4-day Chachapoyas tour: Kuelap Fortress and Gocta Falls

Four days: cable car to an ancient fortress, a trek to one of the world's highest waterfalls, and nights in Chachapoyas

A 4-day tour of Chachapoyas visits Kuelap Fortress by cable car and a 30-minute walk, then hikes two hours to Gocta Falls where you swim in the natural pool below. The tour includes three nights' accommodation with breakfast, lunch at each site, a Spanish-speaking guide, and roundtrip airport transfers. Physical fitness at a moderate level is needed for the hikes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and hotel transfer

• Arrive at Chachapoyas airport
• Transfer to hotel

Day 2: Visit Kuelap Fortress

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart to Nuevo Tingo district
• Take cable car to La Malca stop
• Walk 30 minutes to Kuelap Fortress
• Tour Kuelap Fortress for 45 minutes
• Return to Nuevo Tingo district
• Enjoy typical lunch
• Return to Chachapoyas

Day 3: Hike to Gocta Falls

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Cocachimba village
• Hike 2 hours to Gocta Falls
• Observe nature and wildlife
• Take photos and bathe in natural pool
• Return to Cocachimba village
• Enjoy typical lunch
• Return to Chachapoyas

Day 4: Departure from Chachapoyas

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Chachapoyas airport

The experience

The tour starts with airport pickup and ends with airport transfer, so you don't need a car or separate transport to Chachapoyas. Day two takes you to Kuelap Fortress: breakfast at your hotel, then a 9:30am departure to Nuevo Tingo district, where you board a cable car to La Malca and walk 30 minutes uphill to the fortress. A guide leads a 45-minute tour inside, then you return for a typical local lunch before heading back to town in the afternoon. The fortress sits on a ridge above the cloud forest, and the cable car cuts out a longer hike to reach it.

Day three is the full-day Gocta Falls trek. You leave at 9am for Cocachimba village, about an hour away, then hike roughly two hours to the waterfall. The path runs through cane fields and orchid groves with constant views of Gocta as you approach: the waterfall stands 771 meters high. Once you reach it, you can swim in the natural pool formed at its base, then hike back down for lunch in the village before returning to Chachapoyas in the afternoon. Day four is breakfast and an airport transfer at a time that suits your flight.

Accommodation is in Chachapoyas for all three nights, with breakfast included each morning. Lunch is part of both full-day excursions. Your guide speaks Spanish and leads the cultural and historical context at each site. The itinerary assumes moderate fitness: the Kuelap walk is short but uphill, and the Gocta trek covers roughly four hours of hiking with elevation gain.

What’s included

• Three nights' accommodation in Chachapoyas with daily breakfast.
• full-day excursions to Kuelap Fortress and Gocta Falls including entry fees and lunch at each site.
• cable car access to Kuelap.
• Spanish-speaking guide.
• roundtrip airport transfers.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Youth (8 to 17 years) · Child (under 8)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by PERU INKASICO Operador de turismo

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving by air and don't have a car: pickup and drop-off at the airport are built in, and you stay in one town for all three nights, so the logistics are settled before you land.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 17 years); Child (under 8).

How do I get to Chachapoyas if I'm flying in?

Airport pickup is included. A driver meets you at Chachapoyas airport and takes you to your hotel on day one, then returns you to the airport on day four at a time that works for your flight.

What is Kuelap Fortress and how do you reach it?

Kuelap is an ancient stone fortress built on a ridge in the cloud forest. You take a cable car from Nuevo Tingo district to La Malca, then walk 30 minutes uphill to the entrance. A guide leads a 45-minute tour of the site before you return the same way.

How long is the hike to Gocta Falls and what is it like?

The trek from Cocachimba village to Gocta Falls takes roughly two hours each way. The path passes through cane fields and orchid groves with views of the waterfall the whole way. Gocta stands 771 meters high and you can swim in the pool at its base before hiking back down.

What meals are included in the tour?

Breakfast is served at your hotel each of the three mornings. Lunch is included on both full-day excursion days: a typical local meal in Nuevo Tingo after Kuelap, and another in Cocachimba village after Gocta Falls.

What should I know about fitness and physical demands?

The tour requires at least moderate physical fitness. The Kuelap walk is 30 minutes uphill on a clear path. The Gocta trek is roughly four hours round-trip with elevation gain. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy.