Trujillo Tour: Huaca de la Luna, Chan Chan & Huanchaco

Walk through 2,000-year-old adobe temples and a pre-Inca mud city in one morning

A full-day guided tour from Puerto Salaverry explores Trujillo's archaeology and colonial history, visiting Huaca de la Luna (an ancient Moche temple with polychrome interiors), the Plaza de Armas, Chan Chan (the largest adobe city in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and ending in Huanchaco, a traditional fishing village. An English-speaking guide leads groups of up to 32 people. Admission and transport are included. The tour runs 4 to 5 hours and suits mixed fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Main Square30m · entry included
2. Chan Chan1h · entry included
3. Huanchaco1h

Explore Trujillo's cultural highlights

• Visit Huaca de la Luna temple
• Tour historic Plaza de Armas
• Explore Chan Chan adobe city
• Relax and lunch in Huanchaco

The experience

You arrive at Puerto Salaverry with a free afternoon or morning and want to see Trujillo's main sites without arranging separate transport or tickets. This tour picks you up and moves through four stops: first the Huaca de la Luna, a truncated pyramid roughly 27 meters high where you enter to see the original polychrome friezes and learn how the Moche built these adobe structures around 2,000 years ago. Your guide explains the designs and colors as you walk through the interior.

From there you drive into the historic center to tour the Plaza de Armas, where 16th-century colonial mansions line the square in bright colors. The guide gives you time to photograph and absorb the architecture before moving to Chan Chan, the largest mud-built city in pre-Columbian America. You walk into one of the nine walled palaces from the 10th century AD, passing through streets, passageways, reservoirs and water wells to see the decorative work carved into the adobe. Chan Chan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the scale of it, built entirely without stone, is what makes the stop memorable.

The tour ends in Huanchaco, a fishing village where you can see the totora reed rafts that locals still use for fishing and tourism. This is relaxation time and a chance to meet Moche and Chimu descendants who live there. Depending on your departure time, you may have time for lunch based on fresh fish and seafood with a view of the ocean, though this is not included in the tour price. Groups stay under 32 people and an English-speaking guide accompanies the whole route.

What’s included

• Admission to Huaca de la Luna and Chan Chan.
• government fees.
• transport by vehicle throughout the tour.
• English-speaking guide for the full 4 to 5 hours.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (15 to 85 years) · Under 15: can't be booked

GroupUp to 32

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trujillo Turístico

Is this one for you?Groups of up to 32 people work well here because the guide paces the stops to let everyone photograph and absorb each site. If you are traveling solo or with one or two others and prefer a smaller group, this shared tour may feel crowded at peak times.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

25 verified traveler reviews

5 ★25

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What are the Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol?

The Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol are two truncated pyramids built by the Moche civilization around 2,000 years ago. On this tour you enter the Huaca de la Luna to see the polychrome friezes and learn about the construction and designs. The Huaca del Sol stands nearby at roughly 27 meters high and 100 meters wide, entirely polychrome and in good condition. Both are adobe structures that showcase the engineering and artistry of the ancient Moche.

Is Chan Chan really the largest adobe city in the Americas?

Chan Chan is the largest adobe city in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 10th century AD by the Chimu civilization, it consists of nine walled palaces. On the tour you walk through one of these palaces, passing streets, passageways, reservoirs and water wells to see the decorative work carved directly into the mud and adobe.

What is Huanchaco and why does the tour end there?

Huanchaco is a traditional fishing village on the coast where descendants of the Moche and Chimu still live and fish using totora reed rafts. The tour ends there for relaxation time and cultural exchange. You can see the rafts being used for both fishing and tourism, and meet the villagers. Depending on your departure time, there is an opportunity to eat fresh fish and seafood with a sea view, though lunch is not included in the tour price.

How long does the tour take and what is the group size?

The tour runs 4 to 5 hours and accommodates groups of up to 32 people. An English-speaking guide leads the entire route, and all admission fees and transport are included in the price.

Do I need to be in good physical condition for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. You will walk through temples, colonial plazas and archaeological sites, so comfortable shoes and the ability to walk moderate distances are helpful.