DAY 1 Karajia - Belen
Bus to Karajia to see the
sarcophagus, then to Cohechan, and trek down to Belen. This is
an ancient glacial tarn above the nightly freeze line with a
meandering river panorama extending for miles. Dinner and
camping.
DAY 2 Vista Hermosa
– Vilaya Valley
Descend to Vista Hermosa (beautiful
view) on a mile long Inca staircase to a level of bananas and
coffee in the Vilaya Valley. Dinner and camp on the river
DAY 3 Carcahuasi –
Gran Vilaya
Hike to Carcahuasi, the
mountain top ruins hidden by the cloud forest and covered with
orchids and bromeliads in Gran Vilaya, found by our guide Damian
on the original Gene Savoy expedition. They claimed discovery of
thousands of ancient round stone structures all in fortified
citadels hidden in this cloud forest. Return to camp
DAY 4 Abra Yumal -
Choctamal
Cross the spine of the
Cordillera Central on the Kuelap East West Road through the
cloud forest looking down at the clouds. On horseback we follow
up the very peak of a ridge above valleys, on an ancient road
that was excavated 5 meters deep into the mountain. Despite
missing pavement, all of these ancient roads were incredible
engineered to follow the most efficient grade, and often with a
buffer shoulder on the steep side. The Abra Yumal pass has views
with clouds below where the main trunk Amazon River violently
carved out a valley deeper than the Grand Canyon to enter the
Amazon Basin. Supper, Jacuzzi and night at our Choctamal Lodge.
DAY 5 Kuelap
(Cuelap) - Chachapoyas
We will spend the day at
Fortress Kuelap known as "the Machu Picchu of the North". It has
over 400 buildings inside 5 levels of walls, and is the largest
stone structure in all South America. Orchids and bromeliads
cover the walls and trees inside this fortress, which is
estimated to have 3 times more volume of materials than Egypt's
largest pyramid. On the way to Chachapoyas we will observe the
ruins of Macro located on a cliff overlooking the Utcubamba
River; we will also visit the spectacular Sonche Canon. Dinner
and overnight in 3 Star Hostel.
