Chavin the PreInca Ruins and Lake Querococha

Chavín de Huántar Full-Day Tour Itinerary

Note: Hotel pickup is not included. If hotel pickup is needed, there is an additional charge of $5 per person under Extras.

• Meeting Point: Meet at the First Class Huaraz office. 
• Departure: The tour departs sharply at 8:00 AM to the ancient archaeological capital of Chavín de Huántar.

• Along the way, we will pass through traditional Andean villages such as Recuay, Ticapampa, and Catac, making a scenic stop at Lake Querococha (3,980 meters above sea level) for photos of the stunning landscape.

• We then continue to the Cahuish Tunnel Pass at 4,500 meters above sea level, a significant hydrological divide where waters on the west side flow to the Pacific Ocean and those on the east flow to the Atlantic.

• The route follows the flanks of the Mosna River, arriving at the Archaeological Site of Chavín, located next to the modern district of Chavín, around 1:00 PM.

• A guided tour of the Chavín Temple (El Castillo de Chavín) will follow, lasting approximately 2 hours. Inside the site, you will explore intricate labyrinthine chambers, see the famous Lanzón de Chavín—a large stone monolith representing a pre-Inca deity—and visit key features such as plazas, cabezas clavas (stone-carved heads), the main portal, and more.

• Afterward, you’ll visit the modern Chavín National Museum, where many artifacts from the Chavín culture are preserved, followed by a self-guided tour of a nearby small museum (approx. 1 hour).

• We’ll then stop at a local restaurant for lunch (at your own expense).

• Around 4:00 PM, we begin the return journey, with a non-stop 3-hour drive back to Huaraz via the same route, arriving at approximately 7:00 PM at the First Class Huaraz office