Sitting at 2,335 metres above sea level, it’s the perfect place to take a (slight) break from the higher-altitude cities, like Cusco, Aguas Calientes and Puno.

The backdrop of Arequipa

Arequipa is nestled amongst three towering volcanoes – El Misti, Mount Chachani and Pichu Pichu Peak. El Misti, meaning “The Gentleman” in Quechua, is by far the most well-known. You can hike Misti to acquire some breathtaking views at the summit, which takes two days and sits at 5, 825 metres above sea level.

WHERE TO STAY WHILE BACKPACKING AREQUIPA AND THE COLCA CANYON

As Arequipa is a fairly large city, there are a number of different places to stay while visiting. I stayed at Yes! Arequipa Hostel which has it’s pros and cons.

Pros

The hostel had a few different options for bedrooms. You could stay in dorms, or private rooms. I opted for a private room, which I don’t typically do, but sometimes you need to treat yo ‘self. The room was spacious and clean. There were a few large private bathrooms nearby which were nice to have.

The hostel also had a pretty good (free) breakfast available as well. The workers helped me book a tour to Canyon del Colca, and they stored my bags while I was on the tour.

Cons

It was about a 10 minute walk from the main square. I didn’t mind this so much, but if you want to be in the middle of the action, I would suggest a different accommodation. I found it difficult to socialize and meet people at this particular hostel.

HOSTELS IN AREQUIPA

If you are looking for a different experience, the following are a list of hostels to check out, depending on your preferences:

• Positive Hostel – A GORGEOUS colonial mansion with bright-coloured walls and dorm rooms. Three blocks from the main square with views of the mountains.
• Bothy Hostel – Three blocks from the main square, a chill hostel during the week and more partyish vibes on the weekend. It has a number of fun activities to take part in, such as ping pong and a pool table.
• Way Kap Hostel – A chill hostel with some great common space areas to hang out in and meet like-minded travellers. Located in the historic centre and close to the main square.
• Arequipay Backpackers Downtown – If you are an active yogi, check out this clean and friendly hostel. They offer a gym on-site, yoga classes, ping-pong, a pool table and many other services.

FOOD

Tradicion Arequipena – If you are looking for a traditional meal at a decent price, try Tradicion Arequipena. You can sit in the garden, eat with a view and listen to traditional Peruvian music.

Zingaro Restaurant – Another traditional Peruvian restaurant nestled inside a building with the cutest decor and rustic appeal. Enjoy common dishes, such as Rocoto Relleno (stuffed peppers), quinoa soups, cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca.

El Buda Profano – If you are looking for something different, try this Japanese joint that serves up vegan sushi. Fun, delicious and a change when needed!

Capriccio – In need of something sweet? Check out this pastry shop, cafeteria and ice cream parlor! They serve up cakes, alfajores, profiteroles, and more delicious treats. The perfect mid-day snack.

THINGS TO DO WHEN BACKPACKING AREQUIPA AND THE COLCA CANYON

Walk around. Seriously, this city is so beautiful and sometimes the greatest adventures are getting lost in the streets of a city you don’t know. Similar to Cusco, the streets of Arequipa were breathtaking. Whether you are hanging out in the main square or crossing the river to the Yanahuara Viewpoint, you won’t be disappointed with the views.

Plaza de Armas, Arequipa

The Plaza de Armas (main square) in Arequipa is a stunning vision. Cathedrals, shops and balconies made from sillar (white volcanic rock), give this place it’s nickname, “The White City.” Visit the basilica cathedral while you are there – it is an impressive feat that spans the length of the plaza and is the subject of beautiful photos.

The historic centre of Arequipa has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so naturally, there is a lot of eye-candy happening when you arrive. The main plaza is bustling with locals of all ages. Walk around, or find a spot on a bench to watch the exchanges and embrace the culture.

From the plaza, head north to see the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, a stunning convent that fuses both Spanish and Native architecture.

After checking out the monasterio, head northwest to the Yanahuara Viewpoint. Cross the Rio Chili to arrive at an arched platform that looks out onto the city below. Views of Mt. Misti are worth the 25-30 minute walk to get here.

THE COLCA CANYON

This is a MUST if you are staying in Arequipa. You will likely be able to book a tour to the canyon from your accommodation, and if not, hit up one of the tourist shops around the city to help you out. This was one of my favourite excursions in Peru. It is one of the deepest canyons in the world and is carved out by the Colca River.

I decided to do the 2-day trek, which was both challenging and extremely rewarding. It was a reasonable price for what was included. Upon arrival (after a lengthy bus ride from my hostel in Arequipa), we spent the entire first day hiking down the canyon to the very bottom. The descent was long and after a while, it took a toll on your knees, but we survived!

THE OASIS IN COLCA CANYON

At the bottom of the canyon, we crossed the river and enjoyed a local lunch before climbing back up part of the other side to an oasis, where we stayed overnight. The oasis was a very basic accommodation with a pool and a small restaurant that served up some yummy (and well-earned) spaghetti for dinner.

The rooms at the oasis were nothing special. There was no electricity and the toilets were outside and shared by all of the guests. Checking your bed for critters, including little scorpions, is a good idea. We only stayed here for one night, so the experience wasn’t too bad.

HIKING UP THE COLCA CANYON

The next day, we started hiking back up the canyon at 5:00 a.m. Headlamps are needed for this hike to see where you are going. I won’t lie – the uphill hike was extremely challenging. The winding path upwards was met by a number of large stones that required a lot of effort when nearing the top. My leg muscles were bangin’ after this hike.

The tour guides give you three hours to get up, and if you don’t think you will make it in that time, you can rent a horse/donkey to take you the rest of the way (or from the beginning). I climbed it in just under two hours, so it is completely doable if you are an active person who hits the gym every once in a while.

At the top of the canyon, there are a few lookout points where you will likely stop on your first day. The view is gorgeous. The canyon is home to the Andean Condor – which has an impressive 3-metre wingspan. They fly up from their nests every so often, so keep an eye out when you are at the top!

Like I stated earlier, this hike was well worth it. You will take in views you’ve never seen before and get in a respectable workout. Our crew went out on the night we finished the hike and all of us downed our own extra-large pizza with ease. We likely could have eaten two, with the calories burned over the last few days. Best. Hike. Ever.

Different from any city I’ve ever been to, Arequipa is well worth the trip from Lima or Cusco. Set aside 5-7 days to experience backpacking Arequipa and the Colca Canyon. Roam, hike, eat and take in the views of this amazing “White City!”

Head back to Southern Peru – A Backpacker’s Guide

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WHO IS THIS GUIDE FOR?

This guide will be helpful for those who are thinking about visiting Southern Peru, or have already booked and are looking for things to do, places to stay and important information that you may not find anywhere else. It is solely based on my experience there and what I took away from each place.

TRAVELING SOUTHERN PERU

Currency – In Peru, they use the Sol. One Sol is about $0.40 Canadian or $0.30 USD. I found most parts of the country to be reasonably priced. Food and other purchases were overall less expensive than home.

Safety – As a solo female traveler, I felt extremely safe in all of the regions that I visited. There are tourists everywhere and I found the Peruvians to be very friendly. As with anywhere that you travel, you still need to be cautious at night when you are alone, but I never had a problem.

BEST TIMES TO TRAVEL TO SOUTHERN PERU

Since Peru is in the Southern hemisphere, it’s summer and winter months are opposite that of Canada and the USA. I went in July, and would definitely recommend going during their winter (May – September), especially if you are hiking.

Peruvian winters are fairly mild, and I found the temperature hovered between 18-22 degrees Celsius during the day. The capital (Lima) had the most consistent weather of any city I had ever been to…18 degrees and overcast, every day. Despite being higher in elevation, Cusco is warmer, sitting at around 20-22 degrees each day, but significantly dropping overnight. It is not uncommon to experience weather from all four seasons within one day’s time in Peru’s higher altitude regions.

Summer in Peru (December – March) is warmer, but also subject to rain. If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu during Peru’s summer months, beware that they close the Inca trails each February due to heavier rainfall.

WHAT TO BRING

This depends on the type of trip you are taking. Below are some ideas that I found to be super helpful while there:

Backpacks: You need a few good backpacks, especially if you are going to be doing a lot of trekking.

Your main backpack needs to be a good size because you will likely need more space for heavier clothing options in order to battle the mountain climates. Click here for a great option that also includes a day pack. I also brought the Sirrus 24 Hiking Backpack with me on longer treks. It doubled as a carry-on for flights.

Also, instead of bringing a purse with me, I like to tour around cities by foot with a mini backpack, like the one found here. I find it to be way more comfortable to carry this than an over-the-shoulder bag. They are light, small and allow you to be hands-free for picture-taking! I also find mini backpacks to be my go-to when I’m out exploring all day long and need to pack a few extra snacks along with my wallet and camera. They are perfectly-sized and so comfortable!

Another one of my greatest discoveries as a traveler were these packing cubes. They have helped me stay sane when trying to locate something in my main backpack. I highly recommend purchasing them. I roll up my clothing and put all of my tops in one, bottoms in another, toiletries in a separate one, etc. They are lifesavers and so cheap.

Clothing

It is all about layering. The weather in Peru depends on the region you are traveling to and the time of year that you visit. Other than the coastline, a lot of the south is at a higher altitude and therefore it is much cooler at night. I would recommend packing everything from light tank tops to long sleeve shirts to cozy sweatshirts to a warm down jacket. This way, you can peel off during the day and add on at night when temperatures drop significantly. There were some nights I had to sleep in a hat (or, a toque as we call it in Canada) and mittens because the hostels don’t have heat, and the temperature dropped close to zero.

TRANSPORTATION

Getting around is pretty easy. When travelling city-to-city, I used Peru Hop, with the exception of going from Lima to Cusco, in which I flew. Peru Hop is one of the more pricey bus companies, but I think it is completely worth the safety, comfort and overall experience.

I did the “Full South to Lima” tour, which I loved because it hit up all of the main spots in the south of the country. The bus tour was pretty much seamless, with a few exceptions. Because I was in Peru during their winter months (July/August), we hit snow on the way down from Cusco to Puno and were stuck on the road for a few hours. Luckily it was an overnight bus and we could just extend our chairs and go to sleep.

The bus schedule was efficient and easy-to-use. The flexible, hop-on, hop-off style allowed you to stay at each location for as many days as you would like. The guides were good sources of information and always cheerful and upbeat. The majority of my buses were on time and usually had a variety of open seats throughout the entire tour. They provided blankets and had USB charging ports on every seat. And, if all that isn’t enough, they also provided a number of free tours at many of the stops, which I took full advantage of. The Pisco Vineyard tour was my favourite.

FOOD

The food in Peru is unlike anywhere else I’ve been. It is heavily influenced by the ancient Incas and other indigenous populations, but has also been shaped by Chinese (Chifa) and European immigration to the country, featuring a wide variety of dishes.

Peruvian staples, found in a good majority of dishes include: potatoes, fish, corn, quinoa and beans. Guinea Pig is another popular dish that they serve (cuy), which I can’t say I tried…you will discover why if you keep reading. Lima is a growing culinary city, with restaurants run by highly-ranked, world-class chefs. However, I would really recommend being cautious when eating outside of Lima, in some of Peru’s other popular tourist destinations. I, myself, picked up a stomach bug and was down-for-the-count for a few days, on antibiotics, alike many other travellers I ran into.

Afterwards, I found it difficult to want to experience the cultural cuisine in fear of getting sick again, so if I can pass on any of my learnings to you, it would be best to avoid anything you are unsure about. Just be cautious and stick to cooked foods, especially in Cusco.

With all of that said, I would like to dive in for a deeper, more detailed look at each of the cities that I stayed in. I speak from my experiences and hope these posts provide useful information to backpackers in regards to where to stay, what to see, how to get around and anything else that I found to be helpful while touring the south of Peru.

THE BEST CITIES IN SOUTHERN PERU

Click on the links below for more in depth information on each of the cities that I visited.

Lima – The Capital

Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Puno on Lake Titicaca

Arequipa & the Colca Canyon

Nasca, Huacachina & Paracas

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