The city of the clouds in northern Peru

The Amazonian city of Chachapoyas, in northern Peru, is the ideal base from which to explore the towns, ruins and natural sites of the surrounding area, and it makes a great extension to a trip to Peru. Set at 2,235 meters above sea level, the city is isolated from the coast and neighboring mountain regions: in this Amazonian region the climate is subtropical, and sugar cane, coffee and orchids grow spontaneously and abundantly.

History and colonial architecture

Over the centuries, Chachapoyas has changed location several times before settling into its current site around 1545: the town still holds onto many of its original colonial “casonas,” Spanish-style houses with tiled roofs.

This lively town has a population of around 20,000, small enough to explore easily on foot: you can visit the quadrangle of the Plaza de Armas, surrounded by cafes and markets, or stroll through the Plaza Santa Ana, home to the town's first church and once the site of the feast of San Juan de los Indios, celebrated with eight straight days of bullfights.

Festivals and traditions

The season favored by tourists runs from June to August and coincides with the dry season: Tourism Week takes place in the first week of June and is celebrated with a large, colorful parade, while a festival honoring the town's patron, the Virgin of the Assumption, takes place during the first two weeks of August.

Much remains unchanged, though some things have shifted: the Kuelap stadium now stands on the site where a large lagoon, ringed by palms and “totora” reeds, once dominated the landscape.

The origins of the Chachapoya, the “warriors of the clouds”

The Chachapoya people date back to 750 BC: the name Chachapoyas comes from the Quechua words “sacha” and “puyus,” meaning cloud forest, giving rise to the expressions “people of the clouds” or “cloud warriors.” By the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, the Incas had already conquered the Chachapoya, so what we know for certain about their beliefs and achievements is limited, drawn from fragmentary accounts and archaeological finds from ruins, ceramics, tombs and other artifacts.

By the 18th century, most of the Chachapoya tribes had been wiped out: Chachapoya culture shares many similarities with Andean culture, and in particular the funerary architecture and sarcophagi can be traced back to the coastal Tiahuanaco and Huari civilizations.

Chachapoyas in popular culture

Popular culture has made the Chachapoya well known: Indiana Jones fans will remember that in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana searches the mined temple of Chachapoyas for a golden idol, while in Clive Cussler's archaeological novel “Inca Gold,” the Chachapoya play an important role in the plot.

Yumbilla and Gocta waterfalls

The inaccessibility of most sites and ruins means that few tourists visit this region of northern Peru, which offers an exceptional exploratory experience. You can set off to discover the nearby Yumbilla (895.4 meters) and Gocta (711 meters) waterfalls, admiring the beauty of the coffee plantations, the valleys and the spectacular cloud forest: along the walk you might spot colorful birds, butterflies and perhaps even a monkey. Gocta has interesting geological features and sits near a picturesque lake fed by the nearby river, where you can take a relaxing break before heading back.

The Lagoon of the Mummies and Karajía

Those wanting to see more can head to the Lagoon of the Mummies, a complex of six mausoleums typical of Chachapoyas: the mummies and other finds are now kept in the nearby Leymebamba Museum, while a selection of mummies can also be seen at the Chachapoyas Regional Culture Museum, overlooking the town's main square.

Karajía is an impressive burial site featuring sarcophagi carved into the rock: the wooden figures were created in the 15th century to bury important Chachapoya chiefs. These six capsule-shaped statues, built from straw, clay and mud, gaze out over the cliff face and the stunning surrounding landscape. This tour can be combined with a visit to the Pueblo de los Muertos or the Quiocta Cavern, a tuff cave with impressive stalactites, stalagmites and large open chambers.

Kuelap, the Machu Picchu of the north

Kuelap, often called the Machu Picchu of the north, is the largest stone structure in South America: this fortified citadel built by the Chachapoya comprises more than 450 stone houses and sits on a mountain higher than Machu Picchu. It was built for defensive purposes, with walls 20 meters high and a single entrance corridor that allows only one person through at a time. The flora and fauna are of great interest, from hummingbirds to orchids, to the bromeliads that grow among the ruins. The site is located in the upper part of the Utcubamba Valley, at about 3,000 meters above sea level: Chachapoya culture survives today through these ruins and the archaeological finds from the area surrounding the town of Chachapoyas.