Trujillo Tourism

The city of Trujillo is known as the city of eternal spring and tourists are attracted to its pre-Incan monuments such as the Huaca of the Sun and the Moon temple, El Brujo, and most notably the ancient Chimu city of Chan Chan. To the west of Trujillo is located the beach resort of Huanchaco which is famous for the caballitos de totora which are reed boats used by local fisherman since ancient times. Trujillan colonial architecture is one of the finest in Peru. The historic centre contains magnificent examples of colonial architecture and ambiance including various churches, the main cathedral, the main plaza, and various hundred year old colonial houses.

Buses often leave Trujillo full, so booking a little earlier is advised. Several companies that go to southern destinations have terminals on the Panamericana Sur, the southern extension of Moche; check where your bus actually leaves from when buying a ticket.
Linea (booking office 24 5181; cnr San Martin & Orbegoso; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri; bus terminal 24 3271; Panamericana Sur 2857) has services to most destinations of interest to travelers and is one of the more comfortable bus lines. The company’s booking office is conveniently located in the historical center, although all buses leave from the terminal on Panamericana Sur, a US$0.80 taxi ride away. Linea goes to Lima (US$9 to US$21, eight hours) 10 times daily, with most departures going overnight; to Piura (US$9, six hours) at 11pm; to Otuzco (US$1.50, two hours) five times a day, to Cajamarca (US$4.50 to US$10.50, six hours) at 10:30am, 1:30pm, 10pm and 10:30pm; to Chiclayo (US$3.60, three hours) hourly from 6am to 6pm, stopping at Pacasmayo (US$1.80, 1¾ hours) and Guadalupe (US$2.40, two hours); to Chimbote (US$1.80, two hours) eight times a day; and to Huaraz (US$12, nine hours) at 9pm.
There’s an enclave of bus companies around España and Amazonas offering Lima-bound night buses (eight hours). Cruz del Sur (26 1801; Amazonas 237), one of the biggest and priciest bus companies in Peru, goes to Lima five times a day for US$10.50 to US$31.50. Ormeño (25 9782; Ejército 233) has three night buses to Lima for between US$10.50 and US$21, leaving between 9pm and 10pm, as well as two night buses to Tumbes (US$15 to US$21, 10 hours), near the Ecuador border. Cial (20 1760; Amazonas 395), Flores (20 8250; Ejército 350), Oltursa (26 3055; Ejército 342) and Civa (25 1402; Ejército 285) all have at least one night bus to Lima leaving between 9:30pm and 10:30pm, with prices averaging between US$16.50 and US$21.
For Chimbote, America Express (26 1906; La Marina 315) is a US$0.90 taxi ride south of town and has buses every 15 minutes between 5am and 9pm (US$2.10, two hours).
If you’re heading north, El Dorado (29 1778; N de Piérola 1070) has rudimentary buses to Piura and Sullana (US$6 to US$7, six hours) at 12:45pm and 10:20pm, as well as buses to Tumbes (US$7.50 to US$9, 10 hours) at 7pm, 8pm and 8:30pm. Empresa Días (20 1237; N de Piérola 1079), opposite El Dorado, has an 11:30am bus to Cajamarca (US$4.50, six hours). Ittsa (25 1415; Mansiche 145) has buses for Piura (US$3.30 to US$9, six hours) leaving at 1:30pm, 11:30pm and 11:45pm, as well as Lima buses (US$16.50 to US$21) at 1pm, 10pm and 10:30pm. Transportes Horna (25 7605; America Sur 1368) has an 8:30am and 10:30am bus to Huamachuco (US$4.50, seven hours) and several morning buses to Cajamarca (US$4.50, six hours).
Movil Tours (28 6538; Panamericana Sur 3959) specializes in very comfortable long-haul tourist services. It has a 10pm service to Lima (US$19.50, eight hours), a 9pm overnight bus to Huaraz (US$13.50, eight hours), a 4pm bus to Chachapoyas (US$15, 13 hours) and a 2:30pm bus to Tarapoto (US$22.50, 18 hours). If you want to travel to Huaraz by day, you’ll need to go to Chimbote and catch a bus from there. For more frequent buses to Cajamarca and the northern highlands, head to Chiclayo.
White-yellow-and-orange B combis to Huaca Esmeralda, Chan Chan and Huanchaco pass the corners of España and Ejército, and España and Industrial every few minutes. Buses for La Esperanza go northwest along the Panamericana and can drop you off at La Huaca Arco Iris. Combis leave every half hour from Suarez for the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna. Fares range from US$0.30 to US$0.50 on these routes. Note that these buses are worked by professional thieves; keep valuables hidden and watch your bags carefully. A taxi to most of these sites will cost US$3 to US$4.50.
El Complejo Arqueológico la Huaca el Brujo, about 60km northwest of Trujillo, is harder to reach. Start at the Provincial Bus Terminal Interurbano off Atahualpa, and head to Chocope (US$0.60, 1½ hours). Ask there for combis going toward the site (US$0.50).

The airport (code TRU; 46 4013) is 10km northwest of town. There’s the usual US$3.57 departure tax.
LAN (22 1469; Pizarro 340) has a daily 5pm flight from Trujillo toLima for US$110, returning at 6:35pm. The newcomer Star Perú (41 0009; Almagro 545) has two daily flights to Lima (US$96), one at 8:10am via Chiclayo (US$49), and one direct flight at 7:10pm.