The Ancient Secrets of Peru

Arrive at Lima and stay overnight in your hotel

Travel north from Lima to visit Caral, one of the oldest urban civilisations in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating back approximately 5,000 years, Caral developed around the same time as Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Explore pyramids, ceremonial complexes, and plazas while learning how this sophisticated society emerged long before the Incas.

Fly to Trujillo on Peru’s northern coast. Known as the “City of Eternal Spring,” Trujillo serves as the gateway to some of the country’s most important pre-Columbian archaeological sites. The city itself retains elegant colonial architecture and a relaxed coastal atmosphere.

Visit the extraordinary Moche ceremonial centres of Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol. These massive adobe structures reveal a sophisticated civilisation renowned for its artistry, engineering, and complex religious practices. The remarkably preserved murals provide rare insight into ancient Moche beliefs and rituals.

Explore Chan Chan, the former capital of the Chimú Kingdom and one of South America’s greatest archaeological sites. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chan Chan remains the largest adobe city ever built. Later visit Huanchaco, a traditional fishing village famous for its reed boats known as caballitos de totora, which have been used for centuries.

Visit the El Brujo Archaeological Complex, one of the most important discoveries in modern Peruvian archaeology. The highlight is the tomb of the Lady of Cao, a powerful female ruler whose discovery challenged assumptions that only men held political authority in ancient Andean societies. The site provides remarkable insight into Moche leadership and ritual life.

Travel to Chiclayo, heartland of the Lambayeque civilisation. The region contains some of the richest archaeological discoveries ever made in South America and is often compared to Egypt because of the wealth found in royal tombs.

Visit the Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum, home to one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the Americas. The tomb of the Lord of Sipán revealed extraordinary treasures of gold, silver, and ceremonial objects, earning comparisons with Tutankhamun’s tomb. Continue to Túcume, a remarkable complex of adobe pyramids that once served as a major ceremonial and political centre.

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight. The journey concludes after uncovering the stories of civilisations that flourished long before the rise of the Inca Empire, providing a completely different perspective on Peru’s ancient past.