Chachapoyas in the north central highlands of Peru
This fortress is the largest stone structure of South America. It contains more than 450 stone houses. It is located on a mountain higher than Machu Picchu, is much older than the Inca Empire. This Machu Picchu of the North was found in better condition than the one in the South. The Kuelap complex remains relatively unknown in this remote zone, which only thirty years ago took two months to walk out to from the nearest road. The fortress is filled with a million air plants, bromeliads and orchids, high on a mountain top, in this mysterious cloud forest.

Kuelap is situated on an escarpment at 3000m (9840ft). Massive walls form a giant platform on which the city is built. You don't so much as walk into Kuelap as walk on to it. The exterior walls rise up to 20m (65ft) tall, and extend along the ridge for 584m (639yds.).



To enter the site there are three narrow entrances and once inside there are many roundhouses typical of Chachapoya design. There are two obvious religious places namely the Castillo which is a platform overlooking the second entrance and the unusual Tintero, which appears like a chopped off inverted cone. The outer walls are impressive but what makes a visit to Kuelap so special is the feeling of mystery in a place that once was lost and is still not fully understood. Much of the site is covered by trees, laden with bromeliads orchids and mosses and home to many birds.