Hidden in the cloud forest and reachable by rough roads and now also by plane, the town of Chachapoyas Peru is the perfect base for exploring the stunning ancient ruins left behind by the pre-Incan Chachapoyas civilization (ca. 800-1470 AD): “The Village of the Clouds.” The best-known of the sites is Kuelap, a citadel arguably as magnificent as Machu Picchu, but little visited.
Now accessible by cable car, the area’s best-preserved archaeological site is perched on a limestone mountain and offers fabulous views of the surrounding forest. The site is immense and astonishing: the 700-meter-long oval fortress is surrounded by a massive stone wall, up to 12 meters high in parts. Inside are the remains of more than 400 circular dwellings and other curious structures.
Enjoy a variety of multi-day treks (on foot or on horseback): visit the funerary site of Karajía and its sarcophagi, the brilliant “chullpas” (burial buildings) of Revash with their pictographs on the cliffs, or hike to the Gocta waterfalls. Another great base for exploring is Leymebamba, a perfectly isolated village full of horses and genuinely friendly people, and definitely worth a visit.
The village is home to a surprisingly impressive museum housing over 200 well-preserved mummies found less than 20 years ago at the captivating Laguna de los Cóndores site, and some of the most impressive original “quipus” (pre-Incan recording devices made of string) to be found in Peru.
Just miles away, but the route is an adventure in itself: following narrow, astonishing paths and impressive Andean mountain passes, you reach the walled city of Cajamarca. As the site of the capture and execution of the Inca Atahualpa by the Spanish, the city is famous for its dramatic history, but also for its undeniable charm and architectural richness, with a colonial center filled with beautiful cobblestone streets, baroque mansions, and glorious churches built on top of ancient Inca structures.
Don’t miss the only Inca building still standing: El Cuarto de Rescate, where Atahualpa was imprisoned. The city is also known for its exceptionally raucous Carnival celebration, which takes place throughout the country at the beginning of Lent (usually in February), but none compare to Cajamarca’s, which draws an impressive crowd.
