This is a beautiful lake, which is worth a visit in its own right. However, most people go for the archeology. Though most have been looted, there were over 200 mummies in sealed tombs in the cliff above the lake.

Practicalities

This is a ten hour hike each way, though you can also rent a horse. Many trekking agencies have treks here. It’s recommended as a three day trek, one day in, the second day at the lake and visiting the tombs and the third day hiking back out. You can also visit the Leymebamba Museum to learn about the Chachapoyas tombs at the lake.

It’s about a 3 hour drive from Chachapoyas to Leimebamba. From there you start the 10 hour hike to the lake. The campground is only a few minutes walk from the lake. You can rent camping gear in Chachapoyas and do this trek on your own. However, I would recommend going with a local trekking agency.