Overview
With over 5,000 years of history in Peru, the Inca Empire is just the tip of the iceberg! Head north and discover the pre-Inca archaeological treasures lying in the desert and its coastal valleys. Explore the Mochica pyramids, the enormous mud-brick city of Chan Chan, and the Tucume pyramids of the Sican people. Then, drive to the relatively unexplored Amazonas region. Cross the Andes to enter the cloud forest on a trip to the Gocta Waterfall and Kuelap, an impressive Chachapoya fortress that is known as the Machu Picchu of the north. Prepare to enter a land of hidden treasures in Northern Peru!
Why we love this trip!
- Explore the ancient pyramid of Huaca de La Luna.
- Take a cableway to the impressive Kuelap fortress.
- Hike to the Gocta Waterfall, one of the Highest in the World.
Itinerary day-by-day
Welcome to Peru and Lima! Upon arrival, our local staff will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in Miraflores, where you are free to relax and wander around at your own pace. Depending on your time of arrival, we have plenty of suggestions for you to make the most of your first day in the city. After check-in, we’ll hand you your travel kit and have a short briefing to answer any last-minute questions.
We’ll head to Lima Airport to board your flight to Trujillo in Northern Peru. Depending on your arrival time, we can visit the famous Huaca de la luna temple, an adobe mud pyramid made by the Moche Civilization. Thanks to the murals and handcrafts we find here, we can now enjoy a very vivid image of how these societies lived and developed in a way that is entirely different from Eurasian nations.
Visit the Huaca Arco Iris, an adobe pyramid decorated with colorful high-relief on its walls. Next, head towards the world’s largest mud-brick citadel, Chan Chan. This place was once home to 100,000 inhabitants of the Chimu civilization, who stubbornly resisted the Inca Empire’s expansion. Afterward, we will drive to Huanchaco, a traditional fisherman’s beach town famous for its totora reed boats called Caballitos de Totora. We’ll have lunch in Huanchaco, and then we’ll head back to our hotel where we can enjoy the rest of the afternoon in its facilities.
Set off towards the city of Chiclayo. Our first stop will be at Huaca el Brujo, a Sacred pyramid that rises about 98 feet above the surrounding desert. A few years ago, a well-preserved tattooed mummy of a young woman, who belongs to the Moche Royalty, was discovered deep inside El Brujo pyramid. After visiting Señora de Cao museum, continue to Pacasmayo, a small and beautiful beachside town, to enjoy lunch overlooking the ocean. Finally, continue your journey towards Chiclayo and your hotel.
Begin your day visiting the nearby Tucume archaeological site. Tucume is an impressive complex of 26 mud-brick pyramids belonging to the Lambayeque culture, surrounded by the unique ecosystem, dry forest. Next, continue to the Tumbas Reales Museum to find the remains of the tomb of the Lord of Sipan, the most important archaeological discovery in Latin America for the last 40 years. When discovered, this tomb was compared by national geographic with that of Tutankamun.
Today, start your journey to the region of Amazonas. Prepare for a journey through the Andes, over the Porcuya mountain pass, crossing the rice fields of Bagua, and driving along the gorgeous Utcubamba Canyon to Chachapoyas, the gateway to the territory of the ancient Sachapuyu (Inhabitants of the cloud forest). Upon entering the area, make your way to your charming countryside hotel next to the Utcubamba river.
Wake up with a breathtaking morning view from the Gocta waterfall. After having a delicious and organic breakfast, we’ll start a 3-hour hike to the famous Gocta Waterfall, one of the tallest falls in the world (771m /2520 ft). This hike is around 6km long and will take us through cultivated fields and into the cloud forest, home of the yellow-tailed woolly monkey, mountain sloth, and the magnificent cock-of-the-rock, Peru’s national bird. In the afternoon, you can enjoy the lodge’s facilities, refresh and relax in the pond overlooking Gocta.
Head to the town of Tingo on an hour-long ride to board our cable car to the spectacular historical site of Kuelap, an ancient fortress of the Chachapoyas people. Kuelap, sitting majestically above a mountain ridge at 9500 ft, will amaze you with its towering walls and round stone houses surrounded by the cloud forest. The site also offers stunning views of the valley and the possibility of remarkable birdwatching. After spending 2 hours on the site, we’ll have a 2:30-hour drive to Lamud and your charming hotel.
Begin your journey visiting Karajia, a set of unique sarcophagi with an enormous size of up to 3 meters high and sculptured like humans. We’ll hike for 45 minutes to a viewpoint where we can appreciate these striking icons that have been overlooking the valley for over 750 years. Afterward, we’ll have lunch in the small town of Luya before reaching our next adventure: the Quiocta caverns. Enter the cavern with flashlights and get amazed by its incredible stalagmites and stalactites of different sizes and shapes!
Very early this morning, after seeing the best of Peru’s Northern treasures, we’ll head to Jaen Airport, about 4 hours away, to board your return flight to Lima.
What’s included?
- Personalized attention before and throughout your trip.
- Brief presentation prior departure.
- All transfers and transports .
- Entrance fees.
- Local English-speaking guide focused on personalized trips.
- Accommodation at well-thought hotels according to your travel style.
- Mentioned meals.
What’s not included?
- Services not specified in the program, extras & tips.
- Domestic flights.
- International flights.
- Travel Insurance.
Route
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