Chachapoyas

A colonial town in the cloud forest of northern Peru, and the base for visiting the Kuélap hilltop stone fortress, Gocta Waterfall and the Chachapoyas cliff tombs.

Chachapoyas is the capital of the Amazonas region of northern Peru. It sits at about 2,330 m above sea level, on the eastern slope of the Andes in cloud forest. The Spanish founded the city in 1538, and its colonial old town, with whitewashed walls and wooden balconies, is neat and quiet. Around 800–1470 AD, this area was the heartland of the Chachapoya culture, the 'Warriors of the Clouds'. It left many sites, including the hilltop stone city of Kuélap, cliff sarcophagi and cliff tombs. Together with Gocta Waterfall, one of the world's highest, these make the area northern Peru's most important destination.

Areas to explore:

① The city: the Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and colonial streets, plus the Sonche Canyon viewpoint in Huancas village on the northeastern outskirts.

② Southern route (Utcubamba Valley): the Kuélap fortress (take the cable car from the Nuevo Tingo station), the Macro ruins, and further south the Revash cliff tombs and the Leymebamba Museum.

③ Northern route: Gocta Waterfall (hike from the village of Cocachimba) and Yumbilla Falls.

④ Northwest, around Luya and Lamud: the Karajía sarcophagi, the Quiocta caves, the Village of the Dead, and the Vilaya Belén Valley.

Seasons: May to September is the dry season, with better roads and less cloud, and it is the best time for hiking. October to April is the rainy season, when mountain roads turn muddy, but the waterfalls carry more water. Mornings and evenings are cool, and midday UV is strong, so bring rain gear and sunscreen.

Getting there: fly from Lima to Jaén or Tarapoto, then transfer for about 3–4 hours. Flights to Chachapoyas' small airport are unreliable. Overnight buses run directly from Lima and Chiclayo. Tour agencies in town run shared day tours every day to Kuélap, Gocta, and Karajía with Quiocta, at reasonable prices.

Plan 4–5 days.

Top sights

• Kuélap Fortress – A hilltop stone city of the Chachapoya culture, with walls rising nearly 20 m and more than 400 circular stone houses, earning it the nickn…
• Gocta Waterfall – A cloud-forest waterfall with two tiers dropping about 770 m in total. It was little known to the outside world until 2006, and visitors ca…
• Sarcophagi of Karajía – A row of human-shaped clay-and-stone sarcophagi, about 2.5 m tall, standing in a cliff niche with real human skulls placed on top. They are…
• Revash Mausoleums – Painted, house-shaped communal tombs built into recesses in red limestone cliffs. From a distance they look like a village hanging on the r…
• Leymebamba Museum – Home to more than 200 mummies recovered from the cliff tombs of Laguna de los Cóndores, making it the best museum for learning about Chacha…
• Quiocta Cave – A limestone cave about 500 m deep, with stalactites, stalagmites, and remains of ancient human bones. Visitors need rubber boots and headla…
• Pueblo de los Muertos – A Chachapoya burial complex on a cliff terrace above the Utcubamba valley near Lamud, with human-shaped stone sarcophagi and round tomb hou…
• Yumbilla Falls – A multi-tier waterfall with a total drop of about 895 m, ranked among the world’s tallest. It can be reached on foot from the village of Cu…
• Sonche Canyon – A canyon nearly a kilometer deep on the outskirts of Chachapoyas. The Huancas village viewpoint and glass walkway look down into the gorge…
• Plaza de Armas Chachapoyas – The historic colonial town square at the center of Chachapoyas, lined with white walls and wooden balconies. It is where day tours gather a…
• Chachapoyas Cathedral – The cathedral on the south side of the Plaza de Armas. Its white façade with pale blue details and twin bell towers makes it a city landmar…
• Yalape – An ancient Chachapoya residential site not far from town, with stone house foundations and walls decorated with diamond-shaped reliefs. It…
• Macro Archaeological Site – A group of round Chachapoya structures on cliffs beside the Utcubamba valley road. It is a convenient stop on the way to Kuélap.
• Huaylla Belén Valley – A valley where a river meanders through high-altitude meadows in a series of continuous curves, dubbed the 'Serpentine River' of Chachapoya…

Where to eat

• La Real Cecina – A long-established local restaurant famed for authentic Chachapoyas cecina, a cured dried beef, set in an old house wit…
• El Batán del Tayta – A popular restaurant that reinvents traditional Amazonian dishes with modern techniques, with a jungle-themed interior…
• Café Fusiones – A slow-food organic café opened in 2009, using coffee and produce from local cooperatives, with plenty of breakfast and…