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Chauchilla Cemetery
Best time to visit
Visit early morning (around 8-9 AM) when the light is soft for photography and the temperature is still bearable. The desert heat becomes intense after 11 AM, and the site has almost no shade.
Budget tips
Entry costs about 10-15 soles (around $3-4 USD) per person and is paid in cash at the entrance. No free days or combined passes are available, so bring small bills and avoid paying with large notes.
Recommended for
History and archaeology enthusiasts, Photography lovers, Solo travelers seeking offbeat experiences, Cultural travelers
Plan your visit
45-60 minutes
About
Quick facts: The desert air has perfectly preserved over 100 ancient mummies here, some still wearing their original cotton clothing and braided hair from 1,000 years ago. These aren't Egypt-style wrapped mummies: they're seated in fetal positions with their knees drawn up, facing the sunrise just as their Wari and Ica-Nazca cultures dictated.
Highlights: You'll see mummies with their long black hair intact, skin stretched across bones, and toothy grins exposed to the open sky through roofless tombs. Unlike museum displays behind glass, you can walk right up to these ancient remains and see the careful burial goods placed beside them: ceramic pots, food offerings, and woven textiles that have survived a millennium.
Insider tips
- Bring a bandana or face mask: the desert wind kicks up fine dust that gets everywhere, especially in the afternoon.
- The guided tour is worth the small extra fee: your guide will show you which tombs were looted versus intact ones and explain the burial positions.
- Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip, as you'll be walking on loose sand and uneven ground between tomb pits.
- Skip the midday visit from December to March when the sun is brutal and there's zero shade across the entire site.
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