The key moments
This trip is based on a new offer set up by the « Sustainable Development Project of the Cultural Landscape of the Upper Valley of Utcubamba » of the region Amazonas. It will show you the archaeological and natural sites of the Amazonas region, but also the traditional activities of the inhabitants of the region, such as music and dance, the way of building houses or the transmission of legends.
The highlights of the circuit
- Charming hotels
- Discovery of the emblematic sites of the Chachapoya civilization
- A very intimate approach to the thousand-year-old traditions of the inhabitants
- Most meals included
If you are interested in a different trip to the Amazonas region, we invite you to look at our « Discovering Chachapoyas » package which includes the essential sites of the region.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Chachapoyas and Transfer to Leymebamba
Welcome at the airport and a 20-minute transfer to the city of Chachapoyas. We’ll enjoy the city’s characteristic balconies and take a break at Café Fusiones or Black Mouth to savor a delicious coffee. We will continue by car for one hour to reach the community of Tingo, where we will stop to visit the archaeological site of Macro.
We’ll cross the river by huaru and take a 20-minute walk to the site. After explanations and photos, we’ll walk back. Lunch in Nuevo Tingo and continue for an hour to Leymebamba.
Dinner at the hotel.
Included:
- Airport pickup and coffee break transfer
- Transfer to Leymebamba with a visit to the Macro archaeological site
- Lunch in Nuevo Tingo
- Dinner at the hotel
Day 2 – Mummies Museum and Revash Mausoleum, Muesca houses and bread activity
Pickup at the hotel and visit to the Leymebamba museum where we’ll see ceramics, textiles, and original quipus from the pre-Inca Chachapoya culture, along with over 219 mummies recovered from the Lagoon of the Condors. We will then drive for an hour and a half to the community of San Bartolo, an annex of the Santo Tomas district in the Luya province, Amazonas region. Here lies the discovery route of the Revash and Muesca houses. We will explore one of the Chachapoya funerary constructions, the Revash mausoleums.
We’ll start the visit at the interpretation center with a local resident who will explain their beliefs in three worlds: the living; the gods; and the dead. Then, we’ll visit a Muesca house, a typical local construction where logs are joined with cutouts at the ends that fit together without nails or glue.
From there, we’ll continue to the Revash mausoleums, appreciating the local flora, fauna, and agriculture, with a few typical houses along the way. The cultural promoter will explain some medicinal plants still used by the locals. Finally, we’ll reach the viewpoint to appreciate the heights where the ancient constructions stand, proof of their ancestors’ lives.
Next, we’ll return to enjoy a typical community lunch in a Muesca house, sharing music and other customs with the host. As a final activity, we’ll visit the local baker’s house to learn and see the preparation of traditional artisanal bread in San Bartolo. Then, we’ll drive for an hour and a half back to Leymebamba. Dinner at the hotel.
Included:
- Morning visit to the Leymebamba museum
- Drive to San Bartolo (1h 30′)
- Ecomuseum 1: Visit to the Muesca and Revash houses
- Lunch in San Bartolo
- Dinner at the hotel
Day 3 – Nuevo Huacas Minga music and dances, La Jalca Juan el Osito, Archaeological Site of Ollape
Pickup at the hotel and a 1-hour 30-minute drive to the Nuevo Huacas annex. Nuevo Huacas is a village where the ancestral tradition of Minga or mutual aid continues in agriculture and construction, accompanied by music and dance representing this community. We will participate in this tradition and understand its importance to community members as a way of expressing gratitude to Mother Earth for her generosity.
We will continue our journey for an hour to La Jalca Grande, known as the folkloric capital of the Amazonas region. Here, we’ll learn about the places visited by the mythical character Juan el Osito. Local hosts will guide us through the history of La Jalca, including the legend of Juan Osito, the origins of their traditions, dances, and Chachapoya cultural remnants. Then, we’ll travel about 15 minutes to visit the archaeological site of Ollape, where we’ll see pre-Inca Chachapoya architecture, such as circular houses with iconography.
Finally, we’ll travel for about an hour back to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Included:
- Ecomuseum 3: Breakfast and Minga
- Activities at La Jalca Ecomuseum 2
- Lunch
- Visit to the Ollape archaeological site (with a community promoter)
- Dinner at the hotel
@Jhon Aguilar
Day 4 – Discovery of Kuelap and Quiocta Caves
Pickup at the hotel at 8:00 am and a 15-minute drive to Nuevo Tingo to board Peru’s first cable car system. We will enjoy an impressive view of the Tingo canyon, the Santa Clara mountains, and the Kuelap archaeological complex. We will arrive at the second station, La Malca, at 2,930 meters above sea level, from where we’ll start a 25-minute walk to the Kuelap archaeological complex at 3,000 meters above sea level. Our guide will tell us the history of the Chachapoyas and the function of the archaeological monument. After a 1-hour 20-minute visit, we’ll return to the cable car station, have lunch in Nuevo Tingo, and then continue for about an hour and a half to the Luya province.
We’ll continue for 30 minutes and reach the viewpoint of Peru’s first illuminated cave. We’ll walk about 5 minutes to the cave and visit for about an hour to appreciate the natural formations of stalagmites and stalactites. Finally, we’ll travel for 35 to 40 minutes back to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Included:
- Morning visit to the Kuelap archaeological site (with the assistance of a local guide) including the cable car
- Lunch in Nuevo Tingo
- Visit to the Quiocta caves
- Dinner at the hotel
Day 5 – Karajia Sarcophagi and culinary demonstration around el Chocho
Pickup at the hotel and a one-hour drive to Cruzpata at 2,800 meters above sea level, where we’ll start a 25-minute walk, mainly downhill, to appreciate the sarcophagi. Before starting the walk, we’ll visit the interpretation center where the cultural promoter will tell us about the pre-Inca Chachapoya culture. We’ll also see some remnants of sarcophagi, offerings, human bones, and offerings saved by the community from looters. We’ll then start the walk, where we’ll see potato, corn, bean, squash, and fava bean crops (typical local products). We’ll have a technical break to explain the chocho plant, learn about its nutritional value, and its role in local customs, such as protection against bad energies and soil bacteria cleansing.
We’ll reach the viewpoint, perform a coca leaf ritual to ask for permission from the ancestors, and enter the world of the dead at Karajía, known as the most famous funeral center in Amazonas.
After the explanations, we’ll walk back for about 45 minutes to Cruzpata. We’ll visit a local resident’s house to taste typical chocho-based dishes, where the hostess will explain the food preparation process, and we’ll participate in grinding the chocho on the grinding stone to complete the experience. Finally, we’ll travel for an hour and a half to Cocachimba. Dinner at the hotel.
Included:
- Walk to the Karajía burial site
- Eco-museum 4: Lunch at the « Chocho house » with a culinary demonstration
- Dinner at the hotel
@Jhon Aguilar
Day 6 – Hike to the Gocta Waterfall
Pickup at the hotel and departure for our 12 km hike through the lush vegetation of the cloud forest, where we’ll see Peru’s national bird and over 200 other bird species. We’ll also see native orchids of the cloud forest and eventually reach the base of the waterfall, where we’ll enjoy this impressive 771-meter-high waterfall. After taking photos, we’ll return to the Cocachimba community (about 2 hours and 30 minutes) and continue on foot for 20 minutes to Gocta Lab for our cooking class.
In this class, we’ll learn to prepare typical Amazonian dishes with local chefs from the region. We’ll harvest fresh products from the farm and prepare local dishes like juane, tamales, locros, and sweet « chiclayo. »
After lunch, we’ll continue with the coffee visit at GoctaLab. We’ll observe and experience the entire process they use to create their delicious Pirqapata coffee: a high-altitude coffee grown in the shade of the forest and contributing to their land’s biodiversity. They have a variety of local Arabicas such as caturra, catuay, national, and catimor. At the end of the visit, we’ll have a tasting session to appreciate the finished product from all the different extraction methods. An experience not to be missed!
Walk back to the lodge. Dinner at the hotel.
Included:
- Hike to the Gocta waterfall
- Cooking class including lunch
- Coffee experience
- Dinner
Day 7 – Chachapoyas / Departure
Pickup at the hotel and a 1-hour 20-minute drive to Chachapoyas airport.
Budget
We provide our tour plans as an example for you to get inspired and an idea of how your travel in northern Peru could look like.
Once you have your trip in mind, we are happy to create with you your dream trip according to the length of your stay. We suggest you interesting sites to visit, nice places to stay, how to get there and if you should choose a guide to travel with you in order to discover a more confidential side of Peru.
Contact us by email at info@phimavoyages.com or by our contact form. We will get back to you within 24 hours.
This program includes:
- Transfer to/from airports
- Guides
- Entrances to archaeological sites and natural reserves
- Activities and excursions as indicated in the program
- Meals as indicated in the program
- Land transport according to the program, private (by car for 2 people, in Mini Van H1 for 3 or more people), by night bus, taxi / combi
This program does not include:
- International and national flights
- Airport taxes or visa fees
- Excess baggage charges
- Additional nights following flight cancellations
- Insurance
- Meals not mentioned in the program
- Alcoholic beverages
- Laundry service
- Phone calls
- Re-confirmation of international flights
- Bank transfer fees
