VISIT TO THE SURROUNDINGS AND MICULLA
PETROGLYPHS East of the main highway we visit the districts
of Pocolilay, Calana y Pachia to arrive at the valley of the
carved stones, 20 km east of Tacna in the Andean village of
Palca. This archaeological complex at 1200 masl has an area
of approximately 20 sq km and contains one of the greatest and
most impressive concentrations of lithic art in the world in
desert scenery with clear skies throughout the year. These engravings
represent scenes of hunting, dances, music, llama herds, ethnic
conflicts and rituals in which characters wear amazing headgear.
A footpath of 3 km. is being built to visit the sectors of major
cultural significance. This circuit will allow the visitor to
see in a rehabilitated area of 47 hectares equivalent to 0.5
sq km of the total area, at least two thousand figures represented
in 446 petroglyphs and one impressive geoglyphs of 120 m. long
TRUJILLO DAILY TOURS
TOUR
LENGTH
DEPART.
Chan Chan ruins, Huanchaco beach and Huaca del Dragón
3.30 hours
Daily
City tour and Archaeological Museum
3 hours
Daily
Huacas of the Sun and of the Moon
2.30 hours
Daily
Huaca El Brujo ruins
4.30 hours
Daily
Chimbote harbor and Pañamarca and Sechín
ruins
8 hours
Daily
CHAN CHAN RUINS, HUANCHACO BEACH AND
HUACA DEL DRAGÓN
Chan Chan has an area of 20 sq km and it is one of ancient Peru’s
greatest and important urban centers. It is situated at only 5
km. from Trujillo on the right slopes of the Moche Valley.
It was the capital of Gran Chimor (Chimú) an empire that
flourished during the times of the Late Intermediate Period when
the centralized Huari Empire declined. The legend says that Tacaynamo,
an emperor who arrived to the Moche valley from the ocean on a
wooden raft, founded the Empire. He gathered political and priestly
powers as he had been sent to rule that land. He established a
dynasty of rulers who were able to conquer the people from Tumbes
to Carabayllo. However they were stopped short in Lima unable
to defeat the resistance of the settlers of Maranga. It is evident
that the Great Chimor was the greatest and most complex political
and economic organization before the Cusco domination, Chan Chan
being the center of its administrative activities and the place
where the Royal Palaces were built. The foundation of this city
can still not be dated precisely but an approximate date is around
850 ad. Its splendor began in the 13th Century. The building materials
were adobe bricks and stones joined together with mud. They also
used plants such as algarrobo, cane, reeds and totora. In the
heart of the city there is a civic center, which extends along
6 sq km forming 10 rectilinear chambers erected upon a prepared
terrain. They are now called: Gran Chimú, Bandelier, Uhle,
Chayhuac, Tschudi, Rivero, Tello, Laberinto, Velarde and Squier.
It is surrounded by a 7 meters height by 7 length wall. On them
there are remains of wall paintings niches and high relief decorations
obtained by moldings which represented harmonic images of 2 headed
serpents and alternating fish, birds and geometric figures. They
can only be reached through one entrance giving them an atmosphere
of independence from the rest of the city. It is believed that
at the time of splendor 100,000 people inhabited it.
The seaside resort of Huanchaco is situated 12 km north of Trujillo
and is very popular with surfers. In this hamlet the “caballitos
de totora”, reed vessels used since the times of the Mochicas
are still used for craft fishing.
Around Chan Chan a chain of lesser cities developed some of
which seem to have been the residence of local dynasties or
other administrative Chimú centers.
The most prominent and partially reconstructed in 1963 is the
Huaca del Dragon or Arco Iris (Rainbow). This monument is made
up of 3 parts a perimeter wall 228 m long, which encompassed
a surface of 3,152 sq mt and an entrance facing the northeast.
There is a trapezoidal platform of 777 sq mt and 4.5 mt high
and a second one 366 sq mt and 3 mt high. The whole complex
is decorated with relief molded in mud. It seems that the zoomorphic
representations of the Chimú Huacas are inserted in a
mystic context and are totem symbols within their religious
concepts.
CITY TOUR AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
The architecture of Trujillo is similar to that of Lima, capital
of the Viceroyalty, in design and color. The layout of the city,
attributed to Miguel de Estete, is that of a checkerboard of immense
dimensions. Between 1685 and 1687 a defensive wall to protect
it from the British and French pirates who raided the Peruvian
coast surrounded it. The facades of the most prominent houses
were adorned with the famous barred windows of Moorish influence;
they have great artistic value due to the fine wrought iron metal
work, carried out with great skill.
The visit includes the Plaza Mayor, the biggest main square
in Peru, the Calonge Urteaga Mansion, and the House of Mariscal
de Orbegozo, the house of the Emancipation, the Plaza del Recreo,
and the Basilica Cathedral, built at the end of the XVII Century
and the Churches of La Compañia and Santo Domingo.
The visits end in the Archaeological Museum, where archaeological
pieces of regional cultures are exhibited.
HUACAS OF SUN AND OF THE MOON
The Moche or Mochica pre-Inca culture deserves a special interest.
It has left us an impressive architectonic monument: the Huaca
del Sol (Sun Huaca), in the surroundings of the present city of
Trujillo.
This northern Peruvian culture flourished in the first centuries
of this era (100 - 800 ad). It developed a decorated pottery
with figures of human and animal expressions of great artistic
and documentary value. The vast pyramidal temples of Moche,
allow us to infer a theocratic order with local shrines run
by priests.
A hierarchical order is clear by the difference in clothes worn
by the lords and the servants.
The Huaca del Sol is the biggest pyramid in the pre-Inca period.
It is calculated that 140 million adobe-bricks were employed
for the construction of this platform - temple. The study made
of the construction methods and the adobe bricks indicate that
the job was done by groups of different regions. Each group
has left distinct signs on the bricks. It is built on a platform
228 meter long by 136 meter wide. Originally it was 48 meter
high. The ascent is along a ramp 90 meter long by 6 meter wide.
The pyramid consisted of 5 superimposed platforms situated in
the northern part of the monument.
The Huaca de la Luna (Moon Huaca) is 500 meters from the Sun
Huaca and is smaller. It has an 80 by 60 meter base and a height
of 21 meters. Interior chambers with multicolored wall paintings
have been found.
HUACA EL BRUJO RUINS
The archaeological complex of El Brujo (The Wizard) is located
61 km north of Trujillo, on the water front and close to the village
of Magdalena de Cao. These ruins of Mochica Origin cover an area
of 6 hectares within which there is evidence of previous occupations
6000 years ago in Huaca Prieta. The importance it has acquired
nowadays is due to the recent discovery of a great adobe pyramid
30 meters high and more than 15 centuries of existence. On its
walls the Mochicas displayed captivating images in high relief,
(200 - 750 ad) such as fish, prisoners, ceremonies and wars. The
Wiese Foundation finances this project.
CHIMBOTE HARBOR AND PAÑAMARCA
AND SECHÍN RUINS
The harbor of Chimbote is at the crossroads to the ruins of
Pañamarca and Sechín. It is also the seat of great
fishing enterprises dedicated to the production of fishmeal
and oils, of which Peru is first producer worldwide.
In the valley of Nepeña, between Chimbote and Casma there
is a series of ruins, which in spite of not being spectacular,
are of important historical interest. Amongst these stand out
the Pañamarca ruins. This urban-ceremonial center, belong
to the flourishing of the Moche Culture, south of this territory.
A great pyramid built on a rocky promontory surrounded by walls
covered in polychrome drawings, one of which depicts a sacrificial
ritual, distinguishes it.
The ruins of Sechín are situated in the valley of Casma.
They are about 3500 years old and are notable for its distinct
architecture. The main building is a relatively short pyramid.
The front walls consist of vertical slabs, engraved in low relief
with characters in profile that seem to be marching into the
temple. There are also tall characters of 60 centimeters to
4 meters, dressed as soldiers or priests, as well as mutilated
people, remains of legs, arms, eyes and innards and a spectacular
quantity of decapitated heads.
LA
PAZ – BOLIVIA DAILY TOURS
TOUR
LENGTH
DEPART.
City tour and Moon valley
3.30 hours
Daily
Tiahuanaco ruins
4 hours
Daily
Chacaltaya glacier
5 hours
Daily
Yungas tropical avlley and Coroico town
10 hours
Daily
CITY TOUR AND MOON VALLEY
The excursion includes a visit to the Indian and handicraft market,
the Church of San Francisco and the Government Palace, the Cathedral,
the Presidential Palace, the Museums in Jaen Street, the Open
air Museum of Tiahuanaco, the residential districts. The excursion
ends with a visit to the unique Moon valley to have the opportunity
to walk around and visit a ceramic workshop with a demonstration
of the art of pottery.
TIAHUANACO RUINS
The mystic and mysterious Tiahuanaco ruins are 70 km. from La
Paz. During the journey we will stop at Laja where the first city
of La Paz was founded, to visit the lovely colonial church there.
Before reaching the archaeological complex in Tambillo an overwhelming
view of the Mountain range Real will be experienced. In Tiahuanaco
we will visit the Artily Underground Temple of Kalasasaya, the
pyramids of Akapana, Kerikala and the Door of the Sun and the
Moon.
CHACALTAYA GLACIER
It is the world’s highest developed ski-area, at one hour
from downtown La Paz, at an altitude of over 5000 masl, atop a
dying glacier on the slopes of Cerro Chacaltaya (5345 meters).
On a clear day Chacaltaya offers a breathtaking view of the
High plateau, neighbouring peaks and Titicaca Lake.
YUNGAS TROPICAL VALLEY AND COROICO TOWN
This is an ecological visit to experience the extreme changes
in scenery and wildlife between the Highland Plateaus and the
Plains. After crossing a pass at 4500 masl we reach Coroico, a
semi tropical valley at 1500 masl. We will visit coffee, cocoa,
citric and coca plantations.
ARGENTINA
