Chachapoyas & Kuelap
Gocta Waterfall hike
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: One day
- Max elevation: 2,000 metres
- Start/end point: Cocachimba
The Gocta Waterfall is 771 metres high, making it the third highest waterfall in Peru. The forest you walk through on the way is brimming with birds and you’re likely to see several species of hummingbirds. It’s common to see the Gallito de las Rocas, often translated as Cock of the Rock, though the Spanish word “gallito” means little rooster.
Though the Chachapoyas civilisation used the waterfall area, it was unknown to the modern world of tourism until recently. In 2002 the German archeologist Stefan Ziemendorff was researching the Chachapoyas culture in the area and came upon the waterfalls. The exact height wasn’t measured until 2006.
The hike is five km each way and the trail has a lot of up and down. The trail is not difficult, but many people opt to rent a horse for the day. It can be muddy and slippery at any time of the year because of the cloud forest.
You can book with any agency in Cajamarca or Chachapoyas. If you choose to go without an agency, have cash for the S/20 entrance fee. You can also hire a guide on arrival for about S/50.
If you book through an agency, they will include transportation from Chachapoyas to Cocachimba. If you choose to go on your own, ask about public transportation in town. You will take a bus to Puente Cocahuaico and then a moto taxi (tuktuk) to the trailhead in Cocachimba.