From Llacanora’s Plaza de Armas, a 650-meter footpath leads to the Cascadas de Llacanora; the tourism inventory dated December 16, 2024, gives the walking time as approximately 15 minutes. This makes the waterfall visit a short walk that you can factor into your stay. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Waterfalls and Landscape

The Cascadas de Llacanora are fed by the Quebrada Shaullomayo. The area around the waterfalls is home to eucalyptus trees, retama, blackberry bushes, ferns, mosses, perennial herbaceous plants, vizcachas, wild rabbits, thrushes, and hummingbirds. The inventory assessment dated December 16, 2024, described the Cascadas as being in good condition; the Municipalidad Distrital de Llacanora was responsible for their ongoing maintenance. Check their condition before your visit. This gives you a way to understand the Cascadas both through their water source and through the described plant and animal life around them.

The cascade known as “cascada macho” has a 30-meter-high natural wall and a waterfall; its geological formation is suitable for adventure tourism, rock climbing, and trekking. The cascade known as “cascada hembra” is 12 meters high and includes two waterfalls and two pools with depths of 40 to 60 centimeters. These features offer different points of interest: the walking time along the trail helps with day-trip planning, while the wall’s height and the listed activities highlight the geological character of the first cascade.

Culture and Seasonal Events

Callacpuma, also known as Cerro Shaullo, lies between the districts of Baños del Inca and Llacanora. The Callacpuma Monumental Archaeological Zone was provisionally placed under protection on April 8, 2019, in the districts of Llacanora and Baños del Inca. Check its current protection status if you are basing your plans on it.

The Callacpuna rock paintings and the Iglesia Matriz de Llacanora are listed as cultural attractions under Llacanora in a 2010 regional inventory. Religious celebrations are among the local customs in the district of Llacanora; the festival in honor of San Juan Bautista is held in June. If you are planning your trip around it, check the specific dates for your travel year.

More Natural Attractions and Getting There

The Grutas Huairapongo and Laguna Sulluscocha are listed under Llacanora in the regional inventory of natural attractions. Laguna Sulluscocha is also considered scenic and offers turismo vivencial, or rural tourism.

The tourism inventory dated December 16, 2024, lists a combi connection from Cajamarca to Llacanora’s Plaza de Armas: 13 kilometers along a paved route, with a travel time of 25 minutes. The Plaza is therefore a shared reference point: the connection from Cajamarca ends there, and the path to the Cascadas begins there. This lets you plan your arrival and the walk to the waterfalls from the same location.

Discover more destinations: Cajamarca

Go to the main travel overview: Cajamarca.