Peru · Amazonas

Gocta Falls

Catarata del Gocta

Hidden by cloud forest above the Utcubamba valley, this two-tiered giant remained unmapped by outsiders until a German-led survey in 2005, despite being one of the tallest waterfalls on the continent. A guided trail of roughly three hours each way winds through hummingbird-filled forest from Cocachimba village.

Find tours & tickets When to go

Draceane · CC BY-SA 4.0

One of the world's tallest waterfalls, only mapped in 2005 Essentials guide

Gocta Falls drops 771 metres (2530 ft) on the Cocahuayco. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Cocachimba, with CIX the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.

Dry season (May-Sep) keeps the cloud-forest trail from turning to deep mud.

What you can do here

Swimming

Plunge pools, natural infinity pools and the occasional lip pool you can legally sit in.

Find swimming here

Camping

Falls where you can legally sleep within earshot of the water.

Hiking

From ten-minute boardwalks to multi-day approaches through cloud forest.

Photography

Light angles, moonbows, spray management and the hours that actually work.

When to go

Dry season (May-Sep) keeps the cloud-forest trail from turning to deep mud.

Entry: Local community entry fee ~$10 USD

Getting there

Base townCocachimba
AirportCIX
CountryPeru
RegionAmazonas, South America
AccessModerate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail

Flights to CIX Car hire Route options

On the map

-6.0322, -77.8272

Quick answers

How tall is Gocta Falls?

Gocta Falls drops 771 metres (2530 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall on the Cocahuayco.

When is the best time to visit Gocta Falls?

Peak flow is May to August. Dry season (May-Sep) keeps the cloud-forest trail from turning to deep mud.

What can you do at Gocta Falls?

Beyond the viewpoints: swimming, camping, 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 Gocta Falls?

The usual base is Cocachimba, and the closest airport is CIX. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there. Local community entry fee ~$10 USD.