Less visited than southern Peru, the north of the country has been called “the Egypt of the Americas” for its wealth of archaeological sites. The north also offers some of Peru’s finest Andean scenery around Huaraz, and for those hoping to relax, there are always the country’s finest bathing and surfing beaches and the best seafood anywhere on the continent!
Peru’s north coast was the cradle of several pre-Inca cultures. The first Pan-Andean “mother culture” emerged at Chavin de Huantar around 300 BC. The Chimú built the massive fortified adobe city of Chan Chan, while the warlike Moche, who thrived about 1,500 years ago, left behind an extraordinary artistic legacy, with the most famous Moche remains being those of the tomb of the Lord of Sipan. Today, the elegant colonial city of Trujillo stands as a testament to the European empire which superseded those of pre-Columbian Peru, while bustling areas like Chiclayo and Lambayeque are renowned for their archaeological legacy and fine museums.
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| Day 1 |
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From Lima we drive from the desert coast up into the Andes along a picturesque 417 kilometre paved road. Huaraz is a city well-used to receiving visitors who come for the surrounding spectacular Andean scenery. |
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| Day 2 |
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Free time in the city of Huaraz (3,100 metres / 10,168 feet) to acclimatise and make a city tour, which includes the main square, the Ancash Regional Museum, the Pinar viewing point and the archaeological site of Willcawaina, seven kilometres beyond the city or the thermal baths of Monterrey. Overnight in Huaraz. |
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| Day 3 |
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A full-day excursion to the Huascaran National Park, where we will have incredible views of the Cordillera Blanca and two Andean lakes. The turquoise waters of Lake Llanganuco reflect the white peak of Mount Huascaran, which at 6,768 metres (22,204 feet) is Peru’s highest mountain and the second-highest in the southern hemisphere, and Mount Huandoy (6,402 metres / 21,000 feet). We will have time to make a short walk and enjoy the interesting local flora before returning to Huaraz. |
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| Day 4 |
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Today we make a full-day excursion to the fascinating archaeological site of Chavin de Huantar. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built by the Chavin culture around 300 BC. In the company of our guide we will visit the ceremonial plazas, and granite pyramids – all interconnected by a network of subterranean tunnels. In one of these underground chambers is the “Lanzon”; a five-metre tall stone carving decorated with images of felines, birds and serpents. Other attractions at the site include the stone-carved guardian heads and sculptured friezes. |
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| Day 5 |
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Today we drive from Huaraz back down to the coast as far as the city of Trujillo, visiting the archaeological site at Sechin along the way. The temple at Sechin was built around 1500 BC from stone and mud brick. What makes this site unique is the series of stone tablets which decorate the temple walls with carvings of warriors and their victims. |
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| Day 6 |
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Trujillo was founded in 1534 and named after the birthplace of the conquistador Francisco Pizarro and the central plaza and its surrounding mansions with their Andalusian-style balconies still conserve the city’s colonial and republican heritage. In the surrounding desert lie the remains of the pre-Inca Moche and Chimú civilisations, in the enigmatic shape of the huge mud-brick pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the mud brick city of Chan Chan. |
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| Day 7 |
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From Trujillo we drive to the city of Chiclayo, which is renowned for the many surrounding archaeological sites of pre-Inca cultures. We will visit the pyramids of Tucume, the tomb of the Lord of Sipan – one of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries of the 20th century - and the excellent Bruning Museum. |
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| Day 8 |
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Transfer to the airport for the flight Chiclayo to Lima; transfer to hotel, or return flight to country of origin. |
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