Lonely Planet PeruBrendan Sainsbury et al.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Peru
Brendan Sainsbury et al. · 2025
Covers the Amazonas region around Chachapoyas, the base for the Gocta and Yumbilla hikes and Kuélap fortress.
Peru · Junín Department
Chiri Yaku
Chiri Yaku is a waterfall in the Junín Region of Peru. It is located in the Chanchamayo Province, Vitoc District, at a height of 1,033 m .
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Chiri Yaku drops 20 metres (66 ft). It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is San Ramón, Peru. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Chiri Yaku itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from San Ramón are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Tropical wet season fed: the rains bring the volume, the first dry months bring the clear skies and full falls together.
Getting there
- Base town San Ramón, Peru
- Country Peru
- Region Junín Department, Andes & Amazon, South America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Chiri Yaku
Peru
Height20 mWidth—
Most similar
Tequendamita Falls
Colombia
Height20 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Colombia
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
Most similar
Tequendamita Falls
Colombia
Height20 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Colombia
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
20 m
20 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Chiri YakuTequendamita FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 49× taller than Chiri Yaku. Victoria Falls is 5.4× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Chiri Yaku yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Guidebook
South American Handbook
Ben Box · 2017
The one-volume continental handbook, useful for multi-country trips that link falls such as Iguazú, Kaieteur and Angel Falls.
On the map
-11.1824, -75.311
Quick answers
Where is Chiri Yaku?
Chiri Yaku is in Peru (Junín Department). The nearest base is San Ramón, Peru. Its coordinates are -11.1824, -75.3110.
How tall is Chiri Yaku?
Chiri Yaku drops 20 metres (66 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Chiri Yaku?
Peak flow is January to May. Tropical wet season fed: the rains bring the volume, the first dry months bring the clear skies and full falls together.
What can you do at Chiri Yaku?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Chiri Yaku?
The usual base is San Ramón, Peru. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Chiri Yaku
Maria Jiray Falls
Peru · 300 m · 290 km away
María Jiray is a man-made waterfall located at 3400 meters above sea level, near the town of Acopalca, in the…
Full guide Gocta Falls
Peru · 771 m · 640 km away
One of the world's tallest waterfalls, unknown to the wider world until 2006
Yumbilla Falls
Peru · 896 m · 650 km away
One of the five tallest waterfalls in the world
Pailón del Diablo
Ecuador · 1,140 km away
Pailón del Diablo is one of the most famous waterfalls in Ecuador, located near the town of Río Verde in the…