Chachapoyas: attractions, tours and tickets

Nestled high in the mountains of Peru, the city of Chachapoyas is named after the indigenous people, known as the ‘Warriors of the Clouds’, who lived there before the Inca dominated the area in the 1400s. This ancient culture has left behind some pretty remarkable architecture, meaning you’ll be able to have a proper nosey into what their daily lives and cultural practices were like during your visit. Plus, because of its location, Chachapoyas is usually a quieter destination, making it ideal for soaking up the history and feeling at one with the surrounding nature without having to elbow your way through any big crowds. To help you plan your holiday to Chachapoyas, we’ve put together a few of our top picks.

Top three things to do in Chachapoyas

1. Step back in at Kuelap Fortress

Built between 900 and 1100AD by the Chachapoyas locals, this ancient fortress showcases their advanced architectural skill. The site is only accessible by cable car, on horseback, or – if you’re feeling up for it – hiking. The atmosphere here makes the journey more than worthwhile– it’s often shrouded in cloud forests and overlooks the deep Andean valleys below, so keep your camera at the ready.

2. Trek to Gocta Waterfall

The hike to Gocta Waterfall leads you through a fairly dense cloud forest with plenty of viewpoints for you to snap pictures from. From these spots, you can get a great look at both of the waterfall’s impressive drops, which cascade a total of 2,530 feet. On sunny days, the mist from the falls often creates really intense rainbows, helping to add a fairytale-like feeling to the whole area.

3. Take a peek at Sarcophagi of Karajia
These striking tombs, with their exaggerated jawlines and human-like features, are perched on a cliffside high on the Utcubamba Valley. The ancient Chachapoyas civilisation used to bury people in tombs nestled high up the valley walls as a sign of respect, allowing the mummified remains to rest undisturbed away from enemies, animals or anything else that might come poking around. You can learn all about this sign of the Chachapoyas culture during your visit to the tombs, which also dish up some pretty incredible landscapes.