Falls View... With Llamas on the Lawn!

Mountains, ancient ruins, cloud forest, and one of the highest falls in the world… This hotel is in the heart of one of the most beautiful parts of little-touristed northern Peru. And the food is delicious too!

We think this still relatively undiscovered area of Peru will be the next big thing. How could it not be with mountains, ancient ruins, cloud forest, and one of the highest falls in the world?


The ruins of Kuelap are the Machu Picchu of northern Peru (minus the crowds.) The walled stronghold on the mountain top is one of the most impressive and significant pre-Columbian ruins in all South America. More than 5000 people, known as Chachapoyas or Cloud Warriors, lived here about 1500 years ago until the Incas chased them out at the end of the 15th century.


The site was abandoned after the Spanish conquest and almost disappeared, The area is surrounded by cloud forest supporting a rich growth of bromeliads and orchids and local fauna. Kuelpa was rediscovered in the 1840s and began to be officially protected in 1979. Now a cable car makes this wondrous site more accessible.


When we explore the area, we stay at the spectacularly located Gocta Lodge with staggering views of Gocta Waterfall (14th highest falls in the world). Each of the 10 simple, tastefully decorated rooms has a balcony or terrace facing the falls or you can soak up the views from the wooden deck chairs around the small pool. And the food is great too – we recommend the beef with yellow pepper sauce.



This is just one of the lovely hotels we’ll be staying at on our trip to Northern Peru in October, 2022.