Visiting the Northern region of Peru along the Pan-American Highway is often a journey that is missed by many visitors to Peru. Yet the area holds a number of hidden gems, by spending time here, visitors gain a better understanding of the advanced pre-Columbus civilizations that lived here for many thousands of years.

Many visitors to the area make the journey to see the pre-Inca ruins of the Lambayeque, Moche, and Chimu such as the Temples of the Sun and Moon in Trujillo, the spectacular complex of Chan Chan, the 'Valley of Pyramids' and the Royal Tombs of Sípan. All these wonders are truly marvelous and definitively mystifying. For more adventurous archaeological explorers there are a number of other sites that worth exploring.

Only 12 Km. from Chiclayo is the small colonial town of Lambayeque. The town is world renown as it houses the National Archaeological and Anthropological Museum "Heinrich Brüning", named after a German-Peruvian that moved to the region to understand native cultures and began to collect ancient artifacts in the early 20th century. This is arguably the most important museum in northern Peru. The museums' four stories house a collection of gold, silver, and copper objects from the several cultures that flourished in the region over the last 4,000 years.

50 Km. to the east of Chiclayo is the Batan Grande, nicknamed the "Pantry of Gold." The area served as religious and funeral grounds in the era of the Sican civilization. In 1937 sensational discoveries were made, such as the decorated Golden Tumis (ceremonial knives) as well as many other pieces from ancient Peru. Situated in the Milk River Valley, Batan Grande is located within what is now the Pomac Forest Historical Sanctuary, and includes around 30 dispersed pyramids. There is also a onsite museum that gives a useful insight into these fascinating cultures. Across the Milk River, the Japanese archaeologist Izumi Shimada uncovered two important tombs in the Parrot Pyramid, pertaining to high dignitaries and filled with numerous gold pieces. More discovers are made regularly as archaeologists still explore the area.

North of the city of Trujillo on the Pan-American Highway towards the "El Brujo" (the Witch) there is an archaeological complex formed by 3 pyramids called: Cao, Partida, and Prieta. A researcher called Junnius Bird found evidence of human occupation that is over 5,000 years old in the Prieta pyramid. In the Cao pyramid polychromatic paintings have been found on several levels representing prisoners, dancers, fishing scenes, war scenes, and depictions of Moche mythology. As well as this, in 2006 archaeologists found a complexly tattooed mummy dubbed the Lady of Cao and dated to be from around 450 A.D. The Lady of Cao, was thought to have been an important warrior or even an important Moche leader and this has caused archaeologists to reconsider their assumptions that the Moche society was exclusively male-dominant.

The Northern part of Peru is the path not often travelled, so if you are looking for something different and you have an interest in history - this is the place to start your Peru adventure.

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