Chan Chan Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Chan Chan. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Full Day Trujillo Pirámides Sol y Luna, Chan Chan y Huanchaco

• Full Day Tour Huacas, Chan Chan & Huanchaco - Trujillo

• Full Archaeological Chan Chan Tour

• Private Tour Full Day Chan Chan & Huacas Sun and Moon in SUV

• Full Day in Trujillo From Puerto Salaverry

Admission tickets cost 10 soles per adult and 5 soles per child. These tickets include access to the on-site museum. There are also plenty of tours that help you combine a visit to Chan Chan with other archeological sites in northern Peru. Day trips from Trujillo that also visit Huanchaco start around US$27.

Yes, Chan Chan is worth visiting. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is significant for its adobe architecture (made from mud) dating back more than 700 years. The city is believed to be the largest of this type in pre-Columbian America. It offers insight into the pre-Inca Chimu Empire, especially at the well-preserved ceremonial plazas.

Per one customer who booked the Private Tour Full Day Chan Chan & Huacas Sun and Moon in SUV tour, "Knowledgeable, kind, and accommodating guide. He brought the ancient ruins to life! It was a wonderful day, and I appreciate my guide's attentiveness to the things I was most interested in and his care for my well-being [...] throughout the day. Definitely recommend!"

On a tour of Chan Chan, you’ll see the decorated walls of Palacio Nik An, the best-restored section of the archeological site, as well as the ceremonial courtyard and its reed-covered Gran Hacha Que Ceremonial Pool. Other highlights include Huaca Esmeralda and the Temple of the Dragon (Huaco el Dragon).

Yes, you can visit Chan Chan archeological site on your own, but keep in mind that interpretative signage is extremely limited. Many travelers find that exploring the site with a guide can help bring historical and cultural context to the buildings and ceremonial sites.

Northern Peru is home to several important archeological sites and welcoming towns, some near to Chan Chan. The most famous spots to visit are the Moche Temples (Huacas de Sol y Luna), with their elaborate friezes, and the beach town of Huanchaco, famous for its world-class waves and colorful houses.

Northern Peru has a dry desert climate for most of the year. Even though the wet season technically runs from November through April, there’s rarely much rain, and you’ll likely experience plenty of sunny skies. There’s little shade at Chan Chan, so try to avoid visiting around midday.

Exploring Chan Chan generally takes around two hours, depending on the level of detail you want to discover. Most guided tours last around an hour, and you may then want to budget another hour to wander by yourself once you’ve learned the site’s important historical context.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Chan Chan. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Trujillo:

• Temples of Moche

• Huanchaco

• Plaza de Armas

• El Brujo Archaeological Complex

• Temple of the Dragon

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Trujillo.