Kuélap: Machu Picchu alternative

Feb 3, 2010 10:29:01 PM

Robert Reid
Lonely Planet Author

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photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Machu Picchu may be closed to visits for several months, but you don’t have to cancel your Peru trip. In Peru’s less-visited northern highlands, the country’s second-most thrilling archaealogical site, Kuélap, is still open. Rain is not an issue up here. ‘It was sunny yesterday, it’s sunny today,’ Alicia from Chachapoyas Tours in nearby market town Chachapoyas told me by phone. ‘But tomorrow? Who knows? Better bring a rain jacket.’

Kuélap, about 22 to 24 hours from Lima by bus (with changes in the coastal city Chiclayo, and another at Chachapoyas), was home to the mysterious Chachapoyas, or ‘People of the Clouds,’ from AD800 to the 14th century.

Visitors reach the monumental stone-fortified city atop a craggy limestone mountain via a two- or three-hour trek from nearby villages. A number of guesthouses are in the village nearby, such as Tingo (a 9.8-km walk away). Another option is the lovely hacienda-style compound Estancia Chillo; rooms are US$45 and guides with horses are about US$25.

With more stone than the Great Pyramid of Egypt, Kuépal had a population of about 3500 residents. You enter via three deep, lean gates — an ingenious security system to force attacking parties into easily defeated single file. There are ruins of over 400 circular dwellings across three levels, including a lookout tower with excellent views of the city surrounded by bromeliad-covered trees and exotic orchids.

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Comments

5 February 2010 3:08AM pieter_cactus Report this comment
I visited Kuelap in 2007, Macchu Picchu two years before that. For me Kuelap is much better then the well known Macchu Picchu. First of all becouse it's much more quiet there, no thousands other tourists. Also so many other things to do and see close to Chachapoyas. We arrived by plany in Cajamarca and went by hitchhiking to Chachapoyas, with some stops and nights in small towns such as Balsas so explore the magnificent nature.
5 February 2010 1:29PM jessieleigh Report this comment
I loved Kuelap and the whole Chachapoyas region--great article, thanks! We've just posted an article about Peru's other alternatives on our website: www.unpavedsouthamerica.com.
@pieter_cactus--that back road from Cajamarca to Chachapoyas is a blast. I highly recommend going that way!
17 March 2010 3:02AM daytripperpeg2010 Report this comment
Hello Chachapoyas and Kuelap are a great place to go if you are interested in archaeology but how about completeing the idea...... I amean not just go there but take some extra days to leave the area crossing to Cajarmarca so that you will end with the Inka part A good program that combines these areas is the one InkaNatura Peru offers http://www.inkanatura.com/the_north_chachapoyas_explorer.asp Besides the experience you will enjoy the lovely Laguna Seca Hotel in Cajamarca
13 May 2010 3:21AM perubike Report this comment
If you think to bike or hike there, tell us or get into our site: www.kuelaptrails.com It'll be great to help you on your trip. Kuelap is great, you have teh huge Gocta Waterfalls and many other places some of then needed to hike for 2 or 3 days to get.