In the colca canyon hiking we have 3 kinds of services:
* Local bus Service
*Tourist bus in Shared service
* Private transport service
Local bus service:
This is a good choice for those on budget or looking for cheaper trek.
-You get to know Perú in a different way, there’s more contact with the local people and other tourists as well.
-With the local bus it's possible to observe condors at the condor lookout (the last day of trek).
-Local buses leave from Arequipa at 6:00 am
-For the return there are many departures on local buses from Cabanaconde.
Negatives aspects in a local bus:
-Local bus transport is different in Perú, it is a basic service. Inside the local bus there’s no heating nor air conditioning.
-Normally in a local bus everyone sits but there are people who stand.
-In the local bus there’s not toilet. The bus stops to pick passengers up in different towns. The bus stops in chivay where there is a toilet.
-With the local bus you can’t visit turistic places in the Colca Valley only the Condor’s lookout and the Chivay - hot springs.
Tourist bus in shared service :
-It is a service where there are only tourists, in the tourist bus there are usually 40 passengers.
-In the first day, this tourist bus in shared service goes through the various hotels to pick up the passengers. this bus picks up passengers from many differents hotels.
-the client must be waiting between 3:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. for the tourist Bus, you may wait without knowing the exact time of pickup.
In conclusion, the bus leaves from Arequipa at 4:30 am, and continues to the condor lookout without stops along the way. The bus arrive at the condor lookout at 10:00 am, the bus wait 30 min. in the condor lookout.
A positive aspect of this tourist bus service, is usually in the big buses there is toilet, ( sometimes the toillet is not so nice) but remember in the local bus service you can go to the toilet in Chivay village.
Negatives aspects in the touris bus in shared service:
-You have to wait ready inside your hotel generally a minimun of one hour.
-Very early departure.
-The toursit bus in shared service arrives very late to the Condor Lookout at 10:00 am ( in the first day). Often to late to see the condors.
-in the Return (third day, after the trek) the bus leaves from Cabanaconde at 10:30 am, and arrives at the condor cross 30 min. after, without stops in condor cross and in the Colca Valley.
-With the tourist bus in shared service you don't visit the colca valley, just the Condor’s Cross ( 30 min. in the first day) and stop in Chivay for the -hot springs in the last day.
-If you need a connexion from the Colca canyon to Puno after the trek it's dificult, because the tourist bus for the trek people leaves from Cabanaconde ( in the last day of the trek ) at 10- to 10:30 am and this tourist bus arrive to chivay village at 13:30 and the bus for Puno leave at 13:30 pm.
- The tourist bus ( for trek people) leaves from Cabanaconde at 10:00 to 10:30 am and arrive to Arequipa city between 19:30 to 20:00hrs.
Private transport service ( Comfortable service)
Private transport service is opposite to the local bus service or tourist bus in shared service , with the private transport service we do many stops in the toilets and in places to take pictures and it’s more confortable(climatized).
It's a service to people who are interested in visiting also the colca valley, remember that the trekking is into the Colca Canyon.
in the transport and in trek there are maximun 6 people.
It’s a service to people who like more comfort in the transport and to know better the Colca Canyon and the colonial village's along the way. With plenty of stops for toilettes as well.
In a private service, we visit the colca valley making more stops for sightseeing terraces, pre-inca tombs, volcanoes, the national reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca: Llamas, vicuñas, alpacas and colonial towns etc.
If for the day of the trek we have only 2 or 3 people we don't cancel the tour trek , we leave and you don't pay extra.
you can leave with all your back pack ( luggage ) there are much space inside the car. And during your trek , the driver will take care of your backpack. And if you have a connexion from colca to Puno it will be easier for you.
After trek , if you don't need continue to Arequipa city you can take a bus from colca valley (Chivay) to the bus station of Puno city. This bus leave to 13:30 from chivay village and arrive to the bus station of Puno 19:30. |
3 days / 2 nights
