Mountains of Peru: Colca Canyon, Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountains – 10 Days

You are here:

Explore the best of the Peruvian countryside on this ten-day adventure trip. Start in the capital city of Lima, then catch a domestic flight to Arequipa — the base for all adventures in Colca Canyon. You’ll spend a few days exploring the condor’s home, then transfer to Machu Picchu for the Sacred Valley highlights and a hike up the colorful Rainbow Mountain.

Highlights

  • Enjoy the rich colonial heritage of Arequipa c
  • Visit one of the deepest canyons, Colca Canyon
  • Explore the Sacred Valley and its ancient Incan monuments and villages
  • Dicover Machu Picchu, the famous Inca Citadel
  • See the magic of Rainbow Mountain

Difficulty

Condition

Travel Program

Day 1: Arrive in Lima - Bienvenidos!

¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to Lima, Peru’s largest city and central metropolitan hub, and home to one-third of the country’s population.

Upon your arrival at Lima Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our representatives, who will take you to your hotel in Miraflores/San Isidro. You will have the remainder of the day free to relax and get acquainted with the city at your own pace.

Lima’s breezy location on the Pacific Ocean and mild desert climate make it the perfect city for exploring on foot. Head downtown to mingle with locals, stretch your legs, and grab a bite to eat in one of the many award-winning restaurants.

Depending on your arrival time, we have plenty of suggestions for you so you can make the most of your day in Lima.

Suggested activities:

  • Visit the Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to Jerónimo de Aliaga, one of his captains, in 1535. This is the only house from that era that still belongs to the same family.
  • Explore the historic center of Lima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with fascinating Spanish architecture. Start with a scenic tour of the colonial downtown, which emanates from the main square. Stroll over to the 16th-century Cathedral, which took 80 years to construct and was built in the grandiose style of the Spanish Empire.
  • Stroll around the Pueblo Libre district to the privately owned Larco Museum of pre-Columbian art, housed in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built over a 7th-century pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum boasts a vast pre-Colonial collection of gold and silver artifacts.
  • In the evening, head to the eclectic “Love Park” in the upscale coastal district of Miraflores, where you can admire a huge kissing statue and beautiful mosaic walls. The park is built on the cliffs of Chorrillos and is a perfect place to enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Pacific.
  • Enjoy a nightcap at an open-air cafe or restaurant in the diverse Miraflores neighborhood.

Transfer to the airport and take a domestic flight to the Arequipa Airport. You’ll be met there by a tour representative, who will give you a brief intro to the city on the drive to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax, settle into the hotel, and get acquainted with the city at your own pace.

Late afternoon is a great time to head to the Plaza de Armas, one of South America’s most beautiful central squares. Enjoy the view of the sun setting over the three volcanoes that surround the city, grab a bite to eat, and rub shoulders with locals out on the town.

Other Suggestions Include:

  • Explore the Monasterio of Santa Catalina: A town within a town, this expansive monastery is packed full of chapels, bedrooms, and cooking quarters which provide a fascinating insight into the lives of devout catholic nuns back in the 16th century.
  • Visit Yanahuara: You’ll have unbeatable views of the majestic ice-capped volcanoes that encircle the city.
  • Try delicious food: The cuisine of Arequipa is one of the most varied and rich from Peruvian Cuisine.

Start the day early, setting off on a scenic drive to Colca Canyon. This drive will last around 3 hours and will take you through spectacular landscapes featuring snowcapped volcanoes and quaint Andean villages.

As the road climbs up to the Reserva Nacional de Salinas y Aguada Blanca, keep your eyes open for wild vicuñas (smaller cousins of the llama) and viscachas (small chinchilla-like rodents). At the highest point of your journey, you’ll reach Patapampa Pass, located at a breathtaking 15,300 feet (4,820 m) above sea level. Here, you’ll visit Mirador de Los Andes (Lookout Point of the Andes) in Patapampa. This lookout point offers incredible views of the peaks of the various volcanoes surrounding Arequipa, including the Hualca Hualca, the Sabancaya, and the Ampato.

Next, descend down into the town of Chivay, where you’ll begin to see pre-Inca agricultural terraces that characterize the landscape of the canyon. Upon arrival in Chivay, you’ll stop in the main square to enjoy lunch.

After lunch, transfer to your hotel.

The rest of the afternoon will be free to take advantage of the hotel’s amenities, enjoy the tranquility of your surroundings, and simply rest and rejuvenate for the next day.

You can visit any of the plenty of public natural thermal baths in the region, depending on the town your accommodation is located, some of them are La Calera (near Chivay), Tambo and Chacapi (near Yanque),and Sallihua (Near Coporaque). Here visitors can pay a few soles to enter, and relax in the warm waters.

Early this morning, you’ll meet your guide and drive to Mirador Cruz del Condor, one of the best viewpoints over the canyon and home to the famed condors that gracefully soar on the thermal currents. The road leads past picturesque villages and pre-Inca ruins dominated by the Ampato and Hualca glaciers, both visible in the distance. Once you reach Cruz del Condor, you can stand at the viewpoint and gaze into the depths of the canyon, which stretches nearly 4,000 feet below.

You will return to Chivay where you can enjoy lunch and browse the local market before starting the journey by land back to Arequipa.

Head to the airport for your transfer flight to Cusco.

Remember: you will be 11,000 feet (3,000 m) above sea level, so take it easy and remember to drink lots of water. Take a walk through the plaza — if the weather is beautiful, it’s a perfect place to sit and have a cup of coca tea while adjusting to the elevation.

In the evening, take the opportunity to experience Cusco’s celebrated culinary heritage at a local restaurant.

This morning, you’ll depart to The Sacred Valley of the Incas, upon arrival in Moray, you’ll see the three famous amphitheater-like terraces made by the Incas. These terraces are carved deep into the earth in the shape of a bowl. It is believed that the Incas once used these terraces as agricultural laboratories to determine the optimal conditions for growing crops.

When you are done exploring Moray, you will head about two miles away, to the salt mines of Maras (Salineras de Maras). This village is known as a former salt-producing center and is thought to date back to pre-Incan times. There are over 3,000 salt pools carved into the mountainside, that are filled daily by a stream of water.

Finally, return to Cusco and have the rest of the day to rest or go around the city.

This morning you will depart from your hotel in Cusco and travel to Pisac, one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. Here you’ll explore the ancient Inca burial grounds, irrigation systems, and astronomy centers. Next, go down to the town of Pisac located at the bottom of the valley. This town is famous for its bustling textile market. Select from a wide assortment of colors, styles, and designs for gifts and souvenirs to take home with you.

Stop for lunch, and enjoy a traditional Peruvian – Andean cuisine at a restaurant in the same Urubamba, conveniently located in a beautiful setting overlooking the Urubamba River.

From here, head to the ancient Incan city of Ollantaytambo, one of the few remaining places in the Sacred Valley that have retained its original Inca urban planning. Walk through the streets with Inca-era canals and view the ancient houses still in use today. Climb the agricultural terraces where you can enjoy an Inca’s-eye-view of the valley. From the top, you’ll be able to see some of the quarries from where the stone for Ollantaytambo was sourced. It’s amazing to think how far these large stones were transported from, especially considering the Incas didn’t have pack animals strong enough to carry them.

From here, take the train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town) for overnight.

Get an early start to beat the crowds and get the best views of the ancient ruins. From Aguas Calientes, it’s an easy 25-minute bus ride up to the Machu Picchu ruins.

This 15th-century Inca citadel is located at 7,970 ft (2,430 m) and is a masterpiece of engineering that served as a sanctuary and retreat for the Incan Emperor Pachacutec and his royal court. Machu Picchu, which means “Old Mountain,” is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Built as a seasonal residence for the Inca family, Machu Picchu was rarely home to more than 800 people, and during the royals’ absence, a mere 100 servants would remain at the site to maintain the grounds. Machu Picchu was abandoned 100 years after construction and remained largely hidden to the outside world until the early 20th century.

Your guide will lead you around the site and explain the different buildings and curious corners of the building complex. Approximately one-third of the site has been reconstructed into its original structure, giving visitors a sense of the grandeur and artistry of the original citadel.

After the tour, you will have time to explore the citadel on your own, then take the bus back to Aguas Calientes and grab lunch (not included) in the picturesque town center. Connect to your train to Ollantaytambo and your connecting transfer back to your hotel in Cusco.

*Entrance hour to The Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is subject to availability, we will try to get the first shift available.
* After the guided tour in Machu Picchu, the guide will depart and you will be able to explore the Sanctuary on your own.

Start your morning early with a dawn pickup for the 3.5-hour drive to the beginning of the trek. Once you reach your destination, you will pause for breakfast before beginning the hike.

Start from Cillca, located at 12,139 ft (3,700 m). From here it’s a 4-hour uphill trek to reach the famous Rainbow Mountain. As you hike, take in the sweeping views of the Andes mountains, glacial peaks, and herds of alpacas and llamas. Once you reach the top of Rainbow Mountain you will have unparalleled views of the vibrantly colored soil, surrounding valleys, and the 21,000 ft (6,400 m) Ausangate Glacier rising in front of you.

Make your way back to the base of the hike and return to your hotel in Cusco.

Today is your last day in Peru! You will be met at your hotel for a transfer to the Cusco Airport, where you will catch your flight back to Lima and then transfer to your international departure.

Included meals: B=breakfast; L=lunch; D=dinner

What's Included

Included

  • English- and Spanish-speaking guide
  • Entrance tickets as per itinerary
  • Accommodation
  • Trekking staff (if applicable)
  • Camping equipment (if applicable)
  • Meals as specified in the itinerary
  • Transportation as per itinerary
  • Airport transfers (if specified)

Not included

  • International or domestic flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips
  • Personal expenses
  • Optional tours or additional entrance tickets
  • Personal equipment

What to Bring

What to Bring or take fo Day Hiking and Technical Equipment for Climbing Expedition

This equipment list is compiled to provide you with adequate help when choosing your equipment for a climb. Most items are required. Please consider each of them and make sure you understand the function and exclusive use for mountaineering, before substituting or removing items from this list. Please note that this list has been carefully annotated by the organizer. Remember that mountaineering, climbing or mountain expeditions tours is an extreme, risky sport, therefore everything related to it is of great attention.

Hiking backpack for hiking 50 to 60 liters

Light gloves for hiking or (Optional Mittens waterproof)

Medium weight socks

Sleeping bag (-15º to 20ºC)

Small daypack for one day hiking 30 liters

Weather-appropriate clothing (think moisture-wicking and layers)

Hiking boots or shoes

Medium weight parka with fibber fill or down

Rain poncho (or rain gear)

Long-sleeved shirts

Fleece or Wool sweater and/or trousers

Lightweight pants

Cotton short-sleeved shirts or t-shirts

Water bottle for hiking or trekking

Strong waterproof duffel bag

Flashlight with spare batteries and bulb

Towel for personal hygiene each participantFirst-aid kit

Regular and long underwear

Knife or multi-tool

Light cap and wool hat

Sunglasses with UV certification, Sun block, lips

The rest of the list Essentials as appropriate for your hike

Grooming and personal hygiene kit

One Hiking Buff per person

3 Locking carabiners, we recommended per person

We recommend 2 ice screws for each client

1 Daisy Chain (Life Line) per each person

2 Ice axes (per person) technical, we recommended GRIVEL company

1 ATC descender (Rappel), this is very necessary for technical mountains

2 Cords for prusik, very important (Size Cord 6 mm x 10 m. long)

Gloves(Good gloves) for expeditions over 6000meters

Harness for climbing

Sleeping pad / Mattress, we recommend with air or inflatable mattress

Crampons, we recommended GRIVEL company

Walking sticks – Trekking Poles (optional), a pair per person, we recommended GRIVEL company

Down Jacket for expedition

Very important to have personal clothing such as pants and jacket with GOROTEX certification

First aid kit, for high mountains, because we as guides cannot medicate clients

Backpack Capacity 60 liters, it is better to have a bigger backpack to go comfortably to the high camps, because here you have to carry all your personal things

Gaiters or Leggings, now modern boots already have built-in (Incorporated), but better to have an extra pair

Dressing appropriately for the mountains can make the difference between a pleasant trip and a really uncomfortable one. Clothing must provide the right degree of temperature, perspiration and be well ventilated. Preferably cotton clothing should be avoided, as in humid conditions they absorb body heat.

In general, the weather conditions in in the Andes of South America can vary from day to day and even throughout the day. Therefore, clothing must be versatile.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have regarding the necessary equipment.

Prices & Dates

FROM/TO

PRICE (USD)

TRAVEL STATUS

01 APR 2026 / 19 APR 2026

$ —-

🟢

Join Now

Please note: Insurance for emergency evacuation is required for this trip. Call for more details.

» Additional dates available upon request
» Rates may vary from July 26th to 31th for the national holidays

Prices (per person):

1 PAX 2 PAX 4 PAX 6 PAX 8 PAX 10 PAX 12 PAX 14 PAX
— USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD

Deposit for reservations

— USD (– EUR) ✓ Full payment 40 days before. No refund if you cancel less than 30 days!

Places: 🟢 *Available
Trip-code: Number ►BOL-000
Duration: 1 day
Participants: Minimal: 2 Maximal: 15
Members: We don’t have an open group to join – We can open a new group – Contact us!
Country / Location: Bolivia
Mountain Guide: Eric Raul Albino Lliuya
Other dates / additional info: Contact us!

3% early bird discount when booking 6 months prior to departure 2024

Legend Booking-information:
EZZ Single room supplement
🟢 On this trip, places are still available.
🟡 On this trip, only a few places left.
🔴 This trip is sold out / closed.

Eric Raul Albino Lliuya

Expert guide certified by AGOMP
General Sales Manager of Peru Expeditions

Hans Honold | Certified Mountain and Ski Guide

For a trip with a Professional Certified Mountain Guide from abroad with your own language that you speak, please request us to get in touch. We have guides working for our company from all over the world who are members of IVBV/UIAGM/IFMGA Certified Guides.

It is very important to have accident coverage for trekking and climbing mountains, more if you go a technical mountains over 6 thousand meters, we oblige and recommend buying travel insurance with our partner Global Rescue, you get the peace of mind that the finest medical, security evacuation, field rescue, intelligence and telehealth.

Only $1000 deposit to book

Pay over time, interest free

No booking fee, no change fee

24/7 support

Accommodations

Scroll through our exclusive accommodations for this trip below. Although very unlikely, we will be able to make substitutions when necessary. The comfortable accommodations that guests stay in every night offer comfort, the level that these options are are 3 stars and some hostels in some towns of first class quality to make your stay very pleasant.

*These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some cases, alternative accommodation of similar quality and location can be used.

Videos

Frequently Asked Questions

What our travelers or clients always ask questions before joining our trips, tours & expeditions, read all the information provided here.

Suggested FAQs

For our mountain climbing trips: If they are easily accessible mountains: For easy-climb mountains, well, you don’t need much experience, but if you already want to climb mountains above 6,000 meters and the conditions become more difficult, we recommend if you already want to go through mountains above 6,000 meters, have a basic or intermediate course for a good preparation. It is very important to be physically, technically and psychologically prepared.

Regarding the preparation of children: Everything will depend on which mountain you want to climb with your children, once you are clear on which of our tours or mountains you want to go with your children, we can give you some advice or see how to prepare them before going with they.

Regarding older people: It all depends on the condition of experience and how well the person is in health, on many occasions older people are the best to walk in the mountains because they have more experience, so it is always good to ask and find out about their experience of older participant. If you have any other questions, please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In all our trekking or mountaineering trips we do not include personal equipment in our prices, so you have to have your own equipment: Personal equipment (such as boots, ice ax, crampons, harness, sleeping bag, mat, Goretex, etc. ) and also within each page of the trips that we sell is a small list so you can see it on our website.

Our company can also rent the materials that you would need for your trip, see the list here on our website: https://peru-expeditions.org/equipment-rental/ . For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Safe and effective vaccines are available that provide strong protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Billions of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself against COVID-19, help end the pandemic and stop new variants emerging.

We also recommend having accident insurance, we always recommend. We are Partners –Global Rescue. If you have any other questions about the trip we can schedule a date for a calling via WhatsApp. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

To do long-distance hiking you need to at least train or do some tours such as visiting lagoons to get the experience and feel comfortable with what you do, it is always good before doing a long-distance hiking tour to test yourself so as not to be with the problems of altitude sickness during the trekking, and if you travel with children it is good to first train them before taking them, if they are accompanied by an adult of legal age, they must do a good acclimatization before going on the long-distance tour or with high altitude camps If you want to know or learn more advice, we can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify your doubts. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

The preparation is according to what type and what technical level you want to go and climb a trek or mountain, the preparation will always gain experience little by little.

For this type of demanding or technical climbing sports, it is recommended to do some summits above 5 thousand meters beforehand and have good knowledge of high mountain technical equipment such as the use of technical ice axes, ice screws, correct use of crampons, and of course all the technical material. For more information, we can schedule an appointment to be able to explain in more detail everything about the mountain equipment and the preparations prior to joining our outings. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Every day we have active walks around approximately 4, to 5 sometimes 6 hours of walking, everything is according to your pace and physical condition of each person, in each of our travel programs you will find more detailed information, and if If you need more information about each day of the travel program, we can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify your doubts or questions, for this please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In our trips, either hiking or mountaineering: Depending on the type or destination of the trip that you are going to book, in some parts of the treks you go with mules or donkeys or sometimes with horses, and within the mountain trips, the approach camps are also They go with mules or donkeys, but there are some stretches where pack animals can no longer reach. In this part, our logistics is fully supported by the porters.

Who are the porters? They are people from the area who were born and live in the heights of the towns, they are very strong and are very acclimatized, the reason is that after the tourist season ends they dedicate themselves to agriculture and livestock for that reason they are people They are used to the altitude and have lived in nature all their lives and they are happy to be in the mountains together with our expeditions. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

About accommodation or meals during the tour: Well, depending on the type of tour, when the tour is a classic cultural tour or a city tour, we eat during the route in tourist restaurants and sleep in category hotels that the client has requested.

If the tour is with camps and trekking: During the activity, logistics we include the service of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with traditional and typical meals of the region where you are going to travel with us, during the night we stay in tents, and we have a special tent for the kitchen and another for the dining room.

If the trip is at altitude or in the mountains: We bring special high mountain food, It are quicker meals to cook and we provide complete logistics such as Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, and we sleep in special 4-season high mountain tents, with the best tents. If you have any questions or concerns, we can schedule an appointment via Whatsapp to clarify all your doubts and give you better information so that your trip is an unforgettable tour.

In mountains above 5000 meters: A local guide takes a maximum of 3 clients = Ratio 3pax = 1 local guide

In technical mountains: In large-big mountains we manage the travel policy, a guide and a maximum of 2 clients = Ratio 3pax = 1 local guide. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

For all the trips that we offer within our main tourist destinations such as South America and Central America, also including the ascent of the 7 continents and the 7 highest peaks of each continent, on each page of our website for each trip we indicate that month or what season to travel, then please read the information you find in our travel offers for each tour. If you have any other questions you can contact us by WhatsApp with one of our travel experts. Thank you so much. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In the interest of the team’s enjoyment and success, we work with every single guest to ensure they are properly prepared and ready for this expedition. We pride ourselves on vetting every member to make sure that the team can bond and succeed together. It really sucks to be grouped with members that are much faster, or much slower, than you are. No one wants to the weakest link on a trip like this. By setting expectations and a solid training plan, we work to insure maximum cohesive success. Use this trip as an exercise motivator, and we will succeed together with style.

For the pick-ups of each trip, depending on the place or the trip that you are going to make with us, the meeting point is always at our office, in one of our trips we pick you up where you are staying or staying, or in some cases a A representative of our company will pick you up and then ship you to your transport to continue with your destination of the tour or trip you have booked with us. If you wish to request more information, do not hesitate to contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

For all the trips that we offer within our main tourist destinations such as South America and Central America, also including the ascent of the 7 continents and the 7 highest peaks of each continent, on each page of our website for each trip we indicate that month or what season to travel, then please read the information you find in our travel offers for each tour. If you have any other questions you can contact us by WhatsApp with one of our travel experts. Thank you so much. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

About the meteorological conditions of the climate, we try to organize the trips of each tour in the best season to have the best views and enjoy the selected trip but sometimes even is good season we can have bad weather, in this case on hiking or treks trips The complications are minimal, but when this happens during high-altitude climbing expeditions, the complications can become very difficult, that is why the bosses or leaders of the local guides must always make the most correct decision for the safety of our passengers, so we always recommend listening to the best advice from the local guide assigned for each tour. If you have any other questions please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

We as a local company and connoisseurs of tours have departures on different dates. The best thing to do is to join a travel group to take care of your budget, and of course you can join our groups, but on trips like mountaineering we recommend going in small groups. To join a group, ask us for the dates and we will send you the necessary information to be able to join any of our trips.

Why go in a private trip: For trips whether trekking or high mountains, going privately is the most recommended option, but the costs are more expensive. So, if one joins a group, the prices will be more reasonable. In the mountains, the only disadvantage is if you are in a wall with another partner and if one of the participants gets tired or gets sick. In this case, you have to abort or cancel the summit and return together. For more information, contact us. We can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify all your questions.

In a mountain, for example, if 3 people go and one of the participants falls ill on the route, for security reasons they have to cancel or abort the summit or return all together. The same in a technical mountain if the climbing partner gets sick they all have to return, for these reasons sometimes it is better to go private only because for a single person the costs are more expensive for the same reason that the trip would already be private .

For more information please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Additional information

We help in the purchase of air tickets: we set up convenient flight options with each participant of the trip and book tickets such as international flights and domestic flights in each destination city of the countries that we offer our trips. We recommend you booking international flights tickets well in advance so we can find current flights offer prices from the airlines. In order for us to search for and book your flight, please contact us and we will be happy to help you!. → More information click here
About a Satellite Phone or inReach® Messenger - GARMIN: On each trip we recommend having a satellite phone at your disposal. The possibility of quick contact from anywhere on the mountain will guarantee your safety on the road. In case of need (for example, contact with the family or the travel company), for this service the participants have to request to rent a satellite phone, of course this service has an additional cost, contact us or ask our office for more information. A practical device is to have an inReach® Messenger - GARMIN also helps for any emergency. → More information click here
Many of the participants or clients of our adventures, hikes and expeditions in the mountains are people who sign up alone, but in some of our trips you will be able to find a travel partner companion to join a group. We have many options for you from day tours, short treks, long duration tours, and even the most extreme climbing high mountains on each country or South American continent and other destinations, as like the destinations you can see on our website. The mountains are a great place for rapid integration and a very healthy sport. → More information click here
Our mountain guides or tour leaders: All of our Tour Leaders are multiple conquerors of the peaks they lead the expeditions to. Each of our cultural guides, high mountain guides, mountainbike guides, among others are internationally recognized and certified guides, such as the certifications of (UIMLA) Union of International Mountain Leader Associations & (IFMGA) International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations. The mountaineering experience, skills and knowledge of your guides are a priority for us. → More information click here

Reviews

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Post comment