My favourite places around Chachapoyas

I thought about sharing my five favourite places in the Chachapoyas area. With so many special places around, to be honest it is very difficult to choose just five, but here they are (no particular order)…………..

Kuelap: an obvious one.  It never ceases to amaze me amount of human effort that was expended over centuries to build this massive structure. I love to go there as it is place to ponder.

With walls up to 17m high Kuelap is a place to wonder and ponder

Huancas: the Vilaya Tours clients’ reactions say it all as they arrive at the lip of the Sonche Canyon.  It is a view that changes constantly.

View from the lookout above the almost 1000m deep Sonche Canyon.

Tajopampa: Simply because there is so much to see in the immediate area.  Many cliff tombs and remains of Chachapoya settlements. Cooking over the fire at night and silence.

Tajopampa: so much archaeology to be be observed in a few square kilometers.

Pischohuañuna: Harder to explain….there is nothing there. No people. Just a few isolated cows.  There is a stunning range of jagged mountains with many lakes dotted between them.

Pishcohuañuna: nothing there but a beautiful wilderness

Chachapoyas market: My “supermarket”.  Colorful and vibrant with lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and meat.

Chachapoyas’ bustling daily market.