The Arequipa detour

I visited Arequipa last year. It is in the South of Peru and I was travelling from the north, passing through on my way to Machu Picchu and later Ecuador.  At that time I used to run out of time in every country, spending longer than my initial planned itinerary. So arriving to Arequipa just before entering Ecuador was no exception to the rule. My primary aim was to visit the picturesque nearby Colca Valley and Colca Canyon (where there are condors), and these tours start from Arequipa. So off I went the next morning. Returning from the valley, I jumped on first best nightbus to Cusco, limiting my time in Arequipa to a mere afternoon and evening.

However, with its wonderful central plaza, imposing cathedral and white colonial buildings, the city promised much more and I was sad to have to leave in such a rush. I therefore decided to return for a couple of days in this trip, to get to know Peru’s second largest city a bit better. After all, I hadn’t yet reached the “too-many-days-in-Peru-feeling”.