Where to stay in Colca Canyon and find a bus to Arequipa?

hi there (mid-August 2025), I’m arriving in COLCA CANYON from PUNO by bus to stay for 3 days I’ll be on foot what’s the best place to sleep since I’ll be hiking then I’m taking a bus to AREQUIPA but I can’t find any info about it only thing I’ve seen is that I’ll find a collectivo in CHIVAY can you give me some tips to organize this as smoothly as possible thanks ISABELLE

Hi there! First off, to get to Colca Canyon, you’ll need to head to Cabanaconde and a spot called Cruz del Condor. However, there are minibuses that definitely leave from Arequipa. If you go through Chivay, there are usually buses every day early in the morning. Unless you opt for an organized tour from Arequipa. So, you can’t really count on mobility or easy transport. I’d recommend planning for 4 days rather than 3.

To hike at the bottom of the canyon, you usually start from Cabanaconde.

The easiest option is to take a bus that takes you directly there. Otherwise, in Chivay, there are buses and taxis that go all over the valley.

Thomas