Highlights of Northern Peru

• Day 1

  LimaView on map

  Overnight in Lima

  With direct flights from either Lima or Cusco, you can choose either as the starting point of your journey. In either location, an Aracari representative will be expecting you from your flight with a sign bearing your name. He will escort you to your hotel to assist you with check-in and will be happy to answer any questions that you may have at this point.

  Accommodation options

  

  Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima

  Lima
• Day 2

  Lima – TrujilloView on map

  Treasures of Trujillo

  An Aracari representative will meet you in the lobby of your hotel in order to assist you with checkout, and then escort you to the airport for your domestic flight to Trujillo. After you have checked in your luggage, he will accompany you until you pass through to the departure area. Today you will enjoy a varied view of the old and new world Trujillo. First, you will head to Huaca de La Luna (Moche c. 100-700 AD), a superb archaeological site where excavations are currently under way. The site is known for its magnificent coloured friezes and reliefs which are surprisingly well-preserved. The surrounding communities have played a vital part in the success of the archaeological complex, where they display and sell typical handicrafts in a traditionally constructed gift shop. Depending on availability, you will also have the chance to meet archaeologist and project director Dr. Ricardo Morales.

  Afterwards, visit the easy-going seaside town of Huanchaco where you will enjoy a typical coastal lunch. Here you will be impressed by the small traditional reed boats used by fishermen today, exactly as they were used by their forefathers hundreds of years ago. Then drive to the ancient mud brick city of Chan Chan, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the capital city of the Chimu Kingdom which fell to the Incas in the 15th Century. This was the largest city in Pre-Columbia America and it was carefully structured by being split into nine citadels or autonomous units.

  Accommodation options

  

  Costa del Sol Trujillo Centro

  The Moche Route
• Day 3

  Trujillo – ChiclayoView on map

  The Moche Route & Tucume Pyramids

  This morning, you will picked up at your hotel by your guide and together you will head north to the city of Chiclayo. En route you will visit El Brujo, an archaeological site only recently opened to the public in 2006. Much like Huaca de la Luna, this site features tiers of polychromatic friezes and also served as a religious and sacrificial complex. Museo Cao, is just a short walking distance from the actual site, and contains a variety of captivating artifacts including collections of pottery, textiles, and golden regalia, along with the bones of Moche royalty and human sacrifices. Perhaps the site’s greatest discovery was the Moche mummy of the only known female ruler, justifiably referred to as Señora de Cao, whose remains are also on display in the museum. After your visit, you will continue to your hotel in Chiclayo.

  TIn the afternoon, transfer to the incredible pyramids of Túcume located north of Chiclayo. Spanning 218 hectares/540 acres and with 26 monumental adobe pyramids, Túcume was built in c. 1100 AD and is thought to have been a regional centre for successive cultures – the Sicán (750-1000 AD), Chimu (1350-1450 AD) and Inca (1450-1532 AD). The area is said to possess spiritual powers which local Shaman tap into when performing rituals. Take a look inside the small site museum that details the treasures found in and around the pyramids, visit the charming community run gift shop, and stroll through the shady algorrobo tree forest.

  Accommodation options

  

  Casa Andina Select Chiclayo

  The Moche Route
• Day 4

  ChiclayoView on map

  Tombs of the North & Fly to Lima (or Cusco)

  Depart from your hotel in Chiclayo to explore the Witches’ Market, a local market with a wide array of interesting trinkets and exotic ingredients for sale. Afterwards, head to the Tumbas Reales Museum. Located 20 minutes from Chiclayo, the museum houses the world famous collection of burial artifacts from the Lord of Sipán tomb and other tombs uncovered at the Huaca Rajada archaeological site. Built to resemble the ancient tombs from which the artifacts were sourced, the museum also serves to provide visitors with insight into the process of the excavations. Explore the museum and its incredible jewelry, pottery, and human remains that were discovered at Sipán before heading to Huaca Rajada, the actual archaeological site located 35km from Chiclayo.

  Of the large tombs found at the Huaca Rajada archaeological site, the Lord of Sipán tomb, discovered by Peruvian archaeologist Walter Alva in 1987, held an extensive collection of burial items. Explore the various adobe tombs with your guide, who will provide you with insight into the history of the site. After exploring the tombs, visit the Sipan Site Museum before heading back to back to Chiclayo, where you will transfer to the airport for your flight on to your next destination.

• Explore more of northern Peru visiting Chaparri, a private nature reserve home to the endangered spectaled bear
• Visit Batan Grande, monumental adobe mounds once filled with gold

Featured Destinations

• Lima
• Cusco
• The Moche Route
• Northern Peru Beaches