Reasons to Visit Kuelap Ruins in Northern Peru

A young tourist in the pre-inca walled city Kuelap, Peru. Joerg Steber/Shutterstock

By Guest Author James Sullivan

Checking Out Kuelap Fortress

If history is something that piques your interest, you can’t go wrong with checking out Kuelap Fortress. It was built in the 6th Century AD and is an ancient walled city that the Chachapoya people created to defend against the nearby threat, such as the Huari. More than 5,000 people lived in this small city, and it was a place for religion, craft production, and other social aspects.

Famous view of Lost city Kuelap, Peru Ludmila Ruzickova/Shutterstock

The city consists of 400 buildings, and the exterior walls go up to 19 meters in height. It’s called the lost city because the last known occupancy was during the early 16th century. However, villagers who knew the site for centuries led local judge Juan Crisostomo Nieto to the spot.

He surveyed the land, and that sparked interest from explorers and archaeologists. Even though Nieto rediscovered the area in 1843, it wasn’t until May 1997 that full exploration happened. Federico Kauffmann Doig had the resources to look through the cave, which had paintings, mausoleums, and other artifacts of Chachapoya culture.

In June 2010, diggers found human bones in a secondary gravesite, which was commonplace in pre-Columbian Peru.

Great Summer Trip

The best time to go to Kuelap is from May to September. Kuelap has a rainy and dry season. During the dry season, you can expect cooler temperatures and less rain.

Also, keep a watch out for the sun because of the high altitude. From October to April, it’s typically hotter. Regardless, it can still be a pleasant trip if you plan accordingly.

The mist from the rain and the humidity add some mystique to Kuelap, especially when you visit specific sites. It can make your stay feel more exciting. Hiking is a fun and exhilarating activity to do in Kuelap.

Good Hiking

When visiting Kuelap, you can expect to spend a whole day or two days there. It’s not on the mainland, so it’s faster to travel by cable car to cut down on the hours it takes to get from the Amazonas Region.

You can take four main routes, such as Tarapoto, Jaén, Chiclayo, Chachapoyas. If you and your loved ones like to get a feel for the area, you can take your time by hiking 6 miles to Kuelap. It can take 4 ½ hours to go to the uphill fortress.

Ornate Revash tombs near Chachapoyas, Peru Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

Karajia sarcofagos, Chachapoyas, Amazon, Peru. Mark Green

If you want to expand that to a three to four-day hike, it’ll add more character to your trip. Just be sure to pack snacks and water to help you get through the trek. There are five resting points along the trail to help you get some shade and seating between the long walks on the terrain.

Centro Mallqui Museum

Leymebamba Community Museum, run by Centro Mallqui, holds a huge collection of mummies from the Chachapoyas Culture, in the Peruvian Amazon. Ricardo Barata/Shutterstock

It’s located three hours from the Chachapoyas and houses some of the best archaeological finds. You’ll see many tombs with textiles, ceramics, and quips. While people looted the tomb’s content in history, the recent recovery of these items makes this place a unique place to visit.

If you have teenagers, it’s an excellent place for them to learn some Peruvian culture. The diverse staff keeps tabs on anything related to culture and bioarchaeology. They want to preserve the essence and spirit of the people who inhabited the area.

The top-notch programs provide interns, volunteers, and students who want to research and be more community involved. It helps strengthen the cultural identity of the people in the Amazonas region.

The workshops for schools, teachers, and tour guides help create an enriching curriculum for those involved. Casa Mallqui started as a residence for researchers, but it’s now grown into a place visitors can come and relax.

Whether it’s to observe native birds, arrange day trips, or learn about the local markets and daily life of different communities in Leymebamba, it’s an excellent spot to enjoy between the tourist attractions of your trip.

Gocta Waterfall

Catarata del Gocta waterfall, Peru Framalicious/Shutterstock

If you go here during the rainy season, you’ll see the best of this site because of the water supply. While the locals have appreciated Gocta for centuries, the masses recently discovered it in 2002.

The Gocta Falls is Peru’s tallest waterfall and one of the tallest worldwide at 2,530 feet. It only has two drops as well. The thought of two drops is scary but exciting, right?

It’s become a tourist attraction as thousands locally and internationally visit each year. It’s quite a moneymaker for tourism. It has a lot of mystery behind it due to the local legend of a beautiful mermaid protecting a pot of gold in the waters.

If you want to have a bit of alone time while watching the waterfalls, it’s best to go there around 7 am before the crowds start.

Looking for that next vacation destination in Peru but want to pick a different area? Try Kuelap for your adventure needs.

James Sullivan has been helping with travel tourism for the past 12 years. He now wants to share his knowledge and expertise with others.

This article was originally published on mommytravels.net.

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