Tourism» North

1. Tumbes

Amazing beaches, wide plains, small hills and steep mountains form the special geography of Tumbes, where diverse ecosystems are found, such as mangrove swamps and marshes, the dry equatorial forest ( (Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape) and the tropical forest of the Pacific (Reserved Zone of Tumbes).  More than 30% of the territory has been declared Natural Protected Area.  The Cerros de Amotape National Park (91.300 hectares) is located in the limit of Tumbes and Piura and gathers great biological diversity.  The wild fauna here is assorted, with species like the Andean condor, the ‘tigrillo’, the red deer, the ´sajino’, the northern anteater, the spectacled bear, grey deer and the white neck squirrel.

Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary (2972 hectares) is a group of plant formations shaped as enormous aquatic forests that create a particular environment between the river and the ocean.  It is home to royal herons, earwigs and other birds.
 
The proximity to the Equatorial Line make the beaches in Tumbes an ideal place to practice surfing, scuba diving, fishing or to just relax under the sun. Punta Sal is considered one of the best beaches in Peru because of its white sand and rich marine life; Zorritos is a fishing cove widely known for its calm waters and variety of fish.

North of Tumbes you will find Puerto Pizarro, famous for its islands and a breeding place for Tumbes crocodiles, a unique and endangered species.  It is also the perfect place to find black scallops and crabs, basic ingredients of the local gastronomy.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=667&jrq=3.23&ic=2&ids=1323

2. Piura

The department of Piura features a varied geography.  Its coastal region has the desert of Sechura as highlight: the biggest in Peru.  This area holds the depression of Bayovar, lowest point of the Peruvian territory (37mbsl).  To the east, in the Andean region, the territory becomes a bit more rugged; in this area you will find the Paso de Porculla (Pass of Porculla) at 2138masl, the lowest pass in the Peruvian Andes.

Piura, cheerful and lively, was the first city in Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1532.  It is currently an important center of economic development in the north of the country.  Catacaos is located 12 km away from Piura and is known for its handcrafts made of straw and cotton, its objects in silver and gold filigree and its exquisite restaurants.  The town of Chulucanas is another famous place, known for its ceramic work and excellent ‘chicherías’.
 
The coast of Piura offers a very attractive and interesting circuit.   Máncora,  very close to the limit with Tumbes, is a small inlet with beautiful beaches, highly visited by surfers, young people and the whole family.  Further south, you will find Cabo Blanco  where famous characters like Ernest Hemingway found a refuge, attracted by deep-sea fishing (swordfish, halibut, marlin, etc.).  It is nowadays an ideal place to practice surf, for the best waves in Peru are here.  Colan is the main beach for the ‘Piuranos’, with its typical wooden houses held high over the ocean by piles.  On the way to the Andes, the province of Huancabamba, you will find the Huaringas, known for its shamans and healers, medicine lakes and protective Apus or mountains.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=663&jrq=3.19&ic=2&ids=1315

3. Lambayeque

Located in the coastal plains, the department of Lambayeque combines desert areas, rich valleys and dry forests.  Chiclayo, capital of the city, is a merging commercial point between the coast, the Andes and the jungle.  This land was the birthplace of the Mochica culture (dating of the 1 and II century); therefore, it is considered one of the most interesting archaeological points in the country.

In 1987, in Huaca Rajada,  the famous royal tombs of the Lord of Sipan were discovered:  important burials of Mochica lords.  Besides the archaeological site of Sipan, you can visit the modern Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum (Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán), that holds the most extraordinary gold pieces found during the excavations.  You may also want to visit the Bruning Museum in Lambayeque and the Museum of Sican in Ferreñafe.  Túcume is another archaeological site of singular beauty; its more than twenty adobe pyramids, forty meters high, belonged to the Lambayeque culture and are surrounded by rich fauna and vegetation.

One more place to visit in Lambayeque is the Ecological Reserve of Chaparri  (Reserva Ecológica Chaparrí) located in the district of Chongoyape and whose goal is to preserve the dry forests and biodiversity they hold.  Lambayeque also offers one of the best cuisines of the country; the delicious ‘arroz con pato’ is a strong rival for the ‘ceviche’: a battle in which those at the table are always winners.  The beautiful peer and coastal town of Pimentel, and the traditional village of Saña, with its derelict colonial houses and temples, complete the many attractions of this fascinating Peruvian department.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=657&jrq=3.13&ic=2&ids=1303

4. La Libertad

The department of La Libertad crosses the coast, the Andes of Otuzco, Julcán and Santiago de Chuco, going all the way to the high-jungle area, next to the limit with the department of San Martin.  Its coast offers beautiful beaches and productive valleys, very important to the national agricultural production.

Trujillo, capital of the department, is known as ‘the city of the endless spring’ for its privileged weather and festive atmosphere.  The area was inhabited by two very important civilizations of the ancient Peru: Mochica and Chimú and was later an important viceregal city.   Among its countless archaeological attractions we find Chan Chan, a majestic citadel of mud brick, the biggest in America and old capital of the Chimus, declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1986.  The impressive archaeological sites known as ‘huacas del Sol y de la Luna’ built by the Mochicas (more than 20meters high) and the complex ‘El Brujo’ with its amazing figures of warriors and dancers, are other important archaeological sites in the area.  Trujillo also has splendid colonial architecture, like its cathedral, the Archbishopric palace, the church of La Compañia, the El Carmen monastery and several colonial houses.  Fifteen minutes away from the city, we find Huanchaco, yet another coastal town, with its typical ‘caballitos de totora’, light crafts used to navigate since the Mochicas and Chimús.  Here you will be able to enjoy superb dishes based on fresh fish and seafood or just enjoy a nice day under the sun of Huanchaco.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=656&jrq=3.12&ic=2&ids=1301

5. Cajamarca

Cajamarca is a department with soft slopes and a low altitude in comparison to the rest of the Peruvian Andes.  Its territory is formed by numerous valleys and ravines.  The city of Cajamarca holds three ingredients that make it an unforgettable destination: magnificent colonial architecture, breathtaking landscape and a rich history, for it was the scene of a significant episode in the history of our continent.  It was here where the conqueror Francisco Pizarro captured Inca Atahualpa, who, despite having paid the agreed ransom, was assassinated.  From here, the conquerors transformed the city with Spanish customs and we can nowadays find colonial constructions such as the cathedral, the San Francisco, Belén and Recoleta churches, as well as several old houses and monuments.  There are many places to visit in the area:  Baños del Inca, thermal and medicinal pools where the Inca used to go after long trips; the Ventanillas de Otuzco,  necropolis carved on a volcanic rock wall;  Cumbemayo, sample of pre-Inca hydraulic engineering located in a natural scenery; the old Hacienda La Colpa, where cows come to be milked when called by their names; Kuntur Wasi, ceremonial center dating of the year 1100 b.C  and whose museum holds several golden objects (the oldest gold worked in America)  and the Granja Porcón, agricultural and farming cooperative surrounded by a huge pine forest; the ideal place for a picnic.  Here you will be able to visit its little zoo with vicuñas, deer, tigrillos, monkeys and eagles, buy the farm’s dairy products or simply enjoy the views.
 
For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=650&jrq=3.6&ic=2&ids=1289

6. Amazonas

The department of Amazonas is famous for its mist forests, areas with impressive micro climate, where the intense humidity favors the exuberant vegetation with orchids and bromelias.  Here you will also find a unique fauna with Andean bears and ‘gallitos de las rocas’.

Its capital, Chachapoyas, with its narrow streets and ample Main Square, preserves beautiful old houses and eye-catching balconies as a sign of its colonial past.  From here, you can take a tour to the amazing citadel of Kuélap built by the Chachapoyas, a strong culture that resisted the Inca conquest for years.  Kuelap is located on top of some rocky mountains and is protected by a gigantic defense wall.  Its interiors hold circular enclosures with decorative friezes.  You may also want to visit the
 Laguna de los Cóndores o de las Momias (Lake of the Condors or the Mummies), the waterfalls of Chinata y los Sarcófagos de Karajía, Amazing mud tombs of more than 2 meters high, located on a rocky mountain.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=645&jrq=3.1&ic=2&ids=1279

7. Loreto

Loreto is the biggest department of the country and also the least populated.  It is covered by intense vegetation, with primary and secondary jungle environments, low hills and slightly undulating surfaces, and is crossed by several rivers of the Amazon basin, formed when the rivers Marañon and Ucayali merge.

Iquitos, capital of Loreto, is the main port of the Amazon river and the biggest city in the Peruvian jungle.  In the past, this area was inhabited by different groups, such as the Cocama, Huitoto and Bora; after this, Jesuit missionaries founded the city.  In the end of the XIX century, Iquitos lived an economic boom due to the exploitation of rubber trees in the area.  This prosperity in the economy could be seen on luxurious buildings like the Hotel Palace, with Art Noveau style and the Casa de Fierro (Iron House), designed by Gustave Eiffel.  In contrast with this constructions, the rustic houses in the neighborhood of Belen, rest over piles and rafts to protect them from the river.  One of the main attractions here is navigating rivers and lakes and discovering the beautiful beaches of the area.

The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve  (La Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria) (2 080.000 hectares), the biggest in the country, is located 183 km away from the city and is the refuge of several animal and vegetal species, many of them endangered species, such as the ‘charapa’ turtle, the giant river otter, the black alligator and the river dolphin.  It is possible to travel around it on a luxurious cruise as well as more affordable boats.  It is a fascinating trip, indeed.   On the other hand, th Allpahuayo-Mishaena National Reserve (Reserva Nacional Allpahuayo-Mishana ), with over 58.000 hectares protects the biggest concentration of white sand forests or ‘varillales’, known in the amazon.  This is one of the best bird-watching destinations in Peru.  In addition to these national reserves, there are many private reserves that offer lodges to suit every traveller.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=659&jrq=3.15&ic=2&ids=1307

8. San Martín

San Martin is an area with fertile valleys and rough lands that stretches from the Andean plateau to a small part of the low jungle.  In 1549, the Spaniards founded here the first Spanish city of the jungle, named Santiago de los Ocho Valles de Moyobamba.  This city served as a base for the colonization and development of the department, as well as a base for the first religious orders.

The Rio Abiseo National Park (274.520 hectares) is part of the select list of places declared World Heritage by the UNESCO and has 8 life zones and 36 registered archaeological sites.  The park has 980 species of flora, such as bromelias, orchids and fern; more than 220 species of birds and almost 50 mammals, like the monkey ‘choro de cola amarilla’, taruka (sort of deer), spectacled bear and jaguar, all of these endangered species.  In this park we may also find impressive remains of the Chachapoyas culture, such as the Archaeological Center of the Gran Pajatén,  Los Pinchudos and La Playa, with constructions made of stone, round shapes and geometrical reliefs with diverse figures.  Lakes, healing hot springs and beautiful waterfalls are spread all over the department.  Other attractions are the protection forests of Alto Mayo and the Cordillera Azul National Park, protected areas that host real treasures of nature.

For more information, go to:
http://www.peru.info/s_ftociudades.asp?pdr=665&jrq=3.21&ic=2&ids=1319