Chan Chan Citadel, Rainbow Temple & The Reed Boats
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Port
Salaverry (Trujillo), Peru
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$89.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 5 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Depart from the pier in Salaverry and drive to Huaca Dragon. Dating from the 12th century, it is one of the better-preserved of the Chimú temples because it was buried under sand until the 1960s. Its location was known to a handful of archaeologists and huaqueros (grave robbers), but excavation did not begin until 1963. Unfortunately, the 1983 El Niño caused damage to the friezes.
Proceed to the Chan Chan complex -- the capital of the ancient Chimu Empire. This large ancient metropolis lies just three miles from Trujillo and is close to the ocean. Historians estimate that Chan Chan had a population of up 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. At almost a thousand years old, it is an amazingly well-preserved testament to the sophistication of South American society long before the Incas or Spaniards happened along. Irrigation canals, amphitheaters, storerooms and wells are still intact.
After a tour of the citadel, continue to Huanchaco Beach to see the famous caballitos de totora. These are reed boats, but the name translates into English as ‘little reed horses’ because the strangely shaped little watercraft are essentially ridden like horses over the crest of each wave. Peruvian fishermen have used them for millennia and offer you, the visitor, an extraordinary glimpse of everyday life in this part of Peru.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Shade is limited; to avoid sunburn, wear light, long clothing suitable for use as a cover-up. Bring a hat and sunglasses; wear biodegradable/reef-safe sunscreen. Bring bottled water. Limited tourism infrastructure is part of the charm here; you are trading breadth of guide experience for authentic interaction. Please bring your spirit of adventure and bear with any language difficulties or operational surprises that may crop up. Buses and other forms of transportation in Trujillo may be somewhat basic in comparison with those offered in some other ports of call.