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Voykit pocket guide · Peru
Arequipa
Give Arequipa 2–3 nights: one full day for the Santa Catalina convent and the centre, one for Colca Canyon, and a half-day buffer for altitude and buses.
Arequipa sits at 2,380 m under three volcanoes — El Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu — and is Peru's second city, built largely from white sillar stone. It is a colonial centre with no Inca ruins, a base for Colca Canyon condor trips, and a useful stop between Lima, Cusco and the southern coast. Two nights covers the centre; three lets you add Colca without rushing.
- Country
- Peru
- Best months
- Apr–Nov (dry, clear); May–Sep coolest nights
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar (rain, cloudy volcano views)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PEN
- Money
- Currency is the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in Lima and Cusco; markets, small towns, taxis and entrance fees in villages need cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget S/120–180 excl. bed · Mid S/180–320 excl. bed · High S/320+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro, Movistar, Entel and Bitel sell prepaid SIMs; register with your passport at official shops.
- Emergency
- Police 105 · Fire 116 · Ambulance (SAMU) 106
- Plugs
- Types A, C · 220 V · 60 Hz · US devices need to be dual-voltage (most chargers are).
- Tipping
- Restaurants: About 10% if service is not included.; Inca Trail porters and cooks: Per the operator's guidance; pooled at the end.; Guides: S/ 20–50 per person for a day tour.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Paper in the bin; carry tissue and coins for public toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | S/5–10 |
| Menu del día (set lunch) | S/12–25 |
| Rocoto relleno in a picantería | S/20–35 |
| Beer: draught / bottle | S/10–18 / S/8–12 |
| Taxi in the centre | S/4–7 |
| Alpaca sweater (good quality) | S/70–180 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AQP · Rodríguez Ballón International Airport
- 8.5 km (5.3 mi) north of the centre in Cerro Colorado; taxi to Plaza de Armas about S/25, 25–35 min5.3 mi (8.5 km) north of the centre in Cerro Colorado; taxi to Plaza de Armas about S/25, 25–35 min
Typical fares
- Airport → Plaza de Armas, taxi
- about S/25, 25–35 min (check)
- Bus terminals → centre, taxi
- about S/8
- Centre taxi ride
- S/4–7 per ride, not per person
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is a walkable 5-block grid around Plaza de Armas; Yanahuara and Cayma are also walkable. Taxis are per ride, not per person: S/4–7 in the centre, S/8 from the bus terminals, S/20–30 from the airport. Agree the fare before you get in.
See and do
Known for
- Santa Catalina Monastery
- Sillar architecture and Plaza de Armas
- Colca Canyon condors
- Rocoto relleno and picanterías
- El Misti volcano
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Colca Canyon (Chivay and Cruz del Cóndor) | Organised tour or bus from Terminal Terrestre, about 3–4 h each way | Full day (leaves about 03:00) or 2 days with an overnight in ChivayFull day (leaves about 3:00 AM) or 2 days with an overnight in Chivay |
| Molino de Sabandía and Mansión del Fundador | Taxi or tour, about 20–30 min south | Half day |
| Yanahuara and Cayma | Walk or short taxi from the centre | 2–3 h |
| Puno and Lake Titicaca | Bus, 5–6 h | Half a day of travel |
Sleep
- Historic centre (around Plaza de Armas)
- Walk to the convent, cathedral and museums; noisier, higher prices.
- Yanahuara / Cayma
- Quieter, 15–25 min walk or a short taxi to the centre; good views of Misti.
- Near the bus terminals
- Practical for a night bus arrival or departure; about S/8 by taxi to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Buenos díasBWEH-nos DEE-as |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syas |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta por fa-VOR |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-de es-TA el BA-nyo |
| Help | Ayudaa-YU-da |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; one cheek kiss among acquaintances; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Food pride: Ask about local dishes; avoid: Comparing pisco or ceviche unfavourably with Chile's
- Photos: Ask and pay if asked; avoid: Photographing people without asking
- Politics: Listen; avoid: Taking sides in protests
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude 2,380 m: take the first day easy, drink water, skip alcohol on arrival.
- Taxis: the fare is per ride for all passengers — some drivers claim per head.
- Book Colca tours with a licensed operator; cheap tours skip the condor viewpoint timing.
- Jan–Mar rain can close roads and hide the volcanoes.
- Keep a jacket: nights are cold year-round at this altitude.
Arequipa is generally safe for tourists in the centre by day; use registered taxis at night, watch bags in markets and bus terminals, and treat the altitude as the main risk on day one.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Arequipa yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Santa Catalina Monastery
- Sillar architecture and Plaza de Armas
- Colca Canyon condors
- Rocoto relleno and picanterías
- El Misti volcano
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Arequipa airport (AAP): www.aap.com.pe/sedes/aqp
- Wikivoyage: Arequipa, revision 5322103 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5322103
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/arequipa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.