Arequipa is located in the south of Peru at an altitude of 2,335 meters above the sea level and approximately at 1,000 kilometers from Lima, the Peruvian capital city. Arequipa is the second largest and most important city in Peru. Its land comprises not only the desert coast, but also the Andes mountain, giving birth to a diversity of landscapes which deserve to be visited. By all means, this part of the country has one of the most impressive and rugged terrains. Its moderated altitude in this country makes it an ideal point for getting acclimatised before travelling to Cuzco, Puno and the Lake Titicaca.

Arequipa is settled in a plain ground surrounded by three great volcanoes of over five thousand meters high. The Misti (5,825masl), a perfect cone mountain tuned into the tutelary volcano of the city, works as a central landscape background for this large city and his history feeds the Arequipenos pride. Chachani (6,075masl), to the left and the highest, give you the option of reaching his summit in a two-day ascent. On the other side, Pichu Pichu (5,600masl), a volcano with an exploded look, still keeps the secret of the Inca offerings left centuries ago.

The city is sidetracked by the Chili river. This river forms an impressive canyon between the slopes of the Chachani and Misti volcanos and in some times of the year it is the ideal scenery for rafting. Closer to the city, it is flanked by prehispanic terraces that remain still despite the never-ending urban growth.

In the city outskirts there are small ancient towns that are well known as the "campiña arequipeña" (the city countryside). This is a mixture of countryside with ancient agricultural terraces and old constructions made with the volcanic stone, sillar. Sabandía, Mollebaya, Socabaya, Yumina, Quequeña, among others, are places to visit and combine in a relaxing day trip with a succulent lunch in one of the local restaurants. Horseriding is an interesting option to do in the area.

Activities:

There is a great quantity of activities that can be done in all the department of Arequipa. From visiting colonial houses, churches and museums where you can appreciate the colonial art and the characteristic architecture of the city, go ice and rock climbing, mountain biking, trekking, rafting, surfing, camping, canyoning, hotspringing, photography, horseriding, birdwatching, to doing canyoning in the slopes of Cotahuasi Canyon waterfalls

A long, interesting and important point is to talk about Arequipa gastronomy. Now with the expansion of Peruvian cuisine, it is a must to stop in the different local restaurants in Arequipa. Although many of them now offer fusion food, using andean ingredients with modern techniques, you can still find the classic arequipeno restaurant, the so-called "picanterias". Don't be surprised by the size of the plates. Basic delicacies are the red hot pepper and the river shrimp (camaron) found served in different styles.

When to travel:

Arequipa is a city with privileges due to the weather and its climate. It has one of the more pleasant and stables weathers in all Peru. At least, there are about 300 sunny days a year.

Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast

In general the weather is dry, sunny in the day and moderated cold at nights. In the towns and villages of Colca and Cotahuasi area the temperature can go down considerably.

The raining season used to be between january and march. But in the last three years, it is becoming irregular due to the global warming and now rainings occur during february. During this time, rain fall downs generally in the afternoons and nights.

Although there is no season rule to visit Arequipa, we recommend you to plan your visit to Arequipa from mid-march. If possible, try to avoid July as this month is very crowded due to Independence Day and also the students go on holidays.

Important celebrations are the pilgrimage to Virgen de Chapi Sanctuary (May, 1st), a religious gathering that brings back thousands of arequipenos from everywhere and are believers of Arequipa's patron saint. Likewise, Arequipa's anniversary, celebrated every August 15th, has turned into an important attraction due to the variety of events, from gastromoy festivals to international music concerts. By mid september, a new event is celebrated three years ago, the "Festigloton", a food festival which brings together in the Plaza de Yanahuara the best restaurants and food makers of all Arequipa... we should say this is a must!

What to bring:

It is indispensable to count with good sunglasses, as well as a sunblock cream. The altitude and the clean sky increase the solar bright and radiation can be harmful for your eyes and skin. Arequipa is considered as one of the cities with the higher UV radiation as well, so daily protection is esential. Between locals, it's becoming more popular the use of big hats to avoid the sun damage on the skin.

Do not forget to bring moisturizer cream, really needed against the dry weather of Arequipa. Also, bring a lipstick, as the low percentage of humidity can make your lips very dry in two or three days.

Apart from this, consider the neccesary stuff that you use when traveling. Bring light and fresh clothing, but do not forget to bring coats for the nights (can be from wool or polar fleece). If you wish, you can buy here high-quality sweaters made from alpaca or vicuna wool. For the raining season always consider bringing a waterproof raincoat.