Keep exploring

Here are a few more places around Arequipa worth discovering beyond our main route. If spectacular views are your thing, you’re in for a treat. There’s no need to go over the legendary Colca Canyon and its famous Cruz del Cóndor again—they’re almost certainly already on your itinerary for watching condors soar above one of the deepest canyons in the world.

For an equally impressive panorama a little closer to the city, head to the Yanahuara Viewpoint, with its famous white-stone arches engraved with poetry and perfectly framing Misti volcano, or to the Carmen Alto Viewpoint in Cayma, where you’ll get a sweeping view over the pre-Inca agricultural terraces of the Chili River valley. Looking for wide-open landscapes? The Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve awaits at more than 4,000 meters (13,100 feet) above sea level, home to vicuñas, alpacas, and flamingos.

A little farther on, Laguna de Salinas transforms with the seasons, becoming either a giant mirror or a vast salt desert. History lovers can explore the Ruta del Sillar in the Añashuayco quarries, where stone has been carved by hand for centuries, or step inside the Mansión del Fundador, an elegant 16th-century residence. Need to unwind?

Treat yourself to a warm mineral bath at the Yura hot springs, at the foot of Chachani. For a glimpse of rural life, visit Sabandía and its watermill dating from 1638, which is still in operation today. And finally, the picturesque village of Chiguata offers the best view of the Indio Dormido, the legendary sleeping figure outlined along Pichu Pichu.

Plenty of ways to extend your volcanic adventure in style.