Baños del Inca, Cumbemayo and La Recoleta represent different highlights of Cajamarca: thermal waters, volcanic rock formations and architectural history. If you are looking for accommodation in Cajamarca, you can use these themes as a starting point when planning your trip, then choose what else you would like to focus on.

Thermal Waters at Baños del Inca

Baños del Inca is a good place to start if you want to focus on thermal waters. The thermal springs are associated with use by the Inca Atahualpa. Baños del Inca has thermal waters with temperatures above 70°C; in the bathing pools, hot water is mixed with cold water.

The site includes the Poza del Inca, a pool four meters long and four meters wide, with a depth of 1.70 meters. This makes it possible to describe the thermal area both by the properties of its water and by one precisely measured pool.

Cumbemayo: Rock Landscapes and Route Planning

The Cumbemayo archaeological zone includes a forest of volcanic rock formations known as Los Frailones or Monjes de Roca. Both names refer to the same rock formation and help you recognize this landscape feature by its commonly used names.

Cumbemayo is reached from Cajamarca by a gravel road heading southwest; the route follows the same road toward the district of Chetilla and is approximately 19 kilometers long. The road conditions are an important part of practical planning. Check the current condition of the route in advance, as road conditions can change.

Churches, Monasteries and Historical Interpretations

Two historic buildings are the focus at La Recoleta: a church and a monastery. Both were built of stone and adobe bricks in the second half of the 17th century. Their construction period and materials give the complex its distinctive character: here, the focus is on architecture, while Cumbemayo is defined by its volcanic rocks.

At the Mirador del Cerro Santa Apolonia, the remains of a presumed sanctuary, commonly called “Silla del Inca,” are located in the upper section. For a culture-focused itinerary, the distinction is useful: La Recoleta is defined by its construction period and materials, while the interpretation of the Silla del Inca as a sanctuary remains explicitly a supposition.

Granja Porcón: Three Tours

Three tours have been established at Granja Porcón for experiential, ecological and cultural tourism. The specific arrangements may change over time. Check which tours are currently offered before your visit.

In the Wider Cajamarca Destination: Nature Conservation

Looking beyond the immediate area to the wider Cajamarca destination brings you to protected areas with different landscape features. The Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe protects a representative section of the páramo. The Refugio de Vida Silvestre Bosques Nublados de Udima protects a representative section of the cloud forests on the western side of the Peruvian Andes, as well as the associated dry forest and jalca ecosystems.

The region’s nature conservation areas therefore encompass not only páramo but also cloud forest, dry forest and jalca. These themes broaden the picture of Cajamarca beyond thermal waters, architecture and the rock landscape of Cumbemayo.

Agricultural Perspectives in the Wider Cajamarca Area

Agriculture is also part of the wider Cajamarca destination. At Finca Agroturística Santa Fe, visitors can take walks through the countryside, including a visit to the Santa Fe waterfall. If you plan to visit, confirm the current options on site.

Finca La Arboleda has ten hectares of land used for agriculture, with coffee as its main product. Together, the two farms showcase different aspects of regional life: countryside walks and a waterfall on the one hand, farmland and coffee on the other.

Discover more destinations: Cajamarca, Llacanora

Go to the wider travel overview: Cajamarca.