Trek to the Route of the Sillar and Culebrillas in Arequipa

The best part of this half-day outing is seeing how Arequipa’s pale volcanic stone moves from quarry to city. At Añashuayco Quarry, you’ll face towering walls cut into the ashlar quarries and see a huge carving of the Church of the Company of Jesus. I like the stop at a working stonemason’s area, where you may try cutting a block yourself.

I also like the Culebrillas canyon walk, a short change of pace after the quarry. The price is low for transport and a bilingual guide, but traffic can eat into your time, and one recent outing was rushed. The hot springs of Chivay appear among the highlights, yet they are not included in the detailed route, so confirm that point before booking.

Key points to know before you book

• Añashuayco is a working quarry: You see the source of Arequipa’s famous white sillar, not just a finished monument.
• A giant stone carving is the visual star: The quarry contains a megacarving of the Church of the Company of Jesus.
• Culebrillas adds a short walk: Plan on about 20 minutes inside a narrow canyon shaped by running water.
• The tour begins in central Arequipa: Meet at C. Álvarez Thomas 115, then finish on Av. La Marina.
• The basic price is $13 per person: Tourist transport and a professional guide are included, while entrance fees cost 10 soles.
• Timing deserves attention: The total duration is listed as 270 minutes, but traffic and quick stop changes can affect how much time you get on site.

Why Arequipa’s white stone matters

Arequipa is famous for its pale buildings, and this excursion takes you to the material behind that look. Sillar is a light-colored volcanic stone formed from ignimbrite, and the quarries around the city show how it is extracted and shaped.

That connection gives the tour more weight than a simple photo stop. You are not only looking at a white canyon. You are seeing the raw material used in the city’s churches and older buildings, then meeting the work that turns rough blocks into architectural pieces.

The route also brings a useful local angle. The quarries remain places of work, and stonemasons carry on techniques linked to Arequipa’s built identity. The visit is therefore part geology lesson, part craft demonstration, and part short outing beyond the city.

I would not expect a polished museum experience. The attraction is the quarry itself, the scale of the cut stone, and the chance to see work in progress. Conditions may feel basic, and the amount of time spent with a stonemason can vary, but that is also what makes the stop feel connected to real local production.

Starting at C. Álvarez Thomas 115

The meeting point is the operator’s main office at C. Álvarez Thomas 115, at the listed coordinates of -16.4003911, -71.5370347. Your name should be on the list when you arrive, followed by the opening instructions before the vehicle leaves.

The schedule begins at about 9:15 in the morning. That start gives you a morning excursion without taking the entire day, though the exact starting time should be checked when you select a date.

The included vehicle is described as tourist transport. The route includes several road sections, so this is not a continuous trek from central Arequipa. Most of the experience takes place at the quarry and canyon, with the van doing the practical work between them.

The listed finish is on Av. La Marina in Arequipa. That is useful if you want to plan lunch or another city activity afterward, but leave some flexibility. One of the clearest practical warnings is traffic. The drive to the quarry can take longer than expected, reducing time for the actual visit.

The Volcanoes and Chilina Valley viewpoint

The first outing stop is a strategic viewpoint with views toward the volcanoes and the Chilina Valley. The schedule allows about 20 minutes for a break and photographs.

This is a sensible opening stop. It gives you a quick visual sense of Arequipa’s setting before the tour turns toward stone. Depending on the season, the operator may use another traditional viewpoint at the beginning instead, where the volcanoes can also be seen.

Do not treat this as a long scenic walk. It is a brief roadside pause, useful for photographs and orientation. If the sky is clear, the volcano views should help explain why volcanic stone is so central to the area. If traffic or seasonal changes affect the order, the viewpoint may be handled differently.

I like this stop because it links the scenery to the main subject. The quarry is not an isolated oddity. It is part of a region shaped by volcanic activity, and the first viewpoint gives you that context before you see the cut walls at Añashuayco.

Entering Añashuayco Quarry after the 45-minute drive

The van takes roughly 45 minutes to reach Añashuayco, according to the description, though road traffic can make the journey longer. Once there, the scale changes quickly. The quarry contains immense canyon walls made of ignimbrite, with cliffs formed through stone extraction.

The walls are the main reason to come. Instead of seeing a single block of sillar, you see the effects of removing stone over a large area. The quarry’s shape records the work itself. It is a useful reminder that Arequipa’s elegant pale churches began as rough material in places like this.

The guided visit lasts about one hour and combines explanation with walking. Your guide is expected to explain the origin of sillar, how it is produced, and how it has been used over time. English and Spanish tours are available, so confirm your preferred language when booking.

The tour operator lists the quarry as currently active. Stonemasons begin work early, and the visit may show you a working environment rather than a staged performance. That distinction matters. You may see the tools, blocks, and routines of the craft, but the pace and amount of interaction can depend on the work underway that day.

The Church of the Company of Jesus in stone

The quarry’s most memorable feature is a megacarving of the Church of the Company of Jesus. It was made by the stonemasons themselves, and it gives you a clear link between the quarry and Arequipa’s architecture.

At city scale, the church is a finished building. Here, its form appears as a carved interpretation in the quarry. That contrast makes the stop easier to understand: sillar is not simply a pretty white surface, but a material with enough strength and character to carry detailed religious architecture.

The carving also gives the guide something concrete to explain. Instead of hearing only about stone in general, you can see a familiar Arequipa building represented at the source. Bring your camera, but allow time to listen as well. The value of this stop is the connection between the object and the people who made it.

One recent departure was judged too rushed, especially around the sculptures. That is worth taking seriously. If the quarry visit is important to you, tell the guide early that you want enough time to see the carving and understand the stonework. Traffic may have already shortened the available schedule.

Meeting a stonemason and trying the craft

A particularly personal part of the quarry visit is the chance to meet one of the stonemasons. The worker can explain the daily job and may let you try cutting one of the stone blocks yourself.

This is the moment that turns the outing from sightseeing into participation. Even a short attempt should show that shaping sillar is not effortless. The finished church façades and carved details depend on repeated manual work, not just on the stone’s natural color.

Keep expectations measured. The activity is presented as an opportunity, not a guaranteed long workshop. The quarry is active, and the stonemason’s work comes first. Still, if the visit is handled well, this brief hands-on moment can be more memorable than another formal explanation.

I would wear practical clothes and shoes that you do not mind using around a quarry. The information provided does not list special equipment, so you should not assume that protective gear, snacks, or drinks are supplied. Your ticket includes transport and a professional guide, not personal extras.

A 30-minute transfer to Culebrillas

After Añashuayco, the van continues for about 30 minutes to Quebrada de Culebrillas. This second stop changes the mood. The quarry is broad and heavily marked by extraction, while Culebrillas is a smaller canyon formed by the passage of water.

The schedule allows about 30 minutes at the site, including a short walk of roughly 20 minutes inside the canyon. You should see this as an easy add-on to the main quarry visit, not as a major hiking day.

The walk offers another way to read the area’s geology. At Añashuayco, people have shaped the stone. At Culebrillas, water has shaped the canyon. That contrast gives the itinerary a simple but effective rhythm: human work first, natural erosion second.

Because the stop is brief, do not expect a long route or a strenuous trek. You will have time for photographs, a short visit, and a walk inside the narrow formation. A guide accompanies the visit, but the available detail will depend on how much time remains after the quarry and road journey.

The hot springs question at Chivay

The tour highlights include a relaxing soak in the hot springs of Chivay after the trek. However, the detailed stop-by-stop schedule ends at Culebrillas, followed by a 45-minute return journey to Av. La Marina in Arequipa. It does not list Chivay, a hot-spring stop, an additional drive, or an admission cost for bathing.

That mismatch is important. Do not assume the hot springs are part of this 270-minute excursion unless the operator confirms it for your selected departure. Chivay is also not listed as the finish point.

If the hot springs are a deciding factor, ask a direct question before paying: Is the Chivay soak included in this exact tour, or does it refer to another package or a separate activity? The supplied information confirms the Sillar Route, Añashuayco, Culebrillas, and the Arequipa return. It does not provide enough detail to promise the Chivay stop.

What the $13 price really covers

At $13 per person, this is an inexpensive way to reach sites outside central Arequipa. The price includes tourist transport and a professional guide, which is useful because the route involves several transfers and the quarry benefits from explanation.

You also pay 10 soles for entrance to the places. That fee is separate, so keep local currency available. The total cost remains modest for a half-day outing, especially if you value the vehicle and guide more than a long, slow visit at each stop.

The tradeoff is time. Low-cost group excursions often depend on keeping the vehicle moving, and this schedule covers viewpoints, two separate sites, and the return to town in about four and a half hours. A traffic delay can make the day feel compressed.

I would book it for value, not for a relaxed private tour. If you want long conversations with stonemasons, careful photography, or an unhurried canyon walk, ask about the group size and available time before booking. Those details are not provided.

Language, cancellation, and practical planning

The guide is available in English or Spanish. The experience is live-guided, so you should select or confirm the language that suits you rather than assume both languages will be used equally throughout the outing.

The tour allows free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Arequipa schedule is still changing.

The advertised duration is 270 minutes, or four and a half hours. The detailed route includes about 20 minutes to the first viewpoint, 20 minutes there, 30 minutes onward, one hour at Añashuayco, another 30-minute transfer, 30 minutes at Culebrillas, and 45 minutes back to Arequipa. The listed segments do not account for every minute, so treat the total as an approximate half-day framework.

The tour is a good fit if you want a guided introduction to local stonework without committing to a full-day trip. It is less suitable if you dislike road travel, need a slow pace, or are booking mainly for the Chivay hot springs without first confirming that they are included.

Should you book the Sillar Route and Culebrillas tour?

I would book this excursion if you want three things: a low price, simple transport from Arequipa, and a direct look at the stone used in the city’s architecture. The quarry walls, church carving, and possible hands-on work with a stonemason give it real substance.

I would hesitate if your priority is a long trek or a guaranteed hot-spring soak. The walking is short, the schedule can tighten in traffic, and the Chivay mention needs clarification. Go with realistic expectations, keep 10 soles aside for entrance fees, and ask about the day’s timing before departure.

For many visitors, the best memory will be the moment Arequipa’s white buildings stop being an abstract part of the city and become blocks of volcanic stone, cut by hand in the quarry.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is the main office at C. Álvarez Thomas 115 in Arequipa. Your name will be checked against the list before the group receives instructions and departs.

Where does the tour finish?

The listed finishing point is Av. La Marina in Arequipa, Peru.

How long does the experience last?

The advertised duration is 270 minutes, or about four and a half hours.

What language is the guide?

Live guides are available in English and Spanish.

What is included in the price?

Tourist transport and a professional guide are included.

Is the entrance fee included?

No. Entrance to the places costs 10 soles and is not included in the tour price.

What will I see at Añashuayco Quarry?

You will see large ignimbrite walls formed through stone extraction, learn about sillar production and use, and see a megacarving of the Church of the Company of Jesus.

How long is the walk at Culebrillas?

The walk inside the canyon is approximately 20 minutes. The overall stop at Quebrada de Culebrillas is listed as about 30 minutes.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The activity also allows you to reserve now and pay later.