Chota is a city of 47,000 people (2017). It is the capital of Chota province in the Department of Cajamarca. It is considered the Bullfighting Capital of Northern Peru.

Understand

It lies at 2,388 m (7,835 ft) above sea level on the Acunta plateau, on the eastern slope of the Andes. The city is bounded on three sides by rivers of the westernmost Amazon basin: to the north is the San Mateo, to the east the Colpamayo. Both flow broadly westward into the Rio Chotano, which forms Chota's south-western boundary.

Climate

The city generally has a temperate climate. It has a mild winter and a hot and rainy summer from November to April.

Get in

By bus

There are frequent buses from Chiclayo and Cajamarca. There are daily flights from Lima to Trujillo, Cajamarca & Chiclayo.

By car

Chota is 150 km north of Cajamarca on the Longitudinal de la Sierra Highway (PE-3N), a partially paved road, about 3½ hours.

It can also be reached from Chiclayo. Chota is 215 km east on an asphalt road (PE-06 A and PE-3N), about four hours by car.

By plane

The closest airport is the Mayor General FAP Armando Revoredo Iglesias Airport, which serves the city of Cajamarca and has daily service with regular flights.

Get around

Urban transport The most used public vehicle in the city is the mototaxi or motocarro . It is an economical means of transport and many units serve the entire city and even some nearby towns. There are also rural buses and vans that take you to the nearest villages, but they are very rare.

See

"El Vizcaíno" de Chota is the second largest bull ring in Peru.

Do

• The main festival of the city is the San Juan Bautista festival. It starts on June 13 with the triumphal entry in a procession, bearing to June 24 as the central day. The activities that are carried out are:
  • The identity of the chotanos day, held on 22 June, which pays tribute to José Manuel Silva and Anaximando Becerra Vega Mateola, independence hero and poet respectively. Both are famous people of Chota.
  • The festival of Sanjuanpampa, held at the farm of Corepuquio where festivals and concerts on 23 and 24 of June are performed. Also held here cultural events, typical dishes, dances, Paso horse contests, bullfights, motocross and soccer, but in daytime hours.
  • The election of the beauty "Flor de Chota", where ladies compete from all the villages and towns of the district of Chota. It takes place in two phases: qualifying and the grand final on 23 and 24 June respectively.
  • On the days 25, 26 and 27 of June, bullfights are held with international cartel in the famous Plaza de toros El Vizcaino, the second largest in Peru after the Plaza de toros de Acho in Lima.

Eat

Typical dishes include corn, potatoes, peas, cheese, pork, guinea pig, doughnuts, cream & sugar.