Chachapoyas Express (4 Days – 3 Nights)

ITINERARY

DAY 1: CHICLAYO TO CHACHAPOYAS.

From Chiclayo you cross the Andes in a northerly direction, through the coastal plains of Peru, along the Pan-American Highway, then take the Trans-Andina route, gently ascending through the dry forest regions interspersed with irrigated crops. We continue entering the headwaters of the Amazon basin, following the valley of the Huancabamba / Chamaya river, passing terraces of multiple colors with rice seedlings that form a striking contrast with the cactus and the dense vegetation of thorny bushes of mountain slopes. Then the Dam and the Olmos irrigation project are passed, destined to divert a large part of this water through a long tunnel 23Km / 14.2 miles towards the Pacific from the Andes. We arrived at the bridge located on the river Marañón, one of the great tributaries of the Alto Amazonas, to enter the Peruvian department of the same name and former home of the Chachapoyas, whose monuments will be explored during this trip. Follow the Utcubamba river, the main artery of Chachapoyas heart, surrounded by mountainous valleys that leads to El Chillo, the charming hotel Jardín located on a hillside that will be our home for the next three nights.

DAY 2: TOUR TO THE TOMBS  OF REVASH AND TOWARDS LEIMEBAMBA.

After breakfast, follow the valley of Utcubamba, as you ascend this valley, you can see herons and maybe Andean ducks of torrent. In the town of Santo Tomas, it turned off the main road, to cross the river and ascend to a side valley where red Easter flowers stand out from the walls of the typical Chachapoyas farms, with terraces surrounded by wooden columns and covered with roofs. roof tile. Here we meet muleteers and their horses, who will take us along the path to Revash. Throughout this trip you can see huge cliffs that become narrower as you go. These limestone formations tend to separate in the form of falls, often leaving wide cornices, in these places the ancient Chachapoyas built the tombs where they buried their noble dead. On the route we will see giant cliffs with several tombs, some are not in good condition since they were looted in illegal excavations. Then we will observe some structures with cabins with bright paint of oxide mineral, with double water roofs, adorned with red figures on white paint with geometric symbols such as: felines, llamas, circles, ovals and crosses in relief and with different shapes, maybe once they determined the rank and lineage of the occupants of the tombs, these are empty since their content was plundered a long time ago. Continuing on a trip to Leymebamba, in the middle of the afternoon you will arrive at the spacious garden of the Museum of the same name, where you will visit a wonderful collection of artifacts recovered from another group of tombs, recently discovered in 1997 on top of the mountains in the remote Laguna de los Condors

Archaeologists are still amazed at how most of the material found was preserved in the tombs since the area where the tombs are located rains a lot. But perhaps the most impressive of the tombs is that they contain burials of the three periods of local history: the cultural apogee of Chachapoyas, the period after the Inca invasion and then the time of the Spanish conquest. Archaeologists continue to study the material, trying to learn more about Chachapoyas and their relationship with their Inca masters. The findings of quipus have been especially valuable for scholars trying to decipher this peculiar Inca system of records. After our visit to the museum you can have a cup of the best Chachapoyas coffee. (B, L, D).

DAY 3: KUELAP, THE GREAT CITY  OF NORTHERN PERU.

We spent a whole day visiting this huge and mysterious site, which begins with a walk through the places whose names, Choctamal, Longuita and Kuelap, evoke a lost language and a missing ancient people who spoke, the Chachapoyas language. It is not known how they called themselves, but the Incas who finally conquered these ferocious warriors knew them by their Quechua name, Chachaphuyu or “People of the Clouds”, due to the region where they lived almost always covered with clouds.

The existence of Kuelap was reported for the first time in 1843 and for years it was believed to be a Chachapoyas fort, and when for the first time the fossils embedded in the limestone passageway leading to Kuelap were spotted, it was hard to believe that it was not. was. The enormous walls rise to a height of 19m / 62ft and their few entrances are narrow and ideal for defense. However, archaeological evidence now suggests that this was mainly because it was a religious and ceremonial site. At present, there is only one huge platform of almost 600 meters / 2,000 feet long. When we reach the top we find a labyrinth of structures with a variety of styles and sizes, some with rhomboidal shapes, some in ruins and some well preserved. Here we can try to imagine the life of the Chachapoyas elite and their servants who lived in this temple, enjoying a breathtaking view of the mountains and the Andean forested valleys. Thus, this region was forgotten until recently with a bit of archaeological research conducted gave importance to this site, but knowledge about it, remains vague. An adjacent site called La Mallca, larger, though less imposing than Kuelap, was not studied at all. Even today, the remoteness of Kuelap ensures only a handful of visitors who will share this incredible place with us. We return to El Chillo for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D).

DAY 4: CHACHAPOYAS – CHICLAYO.

After an early breakfast, you will return to Chiclayo by road. We will make a pleasant stop in an appropriate area on the way to eat our box lunch or cold lunch. We arrive in Chiclayo in the afternoon, transfer to the selected hotel. (B)

End of our services.

INCLUDED:

• Transportation Chiclayo-Chachapoyas-Chiclayo,
• Visits to the archaeological site of Kuelap,
• Visit to the Revash Funeral Complex, Macro towers and Leymebamba Museum,
• (3) nights of accommodation at El Chillo hotel,
• (3) Breakfasts, (3) Lunches, (3) Dinners,
• Horses, and ground transportation.
• Revenue to all archaeological centers.
• Professional guides on all tours in Spanish and English.
• Advice throughout the trip.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drinks in general and foods not described.
• Personal expenses and tips.

IMPORTANT:

• The rate shown in the upper part is 2 people minimum.
• If you want to include transportation from Lima to Lima, write us to ask about this option.

YOU SHOULD TO CARRY:

• A small backpack for daily departures.
• Sunscreen.
• Wear comfortable clothes for walking (inside the archaeological sites).
• Camera.
• Hat or cap
• Warm clothes for the nights.

PRICE PER PERSON IN DOLLARS IN PRIVATE SERVICE:

TOUR PRIVADO	# Personas	Precio
	1	US$    2697
	2	US$    1577
	3	US$    1241
	4 to 6	US$    1039
	7 to 9	US$    1007
	10 to 14	US$      910