Trekking, Waterfalls and Thermal Baths

Capua Canyon is the star here. You reach its waterfall by walking through shallow streams, puddles, and canyon paths, not by simply stepping off a bus for a quick photo. The wet-footed trek gives this Arequipa outing a playful, outdoorsy feel, and the trail may be quiet enough to feel far from the city.

I like the small maximum group of eight, which should make the four-hour walk easier to manage. I also like the pairing of the waterfall with Yura’s volcanic hot springs: first you work your legs, then you soak them. The main catch is that the thermal pools cost extra, and the hike requires good weather and footwear you do not mind getting wet.

Key points to know before you book

• Four hours in Capua Canyon: Expect streams, puddles, and a walk to the base of Capua Waterfall rather than a short roadside stop.
• A practical post-hike soak: El Tigre hot springs offer a 40-minute break in volcanic pools, but admission is not included.
• A genuinely small group: The tour accepts no more than eight people, useful on a trail where you may need help crossing wet sections.
• A local guide can add value: Guide Pablo has provided photos and trail snacks, including fruit, crackers, candy, water, and cereal-style food.
• Yura Viejo adds cultural context: You spend about an hour seeing the town’s church, culture, economy, and local attractions.
• Pack for water and sun: Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, cash for the baths, and sandals or another dry pair of shoes.

Why Capua Canyon is the main event

This is not a standard Arequipa city outing dressed up as an adventure. The four-hour visit to Capua Canyon is the part that gives the day its character. You walk toward the base of Capua Waterfall through puddles and streams, sometimes using the water itself as part of the route.

That detail matters. If you want a clean, dry path with frequent stops and polished facilities, this is probably not your ideal excursion. If you like the simple pleasure of stepping through a stream in hiking shoes, the route offers a more active way to see the countryside around Arequipa.

The waterfall is free to access as part of the outing, so you are paying for transportation, guiding, the full day’s structure, and the combination of stops rather than a separate waterfall admission. The canyon itself is the reward. You get rock walls, moving water, and a walk that feels less packaged than Arequipa’s best-known city sights.

You should judge the trek by the conditions on the day. The available information does not give a technical difficulty rating, trail surface details, or elevation changes. It does say most people can participate, but you still need to be comfortable with a four-hour walk that includes wet ground.

A guide is especially useful here. In a canyon with streams and uneven sections, you benefit from someone who knows the route and can help you make sensible choices about where to step. Pablo, one named guide connected with this experience, has also taken photos along the way, a small service that lets you focus on the walk instead of managing your camera at every turn.

What the four-hour waterfall walk feels like

The tour starts at 8:00 am from C. Zela 301 in central Arequipa, with hotel pickup included. The total outing lasts about eight hours and 30 minutes, while the stated canyon stop takes four hours. That leaves time for transport between Arequipa, Capua, the hot springs, and Yura Viejo.

You should expect the canyon walk to be the most physically demanding section. The route includes jumping puddles and crossing streams, so this is not the place for delicate shoes or clothing you need to keep spotless. A pair of hiking shoes can work, as one person found, but you should pack sandals or another dry option for after the walk.

Interestingly, guide Pablo completed the route in strapped sandals. That does not mean you should copy him, since footwear needs vary from person to person, but it does show that you have choices beyond heavy boots. For most people, secure shoes with good grip and a backup pair for later are the sensible plan.

Pack sunscreen and insect repellent. The tour provides bottled water and snacks, but it does not promise every personal item you may want during a four-hour outdoor stop. A small bag for wet footwear and damp socks would also make the ride afterward more comfortable.

The snack provision is more useful than it first sounds. At the waterfall, the guide has supplied fruit, crackers, candy, water, and a cereal bar. This is not a full meal, so you should not treat it as lunch, but it gives you a welcome lift during a long walk and saves you from carrying every snack yourself.

Reaching Capua Waterfall without the usual crowds

One appealing feature is the sense of space. The Capua trail can feel quiet, with the kind of low-key atmosphere that is easy to lose on popular sightseeing routes. That makes the walk more personal, especially with a group capped at eight people.

I would not promise an empty trail every day, since conditions and schedules can change. Still, the small-group format and the route’s less common profile give you a better chance of a calm outing than a large coach excursion.

At the waterfall base, you have time to take in the canyon and recover from the wet sections. The waterfall itself is the visual payoff, but the route is just as important. You are not only looking at water falling over rock. You are following water through the canyon to reach it.

The lack of a separate waterfall admission fee helps the value. Your $62 price covers a long day with hotel pickup, water, snacks, guiding, and three distinct stops. That is a fair package if you want an organized day outside Arequipa and would otherwise need to arrange transport and a guide yourself.

The price is less attractive if you only want a short nature stop. Four hours in the canyon takes up nearly half the active sightseeing time, and the total day runs eight and a half hours. You are paying for a full outing, not a quick add-on.

Soaking at El Tigre’s volcanic hot springs

After the hike, the 40-minute stop at Pozo de Aguas Termales El Tigre gives your body a change of pace. The pools are volcanic in origin, and the experience is built around warming and relaxing after the canyon walk.

The tour describes the water as having qualities associated with soothing bones and skin. I would treat that as part of the local appeal, not as medical advice or a guaranteed treatment. The practical benefit is simpler: you get time to sit, soak, and let your legs recover.

Admission to the pools is not included. Bring cash. The extra cost has been given as roughly 5 to 10 Peruvian soles, depending on the day, so keep small local currency ready rather than assuming the $62 covers every stop.

Forty minutes is enough for a pleasant break, but not a long spa session. You should see it as a refreshment stop after the hike, not a full wellness day. If you are hoping to spend several hours in different pools, this schedule may feel brief.

The sequence works well. A waterfall walk followed by hot springs gives the day a clear rhythm, with effort first and rest afterward. If you have limited time in Arequipa and want both outdoor activity and thermal bathing, this combination saves you from choosing between them.

Yura Viejo and its simple village stop

The final listed stop is Iglesia de Yura Viejo, with about an hour in the traditional town of Yura Viejo. The focus is broader than a church photograph. You are meant to see the church, local culture, economy, and other attractions in the town.

This stop gives the day a human setting after the canyon and pools. You get a look at a place where daily life continues beyond the sightseeing circuit, which can make the excursion feel more connected to the area rather than just a sequence of natural attractions.

The supplied details do not identify the church’s construction date, architectural style, or specific artworks, so you should not book this expecting a formal architectural tour. Its value is in the local setting and the chance to learn how Yura Viejo fits into the region.

The hour should also help break up the return journey. After four hours of walking and a soak, a slower town visit gives you a chance to look around without another demanding activity. The stop is included, so you do not need to budget a separate entrance fee for it.

What the $62 price really covers

At $62 per person, this excursion sits in the reasonable range for a full-day organized outing, especially with hotel pickup and a small group. You receive bottled water, cookies, a cereal bar, fruit, and transportation support, along with the guide’s time across an eight-and-a-half-hour schedule.

The value depends on how you use the day. I see strong value if you want to combine three things that are awkward to arrange independently: a canyon walk, a thermal bath, and a visit to Yura Viejo. I see weaker value if you already have transport, hiking partners, and a plan for Capua.

Remember the extra thermal pool fee. It is a small amount, but it is the only stated admission charge not included, and forgetting cash can turn a relaxing stop into an unnecessary hassle.

The group limit is one of the better features for the price. A maximum of eight people is small enough for a guide to keep an eye on the group and help with the stream crossings. It also avoids the slower, noisier feel of a large bus party.

Hotel pickup is included, but the stated starting point is C. Zela 301 in Arequipa. Confirm the pickup arrangement when you book, particularly if your hotel is outside the normal pickup area. The activity ends back at the meeting point, which gives you a clear finish in the city.

Who should book this Arequipa outing

I would choose this tour if you want an active day and enjoy seeing a less familiar side of the Arequipa area. It suits people who are happy to get their shoes wet, walk for several hours, and trade polished facilities for a more direct connection with the outdoors.

It also works well for couples, friends, and small family groups who like mixing scenery with local culture. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed, but the four-hour wet trail still calls for sensible judgment about fitness, balance, and comfort outdoors.

You should think twice if you dislike walking through streams, need a fully dry route, or want a slow day with lots of free time. The hot springs stop lasts only 40 minutes, and the total schedule leaves little room for lingering at each place.

The tour is near public transportation, but pickup and drop-off are built into the experience. That makes it simpler than piecing together separate rides to Capua, El Tigre, and Yura Viejo.

Good weather matters. The experience requires suitable conditions, and if poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. Otherwise, the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed, so choose your date carefully.

A practical packing list for the wet trail

You do not need an expedition kit, but a few small choices will make the day much easier:

• Secure hiking shoes or strapped outdoor sandals
• A dry pair of sandals or shoes for afterward
• Sunscreen and insect repellent
• Cash for the thermal pool admission
• Clothes that can handle splashes
• A small bag for wet footwear or socks
• Personal snacks if you need more than the provided fruit, cookies, cereal bar, and water

The most important item is not expensive equipment. It is a willingness to walk through water. If you accept that from the start, the route becomes part of the fun rather than an unpleasant surprise.

Should you book Trekking, Waterfalls and Thermal Baths?

Book it if you want a full, active day beyond central Arequipa, with Capua Canyon as the main attraction and a hot-spring soak afterward. The small group, included pickup, trail snacks, and the personal help a guide such as Pablo can provide make the $62 price sensible.

Skip it if your ideal day means staying dry, avoiding a four-hour walk, or spending a long afternoon in thermal pools. For everyone else, this is a well-balanced outing: a wet canyon trail, a free waterfall stop, a modest extra fee for volcanic hot springs, and a final look at Yura Viejo. Bring the right shoes, sunscreen, insect repellent, and cash, and you will be prepared for what the day actually asks of you.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately eight hours and 30 minutes. The Capua Canyon walk takes about four hours, the thermal bath stop takes 40 minutes, and the visit to Iglesia de Yura Viejo takes about one hour.

What time and where does the tour start?

It starts at 8:00 am from C. Zela 301, Arequipa 04001, Peru. Hotel pickup is included, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

Is admission to the thermal pools included?

No. The entrance ticket to Pozo de Aguas Termales El Tigre is not included. The extra cost has been listed as about 5 to 10 Peruvian soles, depending on the day.

What does the tour provide?

The tour provides hotel pickup, bottled water, cookies, a cereal bar, and fruit. A guide may also provide additional trail snacks, including crackers and candy.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is eight people.

What happens if bad weather cancels the experience?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund. For other cancellations or changes, the experience is non-refundable and cannot be amended.