Chachapoyas Day Trip: Carajía Sarcophagi & Quiocta Caves

Walk to towering pre-Inca tombs, then descend into caverns filled with ancient rock art

A full-day guided tour from Chachapoyas explores the Carajía sarcophagi (anthropomorphic funerary figures over 2 meters tall built on limestone cliffs), and the Quiocta Caverns with their stalactites, stalagmites and pre-Inca remains. Hotel pickup, a 30-minute hike to the burial site, traditional lunch in Lamud and guided cave exploration are included. The tour runs 11 hours and requires moderate fitness.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Carajía Sarcophagi and Quiocta Caves

• Hotel pick-up in Chachapoyas
• Drive through Andean villages
• Hike to Carajía sarcophagi site
• Explore Carajía burial site
• Lunch in Lamud
• Visit Quiocta Caverns
• Explore stalactites and rock art
• Return to hotel in Chachapoyas

The experience

Eleven hours gives you time to move through three distinct stops without rushing. Your guide picks you up at your hotel in Chachapoyas and drives northeast through traditional Andean villages (Cochechan and Cruz Pata among them) toward Lamud. The road itself is the first part of the day. You pass through the landscape the Chachapoyas civilization inhabited, and the guide speaks Spanish throughout.

The hike to Carajía takes 30 minutes and lands you in front of the sarcophagi: anthropomorphic stone figures over 2 meters tall, built directly onto limestone cliffs and preserved for centuries. These are pre-Inca funerary monuments, and standing in front of them is the centerpiece of the morning. After you descend, the group continues to Lamud for a traditional local lunch before heading to the afternoon's second site.

The Quiocta Caverns are underground tunnels formed over thousands of years, filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Your guide leads you through them and points out pre-Inca rock art and remains linked to the Chachapoyas culture. The cave exploration is part of the guided experience, not self-directed. You move at the group's pace. By late afternoon, you return to your hotel in Chachapoyas.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transfer to Chachapoyas.
• entrance fees to both the Carajía sarcophagi and Quiocta Caverns.
• guided tour of the caves.
• traditional lunch in Lamud.
• Spanish-speaking guide throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (9 to 70 years) · Under 9: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 27 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effort

Operated by Machupicchu Holiday

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to visit both the Carajía Sarcophagi and Quiocta Caverns in a single day with a guide leading the pace, rather than splitting the sites across separate trips.

Top questions

How far is the hike to the Carajía sarcophagi from the parking area?

The hike to Carajía takes 30 minutes and is the main walk of the day. It leads directly to the anthropomorphic sarcophagi on the limestone cliffs.

What exactly are the sarcophagi at Carajía?

The Carajía sarcophagi are anthropomorphic pre-Inca funerary figures over 2 meters tall, built on limestone cliffs as burial monuments of the ancient Chachapoyas civilization.

Is the Quiocta Caverns exploration guided, or do I walk through on my own?

A guide leads you through the Quiocta Caverns, showing you the stalactites, stalagmites and pre-Inca rock art. You move as a group through the underground tunnels.

What time does the tour end and return to Chachapoyas?

The full-day tour runs 11 hours total, beginning with hotel pickup in the morning and returning to your hotel in Chachapoyas by late afternoon.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Yes, a traditional local lunch is included in Lamud, a town you pass through between the Carajía site and the Quiocta Caverns.