Departure from Huaraz
You start from Huaraz, north of Lima, a small town at 3,000m altitude located at the foot of the Cordillera Blanca, the starting point to discover some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world. Situated in the central part of the Callejon de Huaylas valley and capital of the Ancash region, it was founded in pre-Inca times and completely destroyed by the devastating earthquake of 1970. Its beauty lies in the incredible natural views surrounding it: snow-capped peaks, valleys immersed in greenery, forests and pristine lakes, impressive glaciers.
Not far away, the Huascaran National Park guards the mountain of the same name, which at 6,768 meters is the highest in all of Peru. From the city you can also depart for a visit to the site of Chavin de Huantar; the homonymous civilization is also one of the oldest on the continent (it developed around 1000 BCE and influenced all subsequent cultures and civilizations, extending southward to the Nazca and Paracas cultures).
Trujillo
Trujillo, further north, is a charming colonial town from which you can easily reach the Chan Chan site, the largest pre-Columbian city in South America built by the Chimu civilization, which thrived until the rise of the Incas. It is a grand site located a few kilometers from the coast, built entirely of adobe (dried clay) and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Moche Civilization
Going even further back 700 years, you discover the secrets of an even more complex and fascinating civilization, the Moche. To learn about it, you need to visit the Huaca de la Luna site, the main ceremonial center of this ancient people. The Ruta Moche is a route weaving through history, art, culture, and divinity, featuring enchanting palaces, unimaginable treasures, and temples of immense wonder. The Moche civilization, whose name likely derives from the spoken language, “Muchik,” was the most famous in Peru, living during a period generically called the “First Intermediate Period” between 200 BCE and 600 CE, occupying a vast mainly desert territory between Piura and the Nepena valley.
Still in the north of the country, in the Amazonas Region the forest dominates: privileged microclimates and unique ecosystems in the world, archaeological sites such as the citadel of Kuelap (built between the forest and the Andes), colonial buildings, mysterious tombs—heritage of an era where the Chachapoyas culture reigned—characterize the region. Here are also the Gocta waterfalls, an impressive 771-meter-high waterfall, one of the tallest in the world.
The coasts of Peru
The coasts of Peru, 3,000 km along the Pan-American highway, are a succession of beaches suitable for couples and travelers seeking peace and quiet, but also full of opportunities for young surfers who come here in the Piura region to find the perfect wave (or in the Trujillo area, experienced surfers gather at Chicama, home of the longest left-hand wave in the world).
Along the coastline of Piura and Tumbes in the far north of Peru, long sandy beaches satisfy both tourists looking for relaxation and young athletes seeking adrenaline and thrills.
Between August and September in this area, you can also admire the spectacle of the mating and migration of humpback whales, and for better whale watching, it is recommended to take excursions in the morning. Humpback whales reach lengths of up to 17 meters and weigh almost 40 tons. The whale watching season runs from July 15 to November 15. It is estimated that over 2,000 humpback whales reach Peruvian shores following the Humboldt Current.
The beach of Cabo Blanco, at the northern part of this coast, known for blue marlin fishing, also hosted Ernest Hemingway, who took inspiration here for his novel The Old Man and the Sea.
