Getting here in Arequipa

Air connections The easiest way of getting to Arequipa is by plane, and there is a modern, pleasant airport 10 kilometres from the centre of town.

There is a flat fee of $3.50 for a taxi to and from the airport. There are several daily flights to Lima, Cusco, Juliaca and Tacna.

All travel agencies will sell tickets, or these can be bought from the airlines. TANS has its offices at Portal de San Agustín 143-A, Plaza de Armas, T 203637. Lan Peru has its office at Santa Catalina 118-C, T 201224.

Several international airlines have offices in Arequipa.
American Airlines at Edificio El Pinar, dpto 114, T 231932.
KLM at Av. Parra 218, T 225380.
Lufthansa at Centro Comercial Cayma of. 36, T 251840.

Bus connections
Arequipa has good bus connections to most places in the south of Peru, as well as to Lima. Arequipa has two bus stations, which are conveniently situation right next to each other in the Parque Industrial. The Terrapuerto tends to handle buses to Lima and the coast, whereas the Terminal Terrestre generally has buses to other destinations, although some buses to Lima also leave from here. Be careful, particularly in the Terminal Terrestre, as robberies do happen here. Most bus companies use the bus stations, although a small number of companies have their own offices. It is strongly advised to only take buses from the bus stations, as the offices of other companies are often in dangerous locations. A taxi from the bus stations to the centre costs approximately $0.70.

Lima
There are many buses from Arequipa to Lima, mostly travelling overnight. Regular buses make frequent stops and take about 16 to 17 hours. Direct buses are more comfortable and provide food, taking 13 to 14 hours. Most of the better services to Lima leave from the Terrapuerto.

Services from Terrapuerto
Ormeño has EconoClass buses for $8 at 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 9pm, a Business Class service at 5pm for $14 and Royal Class services at 5pm and 9pm for $23 and $26. Cruz del Sur has Ideal (basic) services at 8.30am, 10.30am, 12pm, 2.30pm, 3.45pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 8.30pm for $8. It has Imperial services at 4.30pm and 6.30pm for $17 and Cruzero services at 5.30pm and 7.30pm for $23 and $28. Enlaces has special services at 4pm, 5.30pm, 7pm and 8.30pm for $14, bus-cama services at 4pm and 5.30pm for $17 and a very good bus-cama service at 8.30pm for $23. Santa Ursula has semi-cama services at 5.30pm and 7.30pm for $14. Cial has a special service at 6.45pm for $13. Pluma has regular services at 7am, 8am, 11am and 1pm for $7 and direct services at 4pm and 6.45pm for $8.

Services from Terminal Terrestre
Oltursa has a very good value bus-cama service at 5pm for $17. Flores has basic services at 6.30am, 3.30pm, 8.30pm for $8, a special service at 8pm for $14 and a good semi-cama service at 4.30pm for $16. Cromotex has special services at 1pm, 4.30pm and 7pm for $12. Civa has direct services at 3.30pm and 7.45pm for $10 and a special service at 5.30pm for $14. Tepsa has regular services at 6.30am, 3pm and 8.30pm for $8. Carhuamayo has a special service at 6.45pm for $13.

Nazca, Ica, Pisco
If heading to a destination on the south coast towards Lima, take a Lima-bound bus and get off at your destination. The journey to Nazca takes 8 to 10 hours and costs a couple of dollars less than the full fare to Lima. The journey to Pisco takes 10 to 13 hours and costs the same as the full fare to Lima. Night buses pass through these destinations very early in the morning, so it is advisable to take a day bus. Direct buses to Lima do not normally stop, so make sure that the bus will drop you off where you are going. Regular buses do normally stop, but make sure beforehand. Direct buses do not enter Nazca, Ica or Pisco, and will only drop you off at the turning on the Pan-American Highway. From there you will need to take a taxi into town. No buses enter Pisco, but there is usually plenty of transport from the turning on the Pan-American Highway.

Tacna/Moquegua
The journey to Tacna takes about 5 hours on a direct bus and 6 hours on a regular bus. Direct buses do not enter Moquegua, although regular buses do. The best company to Tacna is Flores (Terminal Terrestre), which has normal services at 5.15am, 6.15am, 8.45am, 10.30am, 2.45pm, 5pm, 6.45pm, 7.45pm and 10pm for $4 and special services at 7.45am, 12.30pm, 4pm and 6.30pm for $6. Ormeño (Terrapuerto) has EconoClass services at 7.45am, 1.30pm and 9.30pm for $4. Cruz del Sur (Terrapuerto) has regular services at 7am, 8am, 9.45am, 2pm, 4pm and 9pm for $4 and an Imperial service at 5.30pm for $7.

Mollendo
Mollendo is two hours from Arequipa. In the summer, buses leave every ten minutes or so, and in the winter every 30 minutes. Fares are about $3,00. There are a number of companies, Santa Ursula, Flores, Transportes del Carpio among the best. Both leave from the Terrapuerto. See the beaches of Mollendo.

Camaná
There are good bus connections to Camaná, with buses leaving every twenty minutes or so from early morning until around 9pm. The journey takes about three hours and costs $3. There are plenty of companies, with Flores and Cromotex among the best.

Corire
Transportes de Carpio (Terrapuerto) has buses to Corire every hour, charging $2 for the 3-hour journey.

Puno
There are three routes to Puno. Two go via the sierra of Arequipa on rough, unpaved roads, taking about 9 hours and offering great views. The third route via Moquegua is all paved, so far more comfortable, but takes 11 hours. At night the route via Moquegua is strongly recommended. Most buses also go to Juliaca. Buses via Moquegua pass Desaguadero on the Bolivian border. If going from Arequipa to Bolivia it is best to go to Desaguadero, 9 hours from Arequipa. Most buses leave from the Terminal Terrestre.

SurOriente (Terrapuerto) has a good service with heating and a toilet via Moquegua at 7.30pm for $10. Civa has a service via Moquegua with a toilet and heating at 6.30pm for $8. Julsa has a number of services, including one via Yura at 7.30am for $6 and a service via Moquegua with a toilet at 7pm for $8. Ormeño (Terrapuerto) has regular services at 7am and 6pm via Moquegua. It also has a Royal Class service via Moquegua at 9pm for $26. Cruz del Sur has poor services without heating at 7.15am and 6pm for $7. San Román has services via Chiguata at 6.30am and 8am for $6. Horizonte has a service at 7pm for $7. Romeliza has a service via Chiguata at 6pm for $6. La Merced has a service via Moquegua at 6.30pm for $7.

Cusco
Cusco is approximately a 12-hour journey from Arequipa on a reasonable unpaved road. The journey can take significantly longer in the rainy season. Make sure that the bus has heating, as it can get bitterly cold at night. Even if the company says that the bus has heating, take warm clothing as this often does not work. Most companies charge $7 – $8 for Cusco, and only basic services are available. Buses leave mostly from the Terminal Terrestre.

Ormeño (Terrapuerto) has services at 5am and 5pm. It also has Royal Class service at 9pm for $34. This goes via Moquegua and Puno and takes 18 hours, although the journey is far more comfortable as the road is completely paved. Cruz del Sur has services at 7.30am, 5.30pm and 6pm. Civa has a service at 5pm. Cromotex has services at 7.30am and 5pm. Transportes Reyna has a service at 5pm. Carhuamayo has services at 7am an 5pm. Corrales has services at 5.30pm and 7pm. El Chasqui has services at 7.30am, 2pm and 5.30pm. Romeliza has a service at 5pm.

Colca Canyon
The journey from Arequipa to Chivay takes three to four hours and costs about $6. Most buses continue to Cabanaconde, a further two hours from Chivay. Some companies do not go to Cabanaconde, however, so check beforehand. Most companies operate from the Terminal Terrestre. Transportes Reyna is probably the best of the companies, and has daily buses at 2am and 11.45am. Cristo Rey has buses at 2am and 12.30pm. Transportes Andalucía has buses at 2am and 12.30pm. Señor de los Milagros (Terrapuerto) has a bus at 2.30pm.

Cotahuasi Canyon
There are two bus companies, Turismo Alex and Transportes Reyna, (which is the better of the two), operating services to and from Arequipa from the Terminal Terrestre. The journey takes 12 hours and costs $8. The road is very rough and uncomfortable. Buses leave Arequipa around 4.30pm, getting to Cotahuasi around 4.30am. Unfortunately, this means that almost the whole journey is at night. Getting to Cotahuasi at 4.30am is unpleasant, and as the buses proceed to Alca, it is not possible to stay on the bus. However, there are several hostels very close to the Plaza, where buses stop, and it is possible to knock on the door of a hostel and find a bed.

Andagua (Valley of the Volcanoes)
Transportes Reyna (Terminal Terrestre) has a bus at 4pm, charging $7 for the 10-hour journey. The bus continues from Andagua, so you cannot sleep on the bus until dawn. However, there are a couple of basic hostels in the Plaza of Andagua, and you can knock on their doors. Valley of the Volcanoes photos.

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