Matarani Peru
Frequently Asked Questions
At the commercial port jetty, one of southern Peru's main maritime outlets. It is a working port: cranes, silos and freighters, with no cruise terminal.
You can stretch your legs along the Malecón Ratti and see the San Miguel Arcángel church, but that is not what the call is about. Matarani is a starting point: everything happens on the road.
Two very different options. Arequipa, the white city, for a full day; or Mollendo, the small seaside town nearby, for a quiet morning.
About two hours each way, across absolute desert. You have to accept four hours on a coach during the day: that is the price, and it is worth paying.
Because of sillar, a pale volcanic stone used for its cathedral, arcades and colonial houses. The city sits above 2,300 m, under the cone of Misti volcano.
The Santa Catalina monastery, a city within the city with its ochre and blue lanes: it justifies the drive on its own. Then the Yanahuara viewpoint, where the eye reaches Misti.
A small resort town born with the railway in the 19th century, its painted wooden houses standing above beaches used mainly by local families. It is coastal Peru without a set built for visitors.
At 2,300 m most travellers feel nothing more than slight breathlessness on the climbs. Drink water and do not rush: this is well below Cusco's altitude.
The Peruvian sol. Cards work in Arequipa shops; carry cash for taxis, markets and tips.
Water and sun protection. Desert sun burns quickly, even behind the coastal mist common in the morning. And decide on your day before you go ashore: distances here do not forgive improvisation.
