Probably the most famous site near Chachapoyas is the ancient pre-inca citadel of Kuelap. Still being excavated, it is sold as the Machu Picchu of the north. BUT, visiting Kuelap is not like visiting Machu Picchu. First, you can book the tour of Kuelap the day before, giving your trip more flexibility. The options for Kuelap are to take a 4-hour hike, a 20 minute cable car (which is like an enclosed ski lift), or a car ride that is only for fans of nausea. We took the cable car option. There are tons of tour agencies in Chachapoyas that can book you a round-trip visit of Kuelap, which includes the bus ride, lunch, a guide, and the cable car for S/70 (about $20). There are likely more options in high season, but we visited in the shoulder season (late April, when the rainy season was ending) and had no trouble finding an agency. The cable car is located at Tingo, which is about one hour from Chachapoyas. After the 20 minute ride over two valleys, the cable car drops you off at the entrance of the trail to Kuelap. The walk from there is only about 20 minutes uphill, and the tour of the site is about three hours. You can easily make a day trip out of this from Chachapoyas. Upon reaching Kuelap, you'll notice another way Kuelap and Machu Picchu differ- the architecture. The Chachapoyas culture, like many preinca cultures, had round structures, and these were topped off with straw that gave them a tepee look. Square structures at Kuelap were installed by the conquering Incas. The Kuelap people also literally buried their great warriors INSIDE the fortress to keep protecting the people after death. There are spots at Kuelap that were giant holes used to keep food cold until the homeowner died, when the icebox became their tomb! You literally find bones stuck inside holes in walls. Much like how modern day people of Chachapoyas store coffee or plates in cabinets, their ancestors stored their ancestors. Another reason "Machu Picchu of the North" is a misnomer: The people of Kuelap were kind of mortal enemies of the Incas. When the Incas arrived, they gave the Chachapoyas two options: Join the Inca empire as trading partners, where the Chachapoya leaders would still be royalty but would have to give up important religious relics to be held in Cuzco in deference to the empire, or fight. The Chachapoyas chose to fight, lost, and years later allied themselves with the Spanish in revenge against the Incas. Due to this history the Chachapoya language is no longer spoken, and Quechua (the language of the Incas) is not used in the area either. Finally, Kuelap is older than Machu Picchu. The Chachapoyas would probably insist Machu Picchu was the Kuelap of the south, but hey, winners write the tourist slogans. Kuelap was an impenetrable fortress. In fact, the only way the Incas were able to defeat the Chachapoyas was by cutting Kuelap off from the outside world (and therefore the inhabitants' food sources). The three entrances are narrow with steep steps, and therefore very easy to defend. The widest entrance was for servants, making one assume that if a noble got too fat, he or she would be relegated to servitude by default. The name "Chachapoyas" translates to "the warriors of the clouds", which is accurate given the amazing views of the other mountaintops from Kuelap. The fortress itself sits on top of a mountain and its isolation is why it had not been studied until relatively recently. Visiting Kuelap is a great experience off the typical Gringo trail, and if you go now you'll get the awe-inspiring views, stories to tell back home, and great photo ops without the huge throngs of tourists. Check out Kuelap!! Have you been to Kuelap or plan to go soon? Do you have questions or tips for fellow travelers? Please comment below!
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AuthorBrad Goodman Archives
May 2019
CategoriesAll Amazonas Andes Chachapoyas Huancayo Peru Rural Tourism Trains |