylan_G, May 2024

Overall a great experience! The views of Colca Canyon are amazing! Pros: -on time pick up -good meals throughout -amazing views -very comfortable trekking pace, lots of time to take picture and enjoy the scenery Cons: -our guide's English was poor, so didn't get much in the way of natural interpretation -the accommodations are spartan (no hot water, no toilet seats), others in our group had to share rooms and bathrooms with other travellers -the hike on the last day starts at 4AM, when it is still dark

3Day Trek

Rebecca_H, May 2024

We took the 3 day Trek and it was amazing! Our guides William and Eric were great and looked out for our needs. It was strenuous and highly recommend hiking poles! We were able to buy a bamboo pole for 5 soles which literally saved our butts! Sunscreen is a MUST as it got very warm on the descent into the canyon. The food was delicious and they were very accommodating to vegetarian and dairy free needs. We saw some amazing giant hummingbirds! Definitely glad we took the 3 day trek to enjoy the afternoons at the stops and the night sky was better than I’ve ever viewed anywhere. The only thing to make it better would be hot water in the rooms. A cold shower after a hard day trek was not fun. Overall, highly recommend! You do need a good level of fitness. We were older than everyone else by at least 15-20 years and some were struggling for sure.

Breath taking scenery

John_W, Apr 2024

Spending 2 nights in a beautiful peacefully canyon,watching the condors flying so close,meeting new friends,and having a great guide to explain the history of the canyon.

Worth the trip!

Penelope_R, Feb 2024

The organisation were helpful before we left with clear information about what to take. Take the least amount of stuff you can as it is tiring given you need a lot of water also. The walk down is very tough as it is a lot of scree and loose rocks which makes slipping a real possibility. Up is easier. We did two nights at the bottom which I would recommend as it was nice to relax and enjoy the views. We stayed at posada Gloria which was basic but good food and a lot of it. She serves a starter of avocado with a cracker, a nice soup and then a main course. Vegetarian is available…A nice garden. The second night in Las Palmeras the food wasn’t great. 1 plate and pretty bad food but a good quantity if you are hungry. A nice pool of spring water to swim in and relax your muscles Our guide was very helpful and nice. The last day people have complained about doing a bus tour until 5pm. We actually enjoyed this day as you are out at the Canyon so it is nice to see everything you missed the first day in the dark. After breakfast we went to the hot springs which was 15 soles and really fun. We stopped for lunch which you must pay for, then saw the National park full of camelos and stopped at the volcano look out. Arrived back around 5pm.

great experience

mabel_b, Sep 2023

we had Christian as our guide and he really made the experience great for us, he was always checking on our group making sure everyone was okay and encouraging us during the tough parts. Raphael also took us back to Arequipa and was super friendly and helpful!

Beautiful scenery, condors galore and basic accomodation (that reflects the very good price).

julie_b, Sep 2023

Absolutely beautiful scenery and well put together itinery. We were very fortunate that we arrived at a time when there were multiple condors to be seen from the view point - fantastic. The hiking was quite energetic - I was VERY glad I opted to take the 3 rather than 2 day option. The food at the 1st nights accomodation was surprisingly good. The room with ensuite basic but fine. The 2nd night we (couple) had a large room that could have slept 4 but it was definitely no frills. All quite acceptable if you are used to staying in basic hostels. However the pool at the second nights accom was brilliant. A real treat. Its refilled daily with water from the river and felt fresh clean and lovely to swim in after a 4 hour morning hike (note you'll get limited time to enjoy this if you do the 2 day hike). I really enjoyed the hot springs on day 3 which I'm pretty sure helped with muscle soreness after quite a steep ascent on the final day. Our guide didn't speak fluent English but was very keen to help and we managed fine. In retrospect the cost was actually extremely low considering how much we got from the tour. I'd even suggest they charge a little more and support the guide with English lessons. Things to note - drinks are not included in the tour and were often double the already inflated tourist prices we were paying in Arequipa. Breakfast on day 3 is after an early start and strenuous ascent - take snacks!

Highly recommend trek with Carlos!

Guillaume_C, Sep 2023

I did the two-day trek with Carlos in August 2023 and highly recommend this trip and this guide in particular. The views are superb and the trip is well organized. We were only 4 hikers, so it was easy to get to know each other and to ask Carlos our questions. I really appreciated how he stopped to explain the vegetation and cultural elements we crossed on the first day. If you're in the Arequipa region, you can't go wrong with this trek!

Just Amazing !

Ana_T, Jul 2023

I strongly recommend the 3 days trek over the 2 days! It's the same route in both days, but you will have time to enjoy the pool and the nature way better without being in a rush. The food and the accommodations were excellent as well. Call me low maintenance :) - but I was very surprised to see the bad reviews on "too little food" or "bad food". The tour guides made the experience so worth it! We had Carlos for the 3 days and Angie in the last day - super amazing people!

Highly recommend so beautiful

rachael_k, May 2023

At the bottom of the canyon is true oasis where you can swim and daydream and enjoy the nature, fruit trees, flowers, bees etc was off the chain highly recommended if you have some hiking fitness

Highly recommend

Kelton_S, Oct 2022

Amazing, I can not say enough good things about our guide Angie as well as the amazing accomodations. The breakfast on the first day is just a typical small breakfast same as you'd get as a free one on any tour. The rest of the meals were all very large and filling. Angie is super informative and is clearly extremely passionate about where she works and lives. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the 3 day tour 100% worth the money. All accomodations as well were clean and well kept.

Beautiful trek, supporting local communities - make sure to ask for Rafael as your guide

Melanie_E, Oct 2022

The trek itself is challenging, but beautiful. I liked the support of the local communities by visiting several villages and buying snacks on the go. Also, the stay at the Kolibri Lodge was amazing. Beautiful rooms, lovely dogs and a wonderful view of the Colca Canyon. Make sure to ask for Rafael as your guide and stay away from Ceasar. My first (main) guide was Ceasar and on the last day when we made our way back to Arequipa they did not have enough space in the bus, so I had to leave my group and wait for the other guide, Rafael. Which was luck in unluck. Rafael took the time for everybody individually in the group to explain everything, was very kind and respectful and we had a wonderful journey back to Arequipa, with a lot of stops on the go, beautiful vistas and encountering Vicuñas. On the other hand, Ceasar, the guide I had for the first and main part of the trek was hitting on the girls in the group, drinking a lot of alcohol and making people (especially the younger girls) feel very uncomfortable. This is clearly a no-go for me. All in all: I would definitely recommend the trek, the Kolibri lodge and the guide Rafael.

Incredible experience!

Erin_t, Oct 2022

We loved this trip and it was incredible value for money. Our guide Caesar was very professional, kept us all safe and also gave us great information about the area and Peru generally! The accomodation exceeded our expectations and the food provided was quite simple but more than enough to keep you energised. The buffet on the last day was also great value for the cost! Overall an amazing experience despite the hiking being tougher than usual given the altitude.

Bring your own toilet paper for the entire trip. Tp is nowhere to be found, unless you want to pay for it every time.

Kate_B, Jun 2022

The actual Colca Canyon hike was wonderful, highly recommend it. The way all the guests were handled, how the tour was geared to corner you into making unnecessary (unwanted) purchases was anything but attractive. Breakfast in the last day served AFTER 3 hours of hiking uphill in the dark. Served at 9:30…woke up at 4am (You can purchase “snacks or candy bars at the little stores” Hot springs (optional) but you sit in the sun for an hour if you don’t want to participate $s15. Lunch Buffett was a scam. $s35 with no other option after a small breakfast. (Again you can sit in the sun for an hour while you wait). Include it in the price if it’s an option or Have a separate bus to take the ones who didn’t choose it home early. The whole last day did not sit well with me. Foul play. The drop off at the end at 6:30pm a few blocks away from the main square was the icing on the cake. We had to all walk home after a day that began at 4:00am. I DO NOT RECALL THIS IN ANY Itinerary. More communication please. Lastly, The amount of daylight left to enjoy the oasis felt like we got short handed. Breakfasts for the entire trip need major improvement. Change the price of the ticket for improvement on meals for breakfast.

Really great Hike!

Alena_R, Feb 2026

3 days are ideal to enjoy the Colca Canyon Hike to the maximum. The accommodations are great (incl. meals). Just important to know here that toilet paper and towels would cost extra, we took everything with us ourselves. Our guide Carlos was really with the best of the trip. We felt so picked up and comfortable. Really a successful little adventure all around.

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Paysages et hébergements magnifiques, mais un trek relativement difficile

Fabienne_M, Aug 2024

Le trek ainsi que notre guide étaient très biens ; les sites d'hébergement de toute beauté. Cependant, le parcours n'est pas à la portée de tous, il demande une bonne condition physique ainsi que de l'endurance. Si vous avez des problèmes de dos, de genoux, de chevilles, de souffle, prenez des renseignements avant de vous lancer car le site n'est pas explicite à ce sujet et c'est regrettable.

Tolles Erlebnis!

Torsten_S, Jul 2022

Die Tour war gut organisiert und der Guide Paul war sehr sympathisch und hat uns viele Hintergrundinformationen über den Canyon geben können. Die Wanderung war recht anstrengend, man sollte aufjedenfall eine gute Fitness haben und über viel Kondition verfügen. Die Unterkunft am ersten Tag war sehr einfach, aber sauber. Es gab jedoch keinen strom/Licht in den Zimmern. Das Essen war gut. Die Unterkunft in der zweiten Nacht war sehr schön, sehr super und mit tollem Pool.