This guide is for you if you want to see what surrounds Arequipa rather than what is inside it: the farmland, the volcanoes and two old country buildings. It helps you pick the start time that gives you the clearest view, plan a long lunch, and decide whether four hours out of town is the right use of your time.
The volcanoes decide the day
Three volcanoes stand over the city: El Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu. They sit in the south-western part of the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, a protected area of high plains, lagoons and peaks set up in 1979. The reserve matters to the green below you too. According to Peru's protected areas service, it is the main source of water for Arequipa and the land around it. Rain and snow that fall from October to April are held in its wetlands and soils and let out slowly through the year.
From the viewpoints on this tour, the volcanoes are the point. Clear mornings give the best view. Cloud is more common in the rainy months, from December to March. If you are travelling then, take the 07:00 start and keep your fingers crossed.
How the four hours run
You are collected at 07:00 or 13:00. The two viewpoints come first: Yanahuara after about half an hour, Carmen Alto half an hour later. Then you drive out to the mill at Sabandía and finish at the Founder's Mansion. Four hours after pick-up you are back at your hotel, or sitting down in a picantería in the countryside.
The time is spread evenly, roughly an hour at each stretch, so no single stop takes over. Because the car is yours, you can change that. Linger at Carmen Alto if the sky is clear, or skip the mansion and eat earlier. Tell your driver on the day.
The four stops
Yanahuara
A row of 19th-century arches in sillar, the white volcanic stone the old city is built from, about 2 kilometres from the centre. Lines by well-known Arequipeños are carved into them. From here you see the rooftops with El Misti beyond.
Carmen Alto
The second viewpoint looks over the terraced fields on the edge of the city, with Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu around them. This is where you see the countryside as a whole before you drive into it.
Sabandía mill
The mill stands in its own green valley, about 20 minutes from the centre of Arequipa. A waterfall still drives the heavy grinding stones, which are in good condition. Around the mill are old trees, a collection of cacti and succulents, and animals: vicuñas, llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs and a large Arequipa fighting bull. The entrance is not included in the tour; you pay it at the gate.
The Founder's Mansion
The land was granted at the founding of Arequipa to Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, who built a house on it. A later owner, Juan Crisóstomo de Goyeneche, turned it into a hacienda and country palace for visiting church and civil dignitaries. When six architecture enthusiasts bought it in 1981 it was in ruins, and they restored it in full. Like the mill, the entrance is paid on the day.
Plan the lunch
This tour is built to end at a table. The countryside is known for its picanterías, the traditional restaurants of Arequipa, and Peru's Ministry of Culture declared them part of the nation's cultural heritage in April 2014. Ask your driver to finish at one.
A few dishes to know before you sit down:
- Rocoto relleno: a hot pepper stuffed with seasoned meat and cheese, then baked. It usually comes with pastel de papa, a baked potato dish.
- Chupe de camarones: a shrimp soup with potato, maize, egg and cheese, eaten as a main course.
- Costillar: fried beef or lamb ribs with potatoes and maize.
- Queso helado: not cheese at all, but a frozen milk pudding that looks like it.
Adobo, pork cooked in a clay pot with garlic, chilli and vinegar or chicha, is traditionally a breakfast dish, so do not be surprised if it is not on the lunch menu. A red flag at a doorway means chicha de guiñapo is on sale, a lightly fermented drink made from a local maize.
Lunch is not included, so plan for it in your day. The morning start ends at about 11:00, early for lunch; if food is your priority, ask for longer at the stops and arrive at the picantería later.
On your own or with a driver
The two viewpoints are close to the city, and Yanahuara is near enough to reach by taxi or on foot from the centre. The mill and the mansion are a different matter. They are out in the countryside, and stringing all four together alone means arranging each leg and waiting for a ride back.
A private car keeps the four stops in one easy loop and lets you stop where the light is good. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page. Groups of more than 16 travel in two vehicles on one booking. Message us and we will price it.
What to bring
- Sun cream, sunglasses and a hat. Arequipa is at about 2,300 metres and the sun is strong.
- A light layer for the early start, which you can leave in the car later.
- Local cash for the two entrances, small purchases and lunch.
- A camera with a zoom if you want the volcanoes large in the frame.
Who it suits
This is a slow morning, best after the city tour, when you already know the centre and want air and space. It also works as a quiet second day in Arequipa while you get used to the height before the Colca Canyon. Arequipa is lower than Cusco, but take it easy on the first day.
If you only have one day in Arequipa, this is half of it. The full-day Arequipa tour puts these stops together with Santa Catalina and the Plaza de Armas. The city tour covers the centre on its own. Our guide to day trips from Arequipa sets them side by side.
Questions people ask
Will we see the volcanoes?
On a clear day, yes. Nobody can promise the sky, and from December to March cloud is more common.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the morning
Choose the early start, pick a clear month if you can, and leave room for lunch. Pick-up details and what is included are on the Arequipa countryside tour page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
