Trujillo Archaeology & Paso Horses
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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
$149.95
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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 included
Visit the city of Trujillo, where your first stop will be at the main square. Reminiscent of a traditional Spanish city, Trujillo boasts a bevy of beautiful colonial architecture -- the cathedral, City Hall, the offices of the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo (1824), the house of the Urquiaga y Bracamonte families, and the Hotel El Libertador.
Pass the cathedral, built between 1647 and 1666, and rebuilt between 1768 and 1781. Its interior and colonial paintings, valuable choir seat, and altarpieces in Baroque and Rococo styles make for interesting viewing. You’ll also see the colonial houses of the Urquiaga family -- aristocrats and farmers of the colony and counted among the founders of the Republic. Restored to their original colors, the houses showcase beautiful window shutters of exquisite wrought iron, enormous patios and elegant living rooms.
Continue to the Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna archaeological complex, located on the northern coast of Peru. The site’s two truncated pyramids -- the Temple of the Stars and the White Hill Temple -- dominate the landscape. The famous spider geoglyph makes its home among the vegetation along the banks of the River Moche. The Mochica culture developed from AD 100 to 900 and nowadays the archaeological complex, also known as Huacas de Moche (Moche Temples), encompasses an area of 148 acres. Researchers believe the Mochica kingdom was decimated by the El Niño phenomenon, which periodically causes tropical rains and floods in the northern coast of Peru.
Visit a typical hacienda for a snack and Paso horse exhibition. This sub-equine breed, originally from Peru, has the gentlest gait of the riding horses with a unique a four-step timing. The horses are descendants of the Barbican Cordovan horse that the Spaniards introduced during the Conquest of Peru (1532). They were bred to cross the Peruvian deserts, moving the front and back hoof of the same side simultaneously, creating an amble-like step. The main breeding places of these horses are in Trujillo, Ica and Lima.
Notes:
Wear comfortable shoes; bring a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. Your guide will do his/her best to speak English, but please keep in mind that the limited tourism infrastructure of Trujillo is part of the city’s charm, and bear with any language difficulties he/she may encounter. Buses and other forms of transportation in Trujillo may be somewhat basic in comparison with those offered in some other ports of call. On Sundays, museums and colonial houses in downtown Trujillo are closed; the visit to the city will be a panoramic drive only.