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Arrival in Chiclayo |
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An archaeological complex outside of Cajamarca with fascinating ancient Inca aqueducts and hydraulic systems. The site is surrounded by a huge natural stone pillar forest known as Los Frailones. |
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Part of an old Inca cemetery 8 kilometers outside of Cajamarca. The Ventanillas de Otuzco are a set of tomb-like windows and niches carved in the rock face of Llanguil hill and arranged into rows.
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3 hours away from Cajamarca, Kunturwasi consists of a series of ancient courtyard, plazas, and platforms left by the Cupisinique culture dating back to 1100 BC. May of the walls are adorned with petroglyhs.
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Voted one of the best museums in the Peru – the museum is home to the most important archaeological remains of the Mochica culture. A number of scientific discoveries and beautiful ancient golden jewels are on display. |
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Dozens of large adobe ancient pyramids lie about the Tucume area – called Purgatorio (Purgatory) by the locals owing to its mystical history. The site is believed to have belonged to the Chimu, the Mochicha, and the Inca at different periods. |
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The capital of the Chimu empire – Chan Chan – was America’s largest prehispanic adobe settlement. Covering an area of 7.7 square miles the city consists of mud brick walls and enclosures with intricate designs and patterns.
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Built by the Moche culture roughly 100-500 BC – The temple of the Sun is the tallest adobe structure of the Americas. Together with the temple of the moon – the site was home to the Moche Culture.
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Mountain fortress built by the Chachapoyas culture around 80 AD and is often compared in size and grandeur to Machu Picchu. Kuelap contains over 400 separate buildings and more stone was used in its construction than the biggest pyramid of Giza. |
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A series of burial buildings carved into limestone cliff faces overlooking the Utcubamba River close to the town of Santo Tomas de Quillay. The buildings are called chullpas and are decorated with attractive designs and earth red paint. |
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The Museum is home to over 200 Inca and Chachapoyan Mummies – all intact and in fantastic condition. The museum also holds a variety of artifacts found with the Mummies at the Lake of the Condors. |
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A hard to reach hidden lake where farmers discovered 6 burial chullpas carved into the cliff faces 100 meters above the peaceful lake waters. Many mummies and ancient Chacha artifacts were discovered in the area. |
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Macro consists of a number of mountain towers built as an outpost to Kuelap. Inhabitants of the ancient outpost would warn the residents of Kuelap when an invading army approached by sending very large smoke signals. |
| US & Canada Toll Free: |
| 1 877 240 4770 |
| UK Line: |
| +44 207 096 1259 |
| International Line: |
| +1 512 535 2536 |
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Fly from Lima to Chiclayo. Upon your arrival in Chiclayo you will be met by one of our representatives before being transferred to your comfortable hotel. You commence with a guided tour around the 26 pre-Columbian ancient pyramids of Tucume that where once home to the ancient people of the area. In Lambayeque you will visit the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum where many of the mummies and exquisite jewelry found at the tomb of the Lord of Sipan are on display. The museum itself has been dubbed as one of the finest museums in South America, and with its remarkable architectural design and impressive display of gold and silver artifacts it’s easy to see why. After a filling lunch at the Fiesta Gourmet Restaurant, you proceed to the Sican Museum where an exhibition shows a reconstruction of the tomb of Sican. Following this you will head to the Huaca Rajada – a significantly important archaeological site where the high society of the Moche culture were found buried. In the late afternoon you will be transported back to your hotel where you can relax and unwind. (Meals – L, D) |
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Chiclayo to Chachapoyas |
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After eating breakfast at your hotel you will be collected and privately transported to Chachapoyas by either car or van depending on the size of your group. In the air-conditioned vehicle you pass through a number of different climatic zones ranging from the desert through to cloud forest. You pass through the Peruvian departments of Lambayeque, Piura, Cajamarca and Amazonas before you arrive in the cloud city of Chachapoyas which translates as the place of the ‘Cloud People’. Upon arrival in this charming city you will be transferred to your comfortable hotel where you’ll be able to rest after a long day’s drive. (Meals – L, D) |
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Kuelap |
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You will be collected at your hotel and privately transported to the Mountain Kingdom of Kuelap. The trip there takes about 3 hours and lunch is served on the way back. Kuelap is the largest building structure in the Americas and is estimated to contain at least 3 times more stone than the largest of the Pyramids of Giza. The city was home to the original Chachapoyan Cloud People and consisted of 3 different levels which are all overgrown with air plants, bromeliads and orchids. You will be guided around the outside of the city, and then through the different sections of the city itself. The views within the city are amazing so make sure to bring your camera. After the tour you will return to your hotel in Chachapoyas – enjoying a late lunch in a small town on the way back. (Meals – B, L, D) |
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Revash and Macro |
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After enjoying breakfast in your comfortable hotel you will undertake a tour of Macro which served as a look out post for the city of Kuelap. Following the tour you will be guided to the vivid burial chullpas of Revash. Close to the town of Santo Tomas, the ruins of Revash consist of small adobe houses that rest under an overhang on a cliff face. Beautifully decorated in earth red paint with ancient Revash designs, the small houses make up what appears to be a little village carved into a cliff face. All of the small houses are in fact tombs – which sadly were looted a long time ago. The view up of them however is stunning so be sure to bring your camera. Following an explanation of the site by your guide you will return to your hotel in Chachpoyas for a night of relaxation.( B, L, D) |
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Leymebamba |
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Following breakfast in your hotel in Chachapoyas you will be privately transported to Leymebamba in a comfortable vehicle with air-conditioning. The drive there is fantastic and affords one with numerous views over the valleys and rivers that you pass through on the way. Leymebamba is a remote town in the Utcubamba Valley. Once you arrive you will be transferred directly to your hotel where you will be able to relax in the middle of a beautiful Peruvian valley. (Meals – B, L, D) |
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Leymebamba to Cajamarca |
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After breakfast in your hotel you will visit the Leymebamba Mummy Museum. The museum itself boasts over 200 mummies recovered from the Lago de Los Condors (Lake of Condors) that isn’t too far away. The mummies themselves are extraordinary as the embalming skills of the Chchapoyans were very advanced. After visiting the Museum you will be transported in a private vehicle to Cajamarca. The journey to Cajamarca along the Maranon Canyon offers some of the most breathtaking views in Peru. A number of exquisite villages are scattered along the side of the River Maranon as you gently ease your way through one of the deepest valleys on earth. In the evening you reach Cajamarca where you will be delivered to your hotel. You will be ble to spend the rest of the evening at your leisure.( B, L, D) |
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Cajamarca |
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After getting up and eating you will undertake a light trek around the town. Cajamarca is a beautiful colonial town and plays a very important role in the history of Peru – it was the city in which Francisco Pizarro took the last Inca Emperor Atuhualpa hostage. Following your light trek you will be guided around the Ventanillas de Otuzco – a pre-Inca cemetery. After lunch you will visit the main areas of the city such as the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the Museum of Religious Art contained within the San Francisco Church, and of course the Ransom which Atuhualpa’s followers were order to fill, once with gold and twice with silver, in order to spare his life. The Spanish however, murdered the Inca Emperor after receiving the ransom. After enjoying a Peruvian coffee in a traditional café you will be returned to your hotel where you can spend the rest of the evening relaxing at your ease. (Meals – B, L, D) |
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Cajamarca to Trujillo |
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After a delicious breakfast in your hotel you will be collected and transferred in a private bus to the charming city of Trujillo that still retains much of its colonial heritage. 3 to 4 hours away from Cajarmaca you will stop to admire the ceremonial stone ruins of Kunturwasi. The ruins themselves date back to 1100 B.C. and are thought to have been left by the Cupisnique culture. Burial sites were discovered in the area along with large petroglyphs. The gold treasures that were excavated from the site are now on display in the nearby town of San Pablo. Following the tour you will continue on to Trujillo where you will be transferred to you hotel for your last night on the tour. (Meals – B, L, D) |
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Trujillo and return to Lima |
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After waking up and enjoying breakfast in your hotel you will be guided around the Temples of the Sun and Moon to the south of town. At 45 meters high, The Temple of the Sun was once the highest man made structure in the Western hemisphere. Following the tour you will be transported to the seaside town of Huanchaco for lunch at the Club Colonial. Following lunch you will be transferred to Royal Palace complex of Chan Chan for a tour around the largest pre-Columbian city in South America. The city was founded by the Chimu Kingdom and is divided into 9 separate citadels. After your tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site you will be taken to the airport for your flight back to Lima. (Meals – B, L) |
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