Toquepala Caves

Toquepala Caves sit at 2,200 meters elevation in the western Andes and house a gallery of more than 50 prehistoric rock drawings. The chambers span about 15 meters across and rise up to 5 meters at their tallest point.

Archaeologists dated the earliest traces of human use to roughly 7650 BC, based on pigment residue and charred wood found inside. Excavations in the 1960s uncovered tools and materials from the pre-ceramic period.

The paintings show hunters chasing guanacos, wild relatives of llamas that still roam the Andes today. The artists ground local minerals into pigments to create red, yellow and green shades on the rock surface.

The site lies about 154 kilometers from Tacna city, near the Toquepala mine, and is reachable by mountain roads. A fence protects the rock art from unauthorized entry, so check in advance about access arrangements.

The hunting scenes depict people armed with axes, spears and spear throwers, but bows or arrows never appear in any of the images. This difference suggests that bows may not have been in use in the region at that time.

Location: Tacna Department

GPS coordinates: -17.30434,-70.71799

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:27