Chiclayo

Chiclayo is in northern coastal Peru.

Understand

Chiclayo is one of the liveliest cities in northern Peru. It has a population of around 609,000 (2022). It is big enough to have supermarkets and small enough to be manageable without hours spend in city buses. The plazas like Parque Principal or Plazuela Elias Aguirre buzz with life even after sunset.

Get in

By plane

The Capitan José A. Quiñones Gonzálezo Airport is at the eastern edge of town on Av Fitzcarrald, 300 m south of its intersection with Av San Francisco Asisi (PE-6A). There is a fairly universal ATM in the departure check-in area, small restaurants, and souvenir shops. The departure tax is included in your ticket fare and the taxis out in the parking are the best way into town.

By bus

All the major bus lines are present in Chiclayo but most have their own terminal spread out over the city.

Linea is on Av. Bolognesi 638.

One block west of Linea is the Terminal for most north- or eastbound buses. Movil is around the corner opposite the Metro supermarket (LP says Av. Bolognesi 199 but I think it is Av. Jose Balta).

Bus tickets can be purchased via Redbus App.

Chiclayo has a number of bus terminals used by different companies serving different destinations:

  • ITTSABUS terminal is at the intersection of Av. Francisco Bolognesi and Av. Grau.
  • TRC Express, at Av. Grau 1645. (web site), serves Cajamarca, Trujillo and Lima.
  • Transportes Chiclayo bus company's terminal is at Av. Jose Leonardo Ortiz 010, (on Google Maps it is named "Empresa de Transportes Chiclayo S.A.")
  • Oltursa terminal, is diagonally opposite to Transportes Chiclayo, on the same intersection
  • Terrapuerto Plaza Norte Chiclayo, on Av. Augusto B. Leguia 2590, is used by bus companies Tepsa, Super Semeria, Ronco Peru, Bus star, Fropesa, Turismo Jaen, Transportes Cromotex, Poseidon, Rutas del Oriente, Turismo Erick el Rojo, Turismo Alysergen and Seysan.
  • "Ormeño Terminal Terrestre Chiclayo", on Av. Victor Raul Haya de la Torre, is used by companies Cautivo, allinbus, Sajybus.
  • Ovalo del Pescador, (Google Maps "Paradero Mórrope"), at intersection of Av. Leguia and Av. Belaunde, is where small combis serving towns of Mochumi, Illimo, Tucume, Pacora, Jayanca, Olmos and Motupe.
  • Terminal Epsel, at intersection of Av. Pierola and Av. Quiñones, are only for combi vans which serve closer destinations like Sipan, Chongoyape, Zaña, Pomalca, Batan Grande, Ferreñafe etc.
  • Angel Divino, bus company also serves Trujullo, Lima, Cajamarca and more

Get around

Chiclayo is full of Tico taxis. Short journeys cost S/3. A station would be better if less easy to find to go to Sipan, Ferreñafe, Lambayeque or the beaches S/15, or Tucume S/20. Three wheeler motor rickshaw mototaxis cost half the price.

"Colectivos" (or "taxi colectivos") in Peru refer to shared sedan taxis that takes 4 passengers, not the midi-bus type in some other South American countries. Combis are 8-12 seater small vans.

See

A few surrounding sites can be visited from Chiclayo as a base.

  • Sipan Museum - (Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipan) - The museum is in the center of Lambayeque and definitely worth a visit although descriptions are in Spanish only. It features most of the treasures of the Sipan tombs together including a replica of the grave looked like and how it was discovered in 1989. Ticket S/10. Open Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. Taxi colectivos from Chiclayo run from many places, while combis run from Terminal Epsel, cost S/3). No restrictions on photography as of 2023 Feb.
  • Huaca Rajada archeological complex (and Museo de Sitio Huaca Rajada-Sipán) funeral site of the Lord of Sipan and truncated pyramids. To reach, take combi from Terminal Epsel to the town of Sipan (cost S/ 6), then 1.7 km mototaxi from Sipan (or 21 min walk)
  • Sipan tombs - The excavation site is 30 km out of town
  • Tucume and Museo de Sitio Tucume - archeological site with 26 pyramids built by the ancient Peruvians. Daily 08:00-16:30pm. 32 km north of Chiclayo. To reach, take combi from Ovalo del Pescador in Chiclayo, cost S/6.
  • Sican Museum (Museo Nacional Sicán) - (different from Sipan Museum). Museum with replica of Sican tomb burial site discovered in 1987, exhibits remains of Sican culture. It is 18 km north of Chiclayo in Ferreñafe. To reach, take combi from Chiclayo Terminal Epsel to Ferreñafe town, (cost S/ 3) then a short mototaxi from town to the museum (1.2 km, cost S/ 2, 2023 Feb prices.)
  • Pomac Forest Historical Sanctuary (Santuario Histórico Bosque de Pómac). Combi from Terminal Epsel, cost S/ 8.

Do
  • Witch Market - Deep in the market quarters is one row of shops called the witch market (probably second row of shops coming from around Arica #950)

Buy
  • Real Plaza shopping center and Ripley in the city center.
  • Mercado Modelo is a very big market where it´s possible to buy almost anything. It´s crowded and it´s easy to get robbed so be careful.
  • Mercado Central
  • Plaza Aventura - conventional large shopping mall

Eat

Budget
  • Mi Tia's on Elias Aguirre on the corner of the town square is excellent! Very friendly staff, a good selection of food, to go orders, dine in and at night they have a burger window!

Mid-range
  • Marakos Restaurant offers good menus. Grilled beef is one of the most popular and delicious dishes.
  • Sorrentos - this evening-only set of diners is not to be missed: great beef empanadas, excellent French fries and top notch salad. Also great Lomo.

Splurge

Sleep

Mid-range
  • Casa de la Luna. 
  • Alojamiento Z, Mariscal Catilla 118, ☏ +51 74-222534. Check-in: 06:00, check-out: 13:00. Av Bolgnesi cuadra 9. Close to Cruz del Sur bus terminal. Quiet in the center of town. S/25. 

Splurge

Stay safe

The bus companies, hotels & thieves are very central. Do not flash any valuables (such as taking a photo) when walking around this area; it looks safe but there are thieves around.

Pimentel is a fairly unsafe area. Travellers are reported to be robbed there in broad daylight, close to the beach.

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