Hike to Uyu Uyu: the city of the collaguas
- 10k reviews 5 h
Colca is so much more than the soaring flight of condors and the depth of its canyon. In this fascinating destination in the Caylloma province of Arequipa, you’ll find a wide range of attractions waiting to be discovered—and countless adventures that bring you closer to the Andean landscape and the pre-Hispanic history of the valley’s ancient peoples.
Experience Colca in a unique way with our Hike to Uyu Uyu: the City of the Collaguas. On this walking tour, your steps will guide you to a monumental archaeological site, filled with stone houses, plazas, and even an astronomical clock; with agricultural terraces and water canals that are still in use today.
The Collaguas, one of the ancestral civilisations of the Colca Valley, were the builders of this multifunctional complex, first settled around 1300 AD. In the 15th century, the Incas would later occupy the site known as Uyo Uyo or Uyu Uyu.
Your excursion to this ancient destination begins in Chivay. At 08:30 or 14:00 (you choose the time), we’ll pick you up from your hotel. Before the hike begins, we’ll visit the plaza, church, and Ocolle viewpoint in Coporaque. Then, our tourist vehicle will make a stop at the Sifón or Chininia bridge.
After taking in the mountain scenery and the lush valley views, you’ll walk along a pre-Inca trail for about two hours. Your effort will be rewarded with Collagua architecture and breathtaking natural beauty, including panoramic views of the snow-capped Ampato and Hualca Hualca mountains.
Travel with us if you’re looking to explore Colca in a different way. We have the best routes and the most experienced guides. We’ll be waiting for you in Chivay to begin this unforgettable journey.
Itineray
No need to leave your hotel—we’ll come to you at 08:30 (if you choose the morning tour) or at 14:00 (for the afternoon hike to Uyu Uyu).
From Chivay (3,635 m a.s.l.), we’ll take you in a tourist vehicle to the village of Coporaque. The drive takes approximately 30 minutes.
If you’d like more details about this tour, feel free to check the Details and Notes tab.
Before starting the hike to the City of the Collaguas, you’ll visit Coporaque (3,583 m a.s.l.). Located on the right bank of the Colca River, its peaceful square and quiet streets are filled with serenity and tradition.
As you walk through the village, you’ll be captivated by the traditional clothing worn by the local women—long skirts, colourful sashes, elegant blouses, and beautifully embroidered hats, all proudly preserving the cultural identity of the Colca Valley.
In Coporaque, you’ll visit the Santiago Apóstol Church, built between 1569 and 1590 atop a pre-Hispanic sacred site (huaca). With its Renaissance-style architecture, this church played a key role in the evangelisation of the Collaguas.
After this spiritual encounter, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the Colca Valley from the Ocolle viewpoint. Get ready to be amazed by the scenic beauty of this iconic destination in the Arequipa region.
One of the scheduled stops on your Uyo Uyo tour is the road linking the villages of Yanque and Coporaque. Why? Because from here you’ll have a perfect view of the Inca colcas hidden beneath this structure.
These colcas were built with clay and straw to store a variety of foods (such as grains and tubers). Similar colcas can be found throughout the valley, like those in the Pumunuta caves in the village of Tuti.
After this historical discovery, your journey continues by private vehicle to the starting point of the hike.
You’ll walk for two hours along a well-preserved pre-Hispanic trail. Two hours to climb 600 metres of elevation. Two hours that lead to an archaeological site first built by the Collaguas and later occupied by the Incas.
Uyu Uyu sits on a hillside in the rural community of Yanque Urinsaya (3,570 m a.s.l.). Here, around 1300 AD, the ancient inhabitants built a complex with multiple functions.
When you arrive, you’ll be astonished by the hydraulic canals—marvels of Andean engineering that still work today, playing an important role in water distribution on the right side of the valley.
Due to its multifunctional nature, Uyu Uyu features urban sectors, an agricultural area with 26 terraces (still in use), and even a cemetery. During your tour, you’ll observe two-storey stone structures, both rectangular and circular, used as offerings to the apus (mountain gods).
At the end of the tour, you’ll return to the starting point of the hike, where the tourist vehicle will be waiting to take you back to Chivay.
We’ll drop you off at your hotel in Chivay at 13:30 (morning tour) or at 19:00 (afternoon tour).
Price
The prices shown in the table are:
- Per person in US dollars ($).
- Pple. = people.
| Pple. | Private tour |
| 1 | $95 |
| 2 | $70 |
| 3 | $65 |
| 4 | $60 |
| 5 | $55 |
Details
Type: Private.
Schedule: Every day.
- 08:30 to 14:00 hours.
- 14:00 to 19:00 hours.
Language: Spanish, english.
Accessibility: Not suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Included:
- Pickup from your hotel in Chivay.
- Professional guide.
- Air-conditioned tour vehicle.
- Professional driver.
- First aid kit.
- Drop-off at your hotel in Chivay.
Not incluided:
- Admission ticket.
- For the moment, entry to the site is free.
- But later on, they may get paid.
- Feeding.
- Tips (optional).
- Expenses not mentioned.
What do I bring?
- Sweaters.
- Rain ponchos.
- Anti-slip shoes.
- Caps or hats.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
- A bottle of water.
- Local currency in cash for your entrance tickets.
- * Dollars, Euros and cards are not accepted.
- * You can buy the entrance tickets the same day of your tour.
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Notes
Can I take this tour departing from the city of Arequipa?
Extremely important: Any modification to the itinerary presented in this tour/hike will result in a change in the tour price.
Some of our tours/hikes that depart from Chivay may also depart from the city of Arequipa. This will depend largely on the length of the tour.
In the table below, you can see the changes we can make to the tour. Contact us to proceed with the change.
| Start of the tour (city) | End of the tour (city) |
| Chivay | Arequipa |
| Chivay | Puno |
| Arequipa | Arequipa |
| Arequipa | Chivay |
| Arequipa | Puno |
Pick-up and punctuality:
- Your pickup time is on time.
- We will make every effort to pick you up at your hotel, regardless of the location of your accommodation.
- We will coordinate all pickup time details the day before your tour.
- The end time of your tour is still approximate; however, we will do our best to complete the tour at the scheduled time.
Vehicle type and seats:
- We use vehicles authorized by the Peruvian Ministry of Transportation.
- The type and size of the vehicle will always depend on the group size.
- We use modern, air-conditioned vehicles: H1, Van, Renault, and Sprinter.
Road type:
- Much of the road is paved track.
- The last part of the road is a dirt road (compacted earth) with bumps, therefore:
- Dust comes in through the windows.
- The vehicle ride is sometimes bumpy.
Operability and itinerary:
This tour is subject to variation without any prior notice, due to weather conditions, strikes and any other event that doesn’t allow the normal tour operation.
Cancellations
The cancellation is free as long as you do it 48 hours in advance; otherwise, a fee of 100% of the tour cost will apply.
By booking this tour, you agree to our general terms and conditions.
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