Chachapoyas Peru, 9 Reasons Why it’s a Place Worth Visiting

Tucked away in northern Peru, far from the country’s usual tourist trail, lies Chachapoyas—home to cloud forests, ancient ruins, and some of the most breathtaking landscapes you’ve probably never heard of. From the massive fortress of Kuélap (often called the “Machu Picchu of the North”) to towering waterfalls and unique local culture, Chachapoyas is a hidden gem that’s absolutely worth the journey.

In this essential guide to Chachapoyas, Peru, I will tell you about two weeks spent in this beautiful town and all the fantastic things you can do there.

Named after the indigenous inhabitants who lived in this region before the Inca domination, Chachapoyas is brimming with a fascinating history and spectacular natural beauty.

There are so many things to do in Chachapoyas that I ended up spending three weeks in the quirky town while visiting the surrounding areas.

Before digging into the world of the Chachapoya Culture, learn how to pronounce Chachapoya

Incredible things to do in Chachapoyas, Peru

If you are wondering what to do in Chachapoyas, in this section of the post, I am explaining all the incredible visits that you can do from this cute mountain town.

1. Visit Gotcha Waterfalls

Among Chachapoyas tours, hiking to Gotcha waterfalls is the easiest one that you can do on your own. It’s a 5 km very easy hike, with some steep parts, but it’s definitely doable. I have seen families with kids, as well.

The terrain is a bit slippery in the rainy season, from December through March, but easy.  During the walk, you get spectacular views of the fall. The walk-in itself is worth all the effort for the spectacular scenery.

How to get to the Gocta Waterfalls from Cocachimba

You can either go on a day trip or spend the night in the spectacular Gocta Lodge or if you are traveling on a budget, you will find a few hostels and more modest private accommodations.

The village is tiny but pretty, surrounded by lush green mountains. Definitely, a place to relax and have refreshing walks in nature.

You can get from Chachapoyas on a combi (small bus) from the bus terminal. You need to look for a bus that goes to Bagua or Pedro Ruiz and tell the driver that you are going to Cocachimba. They will drop you off at the crossroad, and there you will find a motor-taxi to take you up to Cocachimba. (Cost 3 PEN)

You will be dropped off at the tourist office, where you will have to pay the entrance fee of 10 PEN. If it has been rainin,g it’s convenient to wear rubber boots that you can rent right there.

Your beautiful walk will start there.

It’s about 2 hours to 2 and 2 to come back; however, it depends on your pace. It took me 2 hrs and 30 minutes to go and 1 hour and 30 minutes to come back because on the way there, I kept stopping to take pictures, while on the way back, it was pouring rain, and I was hungry, so I wanted to get back as soon as possible.

You can also ride a horse if you think it’s too much of an effort for you, however, they will take you only at km 3 then you will still have 2 km to walk.

With this tour, you get to the bottom of the fall, and once you get there, you won’t see the first fall that you saw on the way there.

There is another way to get to Gocta, and that’s via San Pablo. With this itinerary, you would get at the bottom of the first fall, and you will also have the possibility to walk down a very steep road and come back from Cocachimba.

I didn’t do it, so I can’t really talk by experience, but I know it’s doable. You can ask at the tourist office in Chachapoyas or to any guide.

To visit the Gocta Waterfalls, is it better to join a private tour from Chachapoyas or do it on my own?

Although for the majority of the sites in this region, it’s much more convenient to join a tour, for the Gotca fall, you are much better off  if you do it on your own for the following reasons:

1. First, because the trail is very well-marked, you don’t actually need a guide. Even if you are traveling on your own, you will always find someone on the trail, whether it’s tourists or locals who live there.
2. Secondly, if you join a tour from Chachapoyas, you will be with huge groups that arrive simultaneously, and I believe that big, noisy crowds detract from the magic of being in nature. If you go on your own, I would suggest you either sleep there and leave early morning or get a 7 am bus from Chachapoyas (7.30 am to the latest) so that you can get there before the crowds. You won’t be alone anyway, but it will be enough to enjoy the spectacular views in the silence of nature. I assure you it’s going to be magic.

I went with a girl that I met in the hostel, and we both wanted to go early and have lunch at the Gocta Lodge on the way back. It was a spectacular day.

2. Discover the lesser-known Yumbilla Waterfall 

I wasn’t sure whether to go or not because I was alone, and I was told it was not a completely organized place like Gocta, and  I didn’t want to find myself in the middle of nowhere and get lost. I am a little unconfident when I am in nature by myself. However, after asking around, I decided to give it a go, and it turned out to be a spectacular hike.

I played it safe, though, and I hired a guide to walk with me. It became a little expensive at the end, but it was all worth it.

How to get to Yumbilla waterfall from Chachapoyas, Peru

It’s the same direction as Gocta, but you will need to get off in Pedro Ruiz, which is about one h 30  minutes from Chachapoyas. You will find motor taxis at the bus terminal, and you will need to ask them to take you to Cuispes.

The taxi driver will take you straight to the tourist office to pay for the ticket and receive instructions on how to get to the waterfall.

It’s a total of 6 km, but 3 of them are on a regular road, not very interesting, although peaceful. So, to save time, I decided to let the guide take me on his motor taxi at the path’s entrance, where we started the hike.

I enjoyed it even more than the one to the Gocta Falls because you are walking in the deep jungle with some views now and then. The path is narrow and much more interesting and fun to walk, with lots of up and downhills. You will also bump into other smaller waterfalls and man-made wooden viewpoints with spectacular views of the valley.

It took us about two h 30 minutes to get to Yumbilla and 1 hour to get back.

Once in Yumbilla, you have the opportunity to climb down to the subsequent 3 falls, but you will need a guide to get there because you need a cord. I didn’t take my chance even though I was with a guide.

Costs:

• Bus from Chachapoyas to Pedro Ruiz 10 PEN
• Motor taxi from Pedro Ruiz to Cuispes 15 PEN (because I was alone, 2 people is 10 each). The return cost me only 10, for some reason.
• Guide to the first fall 40 PEN
• Entrance to the fall 10 PEN
• Taxi to the entrance of the hike 10 PEN

NOTE- you don’t really need a guide to get to Yumbilla, the path is only one, and you cannot get lost. Although there are side paths, you can easily see the main one. However, if you decide you want to go to the second and third falls of Yumbilla, you will need a guide because there are several paths and you can get lost there.

If you love nature, this is definitely a place I suggest visiting.

3. Visit the Ancient Fortress of Kuelap (Archeological site)

Among the Chachapoyas tours, this is one I would join because of its historical importance. It’s much better to be with a guide who explains what you are seeing. It is really an unmissable place if you are interested in local history and pre-Hispanic culture.

The entire province of Chachapoyas is named after the local civilization of Chachapoyas that came here even before the Incas, which, in fact, found them during their territorial expansion. Kuelap is the biggest settlement of the Chachapoyas culture that has been discovered and restructured.

The place has been well maintained, and, in fact, they were still working on one part of the fortress for more excavations and maintenance.

There is a brand new cable car that will take you from Tingo to the Fortress. It’s a 20-minute ride over the canyon with breathtaking views.

Once you get there, you will pay the entrance fee of 30 PEN, and if you want, you can hire a guide for 50 soles to guide you through the ruins. It’s a fascinating place, and although I love to get lost in the ancient Chachapoyas ruins, I also like to learn about what I see.

This is why I joined a tour in this case, and it cost me much less than if I had to come on my own and get a guide. The only thing I regret is having booked a tour with lunch included.

You should ask for the option to get a tour without lunch and get your meal somewhere else cause we were taken to a very shabby place that I would have rather avoided.

Besides that, the guide was great, very knowledgeable, and prepared.

The cost of the tour is 85 PEN 

If you go on your own, the entrance is 30 PEN and the Cable car is 20 PEN. I didn’t check how much for the ride from Chachapoyas, but it should be from 5 to 10 PEN one way. So, in the end, it is more or less the same money, and you have a guide included.

4. Discover the sarcophagi of Karaja and explore the caves of Quiocta 

If you want to cover both places in one day, you will need to join an organized tour, and I believe it’s the smartest thing to do in this case.

The tours have a maximum of 16 people and a knowledgeable guide to explain what you see, which helps. You will get to a place close to Quiocta caves, where you will put on your rubber boots and order lunch. Then you would reach the caves.

The guide will give you specific instructions that you should follow in order not to fall. In the cave, it’s very muddy and slippery, so you need to be careful. Of course, I fell and had mud all over my but and my camera bag. I was more upset about the bag, besides feeling really clumsy, which I am. I didn’t want strangers to find out. 🙂

Anyway, this is a very huge cave and if you normally feel a little claustrophobic, you shouldn’t have a problem here. It’s an interesting walk inside Mother Earth.

After the cave, you will get back to the place for lunch and then to the Sarcophagi. Needless to say, the entire trip takes place in spectacular scenery, driving on the winding roads of the Luya province.

The Way to the Sarcophagi of Karajia will also leave you speechless.

I was there on a cloudy day, and the grey sky made the scenery even more dramatic.

Here you will have to walk for an hour, or you can hire a horse. Another scenic hike downhill to get to the sarcophagi, impressive anthropomorphic statues nestled on a cliff’s walls.

They are from the age of the Chachapoyas civilization, and anthropologists have discovered mummified bodies inside, some of them very well conserved.

The guide explained that many other similar religious objects (vestigios) related to the same culture had been found, as well as entire cities waiting to be excavated.

It’s a full-day tour and you’ll be back in Chachapoyas at around 7 pm.

Price 80 PEN

5. Visit the spectacular Mausoleum of Revash and visit the Museum of Leyemebamba

This tour is the farthest of all, but if you are really into anthropology, it’s really worth the money and the time. You will get to a small village on top of the mountains in the province of the Mausoleums.

You could go on your own, but you won’t make it to both places unless you spend one night in Leymebamba. In fact, there is a bus that goes from Chachapoyas to the small village of San Bartolo. But to get to Leymebamba, you would need to get back on the main road to Yerbabuena and then wait for transportation to Leymebamba at an imprecise schedule.

That’s why going on a tour is the best you can do. Also, keep in mind that the tour doesn’t come with a general guide, but just a driver. He will take you to San Bartolo first, where you will meet a local guide who will take you to the Mausoleums of Revash, carved in the mountain.

Ticket and guides are included in your price, and so is lunch and transportation, of course. If you go on your own, the guide would cost you 30 PEN and the entrance 10 PEN.

Even this tour is packed with spectacular views of natural beauty. From San Bartolomè, you will have a 1-hour walk to reach the mausoleum. Even if you have seen it in pictures, just looking at those little houses carved into the cliff, it’s mind-blowing. According to the archaeologists who studied them, they must have been the Chachapoyas priests’ tombs and governors or other people of higher ranks.

The local guide will also fill you in with all the related information, besides a lecture on local plants and their healing properties. Unfortunately, the guides there don’t speak English yet. But he told me that in need, the travel agents would send a translator. So when you book your tour, make sure you specify that you don’t speak Spanish.

You will then eat in a very local restaurant, simple but genuine. You won’t have much choice, either chicken or pork. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, the only thing you will find is white rice and salad.

Leaving San Bartolome,’ you will move on to Leymebamba, which is a cute small town with a popular museum of the Chachapoyas culture.

I have to say I was too tired to appreciate it, as by the time we got there, it was 4 pm, but it’s very well organized and with lots of information on the Chachapoyas civilization and the discoveries. There is also a video in English about the discovery and the exhumation of the mummies. 

The cost of the tour is 120 PEN, but you can always negotiate. I booked it for 100 PEN straight away. It’s not an easy tour to find, as they need at least 3 people to do it.

Since the travel agents don’t talk to each other, you will need to tour around and find out which one is doing the tour. That’s what I did, at least. Maybe you are luckier.

6. Get blown away by the spectacular views in Huanca Canyons

This was actually one of my favorite visits. It’s short and sweet. At about 10 km from Chachapoya, on top of one of the mountains surrounding the city, the lovely village of Huanca boasts 2 spectacular viewpoints over a canyon.

• Mirador Cañon del Sorche and it’s right in the outskirts of the little village of Huanca.
• Huancaurco is 5 km from Huanca.

How to get to Huanca Canyons

You can either choose to go on a taxi, which is naturally more expensive, but it allows you to move around at your own pace, or you can rough it a little and get on a local combi (mini-van).

They leave every 5 minutes from a garage situated right in front of the restaurant “La Esquina artisanal” (check out the map below). It’s 3 PEN to get to Huancas or 5 PEN to get to Huancaurco, but there have to be at least 4 passengers for the last one.

Once you get there, you either ask the driver to wait for you for 15 minutes, or you wait for the next one to come. Or you can call the bus company to send you one. (or so the ticket lady told me).

Our driver waited for us because we were quite a lot coming back after 30 minutes or so, and it was obviously more convenient for him to wait.

On the way back, I stopped at the village of Huanca and walked to the other viewpoint. Even more spectacular because the sun has come out, and besides, you can also see a waterfall in front of you.

A breathtaking view in both cases. In about 3 hours, you can cover both sights.

Costs to get to Huanca Canyons

Entry fees are 5 PEN for each viewpoint

Bus fees: 5 PEN to get to Huancaurco, 3 PEN to get to Huanca only

7. Go on an adventure: 3-day trekking in the Laguna de los Condores

I couldn’t do this trek because of the rainy season, and not even travel agencies sell tours at this time of the year. So if you go in the summer and do it, please let me know what it is like! 🙂

Where is Chachapoyas Located

Geographically speaking, it is included in the Peruvian Amazon region, which would make you think about unbearable heat and extreme humidity.

Well, nothing like that. The region has a totally different climate from its neighboring Amazonian territory.

I was here in February, and it was damn cold and rainy.  Even though we are below the Equator and supposed to be summer in February, I found out that in Peru, the coastal zone is summer when the internal region is winter.

Quite odd, but it makes sense. It was super cold, indeed. I am freezing in my mountain gear while writing this post.

I was suggested to get to Chachapoyas on my journey from Ecuador, as it was one of the options I had coming from Vilcabamba.

I am so happy I followed that suggestion, as there is so much to visit here, and it’s not as touristy as Cuzco. And if it was summer, there was even more.

The problem is that with the rainy season, some hiking trails are closed due to being too dangerous, because of mudslides and muddy trails. But I will also give you information on things you can do in Chachapoyas if you get there in the Summer.

Who should visit Chachapoyas (Chacha for friends)?

• Anyone who is interested in Peruvian history and culture
• All those passionate about nature and hiking.
• Those who love to explore off-the-beaten-track and yet spectacular places

How to get to Chachapoyas, Peru

Although it’s quite off the beaten path, getting to Chachapoyas is easy. You either need to get to Jaen if you are coming from the north and then get a local minivan to Chachapoyas.

If you don’t find a direct one, you might want to go to Bagua Grande and from there take another minivan (Colectivos). If you come from the south, you can get there either from Cajamarca or Lima.

You can use the Redbus app to find your way around Peru.

Chachapoyas is located at a distance of 1 to 2 hours from every place of interest, which means you might be able to see one or two places per day if you go on tours. If you go on your own, it gets more complicated.

I will explain for every tour the best way to get there, and I will give you the pros and cons of the two options. So, if you want to know more, read on.

Where to Stay in Chachapoyas

Since I decided to stay for a couple of weeks to catch up with work, I have also taken my time to investigate the best hotels, and I have visited a few. Here are my reviews of what I have seen. Not all of them are positive.

Stay in Chachapoyas on a budget

KILLA WASI HOSTAL 

I stayed in this hostel for 2 weeks, and although it was basic, I found it quite charming and cute. The host, Nancy, is adorable, very kind, and always attentive.

I  had a private room with a shared bathroom, but you can also choose the dorm or the private room with a bathroom.  Breakfast is cheap and delicious.

They are new, and unfortunately, they have only one review on TripAdvisor, and it isn’t nice, besides mine. However, I believe it’s an excellent value for money.

Check rates & availability:  Booking.com

Mid-range price hotels in Chachapoyas

HOTEL POSADA DEL ARRIERO

I found this hotel just by walking by, and the immaculate reception area attracted me, so I went in to check it out. I wasn’t wrong. The rooms are simple but look sparkling clean and new. The hotel is, in fact, a few months old. There is a lovely patio and garden, and you have breakfast included in the rates—nice decoration and vibes.

Check rates & availability:  Booking.com

HOTEL PUMA URCO 

This hotel looked charming from the outside and a perfect location in the Main street, the pedestrian Amazona. In fact, it’s not a bad hotel, just a little old and outdated, with not so much light. It’s a decent mid-range property with a good location, I would say.

Check rates & availability:  Booking.com

High-end hotels in Chachapoyas

HOSTAL LA CASONA MONSANTE

This is, of course, my favorite. So-called because it was previously a Casona, a sort of Mansion that was refurbished and turned into a hotel. Very simple, not pretentious at all and in fact it has a very reasonable price for what it offers. The room looks very elegant and finely decorated. That would definitely be my choice, without a doubt, if you are not traveling on a budget. It’s also located on Calle Amazona, but some of the rooms face the internal patio. Close to the main plaza.

Check rates & availability:  Booking.com

The Best Cafes and Restaurants in Chachapoyas

I stayed in a hotel with no kitchen, so I explored different restaurants and cafes, where I would spend all day and three meals while working from my laptop. However, I have to be honest, I had my favorite where I tended to return all the time, but I also ventured to try out different options.

Here I will give you a list of the places where I have been.

CAFE’ FUSIONES

This was my first choice. The second-best coffee in town and the best meal, besides the cozy atmosphere. I have tried almost everything vegan and vegetarian on the menu. It’s all great. The pastry is homemade, and you can tell. The Chocolate truffles are out of this world. WIFI is good. I was there to work almost every day. Unfortunately, it is closed on Sunday, like almost all places.

EL BATAN DE TAYTA

It’s a great place for a fancy and original dinner and drinks. They have a very creative environment, just like the plate presentation and drinks with crazy ingredients.

It’s a place where you would want to go with a company, and although I love to eat by myself, I was happy to share that experience with a new friend that I made along the way, who happened to be Italian.

We tried different dishes, and I managed to get a vegetarian one—a great place to spend a night in good company.

AMAZONA 632

Lovely place, great service. It’s a very cozy space where the walls are decorated with paintings and pictures, the furniture is in a relaxing greenish color, and the table mats have owl drawings for kids and adults to color.

I couldn’t resist, and one night I did my artwork as well. 🙂 I wasn’t super happy with the food choice, though. They are not what I would say vegetarian and vegan-friendly, so I just ate many pizzas, which were ok.

The juices are great too. And sometimes, if you order coffee, they bring you some delicious homemade biscuits. The staff is the real highlight of the place. Adorable people.

I made friends with Michele, a very young girl who was so genuinely caring, but Davis and the others were awesome too. This is why I kept returning, even if the food was not so special. Oh! And WIFI is great.

LA REAL CECINA

I found this place at the very end of my stay. Too bad because they have interesting vegan dishes made with soy meat. I loved them. They have a great variety of local cuisine plates that you can choose from, which is very exceptional in that region. The place is not so cozy but pleasant.

ACADEMY COFFE SHOP BLACK MOUTH

This is where you can find the best coffee in town. They are specialists, hence the name. The owner is a very young girl passionate about coffee, which is why she opened her own place. There is also a cozy atmosphere and good music. The only problem is that they basically have nothing to eat except for a few desserts and some sandwiches, but with meat. So I only went for my coffee and had to leave to get my meals somewhere.

They said they are working on the menu, though, so by the time you go there. I am sure they have more options. I hope so because space is really inviting you to stay.

TERRA MIA

I just went there once. The coffee was not particularly good. They had nice-looking desserts, but I didn’t try them. The place is elegant and closes at 2 pm to open again at 5 when they serve dinner. I didn’t try any meals.

Visiting Chachapoyas, Peru: Final thoughts

So, I hope you have had enough information to organize your trip to Chachapoyas. Below, I am adding links to other amazing destinations in Peru so that you can put together your travel itinerary. Enjoy the beautiful Peru!

FOR FURTHER READING

• How to Travel from Lima to Cusco: Transportation Options, Tours, and Costs [2023]
• Yumbilla Falls hike – a day trip from Chachapoyas Peru
• Where to eat in Cusco: the top 9 restaurants
• Where to Stay In Cusco – A Guide to the 13 Most Beautiful Hotels and Hostels
• Guide to Cusco Museums that you should visit – Peru