Travel Peru - the Mysterious Laguna De Los Condores

Despite its name, the Laguna de los Condores (Condor Lagoon) isn't really well known for the number of giant birds circling in the airs above. There was a time when condors ruled the skies over the lagoon, but unfortunately, the Andean condor has completely disappeared from the area. It seems the surrounding jungle environs can be a dangerous place for the human inhabitants and their livestock, so poison traps were set up as protection from jungle predators. Condors became secondary victims of the traps, when they ate prey animals affected by the poison.

So then, why is it that people are drawn to this ancient site?

The big attraction to this remote site in Amazonas is what explorers in the area called an "archeological miracle." While the site was hidden from modern eyes for centuries, in late 1996, a group of local farmers discovered a group of ancient burial towers called chullpas, which contained the mummified remains of people from the Chachapoyas culture. Along with the mummies, archeologists have also recovered a great quantity of fine cloths, ceramic items, wooden engravings, decorative mats, funeral crowns and a variety of cave paintings.

Traveling to the Laguna de los Condores takes about 10 hours by foot or by horse from the small town of Leymebamba, located on the eastern bank of the Maranon River. The trip isn't easy. The trip up through the cloud forest to the lagoon itself is arduous and can be dangerous depending on the state of the passage. The climb is also hampered by the sheer beauty of the area. The desire to make frequent stop simply to admire your surroundings can be strong.

There are several items you'll want to take with you on this trek. A tent, sleeping bags, first aid kit, food and drinks are obvious needs, but don't forget to bring flashlights, plastic ponchos, waterproof boots and matches or a lighter along with your other provisions. And of course, don't forget your camera.

If you're traveling from Lima, a bus to Chachapoyas is about a 24 hour ride, and from there, you'll travel on to Leymebamba. The trek up to the Laguna de los Condores will take from 10 to 12 hours. Depending upon your level of physical fitness, you might do the walk in one day, but many people split it into a two day hike. Before heading out, you might want to visit the museum in Leymebamba, which houses approximately 200 mummies and other artifacts recovered from the site. The remains were once at great risk to grave robbers and other vandals; now, the information discovered by studying them at the museum has led to much new knowledge of the earlier residents of the area.

Sources:

Centro Mallqui - Museo Leymebamba