Northern Peru hidden gems tour

Upon arrival at Lima International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your local representative and private driver, who will escort you to your hotel. There, you will review your personalized itinerary and receive insider recommendations to enrich your Peru travel experience.

The afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace. Sample fresh ceviche, wander the colorful streets of Barranco, or enjoy coffee on a Miraflores rooftop overlooking the Pacific. In the evening, discover a family-run restaurant or a quiet seaside viewpoint that offers an authentic introduction to the spirit of Peru.

From Lima, travel to Caral, the oldest known urban center in the Americas, built more than 5,000 years ago. Accompanied by an English-speaking guide, explore its six pyramids, sunken circular plazas, and residential sectors while uncovering the story of this sophisticated ancient civilization. Learn about early musical traditions revealed through bone flutes discovered at the site.

Spend the night in Caral, where tailored service allows you to connect more deeply with the region’s rich history and serene coastal landscapes.

Traveling from Caral to Trujillo, stop at Sechin Alto, a remarkable pre-Incan capital on Peru’s northwest coast occupied between 1800 and 900 BC. Considered one of the best places to visit in Peru for archaeology enthusiasts, this vast ceremonial complex features an enormous mound that was once the largest of its time.

With a local guide, explore its stone reliefs and discover the ingenuity behind its ancient engineering.

Continue to Trujillo, where colorful colonial facades line elegant plazas. Stroll through the historic center, sample refined coastal cuisine, and enjoy thoughtfully curated experiences that reveal the city’s cultural depth.

Discover Trujillo’s remarkable archaeological heritage with your private English-speaking guide. Begin at Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna, impressive Moche temples adorned with vividly preserved friezes that reveal the symbolism and rituals of this ancient civilization. You will also meet a local family descended from the Mochica, gaining insight into traditions that endure today.

In the afternoon, visit the colorful Arco Iris Temple before enjoying lunch in the seaside village of Huanchaco, where fishermen still navigate the waves on traditional caballitos de totora. Conclude the day exploring Chan Chan, the vast adobe capital of the Chimu kingdom and one of the largest earthen cities in the world.

Today, journey from Trujillo to Chiclayo with your private English-speaking guide, stopping at the El Brujo Archaeological Complex and the Señora de Cao Museum.

Along the way, enjoy authentic, tailor-made moments as you explore dramatic coastal landscapes and remarkable adobe temples shaped by ancient civilizations.

At the museum, come face to face with the 1,500-year-old Señora de Cao, a powerful Moche leader and shaman whose preserved tattoos of spiders, fish, and snakes reveal her symbolic authority. The gold and silver ornaments discovered in her tomb are beautifully displayed on site, offering rare insight into her status and legacy.

Today’s private exploration from Chiclayo blends archaeology, culture, and local character. The day highlights Huaca Rajada and the ancient pyramids of Tucume, offering meaningful insight into Peru’s rich pre-Columbian heritage.

Begin at the mud brick burial platform of Huaca Rajada, where the remarkable Tomb of the Lord of Sipán was discovered.

Later, enjoy a private English-speaking tour of the Tumbas Reales Museum, where the recreated tomb of El Señor de Sipán and its extraordinary treasures are displayed in impressive detail. Return to Chiclayo in the evening for an overnight stay.

Arrive in Chachapoyas and enjoy breakfast at your hotel before setting out on a guided horseback excursion to the Karajia sarcophagi and the Quiocta Caverns. Follow scenic mountain trails as your experienced guide shares stories of the Chachapoya culture and the legends woven into this dramatic landscape.

At Karajia, stand before six striking anthropomorphic clay sarcophagi perched high on narrow cliff ledges. These remarkable tombs, believed to honor chieftains and shamans, feature stylized heads that evoke distant echoes of the moai of Easter Island, creating one of the most unforgettable archaeological sights in northern Peru.

A highlight of your Peru itinerary, Kuelap Fortress rises dramatically at 3,000 meters above sea level, surrounded by misty cloud forest. Begin with a scenic cable car ride offering sweeping mountain views, then continue on horseback or on foot to reach the hilltop citadel.

Explore this impressive 10th to 14th century stone stronghold, often referred to as the “new Machu Picchu,” where massive walls and circular dwellings reveal the legacy of the Chachapoya civilization.

Travel from Chachapoyas to the spectacular Gocta Waterfalls, one of the tallest cascades in the world. Follow scenic trails through lush cloud forest, enjoying panoramic views and passing smaller waterfalls along the way. Keep watch for toucans, monkeys, and other native wildlife that inhabit this vibrant ecosystem.

After your exploration, settle into your lodge in the peaceful village of Cocachimba, where you will spend the night surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery.

Enjoy a final regional breakfast before your private transfer to Jaén Airport in Cajamarca for your onward flight.

Our team ensures seamless assistance at the airport and thoughtful attention at every step, so you depart with lasting memories of your Peru trip and inspiration for future, authentic, tailor-made journeys.