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of travel agencies offering ho-hum city tours and excursions to the canyon country, most with daily departures. While some agencies are professional, there are also plenty of carpetbaggers muscling in on the action, so shop carefully. Never accept tours from street touts and, where possible, tours should be paid for in cash, as occasional credit-card fraud is reported. Most agencies pool their clients into one bus, even though they charge different rates for the tours. Minibuses are the norm for these trips, and the small vehicles are cramped and overcrowded. Guides usually speak some level of English and/or other languages, but some garble a memorized and hard-to-follow script.

The standard two-day tour of the Cañón del Colca (Click here) costs S65 to S225 per person, depending on the season, group size and the comfort level of the hotel you choose to stay at in Chivay. All tours leave Arequipa between 7am and 9am, passing through the Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca (Click here). A stop is usually made at a teahouse and, later, at the highest point to take in the views before descending to Chivay for lunch. Some agencies then take their groups on a short hike, and the hot springs of Chivay are almost always visited before sunset, so bring a swimsuit and towel. There is usually a visit to a lively, if touristy peña (bar or club featuring live folkloric music) in the evening. Be aware that the cost of the tour includes lodging with breakfast in Chivay, but other meals are paid for out of your own pocket, as is the canyon’s boleto turístico (tourism ticket; S35) and small tips for your guide and driver. On the second morning the group leaves around 6am to reach Cruz del Cóndor by 8:30am for an hour or so of condor-spotting, before returning to Arequipa. Many groups are approached by locals toting captive birds of prey in the hope that tourists will pay a tip to have their picture taken. Please do not encourage the capture of these endangered wild birds.

Ask Miguel Fernández, owner of AI Travel Tours (22-2052; www.aitraveltours.com; Santa Catalina 203), about unique cultural tours in the Arequipa region.

For agencies offering outdoor activity-based tours, Click here.

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FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Semana Santa (Holy Week) Arequipeños claim that their Semana Santa celebrations leading up to Easter are similar to the very solemn and traditional Spanish observances from Seville. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday processions are particularly colorful and sometimes end with the burning of an effigy of Judas.

Fiesta de la Virgen de Chapi Arequipa also fills up for this festival, celebrated on May 1 in Yanahuara (see boxed text, Click here).

August 15 The founding day of the city is celebrated with parades, dancing, beauty pageants, climbing competitions on El Misti and other energetic events over the course of several days. The fireworks show in the Plaza de Armas on the evening of August 14 is definitely worth catching.

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SLEEPING

Arequipa has been experiencing a hotel boom for quite some time now, and competition is stiff. It’s always worth asking for discounts, especially if you stay put for a few days, though the prices quoted skyrocket around holidays and festivals. Prices listed are for high season (June to August), but fluctuate greatly even during these months.

Budget

Unless otherwise indicated, all accommodations listed here have some hot water.

Hospedaje el Caminante Class (20-3444; 2nd fl, Santa Catalina 207A; dm/s/d without bathroom S15/20/30, s/d S30/45) This recommended guesthouse near the plaza is a decent budget option. It has basic rooms, kitchen privileges and a rooftop terrace with views. Breakfast is available for S4 extra. Shared bathrooms are dorm style and not always clean.

Le Foyer (28-6473; hostallefoyer@hotmail.com; Ugarte 114; dm/s/d without bathroom S15/25/35, s/d/tr S35/50/70; ) Though pervaded with hunger-inducing smells from the Mexican restaurant below, this place is a decent-value option if you want to be in the