This is a horseback expedition into a zone that the great archaeologist Raymondi described as 15,000 sq. kms. of unexplored Andes before the first road, (not that long ago). Here you can see tombs in cliff mausoleums filled with bones and funeral wrappings blowing out in the wind. You will also get to see Kuelap, the largest and most mysterious building of the Americas, and a newly discovered ruins our team just found near there.
Day 1 Cajamarca - Celendin
Flight from Lima to Cajamarca, the city of destiny. Pizarro marched his tiny band of 270 Spaniards here to capture Inca Atahualpa and the world’s largest empire. We will see the cell where the Inca was held captive. It was filled 3 times with gold & silver for his ransom before he was executed. Afterwards we go by private transportation to Celendin for the night. (B, L, D)
Day 2 Celendin - Leymebamba
Our bus climbs the sweeping cold cordillera and descends into an oven dry valley deeper than the Grand Canyon to cross the main trunk Amazon River. Here a coastal Chimu Colony uses their irrigation skills to grow exotic tropical fruits in a micro-ecological system. The Cordillera a mile above has over 100 inches more rain per year, than the dry river valley. We go up to Leymebamba to stay the night at local hostel. (B, L, D)
Day 3 Leymebamba - Tajopampa
Interesting horseback or trek to Tajopampa (5 hours), we will pass the Centro Mallqui Museum and continue our trip through a variety of panoramas, cross rivers, bridges up the river canyon with towering cliffs on each side. After a picnic by the river we continue to La Petaca that afternoon and spend the night our rustic lodge in Tajopampa. (B, L, D)
Day 4 Tajopampa
Today is the exploration day of all the ruins nearby. We will see the city of Boveda with round buildings on top of a mountain. We will also see the famous Diablo Huasi on a steep cliff like Swiss cheese with its variety of mausoleums with skeletons, mummies and burial cloth hanging from the tombs. (B, L, D)
Day 5 Leymebamba - Choctamal
Horseback to Leymebamba and now we get to see Peru's brand new half million dollar Centro Mallqui Museum that the Austrians donated. The 219 mummies from Lake of the Condors discovered in 1998 are here along with many artifacts being investigated by Peruvian Dr. Sonia Guillen, (the world’s best mummy authority). She also set up the advanced new laboratory in Cairo using the latest technology to re-study Egypt’s mummies. From there we go to our Choctamal Marvelous Spatuletail Lodge (gateway to Kuelap and Gran Vilaya). (B, L, D)
Day 6 Choctamal – Shubet - Choctamal
Visit the highest mountains in this zone, Shubet with its stone outcrop like Sugarloaf in Rio de Janeiro. There is a communication ruins located up there. Our team just discovered a major Chachapoyan ruins in 2005 along the way with the largest stone building in our zone. Night in Choctamal Marvelous Spatuletail Lodge above the clouds. (B, L, D)
Day 7 Choctamal – Kuelap - Chachapoyas
We will spend the day at Fortress Kuelap known as "the Machu Picchu of the North". It has over 400 buildings inside 3 levels of walls, and is the largest stone structure of the Americas. Orchids and bromeliads cover the walls and trees inside this fortress. Night in 3 star Colonial Mansion. (B, L, D)
Day 8 Chachapoyas - Chiclayo
Private transportation to Chiclayo. On the way to Chiclayo we will see Tucume in the valley of pyramids located in the world’s driest desert, irrigated by a “Nile River in an Egyptian setting” with 260 pyramids, ruled by a Moche “Pharaoh”. Transfer to airport of Chiclayo for your evening flight to Lima. (B,BL)
PRICE:
US$ 1,285 (2 a 3 pax)
US$ 1,123 (4 and up)
Single supplement: US$ 178
THE TOUR INCLUDES:
All entrance fees
Meals where noted in the program
Accommodations and taxes
All transportation specified in the program
Transfers between Chiclayo and Chachapoyas/Chachapoyas-Chiclayo
Horses, arrieros, tents, cooks, etc.
Bilingual Guide
Snacks, water bottles
NOT INCLUDED:
Airport taxes
Sleeping bag
Gratuities
Alcoholic beverages
Internal flights
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Tambos
Chachapoyanos
