5 Amazing Places to Add to a North Peru Itinerary

When most people travel to the incredible country of Peru, they often head straight to the capital city of Lima or the enchanting colonial city of Cusco with its nearby Inca ruins; however, the entire north of the country is usually completely overlooked. There are so many reasons to add to your bucket-list a north Peru itinerary.

Peru’s northern region is absolutely stunning and very much slighted. Expect to experience the country’s most laid back beaches, epic waterfalls, rainforest, and stellar Pre-Inca ruins. Hike through the beautiful mountain ranges of the Cordillera Blanca and relax in healing thermal baths.

Yes, Machu Picchu is special and the Sacred Valley is stunning, but if you’ve got the time and are looking for something a little more intrepid, head to the north of Peru.

Here are 5 worthwhile cities to add to your north Peru itinerary and all the awesome things to do while visiting them.

Table of Contents

• Mancora | North Peru Beach Town
• Chachapoyas | Welcome to the Cloud Forest
• Cajamarca | Under-appreciated Historical City
• Trujillo | Temples & Ruins, Oh My!
• Huaraz | Hiker’s Dream
• 5 Amazing Places to Add to a North Peru Itinerary

Mancora | North Peru Beach Town

Long stretches of grainy beach. A surfer’s delight. Fresh seafood with sand in your toes. This best sums up the laid-back beach town of Mancora. While the city is mostly sleepy during the day, at night, the restaurants and bars fill with partying tourists living life to the fullest until wee hours of the morning.

Along the main boardwalk, find a plethora of modern cafes and restaurants serving up fresh seafood, ceviche, and sushi.

The main city beach can seem a little dirty and worn, so it’s best to head out of town to discover picturesque white sand beaches.

Why Add Mancora to Your North Peru Itinerary?

Mancora makes an excellent combination of partying and relaxing, soaking up the sun and catching waves, all while eating savory goodies fresh from the sea!

With it’s close-ish proximity to the border, Mancora makes a great “stop-over” for those either coming from, or going to, the overlooked country of Ecuador.

Psst… If heading into Ecuador, it’s easy to hop on a bus and head to the lovely colonial city of Cuenca.

Where to Sleep in Mancora

There’s a wide range of accommodation in Mancora, from party hostels to cute little bungalows, and many of these accommodations boast a pool.

Party animals will want to stay at the well known hostel, Wild Rover. Another popular hostel choice with a pool is Loki del Mar with a lively bar and restaurant.

Solo travelers who are looking for something a little bit more quiet will love the quaint and clean bungalow style rooms of the AquamarInn.

Chachapoyas | Welcome to the Cloud Forest

Stunning cloud forests. A well preserved Pre-Inca fortress. Waterfalls that make you feel like you’re in the movie “Up.” Chachapoyas is an unmissable city on any north Peru itinerary.

Why Add Chachapoyas to Your North Peru Itinerary?

Not only is the city of Chachapoyas totally adorable, but there are some awesome day trips and points of interest that can be reach via this city.

Mirador del Cañon de Huancas Sonche

Just a short bus ride away in the village of Huancas, visit the incredible viewpoint of Huancas Canyon. There are collectivos that depart frequently to this lookout only a few blocks away from the main plaza in Chachapoyas.

Logistics | Entrance Fee: 3 PEN (85¢ USD) | Hours: 9:00 – 17:00

Kuelap

Chachapoyas is the name of the civilization who inhabited the region before the Incas. There is little known about these mysterious people, but they were known as the “Cloud Warriors.”

Kuelap is one of the most important lost cities that remains from this civilization. It is literally built in the cloud forest and sits just shy of 10,000 feet. During its prime, it is believed that over 3,000 inhabitants called Kuelpa their home. Surprisingly, there are over 400 structures that are still partially standing. Today, Kuelap is considered one of the largest stone ruins of the “New World.”

As of 2017, Kuelap is as accessible as ever. A cable car has been built to whisk tourists from the village of Tingo Nuevo to the archaeological park in 20 minutes.

Logistics | Entrance Fee to Kuelap: 20 PEN ($5.50 USD) | Hours: 8:00 – 18:00 | Cable Car Round-Trip Ticket: 20 PEN, catch it from the village Tingo Nuevo

Gocta Falls

Hiking to Gocta Falls literally feels like a scene stolen from Pixar’s movie “Up.” The two tiered waterfall towers over 2,500 feet and is surrounded by the lush rainforest scenery. Take the most common path from the village of Cocachimba, and walk to the actual foot of the falls. It takes around 2 hours to arrive one way. Gocta falls is an absolute highlight of a north Peru itinerary.

Logistics Cocachimba to Falls | Entrance Fee: 10 PEN ($2.75 USD) | Duration: 2 – 3 hours each way | There are multiple ways to reach Gocta Falls and plenty of trails to explore

Where to Sleep in Chachapoyas

A one-stop sleeping shop is Chachapoyas Backpackers Hostel. Located near the center of the city, this modest hostel offers laundry service, has a kitchen, and organizes tours. What’s awesome is they are happy to help independent travelers plan their own itineraries. Chachapoyas Backpackers also offers private rooms.

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Cajamarca | Under-appreciated Historical City

Unexplained ruins. Healing thermal waters. Interesting colonial buildings. Cajamarca is a worthwhile city that warrants at least a day or two stopover on a north Peru itinerary.

Why Add Cajamarca to Your North Peru Itinerary?

The main attraction of Cajamarca is the bizarre rock forest of Cumbemayo and the peculiar aqueduct caved perfectly into the stones. There are also diverse stone carvings etched into the rocks. Some believe this site was home to a very advanced Pre-Inca civilization that inhabited the area before 1500 B.C., maybe even way before that.

This archaeological park sits above the city of Cajamarca and can be visited independently or with a tour. Pack a flashlight because it’s possible to climb through some of the narrow caves. Due to the fact that this region is still not on the tourist radar, a majority of the tours are in Spanish.

Logistics | Entrance Fee to Cumbemayo: 8 PEN ($2 USD) | Hours: 9:00 – 17:00 | Average Tour Cost: 30 PEN ($7.50 USD) | Can hike from Cajamarca (4 hours each way)

If interested in ancient tombs, close to Cajamarca find the Ventanillas de Otuzco. This old burial ground was raided and looted by the Spanish conquistadors.

Logistics | Entrance Fee: 5 PEN ($1.50 USD) | Hours: 8:00 – 18:00

Just on the outskirts of town are the relaxing Baños del Inca. These baths have some history. Supposedly in 1533, the Inca emperor Atahualpa was enjoying a soak when the Spanish army showed up. Today, these baths are public facilities. There’s an option to relax in a private room in a giant tub, and I mean a tub fit for a queen. These thermal waters are said to be of volcanic origin and can induce total relaxation.

Logistics | Hours: 5:00 – 22:00 | Private Baths start at 6 PEN for 30 minutes | Add-Ons Available, like massages

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Where to Sleep in Cajamarca

House Chakra is a laid back hostel with nice common spaces that feels more like a guesthouse than a hostel. For those looking for a little splurge, try Hotel & Spa Laguna Seca, which boasts its own thermal water pools and is actually located in the nearby community of Baños del Inca.

Trujillo | Temples & Ruins, Oh My!

Adobe ruins. Pyramid temples. Sunset strolls along the beach. Trujillo is an up and coming destination to add on a north Peru itinerary. Chan Chan, an ancient adobe city, is putting this beachside destination on the map. Built by the Chimor empire, it is believed this city had over 40,000 inhabitants. Another civilization, the Moche, left behind two temples, Huaca de la Luna y Huaca del Sol. The adobe remains are decorated in murals that probably, in their prime, were absolutely spectacular. Of course, if looking for something a little more relaxing, enjoy one of the many beaches. One of the more popular backpacker beaches, Huanchaco, is less than an hour north from Trujillo.

Trujillo is a nice way to break up the two mountainous regions of Cajamarca and Huaraz.

Huaraz | Hiker’s Dream

Jagged mountain ranges. Vivid colored alpine lakes. One of Peru’s finest National Parks. Huaraz is the ultimate gateway to the stunning Cordillera Blanca mountain range. This section of mountains is just a smaller mountain range that makes up the mighty Andes. The city of Huaraz sits over 10,000 feet and offers incredible day hikes to the nearby mountains.

No north Peru itinerary is complete without a day hike in Huascarán National Park.

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Laguna 69

The most popular day trek of the Cordillera Blanca has to be Laguna 69. The hike itself is around 4 miles and isn’t too challenging; however, it’s the lake’s altitude at over 15,000 feet that is the most shocking factor!

The bright turquoise alpine lake is seriously incredible to gaze upon. The beauty of the lake is enhanced by the snowy glacial peaks and small trickling waterfalls that encompass it. The two hour hike each way is more than worth it. Along the route, look for bouncing chinchillas and grazing cows. This route has mountains for days and interesting waterfalls that flow along the rocky cliffs.

Laguna 69 is only one of many alpine lakes which are found in Huascarán National Park.

Logistics | Huascarán National Park 1 Day Fee: 30 PEN ($7.50 USD) | Catch an early morning collectivo from Yungay to the trailhead

Laguna Paron

It’s a long day in multiples collectivos, but Laguna Paron can be done as a day trip from Huaraz. The trail to the lake can be tedious and mundane, as it follows along a dusty road frequented by tour buses. The reward at the end of the road is another vivid turquoise blue lake surrounded by mountains. The lake sits at an altitude of 13,780 feet and is part of Huascarán Park; however, the entrance fee is far less to visit this lake.

Logistics | Lake Entrance Fee: 5 PEN ($1.50 USD) | Catch the FIRST Collectivo to Caraz and on to Pueblo Paron

Huaraz as a Starting Point for Multi-Day Treks

On top of these day treks, Huaraz is the gateway to some pretty epic multi-day treks. A popular route is the 4 day Santa Cruz trek that begins in the village of Vaqueria. One of the most top-ranked multi-day treks in the entire world sits a few hours to the south of Huaraz, the 12 day Huayhuash circuit. This trek weaves through the Cordillera Huayhuash and begins near the village of Llámac.

Where to Sleep in Huaraz

Tony’s House Hostel is an awesome family run guesthouse that offers shared and private rooms and a large fenced-in yard to pitch a tent. Carla, the hostess with the mostess, is super friendly and helpful when planning day outings. Enjoy a home-cooked breakfast with mountains in the backdrop while her two pups play in the yard.

5 Amazing Places to Add to a North Peru Itinerary

In short, the north of Peru is often overlooked and skipped by many travelers. On your north Peru itinerary, make sure to include the cities of Mancora, Chachapoyas, Cajamarca, Trujillo, and Huaraz.

The diverse north prides itself on coast lines of beaches, rainforests, cloud forests, waterfalls, towering mountains, and alpine lakes. Don’t forget about the many distinctive ancient civilizations that left behind cities in the clouds, unexplainable architectural feats, and massive adobe cities. The north of Peru has a wide range of things to see and do that most travelers will simply skip over. Now that you know of the beauty, try to add at least one of these incredible cities to your north Peru itinerary.

Have you visited any of the above cities in the north of Peru? Hopefully this list has encouraged you to include northern Peru on your bucket-list for Peru! Are there any cities that you visited in the north of Peru that are not on this list and you absolutely loved? Will you add these spots to your north Peru itinerary? Let me know in the comments below what you think!

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