Cities and regions／Peru
Place of interest ·

Caral

Caral is an extensive archaeological settlement on a desert terrace above the Supe Valley. Its platforms, residential areas and sunken circular plazas are best understood by walking the site at an unhurried pace.

Monumental platform structures at the Sacred City of Caral-Supe above the Supe Valley.
Photo by wirestock_creators Source: Freepik Premium Licence: Freepik Premium License
The place

What makes it special

  • Sunken plazas that frame the landscape and shape the routes through the site.
  • Monumental platforms and the layout of public and residential areas.
  • Views of the Supe Valley from the archaeological terrace.
Caral
Photo by AlisonRuthHughes Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Arid terrace and green Supe Valley in the surroundings of Caral.
Photo by Johnattan Rupire Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Travel atlas

Articles in Caral

Guides to this place

1 article

Caral

journal.travel Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Monumental platform structures at the Sacred City of Caral-Supe above the Supe Valley.

Caral-Supe and Its Sunken Plazas: Understanding an Ancient City

Caral-Supe is best experienced as a city conceived in relation to the river, the desert and its ceremonial spaces—not as a succession of pyramids.

Read guide →
Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 30/09/2026