Quiocta Caverns

The Quiocta cavern is one of the most mysterious tourist attractions in the entire province of Luya. A deep and for many dark cave that for centuries has kept archaeological remains of the Chachapoyas culture, including human bones.

The one in Quiocta is among the 5 most fascinating caverns in Peru due to its 545 meters depth, almost all of them horizontal. In addition to bones for having been a pre-Inca cemetery, tourists and speleologists find inside intriguing ancient paintings, bats, ancient stalactites and stalagmites and even a stream.

All the qualities of the cave made it a Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2003. A gloomy cavity not suitable for claustrophobics that every adventurer should know, but we won't say more so you can discover it for yourself.

What to see and do in the Quiocta Caverns?

Get to know the sarcophagi of Karajía. After exploring the Quiocta cave, you have to visit the sacred sarcophagi of Karajía, just 10 kilometers away, archaeological remains that are part of the Luya tourist circuit.
Visit other caves of Lámud. Although it is the most popular and impressive, the Quiocta cave is not the only cave in Lámud, a district that has 8 other caves separated a few kilometers from each other. Some of them are the caves of Vaquín, Huacangral and Lemchada, the latter one thousand meters north of Quiocta.
Visit places in Chachapoyas. You cannot leave Chachapoyas without first going through other valuable tourist attractions such as:
Luya Urco Viewpoint: place from where you have a beautiful view of the city and which is also one of the meeting points of the capital of Amazonas.
Pampas de Higos Urco: just 2.4 kilometers away from the Plaza de Armas (8 minutes by car) is this historical attraction, where on June 6, 1821 and before the declaration of the independence of Peru, the Battle of Figs Urco.

More cave features

Now if you go a little further inland, you will see a gallery on the right where you can see a fully active watercourse. According to the guides, it originates from the end of the cave and follows its zigzagging path.

The walk must be done slowly and with great care, since the terrain is extremely humid and slippery. At 300 meters from the mouth, there are mineral formations that come to be an accumulation of calcium carbonate.

Difference of stalactites and stalagmites

If you are a fan of cave movies on Netflix, you will understand that within the landscape there are some menacing-looking rock points. And of those I will tell you about the substantial differences.

These are the iconic stalactites that detach from the ceilings of the caves in the shape of an inverted cone. On the other hand, you will also be surprised by the stalagmites, which emerge from the ground upwards.

Both have been formed over thousands of years by the precipitation of minerals from groundwater. Which calls the visitor's attention for being a very interesting place, seen from the geological and archaeological point.

Incredible calcareous rock formations

There are seven rooms in total with whimsical shapes such as the sand eel, the angel looking at the birth, the mummy, the cacique looking at the princesses, the cemetery, the lavatory and the Inca.

How to get to the Quiocta Caverns?

The cavern is a cavity inside a mountain in the long Cordillera de la Andes in the city of Lámud, province of Luya.

From Chachapoyas to Luya there are 31 kilometers, more or less an hour by bus from the land terminal of the capital of the department of Amazonas.

At the Luya terminal, take another bus that after 3.5 kilometers (15 minutes) reaches Lámud, from where you travel 30 minutes in a van that leaves you on a trail that you have to walk (10 minutes) to get to the cavern.

Recommendations:

Hire a guide. Although the adventure is to enter and see everything that the old cavern keeps, the tour would not be complete without knowing the information about the place and that is why the guides are there. Also, going in alone could be dangerous.
Bring boots, flashlight and trekking pole. The walk is not very easy because you walk on muddy and dark terrain, so it is necessary to take knee-high rubber boots, a flashlight, flexible clothing and, if possible, a trekking pole.
Recommended for ages 10 and up. Exploring the cave is an activity for the whole family, but if you are traveling with children, it is better if they are over 10 years old. It will be necessary to jump or take long steps to avoid falling into puddles.
Bring a change of clothes. The humidity of the cave makes it likely that you will get a bit wet or muddy, so bringing a handy change of clothes will be a good idea. Don't leave the coat.

Best Tours in Peru

Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.

If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticket in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.