Arequipa & Colca Canyon

From Cusco, we took an overnight bus to Arequia. It felt very safe and our seats reclined all the way so we got some good sleep overnight. We used Cruz del Sur and would recommend them.

We stayed in Arequipa for 2 days, and then hired a private guide (ubiquitous and reasonably priced in Peru) to explore the Colca Canyon. Arequipa felt like a different vibe than Cusco. We enjoyed exploring, bar hopping, and most of all, eating at Zig Zag!! We REALLY enjoyed the museum in town and seeing and learning about Juanita, the extremely well-preserved mummy of an Inca girl who was killed as part of an offering in the 1400s. The volcano that looms over the city is pretty dramatic and adds to the experience. The Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena was pretty incredible as well. We explored it in the evening and it was very quiet. 

The Colca Canyon was the true highlight of this region. We saw soaring Andean Condors. We ate some great food. We stayed in Cabanaconde during a holiday and the fireworks and celebration was really incredible. A seriously incredible region of the world.