This 771m waterfall somehow escaped the notice of the Peruvian government, international explorers and prying satellite images until 2005, when German Stefan Ziemendorff and a group of locals put together an expedition to map the falls. Various claims ranging from the third-loftiest waterfall on earth to the 15th resulted in an international firestorm in the always exciting contest to rank the world’s highest cascades. Whether you’re hung up on numbers or not, there is no doubt that Gocta is impressive.
It’s easiest to go with a tour company from Chachapoyas for about S30 – it will provide transportation and a local guide for the two-hour hike to the falls – as transport to the site is irregular. If you are determined to go it alone, catch a combi from Chachapoyas to Pedro Ruíz (S5, 45 minutes) and ask to be let off at the Puente de Cocahuayaco, where, if you are lucky, you'll find a mototaxi or passing combi to take you to the falls entrance at Cocachimba, otherwise it's a 1½-hour hike. From the entrance, it's another two-hour hike to the base of the falls. The communal tourism association arranges guides for S30.
If you're feeling particularly physical it's possible to visit both the upper and lower cascades on an eight-hour circuit. Take any Pedro Ruíz–bound combi to the turnoff to San Pablo. From here it's a two-hour hike to San Pablo village, from where a trail leads to the base of the upper cascade. Doubling back on the same path, another trail on the left-hand side leads down the mountain to a fantastic lookout with a clear view of both cascades, and then across a suspension bridge to the base of the lower section. From here you exit along the main trail to Cocachimba. You will need to leave Chachapoyas at 6am in order to complete the loop.
The classy Gocta Andes Lodge , in Cocachimba, is one of the special spots in the Northern Highlands, sitting on a severely idyllic setting with unimpeded views to the falls, both from the rooms and the small infinity pool. Spacious but simple rooms feature lovely kaleidoscopic textiles, cozy down comforters, vaulted ceilings and balconies, which frame the falls like a painting.
If you can’t swing the cash, the village supports a small cottage tourism industry with several cheaper options, a few restaurants and shops.
