5D Kuelap and ancient Peru

5 DAYS | 4 NIGHTS Gocta, Kuelap, Revash, Leymebamba, Karajía and Quiocta cavern

This itinerary blends Chachapoyas’ highlights, offering both cultural insights and natural wonders for a well-rounded experience. This program offers a rich blend of nature, adventure, and culture, with each site adding a unique chapter to your experience in one of Peru’s most mystical regions.

  • After setting up at the hotel, we will part for your first tour, the Gocta waterfalls. The starting point of this trek is just 5 minutes away from the hotel, so we will on foot.

    The trek lasts about four hours and you will be able to apprecciate the diverse flora and fauna that surrounds the path. If tyou are lucky, you could even get to spot the peculiar cock of the rocks.

    The sound of the waterfalls will accompany us every step of the way and, as we get closer, the sounds turns even louder, invigorating us to reach the biggest goal of our day. There is also the option to rent a horse for this trek.

    Overnight at hotel in Gocta/Cocachimba

  • Today we will get to know the ancient and imposing Kuelap fortress.

    We will depart early in the morning from the hotel and hit the road in our private vehicle with direction of the locality of Tingo, were Kuelap is located and we will embark on a short bus ride to the cable car station, from ehare we will start a 20 minute ride across the sky and up to the Kuelap fortress.

    Kuelap, an ancient mountaintop fortress built by the Chachapoya civilization. Known as the "Machu Picchu of the North," this impressive site offers remarkable views and intricate stone structures, including temples, ceremonial platforms, and fortified walls. Your guide will unravel the mysteries of this pre-Inca citadel, offering insights into the history of the Chachapoya people who once thrived here.

  • Today, after breakfast, we will departure to San Bartolo, from where we will start a 30 minute walk to the Revash ruins.

    The Revash mausoleums are a necropolis belonging to the Chachapoya culture. They were collective burials that natural caves or caves dug into the rock face of an imposing gorge. They could be replicas of the houses where the people of the area lived.

    After this visit, we will cotinue to Leymebamba by bus.

    The Leymebamba Mummy Museum was created to house the collection of mummies found in the Laguna de los Cóndores in the 1990s, although it is dedicated to Chachapoya culture and archaeology as a whole.

    It has five rooms, three of which are dedicated to archaeology, one to ethnography and one to diffusion. The museum's collection includes 261 mummies and more than 200 funerary objects.

  • Today, after breakfast, we will be transported to Cruzpata, where we will start our hike to Karajía along a 1 km trail (about 2 hours and 2 km total, steep slope).

    In Karajía we will find a group of sarcophagi (human-shaped tombs) representative of the burial tradition of Chachapoyas. They are unique for their extraordinary height, up to 2.50 meters, and their careful elaboration. They were found in 1985 in the Karajía ravine, on a cliff that was difficult to access and protected them from looters.

    Optional: You can rent horses in Cruzpata for the trek.

    After this visit we will continue to the Quiocta Cave, the first lighted cave in Peru. This cave, located in Lamud, at an altitude of 2,793 meters above sea level, has been declared a National Heritage Site, where we will be amazed by the stalactites and stalagmites that nature has created over millions of years.

    After this visit we will return to the hotel.

  • Today you will have the day off to enjoy the pool and the spectacular views of the hotel.

    At the proper time, you will be transferred to Chachapoyas airport for your flight back.

About Gocta Lodge

It is located in Cocachimba, with a privileged view of the Gocta waterfalls and a strategic location to explore Chachapoyas, Kuelap, Leymebamba, Karajía, and many more attractions.

  • All rooms have a view of the Gocta waterfalls

  • Andean gourmet restaurant

  • Swimming pool and terrace solarium

  • Garden with alpacas and hummingbird feeders

For further information regarding this program, or any other customized tours in Peru, please feel free to contact us.

Let us take you to discover the wonders of Peru!