It’s hard to admire the view while pretending your bus isn’t clinging to a mere ribbon of road floating above a thousand meter drop, but the scenery between Cajamarca and Chachapoyas is nothing if not admirable. The road is gashed across the mountainside, a single lane of hairpin curves that winds through an amazing cross section of Peruvian microclimates, from terraced farmland to arid desert, from semi-tropical fruit groves to fog-shrouded cloud forests.

Our 2007 guidebook (and most websites I checked) still say that the road is in poor condition and buses are infrequent, but within the past few years the road has been reworked to make it safer, and transportation options have improved. (For a flowery description of this route, check out my article in November 2009 for Living In Peru.)

This route was made for a roadtrip. If you had your own form of transportation this would be an awesome place to explore, but since Rob and I have been bus sort of people this trip, I’ll refer roadtrippers to Kojin’s excellent description of driving this route. If you’re busing it, though, this is what you should know:

Getting from here to there: bus logistics

Start in Cajamarca: Several bus companies (all located near the 4th block of Av. Atahualpa) ferry passengers every day through sleepy Andean scenery from Cajamarca to Celendin (3 hours, S/.10 [$3.50]), though Movil Tours is the only one I found that goes straight through to Chachapoyas (12 hours, S/.45 [$16.50]).

• Movil Tours: Leaves from Cajamarca every morning at 6am, barring bad weather in the rainy season. Passes through Celendín at 9am, and Leymebamba around 3pm. Address: 4th block of Av. Atahualpa. Tel: +51 (041) 47-8545.
• Virgen del Carmen: Leaves from Celendín Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am. Both bus companies stop for a quick lunch break about an hour after crossing the Marañon River. (S/.30 [$10.50]) Tel: +51 (041) 79-3558.

Start in Chachapoyas: From Chachapoyas it’s possible to take combis to Leymebamba, or get on one of the Celendín- or Cajamarca-bound buses. The trip takes about 3 hours to Leymebamba, or 8 hours to Celendín.

• Movil Tours: Leaves Chachapoyas every day at 6am. Address: La Libertad 464.
• Virgen del Carmen: Leaves Chachapoyas Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 5am. Address: Salamanca 956.

Finding adventure along the way.

Celendín and Leymebamba are the two best places to break up the trip—both are quite interesting for exploring traditional Andean villages and ancient ruins, and are great places for hiking and trekking.

Celendín: hot springs, burial towers, and Andean life.

Celendín (1000 meters) is quiet town of about 15,000 people with plenty of restaurants and basic hotels within a few blocks of the Plaza de Armas. The rural villages nestled in the hills above can be reached by combi or taxi for a few soles, and the trails through the countryside are a pleasant place for a stroll. Other attractions take a bit more effort to reach, as there is no organized tourism in the area. Check out CelendinPeru.com (English) or Cajamarca-Sucesos.com (Spanish) for more information on local sites such as the hot springs of the Valley of Llanguat or the Chullpas (mausoleums) de la Chocta.

Leymebamba: trekking, mummies, and ruins

The area around Leymebamba (2200 meters) is especially interesting for those who want to explore the pre-Inca culture of the Chachapoyas people. In 1996 a group of farmers discovered a group of chullpas (mausoleums) by the Laguna de los Condores, with more than 200 mummies entombed inside. These are now being studied in the Museo Leymebamba, which is located a few kilometers outside of town.

The hike out to Laguna de los Condores requires a minimum of three days. If you have time, other less famous but equally interesting sites such as Chuquibamba, the burial sites of La Petaca and Diablo Huasi, and the valley of Atuen can be accessed through another three- to four-day hike.

Though there are no tour agencies in Leymebamba, so ask at the hotels La Casona de Leymebamba or Laguna de Los Condores, or the Museo Leymebamba, to be connected with a guide. Alternatively, you can arrange your visit through an agency in Chachapoyas.

Travel in the rainy season



One caution: heavy rains during the rainy season can cause landslides, which are normally cleared out quickly. Always check ahead with locals about road conditions (call the bus companies: Virgen del Carmen (041) 79-3558 or Movil Tours (041) 47-8545, or shoot an email to one of the organizations listed in this article, or to the friendly folks at Vilaya Tours in Chachapoyas).

If in doubt about the condition of this road, consider going through Chiclayo/Pedro Ruiz in order to reach Chachapoyas, instead (the whole road is paved). Be safe, but don’t let a bit of rain deter you!

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