The most captivating of the many ancient ruins strewn around Leimebamba, La Congona is definitely worth the three-hour hike needed to get here. The flora-covered site contains several well-preserved circular houses, one of which, oddly for Chachapoyas culture, sits on a square base. Inside, the houses are adorned with intricate niches; outside, wide circular terraces surround each residence.
This archaeological site is renowned for the symbolic decoration on its buildings and particularly for the numerous sophisticated masonry friezes. A tall tower can be climbed by a remarkable set of curving steps for wide-angle panoramas of the surrounding valley.
The site is reached from Leimebamba along a track beginning at the lower end of Calle 16 de Julio. The track zigzags up a hillside to a hamlet called La Fila, from where a narrower path continues to the ruins. There are no signposts, but you can hire a guide at the Asociación Comunal de Turismo. Expect to pay around S150 for the eight-hour circuit.
