Chachapoyas - Indiana Jones Playground

How many people thought it would be cool to be like Indiana Jones and discovering a lost city? Forget the traps and aggressive natives of the IJ movies and this could be you when you have an adventure in Chachapoyas.

Chachapoyas in Northern Peru is still off the beaten track for a traveler looking into a Peru holiday. No where near Machu Picchu and Cuzco and hence away from the crowds of mass tourism. The charm of Chachapoyas and the surrounding area is the solitude one can still experience whilst sitting in the largest ancient stone structure in South America or gazing at a towering waterfall.

My adventure to Chachapoyas started as a desire for a second trip to Peru. I had been to the south and the Cuzco area and wanted to see more of this incredible country. I was looking for mountains to hike and learn about ancient cultures. Chachapoyas fitted the bill perfectly as did the company of Vilaya Tours run by Rob Dover. Together we devised a tour that would start with acclimatization days and head on to a 4 day trek in the high mountains of the area. I went for a complete package that Vilaya Tours organized to perfection from start to finish, understandably others may prefer to turn up and find their own way around and there are various tour agencies on the main square to help you.

First day after my arrival from Chiclayo was to the Gocta Waterfall. A total of 2529ft. in two falls. It is still claimed to be the third highest in the world by locals. The well made trail to get to the base of the falls leads through fields and cloud forest. It is an awesome experience standing under such a force of water and air.

Afterwards I went back to Chachapoyas for a second night. The city is so laid back and extremely friendly. There aren't many choices for hotels or restaurants, but remember this isn't Cuzco and in fact I only noticed a few other "gringos". The following day I went to the sarcophagi at Karajia. These mud statues are one sort of cliff tomb burial found in the Chachapoyas area. It was seeing a photo of these on my first trip that made me first read about the Chachapoyas area.

Rob took me to Kuelap the next day. This huge stone structure is built on a ridge at 10,000ft is like a giant platform. You walk as much as on to Kuelap as walk in to it. Inside are many roundhouses typical of the Chachapoya living dwellings and some ceremonial structures. The construction dates back to 6th century and appears to have been under a constant state of construction. The outer walls are in places 60ft tall and there are only three narrow entrances to restrict access to the city. Today the site is mostly capped with cloud forest apart from where they have done the latest archaeological dig, and hummingbirds buzz overhead as they dart to and from the bromeliad flowers.

That night we arrived in the small village of Leymebamba. Very pretty village though the main square was being dug up. In the morning after being woken by many roosters we had breakfast and gave our bags to the locals to put on horses. We then walked up to the Museum of Leymebamba that stores and looks after 200+ mummies and many artifacts found at Laguna de los Condores in 1997. Textiles and wrapped mummies in great condition can be seen, along with ceramics and carvings. After our tour of the museum we carried on further to the south. It is now a modern unpaved road now, built over an inca trail, but as the valley is so beautiful it didn't matter apart from the muddy section where works continue. Coming out of the cloud forest canyon we walked along a flat valley that lead on to the farmstead at Tajopampa where we were to spend the night. Tajopampa is right below a very high cliff called La Petaca which has almost been plastered with tombs (both History Channel Digging for the Truth and Discovery Channel's Josh Bernstein Explores have filmed there). The stars that night were unreal.

Keen to see the tombs we headed off for a closer look at La Petaca. With Vilaya Tour's telescope even more detail could be seen and we were shown tombs that still have mummies on their tiny stone ledges. It isn't clear at all in how the tomb constructions were made on such a high and steep cliff. Beyond La Petaca is another cliff tomb site called Diablo Huasi. Here you sit right opposite the tombs and is great for taking photos. Returning to Tajopampa we walked by Boveda, another Chachapoya settlement.

A steep climb the next day lead us up to the ridge of Monte Viudo. On the summit and below in the cloud forest is a lost city. Obviously it isn't lost, but as I walked by the walls of houses now swamped by mosses and trees the Indiana Jones theme tune came into my head. There were houses with geometric designs made from stone and the view at the very summit was a perfect place to ponder about the builders of this ancient settlement. Looking all around from the summit you can see terraces and other archaeological sites. There is so much more to see and explore for another adventure.

Thanks to Vilaya Tours for the photos and for organizing this fabulous trip.