Trujillo (Peru)
Table of Contents: Culture and History / Travel to Trujillo (Peru), visa requirements Flights to Trujillo (Peru), airtickets By train By car Buses to Trujillo (Peru) By boat / Get around / Tour operators .26 travel agents / Trujillo (Peru) attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Learn / Work / Shopping, Trujillo (Peru) souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Budget / Mid-range / Splurge / Trujillo (Peru) nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Budget 2 / Mid-range 2 / Splurge 2 / Budget 3 / Mid-range 3 / Splurge 3 / Contact / Stay safe / Cope / Get out More from Northern Coast (Peru): Chiclayo, Chimbote, Piura, Trujillo (Peru), Tumbes More from Peru: Altiplano (Peru), Amazonas (Peru), Cajamarca, Central Coast (Peru), Cordillera Blanca, Madre de Dios (Peru), Northern Coast (Peru), San Martin, Southern Coast (Peru), Southern Sierra (Peru) More from South America: Amazonia, Andes, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Guyana, Los Roques, Pantanal, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Tierra del Fuego, Uruguay, Venezuela |
Trujillo is a moderately large city in Northwestern Peru, very close to the Pacific Coast. Trujillo del Peru was founded in 1534 among 4 (of 3,500 archaeological sites in the valley) Chimu (& earlier remarkable cultures) settlements to enable the Spanish to ally with them against the Incas. Due to its geographic location it is also known for its seafood and the beaches of its famous surf and beach resort Huanchaco.
Culture and History
Travel to Trujillo (Peru), visa requirements
There is just one airport, one seaport, but many bus terminals a short taxi ride from the city centre.
Flights to Trujillo (Peru), airtickets
Trujillo airport has connections to Lima, Chiclayo, Cajamarca, Tumbes & Chagual for Huamachuco. Three airlines offer daily flights from Lima to Trujillo : LanPeru[1], Star Peru and WayraPeru.
The airport is on the Huanchaco/Trujillo road, 5/10 km from them. There is a fairly universal ATM in the departure check-in area, & a US$5 departure tax from Trujillo & US$35 from Lima.
By train
There is no train service in the area. The nearest trains are to the north in museums in Chiclín(30km) & Pacasmayo(100km).
By car
If you must hire a car it is best also to hire an experienced local driver familiar with local driving habits who values his vehicle, human life and health.
Buses to Trujillo (Peru)
Trujillo is on the Pan-American Highway with numerous connections south to Chimbote, Lima and north to Chiclayo, Piura, Mancora, and Tumbes on the border with Ecuador. Also to Otuzco & Huamachuco to the east, Cajamarca , Chachapoyas, Tarapoto and Yurimaguas to the north east, & Caraz & Huaraz to the South East.
- Transportes Linea [2] is a good value bus company to most destinations in north Peru. There is a fairly universal ATM in their departure lounge on Avenida America Sur.
- Ormeño [3] has buses to Lima, Santiago de Chile & Buenos Aires in Argentina, & north to Mancora, Tumbes, & Guayaquil (Ecuador) daily & Cuenca & Quito (both Ecuador) weekly. Both companies have 3 or 4 quality classes.
- Movil Tours [4] comes from Lima, leaves Trujillo at 3/4pm via Chiclayo (3 hours) for Tarapoto/Chachapoyas. They & Transportes Linea have good night buses to Huaraz. You can catch a 6am Transportes Linea bus to Chimbote to catch the 8am bus up the spectacular Cañon del Pato to Huaraz in the day with Turismo Huaraz.
By boat
15 Cruise ships arrive in Salaverry, 17km South East of Trujillo, during the summer months each year.
Get around
Official taxis are yellow with post card sized municipal stickers of the city's coat of arms on the windscreen. They may have a surprising array of tactics to take you to more distant, expensive, isolated hotels & destinations to monopolize your future custom. The taxis from the airport (blue) & more expensive bus companies (who privilege some drivers) may be the most ambitious. If they see you are frugal they may drop you off near to the terminal to return to find more lucrative passengers. A taxi should not cost more than US$1 to US$1.50 from any bus terminal to Trujillo, or US$4 to Huanchaco. Taxi drivers prefer to go to Huanchaco as there are more opportunities for overcharging, & obtaining a return trip. A taxi should not cost more than US$5 from the airport to Trujillo or Huanchaco. Taxis may charge US$5 per hour around the urban part of the Province of Trujillo, & more reliable & expensive taxis are required for greater distances than 15km from Trujillo centre.
Tour operators & travel agents
Chacon Tours [5] Agencia de viajes, Avenida España 106-112, Trujillo, Perú. Deals with most airlines & is open from 9am to 2pm & 4-8pm on Monday to Saturday & 9am to 2pm on Sundays. [6] for 'Tours in 5 languages' every day, 'Transport', & reliable information on Trujillo & north Peru.
Trujillo (Peru) attractions and sightseeing
City tours
- Trujillo's colonial centre
- Moche Pyramids [7] The best conservation project in Latin America in 2006.
- El Brujo [8],
- Chan Chan World Heritage site [9]
Learn
Spanish, Quechua or other languages at the universities, pan flutes, marinera & other folklore at the National Institute of Culture.
Work
Shopping, Trujillo (Peru) souvenirs
Shoes & other leather goods, woodcarvings & replicas of Precolombian ceramics.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Budget
Rincon de Vallejo' [10], Orbegoso 303, cross with San Martín, one block from the Plaza de Armas, has good, cheap typical food & set meals for breakfast, lunch, evening meals, dessert & coffee.
Mid-range
Splurge
Trujillo (Peru) nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Budget
- Casa de Clara Cahuide 495, Santa María, Trujillo, Peru Tel 044 299997 / 243347 / 9662710 [11] From US$5 per person per night. Recommended as guides, for tours, information & economic meals in the best international guide books in English, Spanish, French, Italian, or German.
Mid-range
Splurge
- Huanchaco.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
iPeru, Pizarro 412, 0-44-29-4561, [12]. Mon-Sat 8AM-7PM, Sun 8AM-2PM. iPeru is the government Tourism Information office in Trujillo.
Stay safe
Beware of unsolicited approaches from people purporting to be from hotels, travel agents, surf & salsa teachers & invitations to parties. Surprisingly attractive young people have learned phrases in numerous languages to convince you they coincidentally have a similar profession, interest in your language or country; or their family & friends in your country. They may 'happen' to bump into you several times during your stay. The more backpacks, daypacks, cameras, moneybelts, sunglasses & jewellery you display, the more you look like a Christmas tree. Be careful at ATMs & on leaving banks, displaying cash in shops etc. Official taxis have post card sized municipal stickers with the city's coat of arms on it. They may have a surprising array of lies & other tactics to take you to more distant, expensive, isolated hotels & destinations to monopolize your future custom. The taxis from the airport & more expensive bus companies are the most ambitious. Do not carry around belongings any more than is necessary & try not to put them down unobserved/unattended during transfers, in restaurants, internet cafes, buses etc. In the last census in 1993, Trujillo had the least (lowest indices of) Poverty of 188 cities in Peru. Despite it being a relatively affluent & a university city people from poorer areas pass through & you have to be watchful.
Cope
A cool breeze is deceptive: a sun hat and sun block are recommended for visits to the beach and ruins, especially in summer.
Get out
More from Northern Coast (Peru): Chiclayo, Chimbote, Piura, Trujillo (Peru), Tumbes More from Peru: Altiplano (Peru), Amazonas (Peru), Cajamarca, Central Coast (Peru), Cordillera Blanca, Madre de Dios (Peru), Northern Coast (Peru), San Martin, Southern Coast (Peru), Southern Sierra (Peru) More from South America: Amazonia, Andes, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Guyana, Los Roques, Pantanal, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Tierra del Fuego, Uruguay, Venezuela |
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows
