peru treks

AUZANGATE: Stunning scenary, rather short and easy and safe area
Also Colca Canyon to Andagua: passes very different environment, friendly people, few tourists

Medium= Take A bus from Chachapoyas to Levanto (historical capital of the Chachapoya, decent sized ruins), walk down to Tingo on real INCA HIGHWAY(on the way see the reconstructed round house, cave drawings, Incan well, serious caving possible in Mino), take a car up to Kuelap (you can walk up if you really want, but it is the same walk down), walk down to TIngo and catch a bus or car back to Chachapoyas. See maybe 5 tourist the whole trip. Spend like $40 total for about 2-5 days depending on what you want to see along the way and how knowledgeable your local guide is.

For the extremely talented walker= Take the bus from Chachapoyas to Leymebamba, or from Cajamarca to Leymebamba (sucky bus ride for sure),once you are in Leymebamba you'll need a day to arrange for a horse or just a guide, and food. You want to go to either Tajopampa or Vira Vira. Tajopampa is 3 days, Vira Vira is like 8 or 9. You will see probably 0 people the whole time, until you get to the resting spots(local villages-towns) This walk will show you what you are made of I promise you. What you can expect to see; Tajopampa has a huge cliff that is coverd in red drawings depicting decapitations, below it is a morturary where bones and all kinds of mummies are still there just chilling. I found a mumified bird on the ground there. In Cochababmba along one route is some Incan doorways about 3 1-2 meters tall, La Siepra is a river valley that in the dry season dries up to expose the serpent lake that has been custom dugout by ancient civilizations, toungue sticking out and all very incredible. If you were bold enough to make it all the way to VIRA VIRA Congratulations are in order, a handful of forigeners have beed there and are greatly rewarded for the effort. An orange shaped lake perched in the cordierra that is littered with 300+ houses, breathtaking. This trip requires a horse to carry food and supplies for that length of time. But as I said with so many archeological sites and the braging right of a 15,000 ft sumit along the way this is a true adventurers walk.

Easy= bus from chachapoyas to Huncas(30 min) see the Sonche Canyon (better than Colca in my Opinion), take a bus to Karajilla from Chachapoyas (2 1/2 hours) see the Chulpas, Bus from Chachapoyas to Kuelap (3 1/2) hours. Each of these will take about a day except Sonche can be seen in about a total of 2 1/2 hours round trip. They are all approachable by Collectivo and at most require about 15-20 min uphill walk.

Medium 2 (waterfall tour)= From Chachapoyas take a cab that sells all the seats seperately to Pedro Ruiz, Or if you are already in Pedro take a cab to humbillja (spelled wrong Im sure) from there it is a 3-4 hour walk in some $hitty conditions to be honest, but the 3rd highest waterfall in the world is there, I went last year before it was "discovered" I was told I was like the 3rd foreigner to ever make the hike. about halfway through the walk you can see the entire thing, which is very impressive when the clouds arent hogging it, go all the way and all you will see is the bottom part of three levels only, the last leg was in really sketch conditions since it is the road less traveled. The way back is on the same path and is why its my second choice. But, some people are suckers for waterfalls.

Hard= Gran Vilaya. This trek is cool and can fluctuate on dificulty depending on the traveler, If you want it harder plan on walking from Lamud all the way to Kuelap, 7-8 days depending on where you go and what you see. On the way is the City of Vilaya, Inca Highway, Pueblo de los Muertos, Karajilla, the valley of Belen, and the finale Kuelap. Stay at the Lodge in Choctomal once you make it to Kuelap(non profit, hot showers,hot TUB!!! www.kuelap.org ) There is other stuff too, but that covers the highlights.

You will notice that all of my reccomendations are around the Chachapoyas Northern Amazonas region of Peru, That's because if I wanted to go on an adventure or see the unseen, this is where I would go in Peru, not to Cusco, Puno, Nazca (which is cool for sure but everyone has Been There and Done That, even Camron Diaz lol). But, every itenerary I just laid out will result in you going to places that very few have seen. Also the people are still mostly pure and you are not going to get taken advantge of as often, if at all.

Arent bold enough to do it yourself there are 2 agencies in Chacha worth mentioning one is Chachapoys tours which makes a better full arrangement provider as far as accomodations, food, and transportation. They also have archeologist and biologist bi-lingual guides. The other is Vilaya Tours, Gringo Owned but is more of a once you get to Peru provider, also he learned about Chachapoyas through Chachapoyas Tours, Rob the owner is a cool Guy for sure though . Whatever you do avoid Carlos Burgass, he owns a hotel in the plaza de armas and makes money by exploiting everyone and benifitting the area 0% that could be implied to the owners of Casa Vieja too, nice place to stay but dont use their travel services unless you feel good about taking advantage of poor people. I say soloing it is cool, but if you are not familiar with your surroundings you and local guides can walk right past ruins and major points of interest. Sorry for the book, but BIG UPS TO NORTHERN PERU!!! If you have any questions on this area I am almost positive that I know more about it than any of the traveler books available and dont mind sharring :) happy travels

P.S. Surfers Trujillo is the surf spot, Puerto Chicama, Stay at Don Juvienals hotel.

My favourite trek in Peru is this one : http://www.de-wall.nl/peru/huay.htm

Joost