Chachapoyas ToursOver 20 years ago, the Peruvian government wanted to make the Chachapoyas area the "Machu Picchu of the north" because they thought that many people would love to see the sites. Now there are daily flights to Jaen.
This is the land of the Cloud People . This is the cloud forest of eternal mist, high in the Andes, overlooking the Amazon Basin, hidden in a perpetual mist with orchids and bromeliads everywhere. It is a forgotten land of ancient empires, towering peaks and friendly people. Over a thousand years ago, the mysterious race of fair-skinned natives known as the Chachapoyans built massive empires on mountain tops all over the region. 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.
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Gocta Waterfall and Kuelap |
Highlights of the Chachapoyan Culture |
Day 1 Jaen – Cocachimba
Airport or hotel pick up service in Jaen and private transportation to the town of Cocachimba, located at 1.5 hours from Chachapoyas city. We will see beautiful panoramas on our trip to Cocachimba town. We will spend the night in Gocta Lodge with great panoramic views of the waterfall. (L) Day 2 Cocachimba – Gocta – Choctamal Three hours hike or horseback (one way) to Gocta waterfall. The measured height of 771 meters. As a result of an expedition lead by Stefan Ziemendorff and Telesforo Santillan (local guide) in March 2006, Gocta waterfall made the international news testifying the remoteness and unfolding discoveries of America’s newly accessible and most pristine ecological and archeological destination. During the hike you will be able to observe variety of hummingbirds, birds, flowers, maybe toucans, monkeys and other species from the region. Night in Choctamal MS Lodge where you can enjoy the visit of hummingbirds including the famous endemic Marvelous Spatuletail. (B, L, D) Day 3 Choctamal – Kuelap – Chachapoyas After breakfast we will travel by car for 35 minutes from Choctamal Lodge to Kuelap. The fortress of Kuelap , associated with the Chachapoyas culture, consists of massive exterior stone walls containing more than four hundred buildings inside 3 levels of walls and is the largest stone structure in the Americas. Orchids and bromeliads cover the walls and trees inside this fortress. Kuelap is precariously perched on a mountain ridge at about 3000m, the structure overlooks the Utcubamba Valley in Northern Peru, is roughly 600 meters in length and 110 meters in width. The 20m high fortress walls are impressive with an entrance that is trapezoidal and narrows rapidly (as a defense). Inside there are the remains of many small round houses, some with a zigzag or diamond pattern in their terraces. Archaeological evidence shows that the structure was started before 800 AD. Overnight in Chachapoyas. (B, BL) Day 4 Chachapoyas – Jaen Early departure to Jaen airport for your flight to Lima. (B, BL) 2019 Rate per person in US$: 1 person = $1,542, 2 people = $962, 3 people = $854, 4 or more = $835 . Single Supplement = $189 Best Seller - 6 daysDay 1 Jaen – Chachapoyas
Airport or hotel pick up service in Jaen and private transportation to the town of Chachapoyas. (L) Day 2 Chachapoyas – Karajia - Choctamal Transfer to Cruz Pata (2.5 hours approx). We will go to the 8-feet high funeral sarcophagi of Karajia (also known by the local as Purunmachus, quechua word that means: purun= wild and machu=old) located on a mountain cliff at about 2,600m (20 minutes downhill hike) and continue with the route of sarcophagi where you can observe from the road more than 20 discovered sarcophagi. Afternoon transfer to Choctamal Marvelous Spatuletail Lodge where you can enjoy the visit of hummingbirds, including the endemic Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird. The lodge is located on the road to Kuelap at only 35 minutes from the fortress, excellent panoramic views of Kuelap and the Abra Yumal Pass. (B, L, D) Day 3 Choctamal – Kuelap – Leymebamba After breakfast we will travel by car for 35 minutes from Choctamal Lodge to Kuelap. The fortress of Kuelap , associated with the Chachapoyas culture, consists of massive exterior stone walls containing more than four hundred buildings inside 3 levels of walls and is the largest stone structure in the Americas. Orchids and bromeliads cover the walls and trees inside this fortress. Kuelap is precariously perched on a mountain ridge at about 3000m, the structure overlooks the Utcubamba Valley in Northern Peru, is roughly 600 meters in length and 110 meters in width. The 20m high fortress walls are impressive with an entrance that is trapezoidal and narrows rapidly (as a defense). Inside there are the remains of many small round houses, some with a zigzag or diamond pattern in their terraces. Archaeological evidence shows that the structure was started before 800 AD. We will spend the night in Leymebamba. (B, BL) Day 4 Leymebamba museum – Revash – Cocachimba Visit the museum of Leymebamba that houses the 219 mummies that were discovered in 1997 by a group of local farmers. These mummies were located 10 hours horseback on a cliff under a waterfall by the Lake of the Condors. Research is being conducted in this museum under the supervision of Dra. Sonia Guillen. We continue with our trip to Revash Mausoleums (1.5 hours hike). Revash Mausoleums are small rectangular miniature houses located under the shelter of the rock. (also called Chullpas). Night in Gocta Lodge overlooking Gocta waterfall. (B, L). Day 5 Gocta Waterfall Three hours hike or horseback (one way) to Gocta waterfall. The measured height of 771 meters. As a result of an expedition lead by Stefan Ziemendorff and Telesforo Santillan (local guide) in March 2006, Gocta waterfall made the international news testifying the remoteness and unfolding discoveries of America’s newly accessible and most pristine ecological and archeological destination. During the hike you will be able to observe variety of hummingbirds, birds, flowers, maybe toucans, monkeys and other species from the region. Night in Gocta Lodge overlooking the waterfall. (B, L). Day 6 Cocachimba – Jaen Private transfer from Cocachimba to Jaen airport. (B, BL) 2019 Rate per person in US$: 1 person = $2,580, 2 people = $1649, 3 people = $1506, 4 or more = $1391. Single Supplement = $347 |
Day 1 Jaen – Chachapoyas
Airport or Hotel pick up service in Jaen and private transportation to Chachapoyas. We will see beautiful panoramas on our trip to the unspoiled city of Chachapoyas. Night in Chachapoyas. (BL) Day 2 Chachapoyas - Karajia–Choctamal Transfer to Cruz Pata (2.5 hours approx). We will go to the 8-feet high funeral sarcophagus of Karajia (also known by the local as Purunmachus, quechua word that means: purun= wild and machu=old) located on a mountain cliff at about 2,600m (20 minutes downhill hike) and continue with the route of sarcophagi where you can observe from the road more than 20 discovered sarcophagi. Afternoon transfer to Choctamal Marvelous Spatuletail Lodge where you can enjoy the visit of several hummingbirds, the lodge is located on the road to Kuelap at only 35 minutes from the fortress, excellent panoramic views of Kuelap and the Abra Yumal Pass. (B, L, D) Day 3 Choctamal - Kuelap - Chachapoyas We will spend the day at Fortress Kuelap known as "the Machu Picchu of the North". Kuelap has over 400 buildings inside 3 levels of walls, and is the largest stone structure in all South America. Orchids and bromeliads cover the walls and trees inside this fortress. On the way to Chachapoyas we will observe the platforms of Macro located on a cliff overlooking the Utcubamba River. Overnight in Chachapoyas. (B, BL) Day 4 Chachapoyas – Jaen Early departure to Jaen airport for your flight to Lima. (B, BL) 2019 Rate per person in US$: 1 person = $1,413, 2 people = $897, 3 people = $784, 4 or more = $781. Single Supplement = $154 Chachapoyas Adventure - 5 daysDay 1 Jaen - Chachapoyas
Airport or Hotel pick up service in Jaen, see beautiful panoramas on trip to Chachapoyas. Night in Chachapoyas. (BL) Day 2 Chachapoyas – Huancas-Levanto Visit Sonche Canyon and Inca Mitimae village (the residents were transplanted from Huanuco in the Inca heartland to pacify the rebellious Cloud People.) Huancas main business is making pottery since ancient times, providing for the entire zone. After lunch we will visit Levanto (one hour from Chachapoyas). Levanto was the most significant city of the zone at the time of the Inca invasion and also in the Spanish colonial era. We will see a colonial church as old as Lima with its high-carved altar. We will go to the fortified ruins of Yalape overlooking the city. Nearby is Colla Cruz, this was a major crossroads of the empire's roads with over 2000 miles of major roads going north to Ecuador & Colombia, south to Huanuco and Cuzco, and west to Cajamarca (where the Inca was captured), and east to the Amazon. We will see the Inca Military Garrison guarding this intersection. Night in Levanto MS Lodge high in the mountains. (B, L, D) Day 3 Levanto – Inca Trail - Choctamal Inca Trail to Chachapoyas (3 hours downhill), lunch in Chachapoyas and night in Choctamal Marvelous Spatuletail Lodge located in the road to Kuelap, where you can observe hummingbirds, specially the Marvelous Spatuletail. (B, L, D) Day 4 Fortress Kuelap We will spend the day at Fortress Kuelap known as "the Machu Picchu of the North". Kuelap has over 400 buildings inside 3 levels of walls, and is the largest stone structure in the Americas. Orchids and bromeliads cover the walls and trees inside this fortress. On the way to Chachapoyas we will observe the platforms of Macro located on a cliff overlooking the Utcubamba River. Overnight in Chachapoyas (B, L) Day 5 Chachapoyas/Jaen Early departure to Jaen airport for your flight to Lima. (B, BL) 2019 Rate per person in US$: 1 person = $1,799, 2 people = $1138, 3 people = $996, 4 or more = $958. Single Supplement = $172 THE TOURS INCLUDE:
All entrance fees Transfers to airport or bus station Meals where noted in the program All transportation specified in the program Transfer between cities Hotels specified in the program Bilingual guide NOT INCLUDED: Alcoholic beverages Airport taxes Internal flights (we can provide upon request) Gratuities |