We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Chivay (3,635 m.a.s.l.) early in the morning and take you by tourist vehicle to Sibayo, along the so-called High Route of the Colca.

If you’d like more details about the Choqolaqa excursion, be sure to check the tabs: Details and Notes.

Starting the day with a hot drink and good conversation in a village made of stone is undoubtedly a perfect preview of all that lies ahead on your Choqolaqa tour.

In Sibayo (3,810 m.a.s.l.), a delicious local breakfast awaits. Known in Quechua as Rumillacta del Colca (Stone Village), it is a pioneer destination in community-based tourism, and you’ll be warmly welcomed and well looked after.

After breakfast, we’ll continue by vehicle to the village of Callalli.

Upon arrival in Callalli (3,867 m.a.s.l.), you’ll visit the colonial temple of San Antonio de Padua. Built in 1670, it is a fine example of Andean Baroque—a dominant artistic and architectural style in the Arequipa region.

Next, you’ll explore the Enchanted Castles, towering volcanic rock formations that rise dramatically behind the village.

The Enchanted Castles are part of a vast stone forest with four main sectors: Sayasaya, Torre Qaqa, Pukara, and Quelqata. Shaped by wind and rain, these impressive geological formations are not to be missed.

Then we’ll drive 8.5 km (approx. 15 minutes) to the Mollepunko caves.

Recognised as Cultural Heritage of the Nation, this site requires a short 10-minute walk to reach.

Inside the cave, you’ll find ancient petroglyphs estimated to date back to 10,000 BC. These carvings depict scenes of everyday life, such as hunting South American camelids (like llamas and alpacas) and deer.

Tools and burial sites were also discovered here, suggesting that the 7-metre-deep, 4-metre-wide and 5-metre-high cave served as both a shelter and a place of burial.

Once the visit is over, we’ll head towards the village of Tisco via an unpaved road.

Here, you’ll visit the 18th-century colonial church of San Pedro Apóstol de Tisco (4,188 m.a.s.l.), notable for its use of sillar volcanic stone in construction.

Along the way, we’ll pass by the Samacota Lagoon, home to a variety of bird species including flamingos (parihuanas), wild ducks, and the huallata or Andean goose. Trout also inhabit these high-altitude waters.

From Tisco, we’ll continue overland to the small village of Qota Qota (a one-hour journey). From here, you’ll begin your 30-minute walk (moderate difficulty) to the stone forest of Choqolaqa.

Over thousands of years, the wind and rain have whimsically shaped the stones of Choqolaqa, transforming blocks of volcanic tuff into natural “sculptures” that resemble condors, elephants, seals, castles and angels.

Located at 4,800 m.a.s.l. and covering 25 hectares, the Choqolaqa stone forest was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions in the Colca region.

That’s the scientific explanation—but local legend tells of a once-glorious city filled with palaces and streets, whose people grew arrogant and challenged the apus, the sacred mountain spirits.

They shouldn’t have. In their wrath, the mountains turned the city to stone—creating the rocky landscape you’ll explore for approximately two hours. After this memorable hike, you’ll enjoy a box lunch to refuel.

We’ll then return to the vehicle for the journey back to Chivay, bringing an unforgettable day of villages, temples, ancient carvings and stone sculptures to a close.

In the late afternoon, we’ll drop you off at your hotel in Chivay.