Peru - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 793

Chicama, Chiclayo, Piura & Tumbes

9 AROUND TRUJILLO

HUANCHACO

Huaca Arco Iris

Nik An Palace

Site
Museum

Chan Chan
Complex

Mall Aventura Plaza

Huaca
Esmeralda

Cassinelli
Museum

Mansiche
Stadium

Iglesia
Mansiche

Bus to Arco Iris,
Chan Chan &
Huanchaco

A V . E S PA Ñ A

Ovalo del Papa

ZEP ITA

Bus
Companies

Combi to
Huanchaco,
Chan Chan
Airport

SAN MART IN
I N D E P E N D E N C I A
P IZA RRO

A V . S A N T A

Ovalo Larco

AV . L ARC O

BOLIV AR
A Y A C U C H O

Mercado
Mayorista

G RAU

A V . E SPAÑ A

Bus to
Huaca del Sol
y de la Luna

AV. LO S I N CAS

AV . COSTA R I C A

Combis to Hucas
del Moche Ovalo

Miguel Grau

Huaca
del Sol
Huaca de
la Luna

0 500

I O

metres

A

Panamerican Highway to Lima

for the Moche (Mochica) culture at its
peak between 400 and 600 AD. It
contains two temples: the Huaca del Sol
(Temple of the Sun) is perhaps the most
impressive of the many pyramids on the
Peruvian coast, set over 12,000 square
metres. Its twin, Huaca de la Luna
(Temple of the Moon), is smaller, but
more complex and brilliantly frescoed;
it's thought to have been a sacrificial
centre. For now, it's not possible to go
inside the Huaca del Sol, still being
studied by archeologists, but it's an

amazing sight from the Huaca de la
Luna, 500m away. In between the two
you can see the remains of a town in the
midst of excavation, and there's also an
excellent museum (S3) across from the
site, displaying objects found here and
explaining Moche culture.
To get here from Trujillo, walk down
Avenida Almagro from the centre, which
turns into Avenida Moche once you cross
Avenida España (a 20min walk), and take
the small “CM” or “SD” combis from
Ovalo Grau, which will take you all