Trujillo: Chan Chan, Ceviche & Gastronomic Tour

Taste and make Peru's signature dishes on the same afternoon you walk a UNESCO palace

A full-day tour of Trujillo combines archaeology, local market culture and Peruvian gastronomy in one itinerary. Start at Chan Chan, the ancient Chimú capital, where a certified guide walks you through the restored Nik An palace: nine ceremonial plazas, patios, warehouses and a royal funerary platform decorated with sea-inspired reliefs. Then move to Huanchaco, where you learn to prepare ceviche and Pisco Sour from a chef and bartender, taste both, browse the local market, and finish at the beach watching traditional totora reed boats still used for daily fishing. The group stays under twenty travelers, and the route is 90% wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Chan Chan1h 30m · entry included
2. Huanchaco30m

Explore Chan Chan and Huanchaco

• Visit Chan Chan archaeological site
• Tour Nik An palace and ceremonial areas
• Travel to Huanchaco market
• Explore local market products
• Learn ceviche and Pisco Sour preparation
• Taste ceviche and Pisco Sour
• Visit Huanchaco beach and caballitos de totora
• Free time walking on the beach

The experience

What sets this tour apart is the hands-on cooking: you don't just eat ceviche, you make it. At El Anzuelo restaurant overlooking the sea in Huanchaco, a chef teaches you how to prepare Peru's most traditional dish, then a bartender walks you through mixing a Pisco Sour: the country's signature cocktail. Both tastings are included, so you leave knowing the technique and the flavors. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French, and holds MINCETUR certification, which means the archaeological content at Chan Chan comes from someone trained to interpret the site.

Chan Chan itself occupies the morning. The Nik An palace is the only one fully restored, and that's where the tour focuses: you walk through ceremonial plazas, small altars, patios, storage areas and the funerary platform where a Chimú king was buried. The walls carry reliefs of waves, cormorants, pelicans, fish and geometric patterns drawn from the sea: details that reveal how the Chimú culture organized itself around the ocean. The city once held nine palaces for nobility and housing for the general population, and the guide explains how the layout reflects that hierarchy. Entrance is included.

After cooking and eating, the tour moves through Huanchaco market so you see what Peruvian produce and local products look like in their everyday context, then ends at Varadero Beach. There you watch the caballitos de totora, small boats woven from totora reeds, still in use for fishing. The guide explains how they're made, how long they last and why fishermen still choose them. Free time on the beach closes the day. The whole tour runs 4 to 5 hours with air-conditioned transport and bottled water included.

What’s included

• Guided tour of Chan Chan's Nik An palace with a MINCETUR-certified guide.
• entrance to the archaeological site.
• ceviche and Pisco Sour tasting at a beachfront restaurant in Huanchaco.
• visit to the local market.
• tour of Varadero Beach and the totora reed boats.
• air-conditioned transport.
• bottled water.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 40 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Viajes In Perú

Is this one for you?The 4- to 5-hour timeframe fits a half-day slot in your Trujillo itinerary, leaving the rest of the day free for other sites or rest. If you want to combine archaeology, local food culture and beach time without splitting them across separate bookings, this single tour covers all three.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

3 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I learn to make at the cooking part in Huanchaco?

Ceviche and Pisco Sour. A chef teaches you how to prepare the ceviche, Peru's most traditional dish, and a bartender shows you the ingredients and technique for mixing a Pisco Sour cocktail. You taste both after making them.

Is the Chan Chan palace tour difficult to walk, or is it mostly flat?

The route through Nik An palace is 90% wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all fitness levels. Strollers and wheelchairs can navigate most of the site, though some sections have uneven ground.

What are the caballitos de totora, and will I see people actually using them?

Caballitos de totora are small fishing boats woven from totora reeds that fishermen on Huanchaco beach still use for daily work. The tour stops at the beach so you can observe them and learn how they're constructed and maintained.

How many people typically go on this tour?

Groups stay under twenty travelers, so it remains small enough for the guide to answer questions and for you to move through Chan Chan without crowds.