Amazon Adventures

Peru

Chachapoyas

Tucked in a remote corner of northeastern Peru, Chachapoyas and the province of Amazonas is a forgotten land of ancient empires, towering peaks and friendly people. It is a place where the eastern Andes tumble into the Amazon basin so suddenly that one day of hiking covers thousands of vertical meters through a myriad of ecosystems. The entire area is a rare bio-occurrence called a "cloud forest." This is a result of low clouds and ever-present fog dumping heavy rain on the mountainous terrain. The result is the Peruvian high jungle, the "ceja de selva"; the eyebrow of the jungle. The area's dense vegetation combined with fog and towering peaks gives Chachapoyas an unforgettable fairy tale appearance.

Modern explorers are not the only ones fascinated with this region. Over a thousand years ago, a mysterious race of fair-skinned natives known as the Chachapoyans, the "cloud people", built massive empires on mountain tops all over the region. Their name came from not only the area they inhabited but also from their unusually light skin and height. Their dominance over the region is apparent today as most mountain crests are crowned with at least a wall, if not an entire ruined city. Cliff tombs, mummies and hieroglyphics are all testament to a culture that was as advanced as the Inca, if not more so. Despite this fact, very little is known about the "white jungle natives"and their vast empire.

The Peruvian government recognizes the importance of this area and expects it to eventually rival Cusco/Machu Picchu in tourist numbers and it is already trying to get trekkers to this area, instead of only to the overcrowded Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Easy Chachapoyas Tours	Gran Vilaya Expedition
Laguna del Los Condors	Secrets of the Tajopampa Tombs

Macro	Karajia
Mummy at Leymebamba	Revash