Chachapoyas tour: Karajía Sarcophagi & Quiocta Caves

Ancient burial towers carved into cliff faces, then underground chambers lined with stone formations millions of years old.

A full-day tour from Chachapoyas to two major Chachapoya sites: the Karajía hanging sarcophagi, where the ancient culture buried their dead in cliff-side towers, and the Quiocta Caves, a 550-meter underground system with stalactites, stalagmites and archaeological remains. The tour includes entrance fees, a certified Spanish-speaking guide (English on request), hotel pickup and transport. You hike 2 kilometers to the sarcophagi, with horses available if preferred.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Karajía Sarcophagi and Quiocta Caves

• Depart Chachapoyas at 8:00 AM
• Stop in Lamud to reserve lunch
• Drive 30 minutes to Quiocta Caves
• Explore Quiocta Caves formations and archaeology
• Return to Lamud for lunch
• Drive one hour to Cruzpata village
• Hike 2 km to Karajía sarcophagi
• Guided tour of Karajía sarcophagi site
• Examine sarcophagi from all angles
• Drive back to Chachapoyas

The experience

The day starts at 8 AM from Chachapoyas, heading into the Utcubamba valley: the heartland of Chachapoya civilization. You drive down into the valley, then up into the mountains to the village of Lamud, where you'll arrange lunch before continuing another 30 minutes to Quiocta Caves. The cave sits at 2,700 meters above sea level and stretches 550 meters horizontally into the mountain. Inside, you move through chambers lined with stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years, alongside pottery and other artifacts left behind in Chachapoya funerary rituals.

After the cave, you return to Lamud to eat lunch, then drive an hour to Cruzpata village. From there you hike 2 kilometers to the Karajía sarcophagi, or ride if you prefer horses or mules. The sarcophagi are towering burial structures built directly into the cliff face, each one a physical record of how the Chachapoya honored their dead. Your guide walks you through the site, explaining the religious beliefs and cultural practices archaeologists have pieced together, and points out the different sarcophagi so you can examine them from multiple angles.

The return drive to Chachapoyas takes the afternoon, arriving back in the city around 6 to 6:30 PM.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to Quiocta Caves and Karajía.
• certified guide in Spanish with English available on request.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Chachapoyas.
• transport in the tour vehicle.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to16h before

GroupUp to 16

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 25 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by IZI PERU

Is this one for you?The 2-kilometer hike to Karajía is manageable for most fitness levels, but horses and mules are on hand if you'd rather ride. Book them when you arrange lunch in Lamud so they're ready when you arrive at Cruzpata.

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Top questions

What exactly are the Karajía sarcophagi?

The Karajía sarcophagi are ancient burial towers built by the Chachapoya culture directly into cliff faces, where they placed their mummified dead as part of their funerary rituals. They stand as towering structures visible from a distance, and the tour lets you approach them closely and examine them from different angles with a guide explaining their cultural and religious significance.

How deep does the Quiocta Caves tour go?

Quiocta Caves extends 550 meters horizontally into the mountain at 2,700 meters elevation. You explore the interior chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites, plus archaeological remains from Chachapoya sacred and funerary practices, though the tour does not require climbing or technical caving.

Is the hike to Karajía difficult?

The hike to Karajía is 2 kilometers from Cruzpata village. Horses and mules are available if you prefer not to walk, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, so you can choose based on your comfort.

What's included in the price?

Entrance fees to both sites, certified guide in Spanish (English available on request), hotel pickup and drop-off in Chachapoyas, and transport in the tour vehicle are all included. You arrange and pay for lunch separately in Lamud.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup begins at 8 AM from your hotel in Chachapoyas, and you return to the city around 6 to 6:30 PM, making it a full-day commitment of roughly nine hours.