The Sillar Route

In the morning, we will pick you up from your centrally located hotel in the city of Arequipa to embark on a unique adventure: the Sillar Route. This half-day tour will take us to two notable quarries, where you'll have the opportunity to meet artisans skilled in working with the sillar stone.

Our journey begins as we head towards the district of Cerro Colorado, ultimately arriving at the Añashuayco Quarries, nestled at the base of the Chachani Volcano and next to the Chili River. This location offers a breathtaking blend of natural beauty and cultural significance. We'll explore the area where master stonecutters craft intricate works of art, including colonial facades and sculpted carvings.

One of the highlights is the Pink Sillar, a section of the quarries that glows with a vibrant pink hue under sunlight, thanks to the mix of sillar, sand, and rocks.

Our visit includes a stop at the artisan workshops, providing an insight into the traditional techniques used to work with sillar. You'll witness the crafting process using age-old tools and have the option to purchase unique handicrafts.

The tour continues to the Culebrillas Quarry, where we will wander through a striking natural ravine shaped by water and wind over the centuries.

As we walk along these narrow walls, we'll discover the Culebrillas petroglyphs, ancient carvings of animals like birds, felines, and snakes, some towering as high as 30 meters. These fascinating drawings are remnants of the Wari culture, an Andean civilization that prospered from the 7th to the 13th centuries AD.

Sillar stone has played a crucial role in the construction of Arequipa, a city recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

We will conclude the tour with a return to the city center of Arequipa.