Index
About the City of Arequipa
This city is amazing everywhere you look, it has everything you could wish for in a modern city (not for nothing is it the most inhabited city in Peru after Lima). But Arequipa is not only a modern city, it is also a city with Andean and European flair that rests between mountains and volcanoes.
The city of Arequipa besides being well known for its imposing volcanoes (Chachani, Pichu Pichu and Misti), is also well known for its 500 colonial houses built with ignimbrite, a volcanic stone that gives a whitish color to the streets of Arequipa and the reason why the city of Arequipa is also known as the White City. Because of its peculiar color and architecture, the historic center of Arequipa is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unparalleled beauty and color.
At what altitude is the city of Arequipa?
The city of Arequipa is located at 2,300 m.a.s. l. and the other tourist sites are higher than this altitude.
What is the best season to visit Arequipa?
The best season to visit Arequipa is from April to December, since it does not rain much and the days are clear and warm, between 10°C to 23°C.
On the other hand, if you dare to visit Arequipa in other months of the year you can do it, but you should take your precautions since from January to March the days are more rainy and cloudy and you may not be able to appreciate the landscapes in its maximum splendor, although the prices of tours, lodging and restaurants go down considerably.
In this case, I suggest that you visit the tourist sites after 10:00 am so that the skies clear and you can enjoy your stay in Arequipa.
San Juan de Yanahuara Church, Arequipa
Yanahuara lookout point, Arequipa
How to get to Arequipa?
By car
Traveling in your car by road I think is the most convenient option if you want to have privacy and travel alone with your family, in case you do not have a car a good option is to rent, you can also reach several of the tourist destinations in Arequipa by road, so you would save on tourist service.
From Lima to Arequipa by private road you will travel 1015 km and arrive in Arequipa in about 17 hours. In this case you have to pay 10 tolls (they only receive cash in soles), you can make a stopover and visit other tourist places in southern Peru, such as Ica and Ayacucho.
Also, you can travel to Arequipa from Ica, Puno, Cusco and Ayacucho in a car, as these places are adjacent and make a good route throughout southern Peru.
By bus
You will find many transportation agencies that go daily to the city of Arequipa from Lima, some of them are: Cruz del Sur, Movil Tours, Oltursa, Flores, Wari Palomino, Excluciva, Civa Andoriña, Tepsa, Romeliza, among others. Prices vary according to the agencies and the amenities they offer, but the average price ranges from S/. 80 to 100 soles (USD 20 to 25 dollars) per person per trip.
If you buy the tickets 1 month in advance you will find prices from S/. 60 soles (USD 15 dollars) per person. I suggest that you make the trip at night so you can rest on the bus and take advantage to start the day in Arequipa.
The distance from Lima to Arequipa by bus is 1000 km and you will arrive in Arequipa between 18 to 20 hours (without stops).
The cab fare from the bus terminal of Arequipa (Terminal Terrestre de Arequipa) to the Plaza de Armas of Arequipa is between S/. 9 to 12 soles ( USD 2 to 3 dollars), the price is not very high since cabs are relatively cheaper than in Lima.
In addition, you can travel to Arequipa from Ica, Puno, Cusco and Ayacucho, through the interprovincial transport companies that I mentioned in the previous paragraph, as they are adjacent areas and transfer times are much shorter between 5 or 6 hours of transfer.
By plane
Going by plane from Lima to the city of Arequipa is a highly recommended option if you have little time for this tourist destination or simply do not feel comfortable traveling by bus for many hours.
The airlines that go from Lima to the city of Arequipa today are: Jet SMART Peru, Sky Airlines and Latam Airlines. You can find air tickets from S/. 170 soles ( USD 45 dollars) per person one way, but everything will depend on the season in which you buy your tickets and the time in advance with which you do it. The travel time by plane is more than 1 hour and you will land at the airport of Arequipa (Rodriguez Ballón Airport).
You can also travel by plane from other nearby cities, such as Ayacucho, Cusco, Juliaca(Puno), usually Latam Airlines is the airline that offers these short flights.
Santa Catalina Convent, Arequipa
San Lázaro Street, Arequipa
Sillar Route – Arequipa
