Peru - Undiscovered North

Arrival in Lima, the city of kings and capital city of Peru.

Drive along the Panamericana Norte. En-route visit the Paramonga fortress. Crossing the Conococha pass (4.200m) and transfer through the Huaylas valley to Huaraz (3.050m), located in the Rio Santa valley. Lunch included.

Full day excursion to visit Chavin de Huantar (UNESCO World Heritage). Detailed  sightseeing of the Chavín temple and the  ruin complex. This oldest and significant Peruvian culture extended between 800 and 200 B.C. Lunch included. 

Transfer across the Cordillera Negra till Yaután and to the ruins of Sechin, one of the oldest ceremonial site with more than 500 Monoliths. Continue across the Panamericana Norte along the pacific coast to Trujillo, Peru’s culture capital. Lunch included.

Visit the Sun and Moon pyramid. Continue to the fishing village of Huanchaco, famous for its Caballitos de Totora. Drive to Chan Chan, the worldwide biggest adobe city. Detailed sightseeing of the ruins and the "Museo del Sitio“. City tour of Trujillo and visit of the archaeological museum. 

Transfer to the archaeological complex of El Brujo. The ceremonial temple of the Mochica culture was overbuild several times and later on used from the Lambayeque culture as burial place. Visit the museum with treasures of „Señora de Cao“, the only known female emperor of the Americans. Transfer to Chiclayo.

Visit the cathedral and the witch market. Continue to the archaeological excavation of Sipán and the tomb of the „Lord of Sipán“. The archaeological site with 3 adobe pyramids was used as religious centre. Visit the archaeological zone and the local „Museum del Sitio“. Transfer to Lambayeque and visit the museum "Tumbas Reales de Sipán" with most of the findings from the gravesite of the "Lord of Sipán". 

Drive to Chachapoyas with impressive insights of the rural and traditional life in Peru. Lunch included.

Visit the famous Chachapoyas-fortress Kuelap, located on an altitude of 2.900m. The still less explored monumental complex was built between 800 and 1300 AD. Lunch included.

Drive to Leymebamba. Stop at a viewpoint to see the pre-Columbian grave complex Revash, explore the museum of Leymebamba with more than 200 mummies of the Chachapoyas culture and visit an orchid garden with endless hummingbirds.

Transfer to Cajamara. Box-lunch included. Remaining day at leisure.

City tour through the capital city of the Cajamarca region, located in a magnificent Andean landscape with beautiful colonial buildings. Continue to visit the archaeological and geological site of Cumbemayo with aqueducts from the pre-Incan time and rock paintings.

Flight to Lima for homebound flight or an individual extension program, like Machu Picchu or Lake Titicaca.