Northern Peru - The Land of the Cloud Warriors

This morning we take a flight to Jaen and then it’s on to Chacapoyas. On arrival, we visit Karajía. This funerary site hosts six sarcophagi perched high upon a sheer cliff face. Each long-faced tomb is constructed from wood, clay and straw, and is shaped like a stylized forlorn individual. Today, however, we can see stone ruins scattered among the fields.

After breakfast, we visit the Kuélap, the architectural wonder of the Chachapoyas. Kuélap is surrounded by a colossal wall almost 2,000 feet (600m) long and 65 feet (20m) tall. Inside are public and private buildings, the majority of which have circular designs and decorative friezes. Our day ends with a tour of Chachapoyas.

Today we drive to Yerbabuena and walk for two hours to get a close up view of a colourful cliff tomb. The site is perched on a yellow cliff and the tombs are like mini houses, with red pictographs that date back to 1200 CE. Later, in Leymebamba, we visit the community museum that houses 219 museums along with other artefacts recovered in 1997 from cliff tombs that overlook the Lake of Condors.

Travel from Chachapoyas to Chiclayo. During our lengthy journey, we see the Utcubamba River. Then, after Bagua Grande, we cross the Marañón River and the Andes by the lowest pass in Peru – Porculla (2,145m above sea level). This route will help us appreciate how the greenery of the forest changes to the deserts.

Upon our arrival in Chiclayo, we are welcomed and taken to our hotel, where a lecture on the local area will be shared with us as we travel. Later, we begin our tour of the region by visiting the major monuments of the ancient Moche, an important culture that achieved unmatched levels of sophistication in the Americas. The first destination is the Complejo Arqueológico Huaca Rajada (Furrowed Pyramid archaeological complex) – a funerary complex located 22 miles (35km) from the city of Chichlayo, where the tomb of one of the Moche ruling elite – the Señor de Sipán – was found. Next, we visit the Museo Tumbas Reales (Royal Tombs Museum), which was built specifically to house the greatest archaeological discovery of recent time – the tomb of the Lord of Sipán. After lunch, we continue our visits to the Pirámides de Túcume – a magnificent complex of 26 adobe pyramids that once formed part of an extensive urban centre, perhaps once the capital of the realm of Sicán.

The Bosque de Pomac, located 22 miles north of Chiclayo, is our first visit of the day. This vast forest of algarrobo trees on the old grounds of the Batan Grande sugar cane hacienda is dotted with dozens of ancient pyramids belonging to the Sicán culture – descendants of the Moche. The Sicán were an ancient civilisation that developed in northern Peru between 800 and 1300 CE. This site was first excavated in 1978 by the Japanese archaeologist and anthropologist Izumi Shimada, but it wasn’t until 1992 that his team discovered a tomb of an elite member of Sicán society. Next, we visit the National Sicán Museum, where 1.2 tons of precious metals from his tomb are stored.

Today we travel to the city of Trujillo, making a stop en route to visit the El Brujo pyramid complex. The Huaca Cao pyramid gave its name to the tomb of the Señora de Cao (Lady of Cao), a member of the Moche royalty who was around 25 when she died. In the on-site museum, you will be able to see her mummy, with its skin covered in snake and spider tattoos.

Our discovery of this charming city begins. Visit the Plaza de Armas, the Monumento a La Libertad and La Casa de la Emancipación – a Republican Neoclassical architectural treasure. We also visit the Temple of the Dragon and then continue on to Huanchaco, where we watch local fisherman on their traditional “Caballitos de Totora”. Finally today, we pay a visit to Chan Chan.

Discover the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna (the Sun and Moon Pyramids) today, considered the most important Moche ceremonial centre in the region. Upon visiting the site’s museum, we bear witness to the Moche people’s great artistic sensibility, reflected in their ceramic, wooden and textile creations.

We drive from Trujillo to Huaraz today and after checking in to our hotel, the rest of the day is spent at leisure. The final lecture of our trip follows later.

An excursion to Chavín de Huántar awaits us today, the ceremonial centre that best represents the beginnings of high Peruvian culture. John Rick, our expert scholar, excavates here so we will have the privileged chance to explore parts of this complex that no tourists ever get to see. In our ascent to the Cordillera Blanca, we will visit Lake Querococha. After crossing the Cahuish Tunnel, we go down the Mosna River Valley to reach the Chavín archaeological complex, which we spend ample time discovering. We have lunch in Chavín and then, in the afternoon, we will pay a visit to the Chavín National Museum, which is home to a collection of significant archaeological artefacts from Chavín culture.

Today we return to Lima. Upon our arrival, we sit down to enjoy our final group dinner together.

We depart Lima on our return flight back to London.