Northern Peru Itinerary

Hello,

If you only have 8 days, I would recommend the area around Chiclayo and Trujillo and then going up to Tumbes, where is really good beach with a decent water temperature.

However it will depend of when you are planning to travel, as currently these areas are not accessible. But if it in June or July, it should be alright.

Around Chiclayo you have the Museum of Tumbas Reales, the Pyramids of Tucume and the Private Nature Reserve of Chaparri.

Around Trujillo you have the Sun and Moon Temples, Chan Chan, the biggest adobe city in the world and some beach, Huanchaco. Trujillo is a beautiful city, so you should spend some time in the city center.

You could fly to Trujillo and from Tumbes or Piura, depending on where you'll stay.

Happy travels !
Martina

Thank you so much Martina, this is really helpful and sounds amazing.

I'm travelling in early October. What is the weather like on the coast?

Cheers,
Jennifer

The advice from #1 poster is good, but if you go to northern Peru you have to include Chachapoyas and the nearby Kuelap ruins. It's quite easy to get there via overnight bus from Trujillo. Or take a daytime bus so you can see the great scenery via Cajamarca, and then return by night bus.

It would be easy to spend 8 days just seeing Trujillo, the archaeological ruins around there, the Huanchaco beach resort just near Trujillo, and Chachapoyas, so you can visit Kuelap. If you travel fast you could fit in Chiclayo and the ruinas near there. I think Piura is a bit too far to include.

Hello again, Jennifer,

To go to Chachapoyas will take either 2 days (back and forth) or two nights and I would say that in a 8-day trip this will be exhausting.

Better keep it for another time - I can say that, because I live in Chachapoyas :) And it is absolutely true that there are many things, not only Kuelap to see there. You have two of the highest waterfalls in the world, Gocta and Yumbilla, more archaeological sites of the Chachapoya culture, the Sarcophagi of Karajia and the Mausolea of Revash, but in 8 days and be trying to get some time at the beach...

The weather in October should be just perfect, not too hot at the coast yet. If you choose to go the the Northern Andes (Chachapoyas and Cajamarca), it is not the rainy season yet, so nice sunny days and colder nights.

Best,
Martina

The advice as above is good. You'll have to make you choices within the limited time you have. The best places to visit are Kuelap and Chachapoyas, however eight days might not be enough. Also, Cajamarca is a nice place to visit, including the surrounding area.
If possible, I'd try to extend the time to two weeks to see the best what north Peru has to offer.

This is what I would do with 8 days but beach is less important to me and the beach is also not the main attraction in Peru in my opinion. You could fly to Trujillo or take an overnight bus from Lima. Stay in Huanchaco (not sure how the weather is in October but I think the ocean will be cold) and go to Chan Chan. Then take a day to wander through Trujillo and go to Huaca de la Luna. Day 3 take a bus to Chiclayo and visit the museum (Tumbas Reales de Sipan) in Lambayeque. Take an overnight bus (Movil Tours) to Chachapoyas. Visit Kuelap and Gocta Falls (or Yumbilla Falls). Day 6: minibus to Leymebamba and visit the mummy museum. Day 7: travel on to Cajamarca. Great scenery. Day 8: explore Cajamarca and go to the Ventanillas de Otuzco or Cumbe Mayo. Fly back to Lima.

Thanks mstep! Kuelap looks amazing! If not this time, next time for sure.

It all seems wonderful, but unfortunately I can't extend due to work. Want to get in some surfing as I hear that it's great it Peru - so the beach is up there for a place to go. Thanks everyone for the tips!!

It depends on what kind of trip do you want to make, all of the advices above are great. In the north part of the coast you can find, incredible archaelogical sites, awesome beaches and great partys. In the north part of the Andean zone limiting with the jungle of the Amazon Region, you can find the most crazy and interesting culture of Peru in my opinion (Chachapoyas culture), and the most incredible landscapes that you will ever see, also you can find Yumbilla, the forest of giant waterfalls, The Karajía and San Jeronimo Sarcophagus, the very curious town of Chachapoyas, and many more things.

You have to know that the recent huaicos and floodings in the north of the coast have left these areas not accesible for tourists, things will be better in the following months but is going to take years to rebuilt parts of some cities.

Hope it helps you.