Chachapoyas is the capital of the Amazonas department but is still mainly a small town. Despite being in this department, Chachapoyas is not in the Amazon basin, but in the mountains at an altitude of 2335m / 7659ft. The town is in a remote location and requires a bit of journey to get there from other major centers in the north. It is
approximately 8 hours by bus from Chiclayo or 16 hours from Cajamarca.
This is a pleasant town with some nearby archeological sites to explore. Many of these are visited on hikes or overnight treks that may include camping. This area is cloud forest and best visited during the dry season of May to September.
In Chachapoyas there are some easy walks that lead to lookout points over the city and surroundings. Also of interest is the Instituto Nacional de Cultura Museo, with pre-Columbian artifacts and mummies.