Safari Gastronómico
A flavor expedition through Arequipa, Peru's proud food capital: from buzzing market stalls to the picanterías where the city really eats.
The experience
Hunting for flavor in the White City
Some cities you visit with your eyes. Arequipa you visit with your appetite. Peruvians will happily argue about almost anything, but nearly everyone agrees this city cooks like nowhere else: a food tradition built over centuries in the shadow of volcanoes, fed by produce from the coast, the Andes and the jungle.
The Safari Gastronómico is exactly what it sounds like: a hunt. Not for animals, but for flavors. Alongside a local who has been eating their way around this city since childhood, you'll follow your nose through bustling stalls, taste fruit you can't pronounce yet, and end up eating the way arequipeños actually eat. Come hungry.
The safari, in four bites
Why you'll love this
Eat like a local, not a tourist
We skip the tourist menus and go where arequipeños actually shop, snack and gather for long, happy lunches.
Flavors you've never met
Cherimoya, lucuma, tuna fruit, herbs with no English name: the market is full of delicious first times.
A feast for every sense
The colors of the stalls, the calls of the vendors, the smell of wood smoke and spices. This is much more than eating.
Every dish tells a story
Arequipa's cooking carries centuries of history, and your local host grew up on every bit of it.
Into the wild (of flavor)
What you'll experience
Picture a market in full swing: pyramids of golden lucuma and blushing cherimoya, sacks of countless kinds of potato, highland cheeses, vendors waving you over for a taste. This is where the safari begins: in the noisy, colorful heart of Arequipa's food world, where the whole south of Peru comes to the table.
Then there are the picanterías, Arequipa's beloved traditional eateries, where hearty recipes have simmered over wood fires for generations and lunch is a social event. This is the city that gave Peru dishes like rocoto relleno and adobo, and it is very, very proud of them. You won't just look at food here. You'll taste, ask, compare and probably loosen your belt.
And through it all, you're with someone from here: someone who knows which fruit to smell before buying, why the glasses of chicha are so generous, and what a proper arequipeño lunch really looks like.
Taste the best of it
Highlights
- The bustle, color and aromas of a traditional Arequipa market in full swing.
- Tropical and Andean fruits you've probably never tasted, or even seen.
- The picantería tradition that made Arequipa famous across all of Peru.
- Peruvian ingredients and their stories, told by someone who grew up with them.
- Everyday street-level flavors that most travelers walk right past.
- Plenty of tasting along the way, so bring your appetite.
Arequipa
Safari Gastronómico
What's included
- A visit to the local market
- Taste tests of various plates, fruits & even a dessert
- A pisco sour tasting with a beautiful view of the city
Important information
Food allergies, preferences or a vegetarian at the table? Just mention it when you write to us. Good food should be for everyone.
Wondering about the meeting point or what to bring? Tell us what matters to you and we will answer personally, usually within a few hours.
Talk to a localBook this experience
Booking is personal: message us on WhatsApp, we plan the details together and confirm everything in writing.
Ready to taste the real Arequipa?
Tell us when you're hungry and we'll take care of the rest. Your seat at the table in Peru's food capital is waiting.