The Sillar Route is a journey full of history, living culture and adventure. Discover why Arequipa is also known as «The white city», since when in Arequipa we have been using the ashlar as a building material for houses, churches and mansions. Learn about the extraction of this stone called Ignimbrita, how the ashlars are formed and meet one of the stonemasons who work hard every day and carry a tradition that goes from generation to generation. Take impressive pictures in the ashlar quarries, impressive landscapes that we only have in this part of Peru.
Hoteles del Centro Historico
Morning: 09:00am
Afternoon: 02:00pm
08:45am to 09:15am – In this period of time we pick you up from the hotels located in the center of Arequipa.
09:15am – We start our tour to the Sillar Route which is a tourist route with a lot of history and living culture, where we visit quarries and areas where the sillar originated. The first point where we will stop will be the Añashuayco Quarry; which we will arrive in 45 minutes approx. It is currently in exploitation, the quarrymen perform their work from very early; in the place we can appreciate a huge canyon with cliffs (ignimbrite walls) that are several meters high, formed by the extraction for the formation of the ashlars. At this point we will tell you the history of the ashlar, the elaboration and the use that has always been given to it. In this quarry you will be able to appreciate a Megatallado of the Church of the Company of Jesus made by the stonemasons themselves. We will also be able to visit some of them so that they can explain to us how their daily work is and they can make us experience cutting ourselves one of their stone blocks.
Then we will move to the Quebrada de Culebrillas, which is 30 minutes away from Añashuayco. Arriving at this point we will make a walk of approximately 20 minutes inside the small canyon that was formed by the passage of water, which has walls of 15 to 20 meters, as we go into it the walls of the canyon are increasing in height. At the end of the walk we will be able to observe petroglyphs made by the Wari culture more than a thousand years ago. Before returning to the city we will observe the Apachetas which are stone formations placed one on top of the other that are a symbol of gratitude to nature and also attraction of good luck which cause a mystical feeling.
12:00pm – We will start the return trip to the city of Arequipa.
01:00pm – We will arrive to the center of Arequipa and we will leave you near the main square.
