Things to do — Southern Andes

At Arequipa (minimum 2 nights), must-sees: Santa Catalina monastery (5 hectares cloistered, 'city within a city' built 1579, entry €12-15, plan 2-3h, guided visit recommended), Plaza de Armas (bordered by baroque cathedral 1656-1844, sillar arcades), Arequipa cathedral (museum inside, views from the tower), Casa del Moral and Casa de Tristán del Pozo (magnificently preserved colonial sillar houses), Museo Santuarios Andinos (mandatory guided visit, Juanita mummy the 'Lady of the Ampato Ice'), Living Art Museum, Yanahuara mirador (panoramic views of Misti and city), Yanahuara and San Lázaro quarters (picturesque old colonial quarters). San Camilo market (exotic fruit juices, arequipeña dishes). Gastronomy: Chicha by Gastón Acurio (refined arequipeña cuisine), Zig Zag (exotic meats over wood fire), Picantería La Capitana (traditional picante cuisine), Tradición Arequipeña (local dishes in colonial setting). Off-centre excursions: Misti 5,822 m ascent (2 days/1 night, accessible to trained sports lovers, €250-400 with guide), Chachani 6,057 m ascent (one of the world's easiest 6,000 m, €350-500), Cotahuasi valley (canyon even deeper than Colca, 3,535 m, wilder, 2-3 days).

At Colca Canyon (2 days/1 night), classic formula: 6am Arequipa departure, Patapampa stop (4,800 m, view of volcanic cordillera), lunch Chivay (3,633 m, Colca capital), afternoon La Calera hot springs (38-42 °C, outdoor pools with volcano views, PEN 18-25 entry), night at Chivay or Yanque (Casa Andina or Colca Lodge charm hotels). Day 2: 5am wake-up, departure to Cruz del Condor Mirador (1h30 drive, 8am arrival for 8:30-10:30am observation, condors visible 80% of the time in dry season), return Arequipa via Maca-Pinchollo villages. 2-3 day trek for sports lovers: Cabanaconde-Sangalle descent (canyon bottom oasis, 2,200 m, 3,200 m descent, 6-7h outbound walk), night in basic bungalow, climb the next day (5-6h testing at 4,300 m).

At Puno and Lake Titicaca (2 nights), classic excursions. Half-day Uros Islands (Puno port departure 7am or 2pm, €30-50/person, 30 min speedboat navigation to totora reed floating islands, traditional construction demonstration, hut visits, possibility of traditional barge navigation, return 12pm or 6pm). Full day Uros + Taquile (€50-80/person, 7am-5pm, Uros in the morning, Taquile in the afternoon with lunch on the island, UNESCO 2008 weaving demonstrations, walk in the traditional village). 2 days/1 night Uros + Amantani + Taquile (€90-130/person, most immersive formula, homestay at Amantani, traditional costumed evening, sunrise on the island, Taquile day 2). Optional visit to Sillustani (chullpas — pre-Inca Colla funerary towers — 35 km from Puno, half day €25-40). 1-day excursion to Lampa ('the pink city', 17th century colonial architecture, 80 km from Puno).

Arequipeña gastronomy renowned among the best in Peru: rocoto relleno (large stuffed red pepper, signature dish), chupe de camarones (Majes River freshwater shrimp bisque), ocopa (green Andean herb sauce over potatoes), adobo arequipeño (chili-marinated pork), soltero de queso (bean, cheese, onion salad), queso helado (milk and cinnamon ice sorbet). At Puno, simpler gastronomy: Titicaca trout (trucha frita, ubiquitous), sopa quinoa, chairo (traditional Aymara soup).