La Cartuja de Kuélap
La Cartuja’s three cabins face out across a beautiful valley, with the access road above and behind.
La Cartuja de Kuélap is one of the most extraordinary properties I’ve ever stayed at.
These three cabins are beautiful and have views of a village across the valley and to the right, and the ancient Chachapoyan city of Kuélap across the valley and to the left. Check out La Cartuja de Kuélap on Instagram or contact the owner Alberto directly on WhatsApp +51 987 109 626. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian and French.
My first day at La Cartuja I watched clouds gather behind Kuélap while the city walls were still sunny.
In terms of hidden gems, this one is more hidden than most.
You need your own vehicle to get here and you should do all your shopping in the city of Chachapoyas, about two hours away. There are no restaurants close by but the kitchens are well-equipped to do all your own cooking. La Cartuja is on the road to Kuélap (the old road that everybody used before they built the cable car). It’s about equidistant between the villages of María (pictured below) and Longuita, which you drive through before arriving at La Cartuja de Kuélap.
This is the view of the town of María from La Cartuja. The church, on the plaza, faces across the valley.
All three cabins have the same floor plan: Downstairs is fully furnished kitchen and living room, complete with wood-burning fire place. There is also a bedroom with a queen bed and ensuite bathroom. Upstairs is a loft with a king bed and a larger bathroom. They all have the same wide porch upstairs that gives you a perfect view of Kuélap and the village of María. Assuming double occupancy in the beds, each cabin sleeps four people, making this perfect for groups up to 12 people. Due to the steep hillside I do not recommend this for families with small children.
The first cabin is a hit higher on the hillside than the other two. Between the lower two cabins is a garden with a large covered picnic table that easily fits 12, an adobe pizza oven and a fountain (below).
The wooden table is covered for both the strong equatorial sun and rain. Sorry I forgot to turn on the fountain for the photo!
My king bed upstairs at La Cartuja. The metal pipe in the corner is from the wood burning stove downstairs that kept the whole house cozy.
My second day at La Cartuja I watched rain sweep up the valley from Chachapoyas to Kuélap.
Questions? Ask me or contact the owner Alberto directly on WhatsApp +51 987 109 626
