Early
arrival in Cajamarca and transfer to the selected hotel.
In the morning you will have a city tour to get you know
the beautiful town Cajamarca. It is situated in the
wonderful and fertile valley of the northern Andes and
is one of America’s historic and cultural heritages.
Cajamarcas’ buildings stem from the colonial time and
reflect this era. The influence of the Spanish
architecture can be seen in the cathedral, the San
Francisco, and Belen church.
Afternoon at
leisure.
Day
02: CAJAMARCA - LEIMEBAMBA - EL CHILLO
A 15
hours journey traveling
across two cordilleras and several different habitats,
such as cloud forest, agricultural land, desert-like
areas and the Marañon Canyon. The journey from Cajamarca
to Leimebamba, passing by the Marañon Canyon, is one of
Peru’s most spectacular drives, offering astonishing
scenery. The Marañon River forms one of the world’s
deepest canyons, and you will descend through different
ecosystems from over 9850 feet to the town of Balsas at
2790 feet. After crossing the river you then ascend back
through the various habitats to nearly 10500 feet.
Boxed-lunch on the road.
Afternoon visit to the Mallqui Institution Museum in
Leimebamba.
The Mallqui Institution has taken charge of recovering
and restoring more than 200 Chachapoyan mummies found in
the cliffs near the Lake of the Condors, a mystical site
located in the cloud forest a day's walk from
Leimebamba.
Dinner and
lodging at Hotel Estancia El Chillo.
Day 03:
KUELAP - CHACHAPOYAS
Full
day excursion to Kuelap. Three hours hike from El Tingo
Viejo (5900 feet) to the fortress of Kuelap (9840 feet).
Kuelap is an ancient fortress built on the knife edge of
a precipitously steep ridge. It was an important
political, religious, administrative, and military
center for the pre-Incan Chachapoya culture. The
fortress is surrounded by an immense and impressive wall
almost 2,000 feet in length. The gates, or main
entrances, are uniquely constructed resembling narrow
walled passageways that continue to narrow as they reach
upwards and into the fortress. This brilliant design
served to funnel and narrow any column of attackers down
to just 2 men wide, so they could easily be killed as
they tried to enter, effectively making Kuelap
insurmountable to its enemies.
Lunch in
camping nearby Kuelap, the transfer by car to the city
of Chachapoyas.
Dinner and
lodging at the selected hotel in Chachapoyas.
Day 04:
CHACHAPOYAS - GOCTA WATERFALLS
Early
morning departure to the village of San Pablo for a 3
hours hike to Gocta waterfalls.
Hidden within the cloud forests of northeastern Peru one
finds the remarkable Gocta, the fourth highest waterfall
in the world. Its 2500 feet drop in two impressive falls
provides a spectacular show and an experience you'll
always remember. We will be camping nearby
the waterfall. Lunch and dinner in camping.
Day
05: GOCTA WATERFALLS - CHACHAPOYAS
After
breakfast we can make a short excursion around the camp
site for some photography (flowers, insects, birds) and
then hike back to San Pablo. Lunch in San Pablo. Drive
back to the hotel in Chachapoyas. Dinner.
Day 06:
CHACHAPOYAS - KARAJÍA - CHICLAYO
Early
morning two hours drive to Karajía.
Here six sarcophagi, atop a gorge of difficult access
overlook the left bank of Utcubamba River. The remote
site for this cemetery tells us that the Chachapoyas had
enormous respect for their ancestors because they hid
them away for protection. Mummies placed inside
sarcophagi are locally known as ‘purunmachus’ (from the
Quechua ‘purun’ or wild and ‘machu’ old). The 6 feet
tall funerary statues (1460 AC +60) represent men and
women. Details such as necklaces or pectorals, feathered
tunics, facial traits and genitals were added in shades
of yellow ocher and two shades of red.
Then 9 hours
drive to Chiclayo. Lunch in camping on the road.
Arrival in
Chiclayo late at night (at about 21:00 h)
