Peru: Chachapoyas > Kuelap > Cajamarca
Apr 2026 |
Sharing info on 3 rides from Chachapoyas to Cajamarca, including a visit to the stunning mountaintop ruins of Kuelap.
Chachapoyas > Nuevo Tingo/Kuelap
After 2 nights in chilly Chachapoyas, I rode 1 hour to Nuevo Tingo, the town at the foot of the mountain Kuelap sits atop. This is an interesting town, built on a mountainside; it replaced "old" Tingo, previously located in the river valley and washed away in a flood. I stayed at Gaia Kuelap, a decent place managed by a friendly French guy; he and an English-speaking neighbor were super helpful in organising my trip to Kuelap the next day. There are a few good local restaurants nearby; I ate trucha (trout) 2 days in a row. Only stayed 1 night, but it could have easily been longer.
Ride: 37 km / 1 hr
Stay: Gaia Kuelap ****
Visit to Kuelap
Kuelap is a large fort city, and the views from the site are spectacular. It predates Inca times and is 1000+ years old. Kuelap is gaining attention as a place to visit in Peru. I'm glad I made the effort to get there; it was a highlight of my travels in northern Peru. I looked into riding my bike up to the site, but the bus and tram from Nuevo Tingo are the best way to go. I left Gaia Homestay at about 8:30 am, walked to the bus stop nearby, then took the short bus ride up the road to the tram station for the 15-minute ride up to the hilltop. The tram is a fun way to go and gives you some great views of the river valley and mountains, as well as the old, steep trail up the mountain. From the tram, it is a 20-minute walk to the site, which sits on a flat mountain-top at 3000m. Because I arrived early, I barely saw any other tourists around (many arrived as I was leaving, groups from Chachapoyas on a day trip). I spent 90 minutes touring the site and was back to Gaia around noon and I then departed and rode on to Leimebamba, a few hours away.
See short video of my visit to Kuelap on YouTube
Kuelap > Liemebamba
This was my first ride into the real backwoods of Peru. This is not a major route, and the road, though paved, is worn out, full of potholes and degraded surface. Regardless, it is a nice ride through a narrow river valley, with little traffic and some standard awesome Peru scenery. I stopped in Leimebamba for the night; it's a nice colonial town and was a mining center in the past. There's a museum that may be worth visiting, but I didn't make it there.
Ride: 83 km / 3 hrs
Stay: Yaku Wasi **
Leimebamba > Cajamarca
This was my first "wow" ride in Peru, a non-stop mix of interesting scenes ranging from alpine to desert. It was long, but I never got tired of riding. The first section out of Leimebamba is a narrow mountain road that winds up through forest to a dry mountain pass at over 3000m. Then it was down the other side with stunning views for miles of the Andes "foothills". Further along, the road winds down to a desert river valley that is covered by layers of red and black rock. Further along, the road climbs what seems like forever up the side of a mountain. I stayed a few nights in Cajamarca, at Hotel Aural. There are some major historical sites close to the hotel, including the "Ransom Room" and the city square. The Ransom Room is the last remaining building from the days when the town was a major Inca city, where Atahualpa was held, and where he delivered on his promise to save his life by filling the room with gold (the Spaniards executed him regardless). There's so much history here; it's a special place.
Ride: 242 km / 9 hrs
Stay: Hotel Aural ***
See short video of my visit to the Randson Room on YouTube
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