Hotel is near Peru's highest waterfalls
Northern Peru’s Gocta Natura Reserve has befriended Mother Nature. Owner Rocio Florez notes the retreat includes comfortable lodging but adds that there are other sides to it as well.
“Gocta Natura Reserve is more than a hotel,” she states. “It’s an organization where hospitality, environment, and community coexist. Nestled in the cloud forest of northern Peru, at the entrance to Gocta Falls, it offers an intimate, nature-immersed experience centred on restoration, re-wilding, and the living culture of the Andes and Amazon. Guests wake to birdsong and the scent of freshly brewed coffee, cabins hidden among trees, decorated with the craftsmanship of nearby communities. Each stay is a gentle immersion in beauty, silence, and belonging.”
Former World Bank employee Florez says Gocta Natura was “born in 2009, when the discovery of Gocta Falls sparked a vision to create a place where travel could heal rather than harm. What began as a family reforestation project has grown into a thriving reserve, now home to returning species once thought lost — from the nocturnal monkey to rare hummingbirds. We believe in re-wilding hospitality — offering beauty, comfort, and belonging while returning space to nature.
“Each stay helps the forest breathe again, each tree planted restores life, and each story shared reminds us that travel can regenerate what the world has lost. Every stay regenerates the forest,” she shared. “It stands today as a model of regenerative hospitality: restoring forests, supporting communities, and redefining the purpose of travel.”
Towering Gocta Falls is the largest waterfall in Peru at 771 metres. Despite its impressive size, its existence was largely unknown to most of the world, until a German-led expedition came across it and then brought word of it to people outside the area earlier this century.
Foreign tourists visiting Peru often bypass the north, opting for more southerly destinations, such as famed Cusco and Machu Picchu. Florez says access to the region has improved significantly, but it remains an off-the-beaten-path destination, adding that is part of its charm. Daily flights connect Lima with the northern Peruvian destinations of Jaén and Chachapoyas, followed by a scenic drive through the Andes.
The Gocta Nature Reserve can assist guests with transfers, guided forest walks, and curated experiences, making the “journey as seamless as it is inspiring. Travellers who seek authenticity, nature, and meaning appreciate the remoteness that protects the area’s integrity,” Florez continues.
Florez labels Gocta Natura a purpose-driven retreat “where comfort and conscience meet. Each stay directly supports the restoration of native forests and the livelihoods of local families. Over 35,000 native trees have been planted so far, restoring habitats for orchids, owls, hummingbirds, and endangered nocturnal monkeys. Guests are surrounded by nature’s silence and cared for by a small team that hosts as one would a friend. Luxury here is measured by connection — to place, to people, and to oneself.”
Florez reports Peruvian influences are found throughout the property, adding its architecture, food, team, and philosophy are “rooted in Peru’s natural and cultural identity. The cabins are built and furnished with the craftsmanship of local communities, blending natural materials and refined simplicity. Each day, guests receive freshly baked pastries and locally brewed coffee, while our kitchen tells the story of nearby farms and family orchards.
“Through ingredients, traditions, and the rediscovery of the Chachapoya culture, guests are immersed in the living spirit of the Andes and the Amazon.”
Meanwhile, Florez says northern Peru will appeal to both those interested in nature and those fascinated by Peru’s long pre-Columbian history.
“This is the land of the Chachapoya — the ‘Warriors of the Clouds'” she states. “Here, ancient citadels cling to cliffs draped in orchids, waterfalls carve through dense forest, and endemic birds like the marvellous spatuletail hummingbird flash between bromeliads.
“Guests can explore misty trails at dawn in search of Peru’s national bird, the cock-of-the-rock, or visit cliff tombs and hidden citadels where the forest has reclaimed stone.
“The region remains one of Peru’s best-kept secrets — a landscape where nature, history, and myth still coexist in silence.”
Peru's Gocta Falls plunges down 771 metres
Peruvian tour guide Henry Valiente knows of an up-down, up-down, up-down route to a dazzling Peruvian display of nature.
Valiente, based in northern Peru, can lead people to Gocta Falls, which plunges down 771 metres, creating an incredible sight for tourists. But the hike to the retreat isn’t going to be an easy one for most visitors, he cautions.
“It’s a challenge,” Valiente acknowledges of the route, which frequently takes hikers around five hours to complete, and which alternately and frequently has people ascend and descend in a forested, mountainous northern Peru region.
Those visitors — who will set out on their hikes from the quaint village of Cocachimba — also will cross a suspension bridge and at times work their way over steps that may be slippery. The trail is mostly dirt but also at times features concrete steps. Those who don’t feel that they’re up to the hike can hire a local to take them by horse. But Valiente says the journey is a rewarding one, enabling visitors to get very near the base of the falls, getting a close-up view of huge volumes of water cascading down. Hardy sorts can also go for a swim in a large pool found at the bottom of the falls, enjoying the cold mountain water.
Among those who recently visited Gocta Falls was Skip Kaltenheuser, who saw the site during a fam trip hosted by Peruvian tourism board PromPeru.“I can say something — thank god for horses,” Kaltenheuser joked after returning to Cocachimba’s comfortable Gocta Andes Lodge.
Despite its towering height, Gocta Falls was largely unknown outside the region until a German adventurer led an expedition to the area earlier this century. The falls are one of a number of attractions PromPeru is using to try to convince more tourists to visit northern Peru, often overshadowed tourism-wise by other parts of the country. Valiente says the hike to Gocta Falls isn’t simply a walk in the park but says those who undertake it will find it rewarding.
“Enjoy the waterfalls,” he advises. “It’s incredible. They (those who hike to it) get tired but that’s the challenge.”
