Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Oltursa
Offline map
Google map
( 22-5611;
www.oltursa.pe
)
Sales Office
(cnr Balta & Izaga);
Terminal
(Vicente de la Vega 101)
Serves destinations around Peru.
the bigger companies, with comfortable vehicles.
Around Chiclayo
Given the doubling of guide prices in the last few years, it hardly makes sense to travel in-
dependently to most of the archaeological sites around Chiclayo - you'll find the organ-
ized tours far more convenient.
Sights
SIPÁN
(Huaca Rayada; 80-0048;
www.huacarajadasipan.cb.pe
; admission S8; 9am-5pm)
Located about
an hour east of Chiclayo, Sipán was initially discovered by grave robbers; in 1987 sharp-
eyed archaeologist Walter Alva noticed an influx of pre-Columbian artifacts on the black
market and realized that a burial site in the area was being ransacked. Careful questioning
led him to this series of earthen mounds, which were actually disintegrating adobe pyram-
ids that date back to AD 300. This discovery led to the untouched tomb of a major Moche
leader known as El Señor de Sipán (Lord of Sipán), who was buried with hundreds of pre-
cious objects and numerous sacrificial beings.
Though little remains of the pyramids beyond a mound of earth, some of the tombs
have been restored with replicas to show what they looked like more than 1500 years ago.
Opposite the entrance is the
Museo de Sitio Sipán
(admission S8; entrance incl in site ticket;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
, opened in 2009, which is worth a visit. Note that the most impressive ar-
tifacts were placed in the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán (
Click here
)
in Lambayeque.
Spanish- and English-speaking guides can be hired (S15). Daily guided tours are avail-
able from tour agencies in Chiclayo for around S50.
| Ruins
