NORTHERN PERU

Arrival in Trujillo and transfer to your Hotel. After settling in we will visit the Huaca de la Luna and the Moche countryside. One of the most interesting characteristics of the Moche culture was their artist, who obtained the highest level of mastery in the creation of pottery and decorative iconography of the monuments. The Temple of the Moon is a exquisitely and decorated temple that represents the spiritual center of the Moche culture. It consists of a series of temples built one on top of the other over decades. In the upper reaches of the adobe ramparts the walls are decorated with gures of multi-colored divinities, of the most important Moche God Ai Apaec. Lunch and dinner on your own. Hotel overnight.

We start the day with a visit to Chan Chan. Named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimu Empire, which inhabited this region after the fall of the Moche. At over 500 acres, it is the largest known adobe complex in the world, and is divided into 9 separate smaller cities. We will visit some of the restored sectors. Then we will explore the Huaca Dragon as some have interpreted the central motif to be that of a dragon. Outer walls have reliefs of snakes and peculiar lizards. Drive to Huanchaco for lunch. A once tiny shing village, occupied in pre-Inca times by shing communities’ oceangoing canoes built from local reeds. The peculiar method used to maneuver these watercrafts gave rise to their nickname, the “Little Reed Horses”, and are believed to be the predecessor of the surfboard as they used their crafts to ride the waves upon returning from a day at sea. The tour of the city center begins at the Main Square or Plaza de Armas with a view of the most beautiful facades of the colonial houses, including a visit to the Uquiaga House, among others. B/L

Early departure to Chiclayo. On the road visit to the archaeological complex of El Brujo. The archaeological site is located north of Trujillo, near Chocope, in the Ascope province. At the El Brujo archaeological site there are three huacas: Huaca Cao Viejo, Huaca El Brujo and Huaca Prieta. The Moche people, who lived there between the years A.D. 100 and 700, built these structures. The Huaca Cao Viejo was most likely used for religious rituals. Within this temple, archaeologists have found the ruins of an important ceremonial precinct. Its two walls decorated with small high-relief iconographic designs. The narrative scenes that decorate both walls each contain approximately 50 iconographic gures showing scenes of shing and navigation, human gures related to the cosmic world, mythical animals, shamans, warriors and a human sacri ce. At Huaca El Brujo the archaeologist found the famous mummy of the Lady of Cao, the only Moche shaman woman known to these days. Lunch in a local restaurant. Arrival at Sipan for a visit to the Huaca Rajada, or Cracked Temple archaeological site. At Huaca Rajada we will nd the mausoleum of the Lord of Sipan; one of the most powerful Moche kings of his time, with absolute power of life and death over all his subjects. Upon his death he was buried, together with his host of attendants and much of his ruches, in a remarkable burial complex. The complex has multiple di erentiated areas, among them religious monuments, patios, cemeteries, living areas, military forti cations, etc. B/L
El almuerzo será en un restaurante local. Seguimos camino hasta Sipan para una visita al resto arqueológico de Huaca Rajada, donde encontrarán el mausoleo del señor de Sipan, uno de los más poderosos reyes Moche de su tiempo, con absoluto poder sobre la vida y muerte de sus súbditos. A su muerte fue enterrado junto con otras 8 personas de su séquito incluyendo: dos mujeres jóvenes, su esposa, un niño, un jefe militar, el portaestandarte, el vigía, el guardián de la tumba, dos llamas y un perro Viringo (Perro Peruano sin pelo). D/A

Royal Tombs of the Lord of Sipan Museum. In the museum, one of the most modern and acclaimed in all South America, one can appreciate the magni cence of the archaeological nd at the Sipan site: ceramics, textiles, jewelry in gold and silver, and a enormous quantity of ceremonial utensils. Afternoon visit to the Valley of the Pyramids and the on-site museum. Tucume was the last capital of the Lambayeque kingdom; the Tucume pyramids are among the principal monuments of the region. Their 26 enormous structures are made entirely of adobe, and were designed for diverse ritualistic, commercial, residential and other functions. The construction of these pyramids was begun in the 10th century. Huaca Larga is the largest structure, with an impressive 2300 ft. in length, 920 ft. in width and 100 ft. in height. It’s the single largest adobe structure in South America. Recent discoveries at the site include painted murals in its interior squares, surrounded by walkways and roofed in galleries. Hotel overnight, lunch and dinner on your own. B

Transfer to Cajamarca by car. On the way you have the opportunity to admire the Peruvian Andes landscape and the famous campiñas of Cajamarca. Arrive at our hotel, free time to roam the city and its surroundings. B

After lunch we will visit the site of Cumbemayo, located less than 10 mi. outside the city of Cajamarca, but at an altitude almost 2500 ft. higher (11450 ft. above sea level). The site is framed by an unusual and picturesque landscape, which includes an eerily beautiful rock formation known as “The Friars”. It is considered the oldest waterworks in the Andes, whose principal objective was to transport water from the Atlantic watershed to the Paci c watershed by crossing the continental divide, which runs through the mountains above Cajamarca. The waterworks are divided into three sections of canals, of 2800 ft., 8500 ft. and over 18500 ft. in length. The canals, carved out of solid rock and display almost perfectly at and straight canal walls and base, with 90-degree angles joining the two. The Cumbemayo waterworks are estimated to be over 3500 years olds. Overnight. B

Visit the most attractive places in the city, such as: The Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, San Francisco, this famous rescue room where Pizarro demanded gold from the Inca, and the Colony of Santa Apolonia (chair of the Inca) where we can fully appreciate the size of the city. Afternoon free. Overnight. Lunch and dinner on your own. B

Transfer to the airport for the ight to Lima. Meet in Lima airport and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the afternoon free. Optional activities available. B