What’s next: The Festival of the Virgen del Carmen in Paucartambo

There have already been so many amazing and colorful celebrations in Cusco during the month of June, like for instance Inti Raymi. But we are not ready yet with the upcoming Festival in the Andean Village of Paucartambo: the Virgen del Carmen.

For Spanish students, volunteers and travelers in Cusco, Paucartambo is the place to be on July 15 and July 16. La Fiesta of La Virgen del Carmen – by the local people also called nicely Mamacha Carmen – is a great colorfull happening with many music bands and traditional dances in awesome costumes.

The beautiful choreographies represent parts of Peruvian history. Here you can see the best and richest folcloric dance and music of Southern Peru – that is what Paucartambo is famous for.

Some of the folcloric dances include the Qhapaq Negro, the Qollas, the Awqa Chileno and the Saqras (the devels), that will show acrobatic stunts on the roofs, which date back from the colonial area.

Paucartambo is located at aproximately 4 hours by bus from Cusco on the road to Manu National Park. The trip is a bit of an adventure, with one-way roads that are not completely paved.

If you continue the trip after Paucartambo for another hour in the direction of the Peruvian Rainforest, you will arrive in Tres Cruces after aproximately another hour. Tres Cruces sits on the ridge of one of the many mountain cliffs overlooking the Amazon Basin.

That’s why here, with good luck, you are able to see the most amazing sunrise you have every seen. The Sunrise at Tres Cruces occurs only in this area and it’s best during the months of June and July. It an amazing phenoman: the optical illusion of seeing the mirror of three suns.

However, regardless of whether you see this multi-hued sun or not, the experience is well worth the trip and most of the people that visit the Paucartambo Virgen del Carmen Festival, combine their visit with a trip to Tres Cruces, leaving Paucartambo around midnight.

If you are interested in coming with us to Paucartambo, contact AMAUTA Peru, contact us on AMAUTA’s Facebook page or talk to our staff at the school administration in Cusco.

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