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A charming example of the cities of the high Peruvian
Andes, Cajamarca is largely constructed in the colonial
Spanish style of the 16th and 17th centuries. Found at
an altitude of just over 9000 feet, in a valley
surrounded by mountains, the climate is dry, cold at
night and temperate during the day.
The city has great historical importance to the Peruvian
people, as it was here that the Spanish conquistadors
took prisoner, and eventually murdered, Atahualpa, the
last Inca Emperor. This Spanish victory marked the end
of the Inca Empire, and the beginning of the
colonization of Peru. To this day, the Cuarto del
Rescate, or Ransom Room, bears witness to this history
changing event. In this stone room, the Inca Atahualpa
was held prisoner against a great ransom of gold and
silver, which was never paid, leading to the Inca’s
dead.
City tour.
The city of Cajamarca offers its visitors lovely
churches, representing diverse religious orders, built
during the part of the colonial era from the 17th
century through middle of the 18th. Visitors can
appreciate the Church of San Antonio de Padua (also
known as the San Francisco Church), the Santa Catalina
Church, or the Cathedral of Cajamarca. The Belen
(Bethlehem) Monument Complex, which includes the Church
of Our lady of Piety, is quite possibly the most
interesting example of Cajamarca an architecture to be
found, with its carved rock expression of the fusion of
the Andean and Spanish cultures.
The Cuarto del Rescate, or Ransom Room, is the last
vestige of Inca influence that has been preserved in
Cajamarca, but is nonetheless one of the most important
archeological treasures in northern Peru. True, this
small enclosure served physically as the storage room
for the gold and silver treasures offered by the Incas
in exchange for the freedom of their Emperor, the Inca
Atahualpa. But in the larger sense, it represents the
end of one of the most important and distinct cultural
epochs in human history, and the beginning of the
colonization and cultural transformation of Peru.
Cumbemayo.
The renowned site of Cumbemayo is located less than 10
miles outside the city of Cajamarca, but at an altitude
almost 2500 feet higher (11450 feet above sea level).
The site is framed by an unusual and picturesque
landscape which includes an eerily beautiful rock
formation known as "The Friars".
The relic is considered one of the most noteworthy and
probably the oldest waterworks in all the Andes, whose
principal objective was to transport water from the
Pacific watershed to the Atlantic watershed by crossing
the continental divide, which runs through the mountains
above Cajamarca.
END OF SERVICES
Includes:
Private Car for all tours and transfers
Spanish/English speaking guide
Meals as mentioned in the program
One bottle of water per Pax/Day
Lodging at the select Hotel
Humid towels and candy in the car
All tickets/entrances
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