Overshadowed by the Sacred Valley and Peruvian Amazon, northern Peru is a less-traveled region with a host of hidden gems. Holbrook's Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Kowacz recently returned from this under-explored region. Follow along on a journey in pictures through some of the region’s highlights.

Hike to Gocta Waterfall

"We trekked through the breathtaking cloud forest to Gocta Waterfall, where our eyes feasted on a 2,531-foot double-drop waterfall  plunging into an icy pool of inky water," Stephanie says.

Cocachimba

Cooperative coffee demonstration and fruit-tasting class

"We had cooperative coffee and chocolate in Jaén and experienced Lima’s vibrant Malecón, bustling market, and even a fruit-tasting and cooking class.”

Cable car to Kuélap

"We experienced the solitude of a French cable car that glided between mountains and over rivers to the Kuélap fortress, the beautiful 'Kingdom of the Clouds' atop a mountain, where the Chachapoya people once dwelled in round houses of stone."

Kuélap Fortress

Plan your own trip: Peru | Lost Civilizations of Peru: Kuélap to Machu Picchu