Cajamarca
Practical Guide for Travelers
Cajamarca
Location Northern mountain area of Peru
Capital
Cajamarca (9,022 ft / 2,750 m)
Altitude
Min.:
Max.:
1,312 ft (400 m) (Nanchoc)
11,778 ft (3,590 m) (Hualgayoc)
Weather
Temperature
Max.:
72 °F (22 °C)
Min.: 41 °F (5 °C)
How to get here?
By land Dec-Apr Jun-Sept
Lima-Trujillo-Cajamarca: 541 miles (870 km) / 14 h
Trujillo-Cajamarca: 186 miles (300 km) / 6 h
Chiclayo-Cajamarca: 165 miles (265 km) / 6 h
Piura-Cajamarca: 296 miles (476 km) / 9 h
Chachapoyas-Jaén: 114 miles (183 km) / 4 h
By air
Lima-Cajamarca: 1 h
Lima-Jaén: 1 h 30 min
to Santa María de Nieva
Cajamarca
Department capital
Province capital
District capital
Tourist attraction
International border
Provincial border
Main road
Paved road
Dirt road
Airport
Protected Natural Area
ECUADOR
Approved by DR 0204/RE of October 24, 2019. The borders indicated make no claims over international boundaries.
PIURA
Santuario nacional Tabaconas Namballe
San Ignacio
SAN IGNACIO
LLapa
San Miguel de Pallaques
Museo de sitio Kuntur Wasi
San Luis Grande
Jaén
San Silvestre de Cochán
Catarata de Condac
Granja Porcón
San Pablo
Complejo arqueológico Kuntur Wasi
San Bernardino
Ventanillas de Combayo
Santuario de la Virgen del Rosario de Polloc
Ventanillas de Otuzco
Catán
Chilete CAJAMARCA
Contumazá
Complejo arqueológico de Cumbemayo
Chetilla Magdalena
Hacienda La Colpa
Asunción
Baños del Inca
Baños del Inca
Cascadas de Llacanora Callacpuma
Llacanora
Jesús
San Juan
Namora Encañada
Laguna San Nicolás
Refugio de vida silvestre Bosques Nublados de Udima
CUTERVO
Parque Nacional Cutervo
Cutervo
Zona Reservada Chancaybaños
Santa Cruz de Succhabamba
SANTA CRUZ
SAN MIGUEL
San Miguel de Pallaques
Guzmango
CHOTA
Chota Bambamarca
HUALGAYOC
SAN PABLO
San Pablo Contumazá
Coto de caza Sunchubamba
2 4 8 Escala gráfica (km) 12
CELENDÍN
Celendín
AMAZONAS
Coto de caza Sunchubamba
SAN MARTÍN
SAN MARCOS
Cajabamba CONTUMAZA
San Marcos
CAJABAMBA
Cascada de Cochecorral Aguas termales de Aguas Calientes
to Trujillo to Lima to Huamachuco to Trujillo
Matara
Cajamarca brings together three ingredients that make it an unforgettable destination: beautiful landscapes, a rich history, and a magnificent colonial architecture.
Cumbemayo Stone Forest © Omar Carbajal
Distances
San Marcos (San Marcos Province)
San Pablo (San Pablo Province)
(Hualgayoc Province)
Cajabamba (Cajabamba Province)
(Contumazá Province)
San Miguel de Pallaques (San Miguel Province)
Chota (Chota Province)
Santa Cruz de Succhabamba (Santa Cruz Province)
(Cutervo Province)
(Jaén Province)
San Ignacio (San Ignacio Province)
Tours
½ day
½ day
½ day
½ day
½ day
½ days (minimum recommended stay)
Cajamarca city tour: Plaza de Armas, main religious temples, Rescue Room, museums, and Santa Apolonia viewpoint
Cumbemayo archaeological complex
Porcón farm
Llacanora waterfalls and Inca Baths
Otuzco windows
Feb-Mar (date may change)
Mar-Apr (date may change)
May-Jun (date may change)
Jun 24
Jul 24-31
Sep 23-25
Carnival of Cajamarca
Palm Sunday or Fiesta de las Cruces de Porcón
Corpus Christi
Feast of San Juan Bautista
Fongal fair of Cajamarca
Señor de Huamantanga
Rosquitas de manteca © Renzo Tasso / PROMPERÚ
What to visit?
Cajamarca Province
Catedral Santa Catalina
Jr. Cruz de Piedra s/n, Plaza de Armas
Santa Catalina cathedral was built under Royal Decree in 1655, which mandated the establishment of a Spanish parish in the city. The façade of this temple, which in 1682 was declared a cathedral, is one of the finest examples of Peruvian Baroque, with its columns, cornices, and carved niches. The high altar and pulpit were worked in wood and gold leaf.
Iglesia de San Francisco
At Dos de Mayo and Amalia Puga streets. Hours of the museum of Religious Art and Crypts: Wed-Sat, 10:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:00. Entrance to the museum requires an admission ticket. There are crypts of Franciscan monks and members of the indigenous nobility under the high altar of San Francisco church. There is also an important collection of religious objects that belonged to the Franciscan order.
Cuarto del Rescate
Jr. Amalia Puga 750
Tue-Sun, 9:00-13:00 and 14:30-18:00. Entrance fee charged. With stone walls and a trapezoidal shape, the Rescue Room is the only Inca construction left in the city. It is known to have been the prison of Inca Atahualpa, who offered Francisco Pizarro to fill the room twice with silver and once with gold in exchange for his freedom.
Conjunto monumental Belén
Jr. Belén, cdra. 6. Tue-Sun, 9:00-13:00 and 14:30-18:00. Entrance fee charged. The Belen complex is composed of the Baroque-style temple, the museum of medicine and the museum of archaeology and ethnography.
Centro Cultural Municipal Miguel Espinach
Jr. Cruz de Piedra 613. The Marionette Museum requires an admission ticket. The Espinach mansion was the seat of the municipal palace from 1934 to 2015. Currently, it has become a Municipal Cultural Center and hosts entertainment spaces such as the Manuel Taica Marionette Museum, the Andrés Zevallos showroom, the Kori Wasi room, among others.
Mirador del cerro Santa Apolonia
Jr. Dos de Mayo, 2 blocks from Plaza de Armas. Mon-Sun, 7:00-18:00.
Entrance fee charged.
The Santa Apolonia viewpoint is located on a hill that was formerly called Rumi Tiana (“stone seat” in Quechua). A path of stairs, where there is a chapel consecrated to the Virgen de Fátima, leads to the top, from where you have a privileged view of the city and the valley. There are pre-Inca remains nearby, such as the Inca’s chair.
Iglesia y convento de las monjas concepcionistas descalzas
At Urrelo and Amalia Puga streets
The church and convent of the Discalced Conceptionist Nuns is a temple built out of volcanic stone that stands out for the sobriety of its architecture.
Convento Iglesia La Recoleta
At El Maestro and Los Héroes avenues
La Recoleta church and convent was built in the 17th century.
Casa museo Nicolás Puga
Jr. José Gálvez 634. Entrance fee charged. Please call (076) 281-287 / 976-234-433 before your visit.
The Nicolás Puga House and Museum has a collection of pre-Hispanic, colonial and republican art pieces that belonged to the most distinguished families in the city.
Ruta artesanal de Mollepampa
2 miles (3 km) southeast of the city of Cajamarca (10 min by car)
Visits after coordination with the artisans Mollepampa is a neighborhood of ceramic workshops, where artists show visitors their creativity and skill in the manufacture of their products and promote a space for interaction with the tourists.
Complejo turístico Baños del Inca
4 miles (6 km) east of the city of Cajamarca (20 min by car)
Mon-Fri, 5:00-19:45 and Sat-Sun, 5:00-19:30. Entrance fee charged. The story tells that the Inca Atahualpa was resting in this place when the conqueror Francisco Pizarro captured him. It is a complex of ponds and pools with thermal springs over 162 °F (72 °C). Due to the medicinal properties of the water, it is a recommended visit for those suffering from dermal, rheumatic, and nervous problems.
Ventanillas de Otuzco
5 miles (8 km) northeast of the city of Cajamarca (20 min by car)
Mon-Sun, 9:00-18:00. Entrance fee charged.
The Windows of Otuzco are a set of square niches carved on an immense rock formation of volcanic origin. Their construction is linked to the Cajamarca culture, which ruled the area between 700 and 800 AD.
Pinturas rupestres de Callacpuma
6 miles (9 km) east of the city of Cajamarca (20 min by car)
Mon-Sun, 9:00-18:00
The cave paintings of Callacpuma hill (also known as Puma Orco) represent humans, animals, and geometric figures. They are estimated to be 15,000 years old.
Hacienda La Colpa
7 miles (11 km) southeast of the city of Cajamarca (15 min by car)
Mon-Sun, 8:00-18:00. Entrance fee charged.
The La Colpa Manor House is a privately-owned dairy cattle ranch, open to tourism. Its main attraction is to see how the cows come to their caretaker, who calls them by name.
Cascadas de Llacanora
8 miles (13 km) east of the city of Cajamarca (25 min by car)
Mon-Sun, 8:00-18:00. Entrance fee charged.
Llanacora is a traditional and peaceful village, from where you can start a walk towards two waterfalls that share its name. During the rainy season (October-April), the water flow increases and offers a wonderful natural spectacle.
Complejo arqueológico de Cumbemayo
12 miles (20 km) southwest of the city of Cajamarca (1 h by car)
Mon-Sun, 9:00-17:00. Entrance fee charged.
The Cumbemayo archaeological complex is made up of an aqueduct, which dates back to 1300 BC, a sanctuary with walls covered with petroglyphs and a set of caves. Around the complex there is a forest of stones with formations similar to the silhouettes of friars.
Musician with a Cajamarca clarinet at the carnival © Josip Curich / PROMPERÚ
Ventanillas de Combayo
12 miles (20 km) northeast of the city of Cajamarca (1 h by car)
Mon-Sun, 9:00-16:00
The Combayo Windows are niches sculpted on immense rocks which form a peculiar mosaic when seen from afar. The visit is also an exceptional opportunity to see the grey-veined comet, an endangered and unique species of hummingbird.
Granja Porcón
19 miles (30 km) north of the city of Cajamarca (1 h by car)
Mon-Sun, 8:00-17:00. Entrance fee charged.
Visitors to the Porcón Farm will be able to participate in agricultural, livestock, and forestry activities, and learn about the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the area. To discover the local flora and fauna, just go for a walk through its peaceful forest.
Laguna San Nicolás
19 miles (31 km) southeast of the city of Cajamarca (1 h by car)
Mon-Sun, 8:30-18:00
San Nicolás is considered the largest navigable natural lagoon in Cajamarca. It has a variety of flora and fauna, as well as floating islands surrounded by aquatic plants. In this beautiful place you can practice rural tourism activities: ride in totora boats, practice artisanal fishing, trekking, and bird watching. You can also visit the guitar craftsmen and Los Sapitos stone forest in Namora district.
Santuario de la Virgen del Rosario de Polloc
21 miles (34 km) east of the city of Cajamarca (35 min by car)
Mon-Sun, 9:00-18:00. Entrance fee charged. This sanctuary is dedicated to Virgen del Rosario, patron saint of the town of Polloc. Tradition has it that this image appeared in this place, where a natural water source is currently born and on which a beautiful enclosure, a chapel and a school were built. The artwork was made by children and adolescents led by Don Bosco school.
San Marcos Province
Aguas termales de Aguas Calientes
58 miles (94 km) southeast of the city of Cajamarca (1 h 50 min by car)
Mon-Sun, 8:00-20:00. Entrance fee charged.
The Aguas Calientes hot spring baths reach temperatures above 104 °F (40 °C). Due to their high mineral content, they are considered therapeutic to alleviate rheumatic and nervous system ailments. There is a place to stay and a restaurant.
San Pablo Province
Museo de sitio Kuntur Wasi
2 miles (3 km) from the city of San Pablo (7 min by car) Tue-Sun, 9:00-17:00. Entrance fee charged.
Gold objects, semi-precious stones, ceramic and lithic pieces, and human remains found in Kuntur Wasi are exhibited at this site museum, as well as the plans and photographs of the research team that led the excavations.
Complejo arqueológico Kuntur Wasi
42 miles (68 km) west of the city of Cajamarca (2 h 30 min by car) Mon-Sun, 10:00-18:00. Entrance fee charged. Platforms, squares, and enclosures make up the Kuntur Wasi archaeological complex, a stone ceremonial center dating back to 1100 BC. In this area human corpses have been found covered with red dyes and surrounded by offerings.
Cajabamba Province
Cascada de Cochecorral
91 miles (146 km) south of the city of Cajamarca (3 h 15 min by car) Mon-Sun, 9:00-14:00. Free entrance. The action of water at the Cochecorral waterfalls has formed natural steps. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cajabamba.
Santa Cruz Province
Zona Reservada Chancaybaños
119 miles (191 km) northwest of the city of Cajamarca (4 h 30 min by car)
Free admission. Please send an email to jcordovam@sernanp.gob.pe and afrias@sernanp.gob.pe, 5 days in advance before your visit: Its 2,628 hectares protect the outcrops of hot springs and the surrounding forests, habitat of endangered species of flora and fauna. It includes the tropical pre-mountain dry forest, the tropical low pre-mountain dry forest and the tropical pre-mountain thorny scrubland.
Chota Province
Bosque de piedras de Chucumaca
12 miles (20 km) from the city of Chota (1 h by car). Mon-Sun, 8:00-17:00. Entrance fee charged.
The Chucumaca Stone Forest is made up of limestone cliffs that give rise to various whimsical and unique shapes. Circular spaces have been formed in the form of amphitheaters surrounded by protruding rocks that resemble characters in an attitude of waiting.
Zona arqueológica de Pacopampa
59 miles (95 km) from the city of Chota (3 h by car) Mon-Sun, 9:00-17:00. Entrance fee charged. The Pacopampa archaeological area is one of the largest ceremonial centers of the formative period of northern Peru, its platforms are made of carved and polished stone. In this place there have been important discoveries, such as “la dama de Pacopampa” and “el señor de los pututos.”
Cutervo Province
Parque Nacional Cutervo
162 miles (260 km) north of the city of Cajamarca (7 h 30 min by car).
Before your visit, please contact (076) 437-457 or pncutervo@sernanp.gob.pe. Free admission.
The Cutervo National Park was created to protect the representative flora and fauna of the Tarros mountain range, such as jaguars, tigrillos, spectacled bears, and otters. In the walks through this park, you will discover pajonales, dwarf forests, and mist forests. One of its main attractions is the Cueva de los Guácharos, inhabited by nocturnal birds.
San Ignacio Province
Catarata Bella encantadora
46 miles (74 km) from the city of San Ignacio (2 h 30 min by car) Mon-Sun, 9:00-17:00. Entrance fee charged.
This impressive waterfall, whose name translates to “Beautiful Enchanting,” is formed by the waters that flow from the black mountain, which run to Las Malvinas ravine and encounter a rocky precipice, giving rise to a jump of 427 ft (130 m) and forming a natural lagoon at the base. Its wooded environment presents a diverse ecosystem where hummingbirds and cockerels can be seen from the rocks.
Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe
441 miles (710 km) north of the city of Cajamarca (11 h by car). Before your visit, please contact sntabaconasnamballe@sernanp.gob.pe.
The objective of the Tabaconas Namballe national sanctuary is the conservation of flora and fauna in the cloud forest. It is home to 33 species of birds and 17 species of mammals, including spectacled bears, mountain tapirs, monkeys, oncillas, and deer.
Ruta del Café
414 miles (666 km) northeast of the city of Cajamarca (11 h by car)
Mon-Sun, 8:30-17:00
The Coffee Route links agriculture with tourism. You can participate in the process of planting, harvesting, and sustainable agricultural production in local coffee ventures. In addition to visits to specialty coffee shops and cooperatives, the tour is complemented by the viewpoint of Cerro Campana, the Laguna Azul and the Peroles Negros.
Jaén Province
Ruta del Café
347 miles (559 km) north of the city of Cajamarca (9 h by car) Mon-Sun, 8:00-17:00
The Coffee Route will take you through the area in which the activities of planting, harvesting and production of coffee beans are conducted. In coffee shops, different brewing methods are offered.
Área de conservación privada “Gotas de agua”
4 miles (7 km) from the city of Jaén (30 min by car) Tue-Sun, 8:30-18:00. Entrance fee charged.
The Private Conservation Area “Gotas de Agua” (“water drops”) was the first private reserve in Cajamarca. This dry forest of the Marañón river is a key point for nature lovers and birdwatchers — more than 70 species can be identified. Feel invited to walk, observe and enjoy flora, fauna, and scenic beauty around you.
Cajamarca
City Center
Urban zone
Catedral Santa Catalina
Iglesia de San Francisco
Museo de Arte Religioso y Criptas de San Francisco
Cuarto del Rescate
Conjunto Monumental Belén
Centro Cultural Municipal Miguel Espinach
Mirador del cerro Santa Apolonia
Iglesia y Convento de las Monjas Concepcionistas
Descalzas
Convento iglesia La Recoleta
Casa Museo Nicolás Puga
IPERÚ
Medical center
Police station
Post office
Jr.Cucardas
Jr.Huancavelica
Jr.Angamos
Jr.Chepén
Jr.13deJulio
Jr.Juan VillanuevaJr.HoracioUrteaga
Jr.Chanchamayo
Jr.Hualgayoc
Jr.JoséGálvez
Jr.UniónJr.Huánuco
Jr.Ancón
Jr.MiguelIglesias
Jr.Jequetepeque
Jr.Leguía
Jr.Contamana
Jr.Iquique
Jr.LosGladiolos
Jr.RevillaPérez
Jr.Pisagua
Jr.AmaliaPuga
Jr.Amazonas
Jr.Marañón
Jr.Junín Jr.Tarapacá Jr.Apurímac Jr.delBatán
Jr.delComercio
Jr.CruzdePiedra
Jr.Fraternidad Jr.Dosde Mayo
Jr.Sor ManuelaGil
Jr.Delfín Cerna Jr. Amancaes
Jr.PedroLabarthe
Jr.Loreto
Pje.SanMartín Jr.DosdeMayo
Jr.JoséSabogal
Jr.Belén
Jr.AmaliaPuga
Av.MarioUrteaga
Jr.Amazonas
Jr.CincoEsquinas
Jr.Ayacucho
Jr.ManuelSeoane
Jr.Ayacucho
Jr.ElMutuy
Jr. El Inca
Jr.Belén
Jr.Antonio GuillermoUrrelo
Jr.Soledad Jr.CincoEsquinasJr.Guadalupe
Jr.Ayacucho
Jr.Romero Jr.SilvaSantisteban
Pje.Libertad
Jr.Progreso
Jr.ElMisti
Jr.SanLuis
Jr.Progreso
Jr.Luis
Reyna Farge
Ramón
Cajamarca
C.C. Open Plaza
Cajamarca
CAJAMARCA Cajamarca
City Center (01)616-7300, ext. 1844
Jr. Cruz de Piedra 601 iperucajamarca@promperu.gob.pe
The information contained in this brochure has been updated in September 2023. To prepare it, PROMPERÚ has used official information sources, as well as the Decentralized Culture Directorate (DDC) Cajamarca and the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (DIRCETUR) of Cajamarca.
The opening hours and telephone numbers are subject to vary at each tourist attraction. Confirm the hours and telephone numbers with IPERÚ.
Published by PROMPERÚ - Peru for Exports and Tourism Promotion Agency
Calle Uno Oeste 50, 14th Floor, Urb. Córpac, San Isidro, Lima, Perú Tel. +511 616-7300 www.promperu.gob.pe © PROMPERÚ. All rights reserved
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Printed by WORK UP E. I. R. L. (Calle Albert Einstein 165, Ate, Lima) Lima, October 2023