Aracari’s Weekly Insight #15: Apu Salkantay

By Simon

Question:
Why do local people in the Cusco region refer to Mount Salkantay as “Apu Salkantay”?

Answer:
Many locals of the Cusco region refer to Salkantay as “Apu Salkantay” as this is a term of reverence and worship. “Apu” literally means “Spirit of the mountain” or “mountain god”.

This was an important part of the religion of the Inca Empire: the Incas had great respect for mountains such as Salkantay and Ausangate as they towered towards the skies – home of the “Inti” Sun god – and the stars. They believed that a spirit or god resided within these mountains that protected their culture .

Today I walked right past Salkantay, here’s some photos:

You can read my day by day account of the lodge to lodge Salkantay Trek here.

Related Post
Hiking the Gran Caverna Path at Huayna Picchu to the Temple of the Mo... Machu Picchu Luxury trips During my tour of Machu Picchu, our guide pointed to Huayna Picchu, the mountain that overlooks the citadel, and said, “Do ...
The Best Luxury and Boutique Hotels in Lima There are many places to stay in Lima but at Aracari we only work with the finest boutique and luxury hotels in Lima. Today we’re sharing some of our ...
Exclusive: Arennas Mancora Opens its Doors A perfect luxury hotel in Peru The beachfront property Arennas Mancora has recently undergone a combination of renovation and expansion, and Aracari ...
Exhibit of Peruvian Artifacts at the National Geographic Museum Peru, a country rich in gold, silver and other precious metals, has been a treasure trove of artifacts from ancient cultures, whose crafsmanship rival...
The Best Luxury Amazon Lodges Peru Divided by powerful rivers, home to some of the earth's last isolated indigenous tribes, and filled with 10% of the world's species, the awe-inspiring...
Aracari sponsors football team from Huayllabamba community Responsible Travel Peru: Aracari sponsors Soccer team In line with our commitment to supporting communities in Peru, Aracari is sponsoring a football...