Peru Tours: Chiclayo

Chiclayo is considered the “City of the Friendship” is the capital, and main entrance to Lambayeque department. It has and strategy location, where all the northern towns arrive from the coast, highlands and rain forest, obtaining all the commercial, industrial and economical activity from all these regions.

Active and modern urban area, Chiclayo is the center of several communication ways in which there is a great commercial interchange between the towns of the north coast, the jungle and the highlands.

Thanks to the great attractiveness and invaluable findings from pre-Columbian cultural manifestations, Chiclayo is the second destiny for the archaeological cultural tourism after Cusco.

• Royal Lord of Sipan Tombs: 30 km from the southeast of Chiclayo city, discovered in 1987 and considered the most important archaeological finding in the last 50 years, it is the most important sample of the historical past in this department. Many of the rests are exhibited in the National Museum of Royal Tombs in Sipán located in Lambayeque.
• National Archaeological Brunning Museum: It is located two blocks from the main park in the city of Lambayeque. Between its corridors and salons more than 1400 archaeological pieces are exhibited, manifestations shown from the following cultures: Chavin, Cupisnique, Vicus, Cajamarca, Moche, Lambayeque, Chimu, Inca and others.
• National Sican Museum: The National Sican Museum is a new museum located 20 km from the north of the city of Chiclayo, in the road that takes you to de Historical Sanctuary Pomac Forest. This museum is dedicated to de scientific research of Sican Culture, and the spread of the results, apart from the protection and saving of the material rests of this culture. This museum also has the biggest collection of gold objects archeologically excavated in Peru.
• Tucume, Valley of the Pyramids: Only 33 km at the north of Chiclayo city, is located Tucume, a district that occupies part of La Leche river. The valley of the pyramids is composed of 26 monumental adobe buildings that show the best era of this culture. There also exists a site museum, which construction was inspired in the traditional architecture of the Lambayeque shrines.
• Monsefu, city of the flowers: the name comes from the main activity a few years ago, they grow flowers that are found in its lands. Nowadays there are only a few areas that maintain this activity. The main touristic attraction is found in handicrafts, it is developed in sewings and wood art.
• Chamanismo and curanderos: A few regions in Peru have such a prestige in curanderos art like Tucume in Lambayeque. Almost only Salas and Huancabamba also in the north, this activity referred to their masters. During the last twenty years, its fame went to a low profile and its performance was done openly.

• Altitude: 29 mts above sea level.
• Weather: Sunny and warm the whole year.
• Temperature: From 80 to 60ºF and from 27 to 15ºC approx.
• Raining season: Almost none.

• Espesado: Considered by some like the most typical dish, the most characteristic and historical, this dish consists in a pudding made of tender corn. According to Dr. Walter Alva, the Lord of Sipán and its court were fed preferably with this corn pudding (mazamorra), because of the very good condition of their teeth, with show he ate special food based on yucca, corn, fish and seafood. For instance, espesado has a Moche origin.
• Chinguirito: Is a dry guitar fish, prepared with lemon, pepper and onion. It is served with youca, sweet potato or toasted corn.
• Tortilla de Raya: Is a soufflé made of eggs and dry raya, prepared with Chinese onion and yellow ground chilli.
• Chirimpico: Is lamb guts or sheep cooked with tail onion, ground cilantro, green chilli and strong chichi. It is served with boiled yuca, sweet potato and corn.
• Seco de cabrito: Is lamb cut into pieces marinated in strong chichi de jora, cilantro, zapallo loche very well chopped, garlic, and aji escabeche. It is served with rice, peas and boiled yuca.
• The famous King Kong: Kind of giant cake, sweet and traditional, cooked initially with fresh milk. Nowadays there are three flavours: only manjarblanco, manjarblanco with pineapple topping and manjar with peanut and pineapple topping.

• March 14th. Monsefu captive Lord, the citizens, great sewers wear their best typical clothes to attend the celebrations in honor of the Sacred Image.
• March 19th. San Jose Celebration. Rice valley citizens, organize religious ceremonies and then popular festivals and family gatherings.
• April 18th. Chiclayo Foundation Anniversary.
• April 25th. Justice Lord. In Ferreñafe the town celebrates this date with devotion. The fire works, family gatherings, agricultural fairs and handicraft are part of the celebration.
• Last week in June. Lemon Festival. Performed in Olmos district, with a competition between the producers, dancings and popular celebrations.
• July 22nd. Holy Miracle Child. Festivity that is celebrated in Eten with religious ceremonies, dancings and culture. It lasts 4 days.
• Last week in July. Monsefu fair, organized by the citizens where beautiful handicrafts are shown made of string and silver.
• First week in August. Chalpon Cross. Thousands of people arrive to Motupe to worship it. Religious activities and popular festivities.

Peru Tours: Discover Chiclayo and Lord of Sipan