Discover Chivay

In the heart of Chivay lies Plaza Principal, an important meeting place for locals and visitors. The plaza features a tourist map of the Colca Valley and Colca Canyon. This connects the central meeting place with a cartographic view of the valley and canyon landscape.

Townscape and orientation

Chivay is a Spanish settlement in the Colca Valley, founded during the time of Viceroy Toledo. Its urban character combines colonial architecture with Andean traditions; central squares, orderly streets, and house façades with preserved traditional elements shape the townscape. The Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Temple is a colonial church in Chivay. Its present-day building dates back to the second half of the 18th century.

The Plaza de Chivay is 550 meters from Chivay Bus Station; the walk takes about 15 minutes along a paved path. This makes the plaza a practical point of reference in the heart of town when finding your bearings after arrival.

Chivay is divided into three traditional sectors. Ccapa lies in the upper area and is associated with the Baños Termales La Calera hot springs. Urinsaya lies in the lower area and is characterized by festivals and regular farming. Hanansaya is located in the upper sector and has the largest cultivated area. The sectors therefore differ both in their location and in their festive and agricultural character.

Culture and historic sites

The Wititi is an emblematic Andean dance of the Collagua and Cabana cultures. Young people perform it during religious or patron-saint festivals in the rainy season. In Chivay, the dance is part of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. The Wititi is recognized as National Cultural Heritage of Peru; UNESCO declared it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 2, 2015.

The Puente Inca has been preserved in Chivay and is a reminder of the Inca presence in the region. This tourist attraction is about 28 meters long and built entirely of stone. Visitors can trace various historical periods at the site, from the Inca era to the republican period.

The Baños Termales La Calera tourist complex is located in the Colca Valley, three kilometers from Chivay. A small ethnological museum there displays archaeological finds from the Colca Valley as well as traditional Colca clothing. If you plan to visit the museum, confirm access locally.

Activities and visit planning

At the entrance to Chivay is a Centro de Interpretación with an AUTOCOLCA admission-ticket checkpoint. If you plan a visit, check the current opening hours before your trip.

When planning, it helps to note the distances between the destinations: the plaza, temple, and Puente Inca are in Chivay, while Baños Termales La Calera is three kilometers away. This makes it easy to distinguish between visits in town and those in the surrounding area.

Hiking and trekking are also among the tourist activities in Chivay. Alongside cultural and historic sites, outdoor activities are therefore another possible focus for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Chivay, Arequipa, Mollendo.

Return to the main travel overview: Arequipa.