In addition to the ruins and the serenity of the forest, the Pómac Forest Historic Sanctuary is also known for its birds. Over 70 different species of birds can be sighted within the park. To properly tour all of the sites and to climb to the top of Huaca Las Ventanas, allow at least two to three hours for a self-tour. For a deeper understanding of the ancient Sicán civilization, add complementary attractions nearby such as Sicán National Museum and Batán Grande.
Pómac Forest Historic Sanctuary is located along Peru’s northern coast in Batán Grande, which is about 19 miles (30 kilometers) from Chiclayo. Catch a colectivo from Terminal de Epsel at the corner of Av. Oriente and Nicolás de Piérola. You can also visit by horseback through the nearby Santana Ranch.
Open daily year-round. Come in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat. Chiclayo’s dry season runs from May to September, while the rainy season runs from December to March. Come to the area in June for a festival honoring San Pedro and San Pablo, the patron saints of fishermen and farmers; and in August when locals dance, throw fireworks, and hike to a highland village to mark Cruz de Chalpon.
As you stand beneath the boughs of the so-called Millennial Trees, with the chatterings of birdsong raining down from the branches, you know you've arrived in a special, and quite rare, corner of the northern coastline of Peru. Historians say that this scraggly carob tree, a flowering species in the family of evergreens, has been alive for over 1,000 years, making it about the same age as the ancient Sicán civilization that once inhabited this forest.