Ultimate Chachapoyas Travel Guide (+ Map)
TL;DR
Discover how to explore Chachapoyas most breathtaking waterfalls, canyons, and ancient ruins – without the stress.
Remote and off the beaten path, a trip to Chachapoyas can feel overwhelming to plan – flights are limited, roads are unpredictable, and the waterfalls, canyons, and ancient ruins are scattered across rugged terrain. We’ve explored the area, stayed at a local homestay, and navigated the best ways to see highlights like Kuelap and Gocta. This guide is for travellers who love nature, history, and unique adventures, and it’s designed to make planning your trip simple, practical, and stress-free – so you can focus on experiencing the magic of Chachapoyas and its surroundings.
Chachapoyas Travel Guide
Chachapoyas Map
Is Chachapoyas Worth Visiting?
If you’re expecting a bustling city full of attractions, Chachapoyas itself might not be for you – but that’s not really the point. The town serves as a convenient base for exploring the incredible sights in the surrounding region. From the towering waterfalls of Gocta and Yumbilla to the archaeological sites of Kuelap and Karajia, the area around Chachapoyas is packed with natural beauty and historical treasures. The charm of the town lies in its quiet streets and friendly atmosphere, which make it a perfect starting point before heading out to these unforgettable adventures.
Where We Stayed in Chachapoyas
We stayed at Guiltor Host, which was one of our favourite accommodations of our whole trip, mostly because of the owners. We arrived early in the morning after a night on a bus and could check in immediately – they even gave us breakfast (which is amazing by the way). The owners also helped us organise our stay in Chachapoyas.
The rooms are cosy, although a bit cold at night, and the showers are nice and hot.
The location is a short walk from the Plaza de Armas.
Overall, we felt like home here and barely wanted to leave.
How to Get to Chachapoyas
Chachapoyas is quite remote.
Flying to Chachapoyas
There’s only one direct flight per day from Lima:
Bus to Chachapoyas
Chachapoyas is a great stop to break up the journey between the coast and the Amazon (e.g. Tarapoto).
Night buses take a long time:
You can’t book your bus to Tarapoto online, but have to walk to the station. There’s either one big bus per day (the company is Virgen del Carmen) or multiple colectivos (we have marked the colectivo terminal on our map).
How to Get Around Chachapoyas
Chachapoyas is small and walkable.
There’s no Uber in town. If you need a driver, we can highly recommend Fransua (+51 937 453 500).
Things to Do in Chachapoyas
1. Chachapoyas City Centre
Set a bit of time aside to explore the historical centre of Chachapoyas. Start at the Plaza de Armas, the heart of the city. Here, you’ll find the Cathedral, the Municipal Palace, as well as the Museo El Reino De Las Nubes.
Walk down the pedestrian Amazonas Street until you reach Plaza Burgos with the freshly renovated Señor de Burgos Church.
2. Huancas Viepoints
Huancas is a village next to Chachapoyas that overlooks the spectacular Sonche Canyon. There are two main viewpoints:
- Mirador de Huanca Urco
- Mirador del Cañon de Huancas Sonche
You can go independently by colectivos or taxi. We highly recommend this English-speaking tour that includes
- A guided visit to the city centre of Chachapoyas.
- Mirador Luya Urco just outside of Chachapoyas.
- The two viewpoints in Huancas.
- A ceramic-making workshop.
3. Kuelap Archaeological Site
Kuelap is an ancient Chachapoyas stronghold that is known as the “Machu Picchu of the North”. Chachapoyas is the name of the civilisation that inhabited the area before the Incas. For most travellers, Kuelap is the main reason to visit the region.
The Kuelap fortress perches on a ridge and once contained over 300 individual dwellings spread across three levels. Archaeologists still debate whether Kuelap was a permanently inhabited settlement or a refuge where local villagers retreated during times of threat.
You can go independently by colectivo. We chose a guided tour which is a great option if you prefer to go with an English-speaking guide. We have written a full review of our Kuelap tour:
4. Gocta Waterfall
The Gocta waterfall is considered the third-highest waterfall in the world. It is 771 m (2530 ft) high and plunges down two cascades. The hike there and back from the trailhead is 10 km (6.2 miles) with quite some ups and downs.
The waterfall, visible from kilometres (or miles) away, is surrounded by legends – locals once feared a mermaid spirit guarding the falls.
You can go independently by colectivo and motortaxi. We chose a guided tour, which is a great option if you prefer to go with an English-speaking guide.
5. More Things to Do in Chachapoyas
There’s so much more to do in the area around Chachapoyas – including more archaeological sites, waterfalls, and even a cave – that it’s hard to do and see it all. Here’s a best of:
- Karajía Sarcophagi & Quiocta Caves – Chachapoya funerary traditions and dramatic underground limestone formations.
- Yumbilla Waterfall – the world's fifth tallest waterfall.
- Revash Mausoleums & Leymebamba Museum – an ancient Chachapoya burial site and well-preserved Chachapoya mummies.
How Many Days in Chachapoyas Do You Need
There are so many things to do in Chachapoyas that two full days feel like the bare minimum.
As we mentioned earlier, we lost one full day in Chachapoyas due to a landslide. We highly recommend that you account for unforeseen circumstances and plan for at least three days if you have the time.
If you like getting off the beaten path, nature, and history, you will not get bored.
Chachapoyas Itinerary
Day 1 – Chachapoyas City, Sonche Canyon & Huancas
Dedicate your first day in Chachapoyas to exploring the city and its surroundings.
Here’s a guided tour in English for maximum convenience.
Day 2 – Day Trip to Kuelap Fortress
It’s time for your first highlight, the “Machu Picchu of the North”:
Here’s a guided tour in English for maximum convenience.
Day 3 – Day Trip to Gocta Waterfall
Explore the third-highest waterfall in the world.
Here’s a guided tour in English for maximum convenience.
Day 4 – Choose Your Own Adventure
If you have more time, you can choose to visit more waterfalls or archaeological sites like the Yumbilla Waterfall, Karajía Sarcophagi & Quiocta Caves or the Revash Mausoleums & Leymebamba Museum.
Chachapoyas Tips
ATMs in Chachapoyas
We used the Banco de la Nación ATM without problems.
Supermarkets in Chachapoyas
We only saw small shops dotted around town and no big supermarket. As our accommodation didn’t have a kitchen, we didn’t look very hard. There’s a market one block from the Plaza de Armas.
Internet in Chachapoyas
We had great internet both in our accommodation and with our eSIM card.
Is Chachapoyas Safe
Chachapoyas is a small city that feels very safe. There’s not a huge backpacker scene or nightlife, so you’ll probably have early nights in.
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