Chachapoyas Explorer

The Pre-Columbian Chachapoyas culture, conquered in the 15th century by the Incas, has left a landscape scattered with villages and burial sites which until recently has been largely overlooked by archaeologists.

Situated in the cloud forests around the town of Chachapoyas in Peru'’s northern Amazonas Department, these sites are dominated by the mighty fortress of Kuelap, perched majestically atop mountain-top cliffs overlooking the verdant Andean landscape.

Departing from Chiclayo you will cross 4 different Peruvian departments before arriving in the late afternoon in the cloud forest of Chachapoyas. The next three days are spent exploring the local area including the spectacular pre-Inca walled city of Kuelap, the burial towers of Macro, funeral buildings of Revash, and the Museum of Leymebamba with its amazing collection of well preserved pre-inca mummies discovered in the Laguna de los Condores.

From Leymebamba you leave the Chachapoyas region behind as we drive across two Cordilleras to the town of Cajamarca and our spa hotel. You will explore some of the pre-Inca sites close to the town as well as sites of interest within Cajamarca including the Ransom room which Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, filled once with gold and twice with silver so as to obtain his freedom in 1532.