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Private Journeys

Treasures of Peru: The archaeological riches of the north

15 days from £3,940pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Peru

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Places visited

Overview & Highlights

For lovers of history and bygone cultures. Includes the Chimú civilisation’s adobe city Chan Chan, Kuelap, hilltop fortress of the Chachapoya people, and the tomb of the Lord of Sipán. Fascinating museums and exquisite mountain scenery.

For the lover of history and bygone cultures, little-visited northern Peru has as least as much to offer as the more celebrated south. This journey is devised for the amateur archaeology enthusiast and incorporates a comprehensive selection of excursions to museums and historical sites, often with spectacular locations in remote landscapes. 

You hit the ground running with visits to Lima’s renowned museums and a full day excursion to Caral. Travel up the coast to colonial Trujillo and explore the vast Chimú desert adobe city of Chan Chan. Head inland to Andean Cajamarca in fertile dairy country. Continue on inland to the northern highlands, embellished with the ruins of elusive civilisations such as the Chachapoya, who constructed the massive hilltop fort at Kuelap. Continue by road to the port of Chiclayo and the tomb of the Lord of Sipán.

Read More
  • Lima: Pachacámac ruins and Archaeological Museum
  • Lima: Larco Museum
  • Lima: Visit to Caral archaeological site
  • Trujillo: City tour and University Archaeological Museum
  • Trujillo: Full day visit to archaeological sites including Chan Chan
  • Cajamarca: Excursion to Cumbe Mayo
  • Leymebamba: visit to the museum and the tombs of Revash
  • Chillo: Tour of Kuelap ruined walled city
  • Chachapoyas: Trek to Gocta Falls
  • Chiclayo: Sipán and Tumbas Reales Museum
  • Chiclayo: Sican Museum, Túcume

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

Paul Winrow Giffin

Paul Winrow-Giffin

Travel Expert

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Accommodation

Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • Climbing Villarica Volcano on a beautiful sunny day. Reaching the summit to see incredible views over the Andes and Lake District, the skyline peppered with snowy cones of of the…

    AP, Norwich
  • This was our fourth holiday with JLA, all have been wonderful experiences, different in their own ways, all with excellent tour leaders, different characters each with a passion for the…

    HW, Bury St. Edmunds
  • Learned a lot about prehispanic civilizations in Mesoamerica and about the Mexican people. Was very lucky to travel with a small group of curious, witty and interesting people. And it's…

    MH, Paris
  • An extremely memorable trip, well organised, with knowledgeable and passionate guides. I'm so lucky to have had this great experience and not to have had the worry of organising it!

    JB, Bristol
  • This was such a good trip, with varying sights and weather, from the tropics to perishing Patagonia!

    AW, Orpington
  • I will continue to recommend JLA as one of the best company I have used. The detailed planning of their tour was outstanding, their choice of local guides was excellent.

    MR, Greenford
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Our Expert's Opinion

While this holiday's main focus is archaeology, you don't need to be a history buff to appreciate the fascinating sites it visits. We believe it's a fantastic trip for people who have previously visited Peru and want to delve deeper while escaping the crowds. It's truly astonishing how peaceful and quiet these places are, offering you an almost private experience in a country as popular as Peru.

Paul Winrow Giffin
Paul Winrow-Giffin Travel Expert After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

Inspired by this trip

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

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