Explore Peru
A Peek Into the Pre-Columbian Past
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This trip is designed for fans of ancient history and ruins who want nothing more than to attend lectures, thumb through history books, and spend hours wandering around ancient ruins. This 14-day trip will allow you to understand the achievements of the Incas by first examining the Moche, Chimú, and Sicán cultures that preceded them.
Specialty operators like California-based Far Horizons Archaeological & Cultural Trips (U.S. tel. 800/552-4575, journey [at] farhorizon [dot] com, www.farhorizon.com) offer this basic itinerary spiced up with expert archaeologist tour guides and a series of exclusive lectures.
Day 1
Arrive in Lima. Begin with a grounding tour at the Museo Nacional de ArqueologÃa in Lima.
Day 2
Fly to Trujillo and transfer to the peaceful beach-side village of Huanchaco for a two-night stay.
Day 3
Tour the Trujillo area. During the day you will see the Moche murals at the Huaca de la Luna, the expansive Chimú citadel of Chan Chan, the erotic ceramics at Museo Cassinelli, and the city’s well-preserved colonial mansions.
Day 4
Head north to Chiclayo. Stop to see the Moche site of El Brujo along the way. Then check into a quiet country inn near the Sicán pyramids of Túcume, where you will spend two nights.
Day 5
Tour the Chiclayo area. See impressive gold and silver work in the Lords of Sipán exhibit at the Museo Tumbas Reales. Then visit the Sicán pyramids of Batán Grande and the new multimedia Museo Sicán.
Day 6
Fly back to Lima for a day tour of Pachacámac, an adobe temple that once housed the most revered oracle in the Andes.
Day 7
Catch a morning flight to Cusco and transfer to Ollantaytambo for a two-night stay. In the afternoon, begin your tour of the Sacred Valley with a detailed visit to the sun temple at Ollantaytambo.
Day 8
Continue your tour of the Sacred Valley with visits to the fortress of Pisac and odd terraced pits of Moray.
Day 9
Visit the traditional market at Chinchero, with plenty of time to examine the town’s Inca walls and the ruins scattered throughout the countryside.
Day 10
At dawn, board a train for Aguas Calientes, which will serve as your base for exploring Machu Picchu for the next two days.
Day 11
Spend a second day at Machu Picchu. The adventurous can climb to the summit of Putukusi, a forest rock dome that overlooks the Inca citadel. In the afternoon, take the train to Cusco.
Days 12–13
Tour the Cusco area including the Inca walls, Sacsayhuamán and the other ruins outside the city, colonial churches, and the artisan barrio of San Blas.
Day 14
Take a morning flight to Lima. Visit the Museo Larco and have a farewell oceanside dinner before catching your flight home.
© Ross Wehner and Renée del Gaudio from Moon Peru, 2nd Edition
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