What to see in Northern Peru?

From Trujillo to Tumbes, the north of Peru, although less known to tourists, is well worth a visit.

Whether you're a fan of beautiful landscapes, beaches or mountains, mangroves and rainforests, archaeology and history, the north of Peru has more than one trick up its sleeve to charm you.

On my first expedition to Peru, I could only see the northern part of Peru, starting from Trujillo: having fallen ill after leaving Bolivia, I was stuck for two weeks in Chile, and a flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos was waiting for me a few weeks later. Rather than rushing through, I preferred to limit myself and not see an entire region: the southern part of Peru and its Machu Picchu.

A little anecdote: when you go to one of the Peruvian tourist information centers (which are quite good by the way), you are asked to fill out a small questionnaire about the reason for your visit to Peru:

Machu Picchu is considered the main tourist attraction (and even a point of interest overall), classified in a category of its own.

But three weeks in northern Peru allowed me to appreciate the wealth of this country and to fall under its charm: there is more to Peru than just Machu Picchu!

Here are the main points of interest in this northern region of Peru that I explored:

Trujillo is one of the most important cities in northern Peru and, surprisingly, it is still a small city, with human-scale buildings. Its main square (Plaza Mayor) is surrounded by small houses with colorful facades, giving the city a special charm. Another typical aspect of the place: the churches. There are at every corner!

But aside from these two charming aspects, Trujillo is a noisy and polluted city. In addition to the chimes of the thousand churches, there are the honks of taxis engaged in a perpetual ballet, using their horns for everything and anything (as is likely everywhere in Latin America).

This city of eternal spring is particularly interesting for history and archaeology enthusiasts. From Trujillo, you can take a leap back in time to discover the Moche and Chimù civilizations.

You can also enjoy the beach at Huanchaco, famous for its traditional fishing boat: the caballito de totora (little horse of totora). Legend has it that this is where the first prince of the Chimú dynasty landed.

Trujillo is considered the cradle of the Moche civilization, which I particularly cherish. Several museums and archaeological sites allow you to play Indiana Jones, especially since most sites are still being excavated, and there is still so much to discover about these cultures! A tomb of a Chimù woman was recently discovered intact.

The main sites you can explore from Trujillo are:

Also called Huaca del Dragon, the Huaca Arco Iris (Temple of the Rainbow) is a remnant from the early Chimù civilization (around the 10th and 11th centuries).

Its names are derived from the impressive fresco at the site: you can see at the center the two-headed dragon, representing a deity, topped by an arc of 4 wide bands and three thin bands, representing a rainbow, a symbol of fertility.

The site is a heterogeneous mix of well-preserved areas amidst others in poorer condition, with the bonus of areas recklessly reconstructed by scrupulous archaeologists from the 1970s (which drove me crazy!).

The visit to the Chan Chan complex begins with its small museum, which recounts the history of the successive populations: from the earliest nomads, to the Moches and the Tiahunaco-Wari, who gave birth to the Chimú civilization, themselves preceding the Incas, the last pre-Columbian civilization.

I have talked a lot about Moche ceramics, but the Chimús are not to be overlooked. They are often adorned with a little monkey, a symbol of power.

After the museum, it's time for the main course: classified as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the citadel of Chan Chan is the largest adobe city of pre-Hispanic America, which housed 100,000 people.

The thick walls of the city, in addition to being beautifully adorned with high-relief and low-relief frescoes, testify to the architectural ingenuity of this civilization: these walls have anti-seismic properties, necessary to endure in the local geological context. Chan Chan is considered the capital of the Chimú kingdom, extending over more than 20 km².

These Moche temples, which are actually a successive stacking of temples forming pyramids, left a lasting impression on me.

Having already dedicated an entire article to the Moche civilization, I refer you to that one:

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The city of Chiclayo doesn't have any particular attractions. In this fairly typical South American city, a cathedral stands in the main square. I imagine Chiclayo to be crossed by major roadways, with plenty of typical restaurants (I had one of the best arroz a la cubana there!).

From the main points of interest in the region, I saw the Sicán museum, the Tùcume site, the Bruning museum, and the Sipán museum. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen the archaeological site of Huaca Rajada, where the tomb of the Lord of Sipán was found.

I visited all these sites and museums in a single day (taking a minibus tour from Chiclayo), but I was a bit rushed. The guide left me the choice at noon: stop with the rest of the group for lunch or see the Bruning museum... For once, it was not my stomach that I was guided by (or rather my partner's stomach!): I skipped the meal and enjoyed the museum.

This museum is mainly dedicated to the Sicán civilization (yes, that's right!), also known as Lambayeque (500 - 1300 A.D.). On display are also pieces belonging to the Moche and Inca civilizations.

It is here, among other things, that I discover the Inca coins, shaped like L and T.

The archaeological site of Tùcume, also belonging to the Sicán civilization, is nicknamed "Purgatory." To understand where its nickname comes from, one must climb to the viewpoint offered by the neighboring mountain: 20 pyramids can be glimpsed beneath mounds of earth, covering an area of 46 km². In 2009, only one pyramid was under construction. The site comes with a small museum, featuring reconstructions of frescoes found at the site.

This museum, known for the statue at its entrance, houses a beautiful collection of different pre-Hispanic civilizations of the region: Moche, Sicán - Lambayeque, Chimù, and Inca.

I also discuss it in the article dedicated to the Moches.

This museum, considered one of the most important in Peru, is the largest and most modern of all the museums in the region. With its red pyramid appearance, it houses the treasures from the tombs of the Lord of Sipán, the Warrior, and the Priesthood, reconstructed according to the tombs discovered at Huaca Rajada.

The only downside of this museum is that taking photos is prohibited. We are actually stripped of our bags at the entrance, then we are searched and scanned before accessing the museum.

Don't miss this museum: I saw the most beautiful pieces of Moche civilization there, whether in ceramics or goldsmithing.

From the tourist information center in Chiclayo, we discover the site of Kuelap, located on the edge of the Amazon region. The images that flash by captivate me: the desire to explore this fortress engulfed by vegetation begins to awaken. We are nevertheless warned about the rains (it's the season), while being reassured: there is always a way to go there...

Thus, we arrive in the small Andean town of Chachapoyas (at 2,800 m), from which we visit two archaeological sites: Kuelap and the sarcophagi of Karajía. If the trips between Chachapoyas and the archaeological sites were not without hiccups, the return trip to Chiclayo was extraordinarily long: 26 hours instead of the announced 8 hours, due to landslides... Long live the rainy season they said!

Situated on the crest of a mountain, at 3,000 m, this fortress, around a thousand years old, is impressive... even in the rain.

Its walls are unique for various reasons: human bones are embedded in them to be protected by the ancients, and geometric shapes are drawn with stones.

So, the Kuelap fortress: a must-see, for sure, but rather in the dry season!

Sarcophagi in Latin America? And they resemble moai to boot? I couldn't pass that up!

Not touristy, the trail to access the sarcophagi of Karajía and the site itself is beautiful: wild nature, small waterfall, river, and rainbow await.

These sarcophagi of the Chachapoya civilization are located in caves carved into a mountain, making them almost unreachable. Their real name Purumacho (old man) is believed to be between 900 and 1200 years old and measures between 1.5 meters and 2 meters.

Very few studies have been conducted on this site, and the only infrastructure set up for these archaeological remains is a tiny local museum installed in a small round mud house, displaying pieces gathered by the villagers.

Aside from its Plaza Mayor (Main Square) and pedestrian street, the city of Tumbes is neither beautiful nor interesting. To this, we added our discomfort of feeling so scrutinized in the streets - it seemed we were the only foreigners in the city at that time!

We won't stay long, but we took the opportunity to see the two mangroves in the region and then retreat to the beach in the village of Zooritos, which was quiet during this non-tourist season.

The first mangrove is located near the village of Puerto Pizarro, 13 km from Tumbes. It consists of several islands: the island of crocodiles, the one of birds... and the last, but not the least interesting, which has a small beach bar-restaurant, where you can literally eat with your feet in the water!

A change of scenery with the Tumbes National Mangrove Sanctuary, for a canoe and rowing trip, like Tintin in The Broken Ear. What tranquility! We hear only the sound of the water and the cries of the animals. We see many rare birds and crabs.

According to our guide, only one other site has the sanctuary designation in Peru: Machu Picchu.

During our 3rd trip to Peru, we had the pleasure of discovering Huaraz, in the White Mountain Range. Nicknamed the Switzerland of the Andes, it is the ideal destination for those who want to hike: treks galore!

More information in this article: Huaraz, capital of trekking at the foot of the White Mountain Range

That there's more to see in Peru than just Machu Picchu!

That even in the North, there is a great variety of natural landscapes: beach, mountain, jungle, desert...

That the Incas are not the only interesting civilization in this country!

So, tempted by an expedition in the north of Peru?