Chiclayo, capital of the department of Lambayeque, is a bustling, commercial city, 769 km (480 miles) north of Lima, only a short distance through the sugar cane fields from the famed Moche mausoleum of Sipan. After its discovery and unearthing in 1987, Sipan's tombs have yielded a wealth of dazzling gold, silver, and copper jewelry dating back to 300 AD. Ongoing excavations are uncovering even more gold-filled tombs.
Archaeologists led by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl have uncovered remarkable mud-brick displays and fine pottery, displayed in a small museum. From Chiclayo you can travel to Trujillo or to Cajamarca.