Of all South America, Peru has the most stunning archaeological sites. All along your way from the north to the south of the country you can find interesting sites, that represent the different cultures of ancient Peru. They can be close to the sea or on a mountain at the height of 2000 meters above the seal level. Here are my personal top archaeological sites in Peru that you shouldn’t miss.
Machu Picchu
One of the most famous sites in the world can be found close to Cusco, 2,430 m above sea level. This ancient Inca site is the main reason for the tourists to come to Peru. Its stunning structure and beautiful surroundings make it one of my highlights in South America. For those who want to arrive first at the site, there is the possibility to climb up the mountain at 5am, to reach Machu Picchu 30 to 60 minutes later (depending of how fit you are) and enjoying the special atmosphere without the tourist crowds.
Chan Chan
The largest city of pre-Hispanic America lies in northern Peru, close to Trujillo. You can easily spend 2 hours visiting this city.
Huaca del Sol & Huaca de la Luna
Both temples lie on the northern coast of Peru and were built by the Moche people. On different parts of the walls you can find the moche god Ai apaec.
Kuelap
This walled city, which contains more than 400 buildings, can be found in the surroundings of Chachapoyas.
Tucume
Tucume is also known as Valley of the Pyramids and lies south of the La Leche River.
Nazca Lines
This Unesco World Heritage Site can be found in the Nazca Desert. The reason for these ancient geoglyphs still remains a mystery, even if archaeologists have different hypotheses.
