Why you should see the Kuelap ruins in Northern Peru (and Kuelap vs Machu Picchu)

In 2011, a million people visited Machu Picchu (MP). That is quite a lot of tourists! And justifiably so... Machu Picchu is old, enigmatic, located amidst immense natural beauty and Cuzco is a really charming base to visiting tourists. It is also draws people who want to simply trek the Inca trail, a really ancient trail used by the Incans to get to MP. When I saw dreamy Che in Motorcycle Diaries years ago, I decided that I simply have to go there one day.

However, there is a gem in Northern Peru - the Kuelap ruins which gave me an entirely different perspective! We saw both MP and Kuelap and at the end of it we decided that we'd rather skip MP, but not skip Kuelap. Again, to put confused minds at rest, both are really beautiful places and you will not regret visiting either of them.

Crowds

MP is really crowded. Its a world famous attraction and people world wide come to see it. You'll try to go in a meditative state and visualize life there 300 years ago, only to be brought back to reality by a loud tour guide with his group that just passed by. We had  a tour guide in Kuelap, but the day we visited, 30 people visited the ruins.

Costs

Kuelap is a better deal for backpackers on a budget. You have to go spend the night at Aguas Caliente to be able to get to MP early in the morning. AC is a VERY expensive town where rates are in dollars! From AC it is a steep uphill walk for 2 hours (for the unfit) or pay $9 per ticket for the 20 minute ride up. $9 sounds cheap, but in the rest of the country you'll pay 9 soles for a similar ride. A sandwich at MP food court, the most basic version, cost me 20 soles. Cheapest train tickets to Aguas Caliente from Cuzco cost $48/way.

In comparison, a sightseeing trip to Kuelap including entrance fees, guide, food (excellent veg fare customized for us - placed orders on the way to the ruins, had lunch upon return), transportation all in a day's time cost us 160 soles or $62 approximately (2012).

Getting There

Its easy to fly into Cuzco, but not Chachapoyas. Getting to Chacha is not as easy to But Chachapoyas to Kuelap is a breeze if you book a tour or even if you just take a taxi/combi. To get to MP from Cuzco, you have to:

1) Book a train ride to Aguas Caliente. Stay at over priced Aguas Caliente so that you can check out the ruins early in the morning. No roads go to AC.
2) Hike the Inca trail. 4 days of walking is great if thats what you want, but a lot of people agree that there are several other fantastic hikes all over Peru (in the Cuzco area, in Colca Canyon and in Huaraz). Inca trail will set you back by $500, while Inca Jungle Trek, a just as much fun option, costs less than $200.
3) Take the bus to some place near Santa Maria and walk 2-3 hours from there to Aguas Caliente along the railway tracks. Not easy to plan with public transport, but not impossible either.

From Chachapoyas, there are collectivos and taxis going to Kuelap.

I loved Machu Pichu itself, but I was not enamored by the crowds, the very high un-backpacker costs or the not-for-public-transport tag it carries.

Culture

Kuelap is older and bigger than MP and is in remarkably good shape. 

Kuelap was built by the Chachapoyan people long before the Incans came into the picture. They eventually did and ousted the Chachapoyans and ruled over them, thereby exerting their influences on the the architecture.

Chachapoyas - a hidden gem in Northern Peru!

I know tons of people who go to Peru every year. With one of the world's top most attractions to see in Southern Peru (Macchu Picchu, I am looking at you!) northern Peru doesnt get much of a chance. Especially when its way out in the middle of nowhere. We discovered that Northern Peru is our favorite part of Peru, thanks to a gem called Chachapoyas. To get to Chacha from Ecuador or elsewhere in Peru is no easy task. Check out my previous post  about how to get here.

Chacha is located amidst some beautiful natural scenery. Its the base if you want to visit Kuelap ruins and Gocta falls. We stayed at the kind and friendly Hotel Amazonas on the main plaza (just walk around it once and you'll find it) @ 40 soles/night (private room + bathroom).

Highlights of Chachapoyas:

Market scene

Gotca Falls

Purple corn - maiz morada

Fruit bounty in the market

spotted! soya milk

Plaza de armas - Chachapoyas

A ubiquitous juice shop in the market -  The quinoa drink here is very good

•  Super laid back main square with really friendly people. We would get stopped every now and then by a curious local wanting to know more about us. By the end of our stay there, we were greeting people with holas every time we went to the square.
• We met Diana, the bollywood fan. She was helping her friend sell some jewelry and she jumped with delight when she saw us. She was eager to tell us that she loved Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerjee and Kajol.
• We met a school teacher, who likes to visit the plaza every day in the evening. We even got interviewed for the local paper by his reporter friend.
• 2 vegetarian restaurants and a superb market selling the freshest of produce. See my blog post here.
• Finding vegan cookies at the mini mart on the plaza and other goodies. See the map in the link above for more info. What a delightful mini mart!
• We got lost in Chacha's market. There is a spice vendor there who will sell various spice mixes, freshly mixed.
• The Peru Tourism Office on the main plaza is a great find. They are a nation wide tourism chain and have fantastic maps. They speak very good english and will call other offices to find specific information for you.
• The spicy sauce in Las Rocas restaurant on the main plaza. Very friendly owner!
• Totally safe and muy tranquillo.
• Base for the wonderful Kuelap ruins, which is a beautiful ruin.

Cost Facts:

• Day trips to Kuelap cost 50 soles/person and includes lunch and a guide. Book at Turismo Explorer on the main plaza.
• Day trips to Gocta falls cost 60 soles/person, incl. lunch and guide. (vegetarian options available). In fact, lunch was really tasty!