Arequipa

Arequipa, considered one of the most beautiful cities in Peru, is known as the White City thanks to its elegant buildings made of sillar, a volcanic stone that gives it a unique character. The city lies at the foot of the imposing Misti, Chachani, and snow-capped Pichu Pichu volcanoes, creating a spectacular landscape that combines history and nature.

Its historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, is home to magnificent temples and colonial mansions in the Baroque Mestizo style, as well as the emblematic Monastery of Santa Catalina, a veritable miniature city with narrow stone streets, colorful courtyards, and charming squares.

Photo by alessandro_pinto on istockphoto

A few miles from the city, traditional destinations such as Sabandía offer an ideal rural setting for relaxation. In addition, just 3 hours and 45 minutes away is the impressive Colca Valley and Canyon, one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the country. This area is notable for its ancient pre-Inca terraces, still cultivated with quinoa, corn, barley, and wheat, and villages that preserve their cultural heritage, such as Yanque, Lari, and Madrigal, where the inhabitants keep their traditions and colorful traditional costumes alive.

The Colca Valley is also a perfect destination for adventure lovers, with activities such as trekking, mountain biking, and canoeing. At the famous Cruz del Cóndor, visitors can enjoy one of Peru’s most impressive natural spectacles: the majestic flight of the Andean condor. Arequipa is undoubtedly a destination that combines culture, nature, adventure, and tradition in an unforgettable experience.

Good to know

Location

Southwest of Peru, facing the Pacific Ocean with 528 kilometers of coastline.
Altitude

2 335 meters above sea level.
Climate

Dry and temperate climate; cool evenings and nights, with an average maximum temperature of 21.7°C (71.0°F), and a minimum of 6.9°C (44.4°F).
Seasons

Hot weather (early april to early june), mild (august 26 to november 1), warm (december), cool (january 10 to march 12), and cold (july).
Indispensable to bring

Warm clothes since the nights are cold and windy, sunscreen, sneakers, light clothing for hiking, identification document, and cash.
Distance to other cities

Arequipa - Lima: 1,009 km.
Arequipa - Cusco: 830 km.
Arequipa - Puno: 294 km.
Fun fact

Arequipa is surrounded by four volcanoes; Ampato (6,288 meters above sea level), Chachani (6,075 meters above sea level), Misti (5,825 meters above sea level), and Pichu Pichu (5,644 meters above sea level).

Main tourist attractions

Misti Volcano

It is very impressive as it is in the sight of all, the symmetrical shape and its challenging elevation. The Misti is one of the seven active volcanoes located in the Pilo-Quaternary volcanic chain of southern Peru, belonging to the Volcanic Zone of the Central Andes. The altitude of Misti is 5,822 meters and its slope with reference to the Plaza de Armas of Arequipa is 3,500 meters. The distance from the cathedral of Arequipa to the crater is only 17 kilometers in a straight line. On the opposite side, towards the Altiplano, the difference in altitude is 1,600 meters.

Colca Canyon

It is located near the Ampato and Sabancaya volcanoes, which is approximately 4,160 meters deep. Also known as ‘The Valley of Fire’, the shape of this majestic canyon originated from the volcanic activities of the Sabancaya and Hualca Hualca volcanoes.

In this attraction tourists have the privilege of appreciating the flight of the condor, and also practicing extreme sports such as canoeing, mountaineering, mountain climbing, fishing, trekking, among others.

Yanahuara viewpoint.

It was built in the XIX century in 1972. Yanahuara is located 2 kilometers from the city, this has narrow cobblestone streets and old houses built of ashlar, of course the highlight of all this, is the square of Yanahuara where the arches are currently this viewpoint is mandatory for all visitors as you can see the wonderful view of the entire white city and with a panoramic view of its three volcanoes and taking advantage of even more when the sky is clear.

Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve

The average altitude is 4,300 meters above sea level. The main objective is to conserve the natural and scenic resources of the area. At the beginning it was conceived as a place for the protection of vicuñas, but today it is the main water reserve for the city of Arequipa and its surroundings. This unique ecosystem provides a valuable and irreplaceable environmental service: the winds that come from the Puno-Bolivian altiplano cause rain, snow and hail between October and April, which are retained by the yaretales, queñuales, pajonales and tolares, storing them in the bofedales, lagoons and in the subsoil. Then it is slowly released throughout the year, thus regulating the hydrological cycle for the benefit of the communities.