PeruNorth's musings on events & destinations in Northern Peru, Amazonia ... and beyond. Detailed tour reviews.
In November, 2023, PeruNorth received the following enquiry from Thomas, in Portland, Maine: “I have been interested in the Moche/Chimu ever since reading an article in The New Scientist about their engineers who were priests because they knew how to bring the water to the desert (as I remember). My wife and I are interested in finding out more about your coastal civilization itineraries and how they work.”
Read the testimony of Sam Watkins, a UK national living in Malaga, Spain, who travelled solo to Northern Peru in July 2022.
He stayed in the little-visited village of Cuispes, from where he visited Yumbilla, Cristal, Medio Cerro and Gocta waterfall.
He did a day trip to El Tigre Sarcophagi; and finished by visiting the Chachapoya citadel of Yalape (in lieu of Kuelap that was closed owing to restoration work).
The last night was spent in Chachapoyas city; and much of the transport was by mototaxi, in order to keep costs down.
Read thoughts of Dutch-Peruvian couple who visited Northern Peru over New Year.
Their itinerary was expanded version of Tarapoto & Gocta trip, with additional nights at Pumarinri Amazon Lodge.
Included a short visit to Gotas de Agua, a private dry forest reserve, near Jaen.
“Our trip to Peru was great we enjoyed both of the stays and both of the places, Tarapoto and Cocachimba.
Here is the feedback from Swiss couple, Jacqueline Achermann & Romain de Luz, whose Northern Peru trip covered the following destinations:
Lima - Iquitos - 3 days / 2 nights stay at a Maniti Lodge in the Amazon - Iquitos - Tarapoto - Chachapoyas / Gocta Falls - Laguna de los Condores - Leymebamba / Kuelap - Cajamarca - Huanchaco / Trujillo - Lima.
This is a review of a nine-day itinerary, starting at Jaen Airport, spending five nights in the Chachapoyas region, visiting various ruins and Gocta Waterfall, before driving to Tarapoto for three nights at Pumarinri Amazon Lodge in the montane rainforest:
“Overall, we had a great trip and saw some incredible things …
We as a family had a wonderful time. The department of Amazonas (where Chachapoyas and Kuelap are located) is a very beautiful area of Peru, something that we were not aware of. The plantations fields and "greenery" of the mountains are worth the trip. Add Kuelap and friendliness of the people is a plus.
Read the thoughts of an Anglo-US-Dutch couple who travelled to Peru in 2018.
PeruNorth arranged two sections of their trip:
an off-the-beaten-path Chachapoyas trek.
a classic Southern Peruvian Amazon jungle lodge.
Here is what they say:
