The archaeological site of Kuélap is one of the jewels of northern Peru. And thanks to its cable car system, the first of its kind in Peru, the fortress/settlement/citadel is far more accessible than it once was.
Update, July 2026: Much has changed since I first wrote this guide. In April 2022, part of Kuélap’s southern perimeter wall collapsed and the site closed for more than a year. It partially reopened in August 2023 and access has been expanding in stages ever since, with the restored southern wall sector reopening to visitors in mid 2026. The site is now closed on Mondays, daily visitor numbers are capped, and entry tickets must be booked in advance through the Ministry of Culture’s official platform (tuboleto.cultura.pe). I have updated the prices below where I could verify them; treat anything else as a rough guide from my original visit and double check the latest situation in Chachapoyas.
Kuélap tours leave from Chachapoyas every day except Monday, when the site is closed (read my Chachapoyas travel guide here), but you can also visit Kuélap independently. Read more about both options below.
Where Is Kuélap Fortress?
First things first: Where is Kuélap?
The Chachapoyan walled settlement is located near the city of Chachapoyas in the Amazonas Region of northern Peru. It’s about 14 miles (22.5 km) south of Chachapoyas as the crow flies. With the teleférico (cable car), most visitors now reach Kuélap from the small town of Nuevo Tingo.
You can fly to Chachapoyas directly from Lima with ATSA Airlines, or directly from Tarapoto with SAETA. Flight schedules to Chachapoyas change often, so check what is currently flying before you book.
Kuélap Fortress, Amazonas, Peru
Kuélap Tours From Chachapoyas
The one-day tour of Kuélap is the classic thing to do from Chachapoyas, along with day trips to Gocta Waterfall. You’ll find tour agencies dotted around the Plaza de Armas of Chachapoyas and surrounding streets, all of which offer tours to Kuélap.
I went with Chachapoyas Expedition (www.facebook.com/chachapoyas.expedition), who I can highly recommend. The agency is located on the main square of Chachapoyas (Ortiz Arrieta 530).
Chachapoyas Expedition, like other agencies, have departures to Kuélap every morning except Monday, when the site is closed. The trip cost S/90 (about $28) when this guide was first written, which was the standard price for most Kuélap tours at the time. Expect to pay more now, and check current prices with the agencies in Chachapoyas.
The tour typically includes the minibus to Nuevo Tingo; the cable car (S/26.50 return as of this update); entrance to Kuélap; an English-speaking guide; and lunch in Nuevo Tingo. Since late 2024, Kuélap entry tickets must be reserved in advance on the official tuboleto.cultura.pe platform, so confirm that your agency is taking care of the booking when you sign up.
Tours leave from Chachapoyas between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Typical tour groups seem to consist of anywhere between five to 20 people. Daily visitor numbers at Kuélap are now capped and the site is explored along set circuits, so tours run to a tighter schedule than they once did.
It takes about an hour to get to Nuevo Tingo, where you’ll first go to the shiny new Estación de Embarque (boarding station). You’ll probably have to hang around here for a bit while your group waits its turn to board a minibus for the short ride up to the cable car platform (Andén 1). Once up at the cable car platform, hop into one of the eight-seat cabins — of which there are 26 in total — for the 20 minute ride up to the upper platform (Andén 2).
Once you arrive up at Andén 2 and the Kuélap visitor center, your guide will take you on the walk up to Kuélap itself. It’s maybe a 20- to 30-minute walk; you can hire a horse if needed.
The tour of the site will probably take about two hours, maybe three if you’re going slowly. Once you’re done, you’ll head back to the cable car for the return trip to Nuevo Tingo, where you’ll have lunch. After eating, you’ll board your minibus for the return trip to Chachapoyas. You should be back by 4 p.m.
A Chachapoyas Expedition minibus for tours to Kuélap. Photo by Tony Dunnell.
Kuélap Tours From Other Cities
You can arrange Kuélap tours from other cities in Peru, including Tarapoto and Lima. These will often be package tours to Kuélap that include hotels and transportation. I’m guessing it might also be possible to arrange a package tour to Kuélap from Chiclayo and perhaps Cajamarca.
Considering how easy it is to get to Chachapoyas independently, and then to Kuélap by local tour or independently, there’s not much point in arranging a package tour to Kuélap from outside Chachapoyas.
How to Get to Kuélap Independently By Bus and Cable Car
If you want to save some money and avoid the tour groups, then it’s easy enough to get to Kuélap independently.
First, head to the Terminal Terrestre de Chachapoyas, the city’s main bus terminal. It’s just over half a mile from the city center, so it’s totally walkable, but take a taxi if you’re feeling lazy. Colectivos (minibuses) leave the terminal for Nuevo Tingo every hour. The fare was between S/7 and S/10 each way when I last did the trip; expect to pay a little more now. It takes about an hour, maybe an hour and a half.
Once you arrive in Tingo Nuevo, walk up to the Estación de Embarque. It’s uphill, but not too far. Buy your cable car ticket (S/26.50 return as of this update, keep your ticket safe) and wait your turn to be shuttled up to the first platform by minibus. Note that the cable car runs Tuesday to Sunday only, roughly from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Once you’re at the platform, hop on the cable car for the 20-minute ride up to the entrance to Kuélap. Enjoy the scenery, or pretend you’re James Bond in Moonraker.
One big change from the old days: you can no longer just turn up and pay for your Kuélap entry at the gate. Tickets must now be reserved in advance through the official tuboleto.cultura.pe platform. The basic circuit ticket is free but still needs to be booked, while the fuller circuit that enters the walled llaqta itself has cost roughly S/20 to S/30 for adult foreigners in recent years, depending on the promotional rates in force. Daily visitor numbers are capped, so book at least a day or two ahead, especially in high season.
If you decide you’d like a guide, then you should be able to find one near the ticket office or where the path up to Kuélap begins. Ask in the ticket office if you’re not sure. I was told a guide at the site charged around S/50 back when this guide was first written; expect the rate to be higher now. That’s OK if you’re in a group of four or five, but pretty expensive if you’re alone or a couple. You might be able to negotiate the price if there’s just one or two of you, or perhaps join up with another group. Look around, weigh up the options and don’t be afraid to negotiate a little (but not too much). To get the most out of Kuélap, it is best to go with a guide.
Two or three hours is enough for exploring Kuélap quite extensively. Once you’re done, head back down to the cable car for the return leg to Nuevo Tingo. You can either eat lunch in Nuevo Tingo or start looking for a colectivo to take you back to Chachapoyas. It shouldn’t be too hard to track one down; ask around if you’re having any problems.
All in all, going to Kuélap independently isn’t all that much cheaper than going with a tour. Let’s say you spend S/14 or more for the colectivo (there and back), S/26.50 for the cable car, and something in the S/20 to S/30 range for the full entrance ticket if you want to enter the llaqta. You’ve already spent S/60 or more and that’s without lunch and with no guide. But if you want to spend a little less, aren’t bothered about having a guide, and want to avoid the whole tour scenario, then go for it.
A cable car descends from Andén 2 (at 2,930 meters above sea level) on its return from Kuélap to Andén 1 and the town of Nuevo Tingo. Photo by Tony Dunnell.
Trekking to Kuélap
If you love trekking up hills then you can skip the cable car altogether in favor of a grueling 5.5 mile (8.9 km) uphill hike.
To do this, you need to take the bus to Tingo (Viejo) rather than Nuevo Tingo. They’re close to each other, but make sure you go to the correct one. Once you arrive in Tingo Viejo, you should be able to find the signposted trailhead (ask around if not).
The hike can take four hours, so you need to set off early in the morning. The trail is well marked, but you won’t find much on the way, so take enough water and snacks for the walk. If you run out of time or decide you don’t want to walk back down after visiting Kuélap, you can always return on the cable car.
One important change: even if you hike up, you still need a pre-booked entry ticket from tuboleto.cultura.pe, and the site is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly.
Kuélap Opening Hours
Kuélap is now open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. The site opens at 9 a.m. and entry to the walled llaqta ends in the mid afternoon, while the cable car generally runs from 8 a.m. to around 4:30 p.m. Opening hours have changed more than once since the 2022 wall collapse, so double check on the official platform or with an agency in Chachapoyas before you go.