Cities and regions／Peru
Place of interest ·

Caral

Caral is an extensive settlement in the Supe Valley, with monumental platforms, residential sectors and sunken circular plazas. The site is best understood at a slow pace, following the interpreted route and observing how the city relates to the valley and desert landscape.

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 circular plazas and stairways that organize the space.
  • Monumental platforms and residential sectors.
  • The relationship between the archaeological terrace and the Supe Valley.
Caral
Photo by AlisonRuthHughes Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Caral
Photo by Jon Gudorf Photography Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0
Travel atlas

Articles in Caral

Guides to this place

1 article

Caral

Viajalo 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.

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Information in context

Sources and references

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

Profile updated: 13/09/2026