Kuélap Fortress
Kuélap
A hilltop stone city of the Chachapoya culture, with walls rising nearly 20 m and more than 400 circular stone houses, earning it the nickname 'the Machu Picchu of the North'.
Kuélap sits on a ridge at about 3,000 m altitude. Construction began around the 6th century AD. The site is about 600 m long, with an outer stone wall up to 19 m high. More than 400 circular house foundations have been found inside, and the walls are decorated with diamond and zigzag patterns. It is one of the largest ancient stone-built complexes in South America. Visitors usually take a cable car from Nuevo Tingo for about 20 minutes, then walk about 2 km to the entrance. After part of the walls collapsed in 2022, visitor numbers were limited. Routes, cable car operations and admission follow the notices of the Ministry of Culture, so it is advisable to join a day tour from town or hire a guide. A round trip from Chachapoyas takes a full day.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–16:00 (visitor cap; check official sources)
Nearby sights
- Macro Archaeological Site
- Yalape
- Revash Mausoleums
- Huaylla Belén Valley
- Chachapoyas Cathedral
- Plaza de Armas Chachapoyas
- Sonche Canyon
- Sarcophagi of Karajía