The caves of Peru
Ten caves, rock shelters and cliff tombs in the Andes and the high jungle.
Ten sites
Choosing a cave
The table below compares the sites. Each has its own page.
Peru has no large commercial show caves. Visits are simple: a path or walkway into the first chambers, a local guide and a torch.
The sites fall into three groups. Huagapo, Las Lechuzas, Quiocta and Palestina are natural limestone caves. Guitarrero, Pikimachay and Lauricocha are rock shelters known for their archaeology. Qenqo, Karajía and Revash are places where people carved, built or buried in the rock.
Compare
The sites side by side
| Site | Where | Known for | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gruta de Huagapo | Palcamayo, Junín | Stream cave at 3,500 m | May to October |
| Cueva de las Lechuzas | Tingo María, Huánuco | Oilbirds, walkway | May to October |
| Quiocta Cavern | Lamud, Amazonas | Stalagmites, Chachapoya burials | May to October |
| Cueva de Palestina | Nueva Cajamarca, San Martín | Underground river, oilbirds | May to October |
| Guitarrero Cave | Yungay, Áncash | Early textiles and plants | May to September |
| Pikimachay | Ayacucho | Early stone tools, extinct animals | May to September |
| Lauricocha Caves | Huánuco | Early human burials | May to September |
| Qenqo | Cusco | Carved chamber and altar | All year |
| Karajía | Luya, Amazonas | Chachapoya sarcophagi | May to October |
| Revash | Santo Tomás, Amazonas | Chachapoya tombs | May to October |
Going further
Wild caves in the Andes need training, equipment and acclimatisation.