Trips and Tours to Trujillo
About Trujillo
Nestled in a verdant, irrigated valley backed by parched Andean desert, the city of Trujillo is a true oasis with a pleasant coastal climate. The heart of Trujillo comprises a wide main plaza with many elegant colonial mansions and Baroque churches radiating from the centre. It serves as the ideal base for exploring the sprawling ruined city of Chan Chan, an impressive complex of weathered mud walls, the Tschudi temple-citadel, the ceremonial pyramid of Huaca La Esmeralda and the fantastically restored Huaca Arco Iris temple. From what is known of the Chimu Empire, a civilisation that appeared in the region around 1100 AD, this ancient city would have been brightly painted with gold panelling in the temples.
Read MoreFurther south of Trujillo the Moche Valley is home to the largest adobe structure in the Americas. Situated in a barren desert landscape, the temples of Huacas del Moche are believed to have been the ceremonial centre for the Moche culture as early as 400 AD. Only thirty percent of the four-tiered Huaca del Sol’s original construction remains today, giving you some idea of its sheer size whereas the smaller Huaca de la Luna consists of several striking friezes.
Although many travellers only visit Trujillo in order to explore the numerous archaeological sites in the nearby valleys, Trujillo is compact and friendly enough to get to know with a few worthy attractions of its own and a vibrant dining and drinking culture. The rhythms of Criolla music - a form of Peruvian music that combines African, Spanish and Andean influences originally created by slaves during the colonial period – can be heard drifting on the evening breeze as local bars and clubs come to life.
Trujillo Tours
Here are some popular itineraries that include a visit to Trujillo. Alternatively, if you would like to include a visit to Trujillo on a bespoke touring itinerary to Peru, take a look at our tailor-made holiday planning section.
