Peruunderground
Peru's caves lie in the high Andes and in the cloud forest on their eastern side. This independent guide covers ten caves, rock shelters and cliff tombs that visitors can reach.
Explore the cavesThe best-known caves
Ten caves, rock shelters and cliff tombs. These are the ones most visitors ask about.
Gruta de Huagapo
A stream cave high in the Andes
Cueva de las Lechuzas
An oilbird cave in the high jungle
Quiocta Cavern
Dripstone and ancient burials near Lamud
Cueva de Palestina
A river cave in the Alto Mayo
Guitarrero Cave
Early textiles and cultivated plants
Pikimachay
A rock shelter near Ayacucho
Lauricocha Caves
Early burials at 4,000 metres
Qenqo
An Inca shrine carved into limestone
altitude of the Gruta de Huagapo in the Andes of Junín
years since people first used Guitarrero Cave
height of the Gocta waterfall in the limestone country of Amazonas
The oldest traces of people in Peru come from caves and rock shelters in the Andes. Hunters used them more than ten thousand years ago.
The cave of the oilbirds
The Cueva de las Lechuzas is the main attraction of Tingo María National Park. Its name means Cave of the Owls, but the birds that nest in it are oilbirds. A walkway leads into the first hall.
A cave at 3,500 metres
The Gruta de Huagapo opens in a limestone cliff above the village of Palcamayo near Tarma. A stream flows out of the entrance. Cavers have explored it for more than two kilometres.
Ten thousand years of shelter
Guitarrero Cave, Pikimachay and Lauricocha are among the most important early sites in South America. They have produced stone tools, the remains of extinct animals and some of the oldest textiles on the continent.
All ten sites at a glance
Peruvian caves in figures
Planning a visit
The sites are spread across the Andes and the high jungle, and most are a day trip from a regional town.
Common questions
The FAQ covers altitude, the rainy season and which caves need rubber boots.