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Lima & Peru's North Coast: Route Guide

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The carved adobe walls of Chan Chan near Trujillo
Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

North of Lima, Peru's coast hides pre-Inca civilisations most travelers never meet. Caral is the oldest city in the Americas, Chan Chan the largest adobe city on Earth, and Huanchaco's fishermen still surf reed boats their ancestors designed.

Lima & Peru's North Coast is a 560 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as a 4-day trip; the plan below is the 4-day version for November, built from 449 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

4
days
560km
distance
4
Stops
449
curated stops

Plan your own version → 4-day plan · best time to go

The route

Lima→ 180 kmCaral→ 360 kmHuanchaco→ 20 kmTrujillo

What you'll see

Museo Larco
Explore millennia of Peruvian art in a grand colonial mansion.
Lima
Ciudad sagrada
Walk among ancient structures under careful guidance in Caral.
Caral
Chan Chan
Wander through grand, ancient mud city walls and courtyards.
Huanchaco
Huaca "El Dragon", Complejo Arqueológico Chan-Chan
Witness the sprawling ruins of an ancient Chimor mud city, a UNESCO treasure.
Trujillo
Pucllana
Discover ancient adobe architecture and ceremonial spaces.
Lima
Moche Pyramids
Explore ancient pyramids with well-preserved structures and history.
Huanchaco
Huacas de Moche Archaeological Site Museum
Discover the ancient grandeur of Cerro Blanco through insightful exhibits.
Trujillo
National Museum of Archaeology and History
Walk through engaging exhibits in a historically rich area.
Lima

Choose your length

4-day plan12 stops · 15.0 h transit3 stops/day · 3.8 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: April, October, November, December

The coast's clearer months — Lima escapes its grey garúa blanket and the surf towns warm up.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →