The Great Road of the Chachapoyas

Authorities in the province of Chachapoyas, in Northern Peru, are working on a project to develop an ecotourism route. Visitors will be able to enjoy a natural and cultural experience walking through ancient paths, natural wonders, and archaeological sites. Kuelap and The Gocta Falls are among the tourist attractions that visitors could admire in the region.

Kuelap was built around 800 A.D. by the Chachapoyas, a fierce people that for years resisted the Inca colonization. Kuelap’s three entrances are narrow alleys between high walls of stones that become narrower as they reach the upper levels. There are 420 circular stone buildings in the citadel, which are decorated with rhombus and zigzag designs around them, as well as carved stones with animal and anthropomorphic motifs. Beautiful orchids and bromeliads surround the structures.

The Gocta Falls, located in the cloud forests of northern Peru, is one of the highest in the planet at 771 meters high. It was unknown to the outside world until discovered in 2002. The locals of Chachapoyas kept it a secret for centuries, because of a myth about a beautiful blond mermaid who lives in its waters and would bring a curse down on them if they reveal its whereabouts.