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Trujillo and Chiclayo ToursAn area of great and diverse interest: elegant Spanish cities like Trujillo and former Indian settlements like Cajamarca, Chiclayo and Piura. Monumental ruins of highly-skilled pre-Inca cultures; CHAN CHAN, KUELAP and a region poised for major tourist development; SIPAN, BATAN GRANDE, HUACA EL BRUJO AND MORO.
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Interesting Sites
TRUJILLO The traveler entering Trujillo is delighted with its surrounding greenness against a backcloth of brown Andean foothills and peaks. Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1536 (and named after his native town in Spain), it still retains many old churches, graceful colonial balconies and windows overhanging its modern pavements of homes built during the reigns of the Viceroys. Besides the Cathedral it has 10 colonial churches as well as convents and monasteries, Trujillo it is also a base to visit Chan Chan, Huaca Arco Iris, Huanchaco, Sican and El Brujo. CHAN CHAN, HUANCHACO 5km from Trujillo is the imperial city of the CHIMU - the largest adobe city in the world. The ruins consist of nine great compounds built by CHIMU kings. The nine meter high perimeter walls surrounded sacred enclosures with usually one narrow entrance. Inside, serried rows of storerooms contained the agricultural wealth of the kingdom, which stretched 1000km along the coast from near Guayaquil to Paramonga. Huanchaco is a fishing village and it is worth seeing the narrow pointed fishing rafts, known as Caballitos (little horses), made of Totora reeds and used in many places along the Peruvian coast. 
CHICLAYO
Was founded in 1560 as a rural Indian village now has a population over 280,000. Chiclayo has a distinctive cuisine and musical tradition (Marinera, Tondero and afro-Indian rhythms), has a beautiful neoclasical Cathedral and a daily market (one of the northern Peru's liveliest) . It is the base to visit Sipan,Pampagrande, Tucume, Bruning Museum and many interesting sites. Chiclayo can also be the starting point for a visit to the fabulous unexcavated areas os Chachapoyas, home of the "Warriors of the Couds". SIPAN AND BRUNING MUSEUM A short distance from Chiclayo rises the imposing complex of Sipan (a Moche word meaning House of the Moon), where excavations since 1987 have brought to light a cache of funerary objects considered to rank among the finest examples of precolumbian art. In the most extravagant Moche tomb discovered (1800 years old), El Senor de Sipan, a priest was found clad in gold; ear ornaments, breast plate, etc. with turquoise and other valuables. A visit to Bruning Museum in Lambayeque is also included. Specializing in Mochica, Lambayeque, Chimu and Vicus cultures, it has a fine collection of Sipan and Lambayeque gold. Northern KingdomsDAY 1| ARRIVAL IN TRUJILLO
A transport service will take you to the selected hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy a brief tour of the attractions of Trujillo. As an important city during the colonial era, Trujillo has managed to conserve its beautiful buildings and mansions of the time.
DAY 2 | TRUJILLO – HUACAS DEL SOL & LA LUNA – CHAN CHAN – HUANCHACO Arriving in the Moche Valley, be greeted by a traditional family descended from the ancient settlers who built the impressive Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the center of power on the northern coast of Peru during Moche times. After visit the impressive Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the center of power in the Trujillo Valley during the Moche times. Notice the amazing group of adobe frescoes on one of the walls of the Temple of the Moon, unearthed by archaeologists. We continue towards Huanchaco, an ancient fisherman’s cove where the ancient boats called "Caballitos de Totora" will be appreciated. The ancient tradition of artisanal fishing is maintained. In the afternoon visit the ancient citadel of Chan Chan, whose extension is 18 km2 approx. Enter the Nik-An Palace, located in the south-west part of Chan Chan touring its ceremonial squares, worshippers, reservoirs, barns, cemeteries, etc.
DAY 3 | TRUJILLO – EL BRUJO COMPLEX - CHICLAYO The El Brujo Archaeological Complex is of great importance to learn about the Moche culture. Located in the valley of the Chicama River, 60 kilometers from Trujillo, it's the house of one of the most impressive discoveries of recent years: the mummy of the Lady of Cao, the Mochica ruler that changed the perception of women in ancient Peru. The complex consists of three pyramids: Huaca Prieta, Huaca Cao Viejo and Huaca Cortada. Huaca Cao Viejo is the main enclosure, with decorative friezes and a ceremonial square. It was there where the funeral bundle of the Lady of Cao was found, in a tomb denoting her importance. The body was almost intact thanks to the techniques used for mummification and adorned with tattoos and jewelry such as necklaces, earmuffs and filigree nose rings, made with gold, silver, copper, semi-precious stones and shells. After the visit, you will follow the road by road to your hotel in the city of Chiclayo.
DAY 4 | CHICLAYO – TÚCUME – ROYAL TOMBS MUSEUM – HUACA RAJADA After a delightful breakfast at the hotel, head towards the archaeological complex of Tucume. With more than 200 hectares, the complex houses 26 monumental buildings associated with lower-level structures such as plazas, murals, courtyards and canal systems, reflecting a policy of planned growth and the unique social structure of Lambayeque. Visit the site museum to have a better idea of what life was like during that period. Then transfer to Lambayeque to visit the Royal Tombs Museum. Due to the discovery of the Lord of Sipan, whose importance was demonstrated in the complexity of his funeral and its apparent semi-divine condition, a new museum was created. After lunch in a typical restaurant, head to the archaeological complex of Huaca Rajada, an inspiring set of huge adobe pyramids. The place gained special notoriety in 1987 when Dr Walter Alva, then director of the Brünning Museum in Lambayeque, became aware of the clandestine excavations that were taking place. And what then began as a protection plan ended with the magnificent discovery of the tomb of the Lord of Sipan, one of the most impressive pre-Columbian burials in Peru. Afterwards, go back to your hotel to collect your belongings and enjoy a transfer from your hotel to the Chiclayo airport for your onward travels.
2025 Price per person in US$: (lower rates with more people)
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Routes of the Ancient North
Explore the fascinating north of Peru in eight days full of history and breathtaking scenery. Start in Trujillo with its colonial charm and visits to the Huacas del Sol y la Luna, Chan Chan and Huanchaco. In Chiclayo, discover the El Brujo Complex and the Moche treasures at the Royal Tombs Museum. Finally, in Chachapoyas, marvel at the Kuelap Fortress and the majestic Gocta Waterfall.
DAY 1 | Arrival to Trujillo| City tour. Domestic flight from Lima to Trujillo. Upon your arrival at Trujillo Airport, our transportation service and a representative take you to the selected hotel. Transportation will pick you up to take a tour of the main tourist points in the city. As an important place during the colony, Trujillo treasures an enviable architectural heritage, with beautiful buildings and mansions of the time. First, you will make a panoramic visit to the churches of Santa Clara and El Carmen, both with their respective closing convents that have remained despite the passing of the years. Then you will walk through the Main Square, previously passing through the church of San Francisco. From the square, you can see the Cathedral, built between 1647 and 1666, one of the principal churches in the city and which holds works of art from the Cusqueña and Quiteña School. Follow your route through the House of Emancipation, where the first independence of Peru was declared on December 29, 1820, now a museum. Next, you will know the Casa Calonge or Casona Urqueaga, a residence that served as lodging for Simon Bolivar during his stay in Peru and that today keeps a collection of archaeological and colonial pieces, including the desk used by Bolivar. Finally, you will go to the Museum of Archeology and History of the National University of Trujillo. The museum has more than 10,000 pieces, organized in six permanent rooms to show the development of the pre-Hispanic cultures of the north coast of Peru and other archaeological events that are continually changing in its four temporary rooms. After this approach to the past, return to your hotel. Accommodation in Trujillo at selected hotel. DAY 2 | Trujillo | Huacas del Sol & la Luna, Chan Chan and Huanchaco. Today you will visit the most important tourist attractions of Trujillo. A shuttle will pick you up to take you to the outskirts of the city where you will find the huacas of the Sun and the Moon, two magnificent buildings of the Moche culture. Before immersing yourself in ancient Peru, you will meet a Moche artisan family, whose work maintains the traditions inherited from their ancestors. According to research, the Huaca del Sol was political, while the Huaca de la Luna was religious; between them, a series of streets, passages and houses show that the area was inhabited by middle and upper-class people. After a panoramic visit to the Huaca del Sol, you will explore the Huaca de la Luna, the most impressive for its level of conservation and study. Its incredible murals that remain to this day show the different Moche deities and other scenes of religious connotation. Continue your visit to Huanchaco, one of the most traditional seaside resorts in Trujillo and popular for the caballitos de totora: boats made of vegetable fibers used by artisanal fishermen to navigate the waves of the Pacific. There you will enjoy a delicious lunch with local flavor. Finally, you will arrive at Chan Chan, the impressive mud city declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Considered the capital of the Chimu culture, it is composed of nine citadels covering an area of more than 20 square kilometers, making it the largest in the Americas. The details in its walls reflect the great work done in its construction and that has remained for more than a thousand years until today. Accommodation in La Libertad at selected hotel, breakfast and lunch included. DAY 3 | Trujillo - Chiclayo | El Brujo archaeological complex. Depart Trujillo and head to the El Brujo Archaeological Complex, which is crucial for understanding Moche culture. Located in the Chicama River valley, 60 kilometers from Trujillo, it houses one of the most impressive discoveries in recent years: the mummy of the Lady of Cao, a Moche ruler who changed the perception of women in ancient Peru. The complex includes three pyramids: Huaca Prieta, Huaca Cao Viejo, and Huaca Cortada. Huaca Cao Viejo is the main site, featuring decorative friezes, a central courtyard, and a ceremonial plaza. Here, the burial bundle of the Lady of Cao was found, in a tomb that reflected the significance of her figure. Her body is nearly intact thanks to the techniques used for her mummification and adorned with tattoos and jewelry, such as necklaces, ear ornaments, and filigree nose rings made from gold, silver, copper, semi-precious stones, and shells. After your visit, you continue your journey by road to your hotel in the city of Chiclayo. Accommodation in Chiclayo at selected hotel and breakfast included. DAY 4 | Chiclayo | Tucume, Tumbas reales and Huaca Rajada - Chachapoyas. Begin at the Túcume archaeological complex, which spans over 200 hectares and features 26 monumental buildings, plazas, and canal systems, reflecting the planned growth and social structure of the Lambayeque culture. Then, visit the site museum to gain a better understanding of life during that period. Next, you will explore the Royal Tombs Museum, established to showcase the valuable finds from the Lord of Sipán and his elaborate burial. After lunch, you will head to the Huaca Rajada archaeological complex, renowned for its clay pyramids and the discovery of the Lord of Sipán’s tomb in 1987, one of Peru's most impressive pre-Columbian burials. You will be transferred from your hotel in Chiclayo to the bus station with a representative. Take the bus from Chiclayo to Chachapoyas, a journey of approximately 10 hours. Chachapoyas is a city in northern Peru, situated at an altitude of 2,335 meters. Known for its colonial architecture and cobblestone streets, highlights include the Plaza de Armas and the Church of San Juan Bautista. It was a starting point for exploring nearby wonders such as the fortress of Kuélap and the Gocta waterfalls. The local culture is rich with vibrant traditions and festivals, and a cuisine that includes typical dishes like "juane." Accommodation in Chachapoyas at selected hotel, breakfast and lunch included. DAY 5 | Arrival to Chachapoyas | Afternoon at leisure. You will be transferred from the bus station in Chachapoyas to the hotel in downtown with a representative. Accommodation in Amazonas at selected hotel and breakfast included. 
Kuelap
DAY 6 | Chachapoyas| Kuelap Fortress.
You are transported from Chachapoyas to Kuelap to visit the impressive fortress, one of Peru's most significant lithic monuments, which stands 3000 meters above sea level on Cerro Barreta. The fortress has 505 enclosures distributed across various levels. Its majestic walls and internal architecture reveal its role as an important settlement. You use the modern cable car installed in the area for the ascent and descent, which allows you to reach the fortress in just 20 minutes. Accommodation in Amazonas at selected hotel and breakfast included. DAY 7 | Chachapoyas | Gocta Waterfall. Start your day with a transfer from your hotel in Chachapoyas to the beginning of the trail leading to Gocta Waterfall. Enjoy a hike of approximately 2 to 3 hours through diverse landscapes, including cloud forests and agricultural areas. Upon arrival, admire the impressive waterfall, which stands about 771 meters tall. Have time to explore and take photos. Finally, return to the starting point and are transferred back to your hotel in Chachapoyas. Accommodation in Amazonas at selected hotel and breakfast included. DAY 8 | Chachapoyas | Departure. Our transportation service and a representative pick you up to take you from your selected hotel to Chachapoyas Airport. Domestic flight from Chachapoyas to Lima. Breakfast included. 2024-2025 Price per person in US$:
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