I wanted to check the best way to book a colca canyon 2 day one night tour from Arequipa with a night stay in Chivay. Do we pre-book or book when we get there. We also need to take the 4M Express bus to Puno directly from Chivay. Would that have to be booked by us separately or will the tour company book that along with the whole tour.

Day 1: Fly in the morning to Arequipa.
Day 2: Go to Chivay and spend the night
Day 3: early morning visit to Cruz Del Condor and then afternoon trip on 4M Express to Puno

Forgot to mention. There are three of us....2 adults one child. Would we be better off taking our own taxi to Chivay and booking our own hotel.

Hi Shoonye. I just did something similar in November. The agency I used was Giardino, and they booked me for both the one night tour and the 4 M bus. Giardino has a comfortable seat-in- van excursion to their own hotel in Corporaque, Mama Yacchi. They will drop you in Chivay in time for the bus.

If I was going for just one night I think though it would be better to stay on the Yanque/Chivay side so you don't have to get up at 5 am. I liked Killawasi Lodge in Yanque where I spent an extra night. It looks like you can book this excursion directly with them, check their website and write to them for details.

BTW take it easy in Colca Canyon, it is high!

http://www.killawasilodge.com/eng/de...s.php?id=7&#sw

www.casa-andina.com Chivay with a crowd hire a driver/guide cheaply colca-lodge.com also great there. With a crowd driver
guide almost always cheaper to Puno particularly if you negotiate boots on the ground. Usally $50-100 in small crisp new US Bills will get you a driver/guide for an entire day anywhere you want to go cutting out the middle man what I always try to do. if you are budget many nice cheap hostels and bus not great. Very high passes over 14000 ft.Take an altitude illness preventive or spend a couple of days in Arequipa to adjust. mdtravelhealth.com Peru

Giardino charged $50 for Colca canyon 1 day/1 night tour (in a private van, not a large bus), guide & driver, and hotel, inclusive. It may be less pp for a triple-share room.

Be prepared as Autocolca has just raised the boleto fee, most agencies tack it on to the tour price.

4M bus is very comfortable and includes a guide, with a few stops along the way.

Qwovaids - so in arequipa if we are staying near plaza armas it would be easy to find a taxi driver and negotiate travel for the next day. Sorry to ask basic questions but I've never been to SA before and do not how it works out.

mlgb - I actually sent a mail to Giardino using their email from the website but never got a response back. If you have an email id at which you were corresponding that would be helpful

shoonye, you need to write to [email protected]

They have different agents, not all are fluent in English

I dealt with Rosa Luz.

Sometimes you won't get a response over weekends.

As far as taxi drivers, it is better in Arequipa to work with your hotel.