The fabled cities of the Inka, with their towering stone walls protected by warriors in glittering golden armor, have captured our imagination for centuries. However, the Inka were only the last in a lineage of remarkable and affluent cultures that once thrived along Peru’s coastal regions. The Chavin, Moche, Wari, and Chimú were among these civilizations, each contributing to the rich tapestry of ancient Peruvian history.
Our journey will take us to Peru’s enthralling north coast, where recent archaeological discoveries have shed new light on these ancient cultures. We will visit Pachacamac, one of Peru’s most significant pilgrimage sites, and Sipán, where archaeologists have uncovered one of the richest tombs in history. By special arrangement, the project director will welcome us to witness the sunset at Chanquillo, a 2,300-year-old solar observatory that has garnered international attention.
Along the way, we will explore four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, each a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of ancient empires. We will wander through Lima’s historic center, a vibrant city that blends colonial architecture with modern energy. We will marvel at Caral, an ancient city believed to be the oldest in the New World, predating the Inka by millennia. We will be awed by Chan Chan, one of the largest pre-Columbian cities, with its impressive walls and intricate designs. We will traverse Qhapaq Ñan, the extensive road system that connected the Inka Empire and spanned six South American countries.
If you choose to join the extension, we will gaze upon a fifth UNESCO World Heritage Site, the enigmatic Nazca Lines, pre-Columbian geoglyphs etched into the desert sands, their purpose still a subject of wonder and speculation.
Join Far Horizons and renowned Andean specialist Dan Sandweiss on this unforgettable adventure as we delve into Peru’s archaeological treasure trove. Together, we will uncover the secrets of ancient civilizations, walk in the footsteps of history, and marvel at the enduring legacy of the Inka and their ancestors. (If you have any questions about this tour itinerary, get in touch.)
Depart on a flight bound for Lima. Upon arrival, transfer to Casa Andina Select, our home for the next two nights.
Our drive south along the Pan-American Highway takes us to Pachacamac, once the home to a famed oracle. For almost 2,000 years, this was a pilgrimage site for all pre-Inka societies. The ceremonial center was named for the deity Pachacamac, also known as ‘Earth-maker,’ a powerful and feared god that was the creator of the world and earthquakes. During excavations in 1939, a still-intact wooden idol was found and can be seen within the site museum. If available, we will meet with the museum director for a private tour. Within the monumental ceremonial center are found great pyramidal temples, some with the remains of frescoes decorating the adobe walls. Here, we will also see a piece of the Inka highway, Qhapaq Ñan.
Upon returning to Lima, in the afternoon, drive through Lima’s historic area, a UNESCO Heritage Site, to see the stunning Cathedral, San Francisco Church, and Main Square.
Gather this evening for our welcome dinner at one of Lima’s fine restaurants. (B/L/D)
Depart Lima to drive north to monumental Caral, one of several pre-ceramic period sites located in the Supe Valley and a recently declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. Studies show that a complex, highly structured society existed here that flourished at the same time that the pyramids were being built in Egypt. Radiocarbon dates show that this enormous city dates to 2700 BC, nearly a millennium earlier than previously believed, and is the oldest urban site in the New World. Caral thrived for five centuries, with public architecture, ceremonial plazas, and irrigation — all signs of a society with strong, centralized leadership. After a picnic lunch, continue to the Empedrada Lodge and overnight for one night. (B/L/D)
Our explorations of the north coast continue with a stop at the massive adobe Fortaleza de Paramonga built during the Chimú Empire. However, the formidable defensive walls were not enough to stop the Inka army from conquering the city. It is still possible to see remnants of murals admired by Hernando Pizarro when he passed by in 1533, along with remnants of the Qhapaq Ñan or Inka highway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue to Cerro Sechin, best known for the wall enclosing the administrative center, where tall stone monoliths are decorated with carvings of warriors and gruesomely mutilated human victims.
In the afternoon, we travel by 4-wheel drive vehicles to Chanquillo, a ceremonial center and solar observatory located in the Casma-Sechin river valley of the arid coastal plain. Two thousand years ago, towers were built on the top of a low ridge to observe the movement of the sun through the solar year, solstice to solstice. This suggests the sun may have played an important role in religious and political life two millennia before the appearance of the famous Inka sun cult. The Chanquillo ridge-top towers are now regarded as the oldest observatory in the new world, and the astronomical observations appear to be linked at the site with seasonal ritual activity.
By special arrangement, we will meet with the Chanquillo Project Director, Dr. Ivan Ghezzi, and board our four-wheel drive vehicles for a tour of the site and sunset.
In the evening, transfer to Casma and overnight at Las Aldas Hotel. This rustic seaside hotel provides simple but atmospheric accommodation. (B/L/D)
In the early morning, enjoy an optional return to Chanquillo for sunrise. Our day of exploration continues at the nearby site of Las Aldas, remarkable for its enormous mound that anchors a U-shaped complex of circular sunken plazas and flanking platform mounds.
After lunch, we make our way to Trujillo, a beautiful colonial city in the Moche Valley of northern Peru. Founded in 1535 and named after Francisco Pizarro’s birthplace in Spain, Trujillo was the resting spot along the Spaniards’ route between Lima and Quito and became known as the viceroyalty’s “lordliest city.” We will admire its well-preserved 16th-century homes with intricate wooden balconies and window screens as we tour the city.
Overnight for two nights at the Costa del Sol Centro in Trujillo. (B/L/D)
This morning we will visit several captivating complexes. The largest mudbrick structure ever erected in the New World and constructed of more than 7,000,000 bricks, the Huaca del Sol, or Pyramid of the Sun, was built about the time of Christ and dominated the ancient capital of Moche. At the nearby Huaca de la Luna or Pyramid of the Moon, archaeologists have recently uncovered friezes still exhibiting colors that cover the huge, stepped platforms.
Then it is on to Chan Chan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overlooking the sea and covering over 20 square kilometers, this capital of the ancient Chimú Empire was constructed entirely of adobe mudbrick. One of the largest pre-Columbian cities in South America, it is made up of immense palace complexes built for the rulers (the smallest is the size of six football fields!). Each is covered with intricate friezes exquisitely decorated with fish, birds, and the moon in elegant repetitive patterns.
Enjoy dinner tonight on your own in one of Trujillo’s many restaurants. (B/L)
Extensive excavations have been undertaken at the Moche complex of El Brujo, in the Chicama Valley. Archaeologists have discovered beautifully painted murals depicting prisoners and spider ‘decapitators’ that once formed the exterior of the pyramid. Located adjacent to the site, a colonial church was recently excavated as well. However, the most sensational discovery at El Brujo was the intact tomb of La Señora de Cao, a mysterious tattooed female mummy that was displayed on the cover of National Geographic magazine soon after being found in 2006. The Tattooed Lady soon caught the attention of the world. Wrapped in exquisite textiles, and adorned with dazzling nose-rings, gold jewelry, and other fine items, archaeologists believe that the young woman was important and may have been the first evidence of women rulers in pre-Hispanic Peru.
If available, we will have a private meeting with the archaeologist who led the team that found this mysterious lady and will enter the new Cao Museum. The incredible discovery of the burial tombs of Sipán within Huaca Rajada electrified the archaeological world. When archaeologists opened the un-looted wooden sarcophagus of a Moche king, they found not only his remains but a tremendous cache of gold and silver ornaments, semi-precious stones, pottery, and a number of sacrificed servants who accompanied him to the next world.
After visiting this archaeological site in the afternoon, drive towards Chiclayo, the gateway to Peru’s northern archaeological zone.
Overnight for two nights in the Casa Andina Select Chiclayo. (B/L/D)
The area around Chiclayo has long been inhabited by succeeding cultures. Over two decades of scientific investigation at Batán Grande by the Sicán Archaeological Project has told us much about the Sicán people. They constructed monumental temples and palaces, along with highly refined irrigation systems that turned the desert into rich agricultural fields. The nobility was buried in deep shaft tombs, some 40 feet deep, along with rich collections of jewelry and religious paraphernalia created from multi-hued feathers, gold, and silver.
Our first stop this morning is Túcume, an ancient settlement built entirely of mudbrick by the Lambayeque (also known as Sicán) culture at the beginning of the 11th century. The site was conquered by the Chimú in the 14th century and became part of the Inca Empire in the 15th century, before falling under Spanish rule a century later. The site contains an array of structures of varying sizes, boasting the highest concentration of monumental architecture and the best expressions of mural art in the Lambayeque region.
We will also stop at the Sicán Museum, which displays the stunning artifacts found during excavations along with models of the tombs that were discovered.
On our way back to Chiclayo in the afternoon, we will stop at the Tumbas Reales Museum, housing the incredible discovery of the burial tombs of Sipán (not to be confused with Sicán). (B/L/D)
Transfer to the airport for our morning flight back to Lima. Upon arrival, venture to the city center and visit the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum to view its fabulous assembly of artifacts, including a fascinating and amusing collection of erotic pottery.
Return to the airport in the late afternoon for international departures back home.
Those continuing on the Nazca Lines post-trip extension will overnight at the Costa del Sol Airport Hotel. Dinner is on our own. (B/L)
Arrive home.
Traveling south and paralleling the ocean along the Pacific Highway, we stop at the Regional Museum of Ica, housing an excellent collection of Paracas textiles and Nazca ceramics, as well as a miniature model of the Nazca lines. Also displayed are quipus, knotted strings used by the Inkas as a writing system, along with a large-scale model of the Nazca Lines.
Continue to Paracas and the Paracas Hacienda Hotel, our beachside home for the next two nights. (B/L/D)
This morning, board a small plane to fly over the famous Nazca Lines. Visible best from the air, the huge images are of animals and enigmatic “lines”.
In the afternoon, we will tour Paracas National Reserve, where over 100 archaeological sites have been identified, many of them of the Paracas culture, who are known especially for their textile crafts.
Return to our resort this afternoon with free time to relax and enjoy the pool. (B/L/D)
In the morning, enjoy an optional boat tour to the Ballestas Islands, a wildlife haven home to marine creatures such as Humboldt penguins, Guanay cormorants, and sea lions.
Our final stop is the remarkable archaeological site of Tambo Colorado, a lovely Inka complex situated amidst the picturesque landscapes of the Andes. Here, rectangular buildings built of adobe enclose a large, trapezoidal plaza, and in the center sits the remains of an Ushnu, a wide throne platform common at Inka administrative centers. Within the mud walls, ornamented with painted bands of white, red, and yellow, can be seen elaborate latticework, niches, and corbeled arches.
Transfer back to Lima and to the airport for our flights home. (B/L)
Arrive Home.
