Sarcophagi of Karajia & Quiocta Cavern tour: Chachapoyas

Two Chachapoya landmarks in one day: tombs on a cliff and an underground cavern lit for the first time

A full-day tour from Chachapoyas visits the Sarcophagi of Karajia, anthropomorphic tombs of the Chachapoya culture positioned dramatically on a cliff face, and Quiocta Cavern, Peru's first illuminated underground system. The tour includes hotel pickup, a local guide in English or Spanish, lunch in Lamud, and helmets for cave entry. A 25-minute walk on natural trails leads to the sarcophagi viewpoint. The cavern features stalactites and stalagmites formed over thousands of years.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Quiocta Cavern and Sarcophagi of Karajia

• 09:30 AM hotel pick-up
• Drive 1 hour 25 minutes to Quiocta Parador
• Receive equipment and explore Quiocta Cavern
• Admire stalactites and stalagmites
• Transfer to Lamud for lunch
• Drive 1 hour to Cruzpata community
• Walk 25 minutes to Sarcophagi viewpoint
• View Sarcophagi of Karajia on cliff
• Return to Chachapoyas by 6:00 PM

The experience

You're picked up from your hotel at 9:30 AM for a drive of roughly an hour and twenty-five minutes to Quiocta. The cavern itself is the draw here. It was the first illuminated cave system in Peru, and your guide will hand you the gear you need before you descend. Inside, stalactites and stalagmites rise and hang in the darkness, each one sculpted over millennia. The scale and the lighting make the geology legible in a way a dark cave never is.

After you surface, the tour moves to Lamud for lunch, then heads inland toward Cruzpata for the afternoon's main event. The Sarcophagi of Karajia sit on a cliff face roughly 20 meters above the ground: anthropomorphic tombs built by the Chachapoya people centuries ago. You walk natural trails for about 25 minutes to reach the viewpoint, where the tombs come into view. The positioning is what makes them remarkable: they're not hidden or buried, but displayed on the rock itself, visible from a distance and arranged as if watching the valley below.

The tour wraps around 6 PM back in Chachapoyas. Helmets are required for the cavern, and the walk to the sarcophagi viewpoint is moderate on established trails. A guide in English or Spanish is included, though you'll want to confirm the language option when you book.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transport to Chachapoyas.
• guide in English or Spanish.
• entry to Quiocta Cavern with helmets and lighting.
• lunch in Lamud.
• access to the Sarcophagi of Karajia viewpoint.

Options for this experience

2 options

Spanish option09:30Spanish-language only, with pickup included

English09:30Includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (3 to 70 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 17

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

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 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lama Glama Travel

Is this one for you?Book the English-language option if you want detailed context on the Chachapoya culture and the history behind each site. The Spanish option works equally well for the route and logistics if you're comfortable following along in Spanish or traveling with a Spanish-speaking group.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is the Sarcophagi of Karajia exactly?

The Sarcophagi of Karajia are anthropomorphic funerary structures built by the Chachapoya culture, positioned on a cliff face and visible from about 20 meters away. They are among the most distinctive archaeological remains in the region, and you view them from a designated viewpoint reached by a 25-minute walk on natural trails.

Is Quiocta Cavern difficult to walk through?

Quiocta Cavern is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Your guide provides helmets before entry, and the cavern is illuminated, so you can see the stalactites and stalagmites clearly as you move through the underground passages.

How long does the full tour take?

The tour runs approximately 10 hours from pickup at your hotel until return to Chachapoyas around 6 PM, including the drive to Quiocta, the cavern exploration, lunch in Lamud, and the walk to the Sarcophagi viewpoint.

Can I book this tour in English?

Yes, a guide in English is available, though you should confirm availability before booking. A Spanish-speaking guide is also an option at checkout.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and return transport, the guide, entry to both Quiocta Cavern and the Sarcophagi viewpoint, helmets for the cave, and lunch in Lamud are all included.