Salaverry - Sun and Moon Temples, Chan Chan Citadel and Huanchaco
Visit the temples of the Sun and Moon at the Mochica archaeological site on the northern coast of Peru, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Chan Chan, and the picturesque fishing village of Huanchaco.
- Visit a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Learn about Peruvian history, traditions, and culture
- See magnificent temples
Moche Temples and Pyramids
On this excursion you'll visit the temples of the Sun and Moon at a Moche archaeological site on the northern coast of Peru. The Temple of the Stars and the White Hill Temple pyramids are also located here, along with the renowned spider geoglyph perched on the hillside nearby.
The mysterious Moche culture was centered here from 100 to 900 A.D., and the Moche temples cover an area of 148 acres and are separated by an esplanade 500 yards wide, under which lies the urban center where the Moche elite lived. The Moche era ended because El Niño brought tropical rains and floods to the northern coast of Peru.
Travel Back in Time to the Chimú Empire
Then you'll visit Chan Chan complex, the capital of the ancient Chimú Empire. This large ancient metropolis lies just 3 miles from Trujillo and is close to the ocean. Historians estimate that Chan Chan had a population of 50,000 to 60,000 people.
This adobe city also contains nine enormous and quite distinguishable enclosures, each constituting a smaller city within the larger urban center. Chan Chan is a UNESCO World Heritage site and covers nearly eight square miles. It is almost a thousand years old and is an amazingly well preserved testimony to the sophistication of South American society long before the interference of the Incas and the Spaniards.
Everyday Peruvian Life
Lastly, you'll visit the picturesque fishing village of Huanchaco, which offers a chance to see the famous caballitos de totora. These are boats made from reeds, and the name translates into English as 'little reed horses' because these strangely shaped boats are essentially ridden like horses over the crest of each wave. They have been used by Peruvian fishermen for millennia and offer you an extraordinary glimpse of everyday life in this part of Peru.