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Chachapoyas, in the north central highlands of Peru, is the doorway of adventure into a world of lost civilisations and ancient ruins. Snow-capped volcanoes and glacier covered mountain peaks barricade Chachapoyas to the south. River gorges cut the Andean Mountains parallel to Chachapoyas on the west. The Amazon jungle forms the east and north boundaries of the Chachapoyas region. Even today, these geographical boundaries isolate the Chachapoyas region. Vast tracks of unexplored cloud forest surround the city of Chachapoyas. Within these highland forests, covered over with bromeliads, lies an extensive system of archaeological ruins dating back to one of the least known, yet one of the most advanced Pre-Columbian cultures of South America, the Chachapoyas or the Cloud People. Recent archaeological discoveries, notably the pre-Inka mummies discovered in the Laguna de Los Condores, have set the pace for adventurous travellers to visit Chachapoyas, an area new to tourism. An abundance of bird life inhabits the region giving those interested in archaeology and/or bird watching an unforgettable experience. Conquered in the 15th century by the Inkas, the Pre-Columbian Chachapoyas culture has left a landscape scattered with villages and burial sites which, until recently, has been largely overlooked by archaeologists. Situated in the cloud forests around the town of Chachapoyas and overlooking the verdant Andean landscape, these sites are dominated by the mighty fortress of Kuelap, perched majestically atop mountaintop cliffs. In Chachapoyas, remnants of the past invite discovery by the bold adventurer, and the cultures of the present extend a friendly welcome. Two fixed departure programs allow clients to explore and discover Chachapoyas and Cajamarca, site of the first contact between the Spanish conquistadors and the Inka civilisation. These programs are new and specially designed for those people with a special interest in archaeology, or for those with a taste for adventure.
The Itinerary
Day 1: Chiclayo/Chachapoyas
In the morning you will depart from Chiclayo by private car/bus with air conditioning. You will arrive in the late afternoon in Chachapoyas. Box lunch and dinner included. Overnight at Hostal El Chillo. (L/D)
Day 2: Chachapoyas
After breakfast you will visit Kuelap, a spectacular pre-Inca walled city hidden atop a precipitous mountain. Although Kuelap was discovered 60 years before Machu Picchu, it is not as well-known to the outside world. Nevertheless recent amazing discoveries in nearby areas that relate to Kuelap and to its history have captured the attention of archaeologists, international magazines and film companies. Box Lunch. Following your visit to Kuelap, you will return to Chillo for the night. Dinner and overnight at Hostal El Chillo. (B/L/D)
Day 3: Chachapoyas
After breakfast you will enjoy an excursion to observe the burial towers of Macro, an outpost of the Chachapoyas culture built into cliffs overlooking the Utcubamba River. It's unique location allowed for contact via signal fires with the fortress, high above in the mountains and visible through a cleft in the valley hills. Then visit the colorful funeral buildings of Revash perched on a ledge up high on a cliff. You will return to Chillo. Dinner and overnight at Hostal El Chillo. (B/L/D)
Day 4: Chachapoyas/Leimebamba
This morning you will drive towards Leimebamba. On the way you will stop at Las Palmas where a light trek will start to La Congona, a spectacular settlement pattern of the Chachapoyas. In this area you will be able to discover outstanding friezes and defensive towers still virgin in the jungle. After picnic lunch continue to Hostal El Chillo for dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)
Day 5: Leimebamba/Celendin
Morning visit the museum of Leimebamba with the pre-Inca mummies recently discovered in the Laguna de Los Condores. Then continue to you will drive to Celendin, crossing two cordilleras and several different habitats, such as cloud forest, agricultural land, desert-like areas and the Maranon Canyon. Box lunch on way. Overnight at Celendin Hotel. (B/L/D)
Comments : The journey from Leimebamba to Celendin, by way of the Maranon Canyon, is one of Peru's most spectacular drives. The Maranon River forms one of the world's deepest canyons, and you will descend through different ecosystems from over 10,000 feet in altitude to the town of Balsas at 4,000 ft. After crossing the river you then ascend back through the various habitats to nearly 10,000 ft above sea level.
Day 6: Celendin/Cajamarca
After breakfast you begin the journey to Cajamarca. You will stop for lunch in this lovely colonial town. In the afternoon will be an excursion to the Ventanillas de Otuzco, a pre-Inca cemetery that features a gallery of secondary burial niches (located 5 miles from the city). Upon your return, you will enjoy a tour of Cajamarca. Farewell dinner and overnight at Hotel Laguna Seca. (B/L/D)
Comments Cajamarca was a major center of the Inca Empire. It is most famous for being the place of first contact between Pizarro and the Inca army, which he defeated in a onesided battle shortly thereafter, and captured Atahualpa, the last of the independent Inca monarchs. Although the Inca city was razed to the ground, Cajamarca boasts many beautiful colonial buildings, as well as the Inca-era "Ransom Room," where Atahualpa was kept as a prisoner of the Spanish before being garroted.
Day 7: Cajamarca/Lima
Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima.(B).
Trujillo Extension
Day 7: Cajamarca/Trujillo
We leave Cajamarca in the morning for the overland journey down through the mountains to Trujillo, where we
arrive early in the afternoon, leaving enough time to visit the colonial city of Trujillo. Overnight at Libertador Hotel (B L).
Day 8: Trujillo
After breakfast we visit the beautiful Moche Sun and Moon temples, after which we continue to the beach
for a relaxing lunch in the town of Huanchaco. After lunch, we visit Chan Chan, the sprawling ruined city
of the Chimu culture. At the end of the afternoon, transfer to the airport (B L).
About The Sun and Moon Pyramids
The pyramids of the Sun and Moon, just south of Trujillo, are the largest structures ever constructed in South
America, and are second largest in the Western Hemisphere to the Pyramid of Cholula, Mexico. They
formed the spiritual centre of the Moche Empire, a highly sophisticated yet mysterious culture that
pre-dated the Inkas by nearly 1000 years. The Pyramid of the Moon contains a central, vaulted chamber,
and the mountain directly behind, Cerro Blanco, appears to be shaped by humans into a pyramid form.
Despite their achievements in architecture, metal working, and ceramics (one can still find countless
pottery shards in the sands surrounding the site), the Moche were very militaristic, and scenes from their
pottery depict ritual bloodletting and torture. Huanchaco is a fishing town, where "caballitos de totoro"
are still used by the local inhabitants, who venture in these
precarious-looking reed boats into the cold currents of the Pacific. This massive adobe city, really a series of royal compounds built by
the Chimu, was a major source of gold for both the Inkas, and later, for the Spanish. Though well
looted over the centuries, gold artefacts still occasionally appear in the drifting sands. Do not
miss the famous "honeycombs", where strange acoustic effects allow visitors to whisper to each other
over long distances inside the adobe structures. (NOTE: We hope that the El Nino rains will not alter
this peculiar archaeological and architectural feature.)
General Information
Read our customers' feedback about this journey.
Rated: Easy
For those with less time, we also offer a 5 days Kuelap Discoverer leaving every Thursday from June to October.
Fixed Departure dates
2004: July 1, July 15, July 29, August 12, August 26, September 09, September 23, October 07
| Tour Tariff | ||||||
| Fixed Departure | Private Departure | SGL Supp. | ||||
| N° of participants | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| USD | $ 1250 | $ 2800 | $ 1590 | $ 1575 | $ 1275 | $ 225 |
| EUR | € 1037 | € 2323 | € 1319 | € 1307 | € 1058 | € 186 |
| GBP | £ 700 | £ 1568 | £ 890 | £ 882 | £ 714 | £ 126 |
| Domestic Flights: USD 195 / GBP 109 / EUR 161 | ||||||
| Trujillo Extension | |||||||||
| N° of participants | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5/6 | 7/9 | SGL Supp. | ||
| USD | $ 428 | $ 237 | $ 204 | $ 196 | $ 188 | $ 185 | $ 50 | ||
| EUR | € 355 | € 196 | € 169 | € 162 | € 156 | € 153 | € 41 | ||
| GBP | £ 239 | £ 132 | £ 114 | £ 109 | £ 105 | £ 103 | £ 28 | ||
Included in price:
Bi-lingual guides, all terrestrial transport on a private basis,breakfasts,
national Park and ruins entrance fees, transfer to and from hotels and airport.
We operate the private departures with expert archaeologists upon request. For clients with limited
time, we can arrange private services that include charter flights to Chachapoyas from the city of Chiclayo or Trujillo.
Not included:
tips, other meals unless stated in the itinerary, flights Lima/Chiclayo and Cajamarca or Trujillo/Lima.
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