Caral: Explore Peru's Oldest Civilization on a Full-Day Tour from Lima
4.7
58 Ratings
San Borja
Uncover the mysteries of Caral, Peru's oldest civilization, on a full-day tour from Lima. Explore the impressive ruins, including temples and pyramids, and discover fascinating artifacts from this ancient culture.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Caral Archaeological Zone - Ministry of Culture - Caral was a large settlement in the Supe Valley, near Supe, Lima, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Lima. Caral is the most ancient city of America and a well studied site in Peru.
- Barranca - Barranco in the name of the region where Caral is located. It also involve a beautiful beach town that we will visit for lunch.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- All fees and/or taxes
- Guided visit to Caral
What's Not Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Come and enjoy this amazing day trip in Caral which is the oldest known civilization in America. Developed simultaneously with the ancient culture of Mesopotamia about 5000 years ago.
The archeological site of Caral is among Peru’s most impressive ruins. The UNESCO World Heritage listed site covers an area of around 60 hectares in the arid Supe Valley and was first inhabited between 2600 BCE and 2000 BCE.
Although initially discovered back in 1948, recent excavations of Caral revealed an elaborate complex of temples, sunken plazas and some of the largest terraced pyramids in the world, leading archeologists to ponder the chance Caral being the fabled Mother City of ancient civilizations. Now open to the public, the site has garnered acclaim for its beautifully preserved ruins and intriguing collection of artefacts, which include a quipu (a unique knot system) and a number of musical instruments fashioned from animal bones, but definitely, no trace of warfare or weaponry.
Location
Caral Archaeological Zone - Ministry of Culture
Av. Javier Prado Este 2465
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(58 Ratings)
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Flora_m
May 26, 2024
Great guide, wonderful and significant archeological site - Jose is a gifted guide and wonderful, caring, considerate person. He was knowledgeable, patient and kind even when we weren't being attentive. He took us to a great place for lunch and took care to ensure everyone could order what they wanted. He was a master at scheduling even when the traffic was snarled and stopped. I also felt very safe with our driver Santos. If you want to see ancient ruins that are not swamped by tourists, go with Jose and join this tour. You won't be disappointed.
Review provided by Viator
S_m
Apr 15, 2024
Caral, historic site - Fascinating site. Not to be missed if you have a free day in Lima. Our guide, Jose, was very informative. The site is large, so wear good sturdy shoes. There is no shade on the site, so wear a hat and/or sunscreen. The driver, Hugo, was amazing as he navigated the crazy traffic in Lima. A fun day.
Review provided by Viator
Janet_w
Apr 13, 2024
Excellent day trip to Caral - Jose was a great host and guide for our trip to Caral. He provided good information in an interesting manner, and was good company as well. Caral is definitely a bit of a trek for a day trip from Lima, but well worth it if you have an interest in ancient civilizations. It's mandatory to use the on-site guides for the actual tour of the archeological site, and ours was very knowledgeable. Our driver, Carlos navigated the often chaotic traffic confidently and I felt secure with him at the wheel.
Review provided by Viator
Azmark22
Mar 24, 2024
Corral day trip - Great tour guide and driver. Long day trip from Lima. Corral is legitimate as a cultural milestone. Read before you go to understand what happened there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z718dtsandrov
Jan 12, 2024
A lot of history - My wife and I went to visit this archeological city, it is not very crowded so it is a good plan to escape for a day, the site was the home of an ancient culture in Peru, we learnned a lot about history. I would recommend to bring sunscreen.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G2307ajjeffreyg
Dec 11, 2023
Fascinating site with a deep history - This was a fascinating trip. Caral is a very large site, and Jaynor and Carlos treated us with professionalism and friendliness. I recommend this to anyone with an archaeological interest. Also, remember to bring sunscreen!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Randi_w
Dec 11, 2023
Caral - Jayner was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING… This is a must see… Just as amazing as Machu Pichu…
This is a must see that is sadly NOT advertised.
Review provided by Viator
Catherine_l
Nov 19, 2023
Standing in history - My guide was on time to pick me up from the hotel.
The journey to the location is a long one so be prepared. roughly 3 hours to the site each way, it'll also be a rough ride due to road conditions.
Once there, its like standing in history.
Some things to note:
It won't be crowded, barely any tourists
There are toilets there
You will need a guide from the location to take you in, meaning even if you arrive with you and your guide from the agency, if there is no guide from the site you will not be allowed in until one becomes available
I thought the 2-3 hour timeframe was an over exaggeration (I was the only one on the tour), but no, the site is huge and there is so much to see and talk about.
After the tour, you'll be taken to get food. This is paid separately and not included in your price.
Review provided by Viator
Peter_s
May 25, 2024
Early Peruvian temples predating the Egyptian Pyramids - Everyone goes to Cusco and Machu Picchu to celebrate the Inca’s brief glory before
they were vanquished by the Spanish. Among more than a dozen other significant pre-
Inca cultures, Coral, dating back 5,000 years is the must-see for those wanting a fuller
perspective on the lost civilizations of Latin America. The excavations are rich, and
there is much to see. Our guide, Jose, was deeply knowledgeable and had a solid
command of English. Our only reason for not awarding a 5-star rating is that lunch was
forty minutes north of the site and consequently completely out of our way; this added
an unnecessary eighty minutes to an already long day.
Review provided by Viator
Thomas_r
Mar 6, 2024
Ok trip to Caral - While the guide was pleasant and answered questions, during the long car ride to and from the site the guide should have told us more about Peru and what we were seeing as we drove instead of having extensive conversations with driver in Spanish. Caral was interesting as we like learning about ancient cultures, but it was very hot and the walking was a bit too much for my partner.
Review provided by Viator
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