Pre-Inca Northern Peru

15 days

Indicative cost incl. flights:

 

A typical 3* holiday costs from

£5,595 per person

 

(Based on two people travelling. Low season can be a lot cheaper, and peak season or 4* hotels (only available in some of the locations) can be substantially more expensive.)

 

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Day 1
You will fly into Lima today, which is situated on the Pacific coast. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Your guide will give you an overview of the city to help you make the most of your time in this cosmopolitan capital.
Day 2
Your guide and driver will meet you today for a morning tour of the most important parts of the city. Your tour will focus mainly on the impressive historical sights of the central colonial part of the city, such as the cathedral, Aliaga's house, and Larco Museum. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 3
You will be transferred to the airport this morning for your short flight to Trujillo, gateway city to some of the archaeological treasures of the north.
Day 4
Today you will visit some of the key sites accessible from Trujillo such as the vast adobe city of Chan Chan and the Temples of the Sun & Moon.
Day 5
Travel from Trujillo to Chiclayo today, stopping en-route to visit the temples and tombs at El Brujo which date back to the Moche era.
Day 6
Your guided tour today takes in some of the richest treasures of Peru's pre-Inca North. After visiting the site where the tomb of the Mochica warrior Lord Sipan was originally excavated, you will continue on to the renowned Royal Tombs Museum to see some of the vast collection of treasures that were discovered at this time.
Day 7
On a full-day drive on paved and unpaved roads to Chachapoyas with your guide and a picnic lunch for your journey, expect to be on the road for between 8-10 hours.
Day 8
Today you will take a guided tour of the impressive fortress at Kuelap – this is one of Peru’s lesser visited historic gems, its backdrop of mountains and cloud forest only adding to its mystique.
Day 9
Depart the Chachapoyas region to Jaen (4 hours) for your short flight back to Lima.
Day 10
You will be transferred to the airport for your flights to Cusco, via Lima. And your onward transfer to the Sacred Valley.
Day 11
Today you will take a tour to some of the most memorable destinations in the Sacred Valley. The local market at Chinchero is one of the most colourful in the Andes and feels somewhat more authentic than the better-known Pisac market. You will then visit the imposing Inca fortress at Ollantaytambo. Lunch is included.
Day 12
You will be transferred through the Sacred Valley to the small town of Ollantayambo, from where you will take the spectacular train journey to Machu Picchu town. On arrival, you will take the shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu with your guide. You will have an afternoon tour, before returning to the small town where you will spend the night.
Day 13
You have tickets for a second entry to Machu Picchu this morning to explore by yourselves. You can also climb Huayna Picchu this morning for spectacular bird's-eye views over the Incan city (not included but can be added). You will return to Urubamba; in the Sacred Valley by train in the afternoon for your overnight stay.
Day 14
Today, you have free time to Enjoy this intoxicating city, which is a delight to stroll around with its cobbled streets, atmospheric squares, and attractions such as the Inca Temple of the Sun. There are countless handicraft markets and museums. We also recommend making the effort to see some of the impressive Inca ruins in the surrounding hills.
Day 15
You will be transferred to the airport for your overnight international flight home via Lima.
Day 16
Arrive home today.

Everything we do is tailor-made; our itineraries are just suggestions to give you an idea of what is possible. Please contact us so we can tailor the perfect holiday exclusively for you.

The less-travelled north of the country is home to a staggering array of fascinating archaeological sites. The spectacular lost city of Kuelep, the royal tombs at Sipan, and, of course, Machu Picchu are some of the highlights of this journey. Away from the crowds, travellers should be aware that routes are frequently long and lodging conditions are worse than in other parts of the nation. However, those who are interested in South America’s ancient civilisations will find Northern Peru immensely rewarding.

This archaeological tour encompasses wondrous ancient kingdoms, including the Chimu, who built Chan Chan, the largest mud-brick citadel in the pre-Columbian Americas; the Moche, among the most accomplished ceramic artists of the ancient world; the Tucume, arguably the most prolific and mysterious pyramid builders; and the Chachapoyas, known as the Cloud People, a mystic, warrior culture of great stone builders in their own right. They constructed the impregnable temple fortress of Kuelap, sometimes referred to as “the Machu Picchu” of the north. The Cloud People fiercely resisted but ultimately succumbed to the imperial expansion of the Inca Empire.

2 nights Lima – 2 nights Trujillo – 2 nights Chiclayo – 2 nights Chachapoyas – 1 night Lima – 2 nights Sacred Valley – 1 night Machu Picchu – 2 nights Cusco – 1 night on plane


Where you'll go

What you'll do

Where you'll stay

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