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This trek starts with a visit to the northern coast of Peru at Chiclayo. We visit important desert sites of the Mochica and Sican cultures before heading to Chachapoyas, the town on the edge of this cloud-forest valley. Visit Kuelap and hike to the valley floor past various sites. Sarcophagi located on cliffs, impregnable calcareous roundhouse fortresses located on buttresses that are connected by stretches of flag stoned trails leading up to the Inca stronghold of Cochabamba, overlooking the main valley which led to Cajamarca, the city where the Incas were conquered by the Spaniards. A wonderful trek into the pre-Colombian history of this part of Peru. |
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Itinerary: |
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Day 1 Chiclayo, 2-3 Chachapoyas, 4 Leymebamba, 5-6 Tajopampa, 7 Ulcococha, 8 Cochabamba, 9 Cajamarca |
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| Duration |
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9 days / 8 nights |
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| Season |
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All Year |
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| Location |
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| Departures |
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On Request |
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| Price |
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On Request |
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| Minimum |
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2 Passengers |
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| Day by day description |
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| Day 1 CHICLAYO |
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| Arrival in Chiclayo, in the morning. We have the day to visit sites of pre-inca desert cultures, the museums of the two lineages of Sican and Sipan, with their tombs and treasures. Overnight at a hotel, built in the local style located in the outskirts, lunch and dinner included. |
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| Day 2 CHICLAYO / CHACHAPOYAS |
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| Heading north on the Panamerican Highway we take the detour over the Olmos desert as arid hills overgrown with shrubby vegetation take us over a low pass at 2000m to descend into arid sub-tropical northern Amazon basin at Bagua - we turn off into a cloud forest valley at Pedro Ruiz, and head uphill following the Utcubamba river until reaching Chachapoyas village, built on a commanding view of the valley- overnight at a clean and basic hotel. |
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| Day 3 CHACHAPOYAS / CARAJILLA |
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| Morning free to walk around the town for last minute shopping. In the afternoon we will visit the sarcophagi of Carajilla. Up the opposite hillside on an ever narrowing- dirt road we reach the trailhead of a short walk to the base of a calcareous rock formation. On an overhanging ledge we will see a set of sarcophagi made of mud effigies which contained ancestral tombs- an amazing sensation. Return to Chachapoyas, dinner on your own and overnight.
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| Day 4 CHACHAPOYAS / KUELAP / LEYMEBAMBA |
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| We drive to the valley floor, cross over the river to begin our ascent to Kuelap on a winding uphill dirt road. Arrival below Kuelap, beautifully located on rock cliffs with roundhouse rock constructions encrusted with anthropomorphic rock figures of deities of the past. A mysterious settlement, like many were, built on the edge of the cloud-forest, looking into this tropical paradise. In the afternoon, after a picnic lunch on the way we head upriver as we watch the Utcubamba cascading past us until reaching Leymebamba where we stay at a basic hotel. |
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| Day 5 LEIMEBAMBA / TAJOPAMPA |
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| Visiting the recently inaugurated museum of various sites in the overhanging side valleys we then start our trek. Our uphill walk of the morning will bring us to Zic-Zic at 2,690masl (about 8,800ft) as we make our way through a twisted cloudforest overhung by bromeliads and orchids. In the course of the day will criss cross the stream until reaching Tajopampa, our campsite, in the afternoon. From here we can see the walls of the valley above us where the burial sites of la Petaca and Diablo Wasi are located. |
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| Day 6 TAJOPAMPA AND BEYOND |
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| Using Tajopampa as our base, we will visit an unique Chachapoya settlement, La Joya - still covered in cloud forest and ready to be explored. We return to camp for lunch and in the afternoon we can explore the burial site of Diablo Wasi with its painted walls. Return to camp. |
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| Day 7 TAJOPAMPA / ULCOCOCHA |
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| Even though not a long day, we head over a pass at 3,910masl (about 13,000ft) as we walk through a grassy swamp with outstanding views of the Utcubamba Valley - a peaceful setting that accompanied by the windy silence sweeps you into a state of inner peace. We head over the Opavan Pass to slowly put up our camp at 3,600m (12,000ft) at Ulcococha lake from where you can see the Marañon river in the horizon, a tributary of the Amazon. |
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| Day 8 ULCOCOCHA / COCHABAMBA |
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| A short last walk across the grassy highland savannah will bring us to the edge of the cloud forest. We begin our slow descent into a carpeted lush valley in different hues of green, which opens below with its patchwork mosaic of fields. We arrive close to Cochabamba, the largest Inca settlement which was an administrative center after the Incas conquered Chachapoyas, camp in the vicinity. |
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| Day 9 COCHABAMBA / BALSAS |
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| We now head downhill into more arid country, we will even come across cacti at the end of the trail, where a vehicle will pick us up to head to Balsas, from where we will take another vehicle to Cajamarca. Lunch included, overnight at hotel.
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SERVICES INCLUDED: Transfer on arrival, tours in Chiclayo and Chachapoyas , museum fees, overnight at hotels with breakfasts, lunch during full day tours, transportation to the beginning and from the end of the trek, all meals during trek, two man tents, commissary gear, drivers and pack – animals as well as a guide, who will handle the first aid kit.
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED: Meals in the cities, alcoholic beverages, extras, tips, taxes, laundry service, additional tours, insurance and airline tickets (where applicable |
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