Waterfalls in Peru

Peru's tallest waterfalls are not in the well-travelled south but in the cloud-forest valleys of Amazonas, in the north, where the eastern Andes fall away towards the Amazon basin. Gocta drops 771 metres in two tiers near the village of Cocachimba; local communities always knew it, but it reached a wider audience only after a German-led expedition in 2002 and a Peruvian government announcement in 2006. Yumbilla, near Cuispes in the same province of Bongara, was measured by Peru's National Geographic Institute in 2007 at about 896 metres over several tiers, which places it among the five tallest waterfalls in the world. Both are day hikes from Chachapoyas, the regional capital, which also serves as the base for visiting the pre-Inca fortress of Kuelap.

When to go

Amazonas has a clear wet season from about November to April and a drier one from May to September. The falls carry the most water towards the end of the rains, so April to June is a good compromise between strong flow and passable trails; July to September brings the firmest paths, though Yumbilla in particular can thin. Mid-wet-season hikes mean deep mud and cloud over the upper tiers.

Getting around

Chachapoyas is the base for both falls. The quickest route from Lima is a direct flight to Chachapoyas, or a flight to Jaén followed by three to four hours by road; the alternative is an overnight bus from Chiclayo on the coast. From Chachapoyas, colectivos and mototaxis reach the Gocta trailheads at Cocachimba and San Pablo, or Cuispes for Yumbilla, in about an hour. The Gocta hike is roughly 11 to 12 kilometres return.

Entry requirements

US, Canadian, UK and EU citizens enter Peru visa-free as tourists; officers usually grant up to 90 days on arrival, within a maximum of 183 days in any 12 months. Make sure your entry is recorded, especially at land borders.

Entry rules checked September 2026. They change without much notice — confirm with the official government source before you travel.