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:

Aracari’s Weekly Insight #15: Apu Salkantay, Aracari Travel
Aracari’s Weekly Insight #15: Apu Salkantay, Aracari Travel

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

Related Post
 Group trips to South America As a budding new travel trend, group trips to South America are becoming increasingly popular. Over the last year, we’ve seen a steady climb in those ...
 The planning of the city of Cusco The City of Cusco Cusco is a welcoming, captivating city. Rustic nostalgia fills its narrow streets, as colonial buildings stand in stark contrast to...
 Miraflores Park Hotel in Lima Reopens after Renovations The Belmond Miraflores Park Hotel, one of the most luxe accommodation options in Lima, reopened its doors after months of renovations. With a new rest...
 The Best Museums in Peru The Best Museums in Peru  We've put together a carefully curated, handpicked list of some of the best museums in Peru. We've also included few others...
 Contemporary Art from Recycled Materials: Taller Huaringa studio Taller Huaringa, the studio of Lima artist Maricruz Arribas, uses only recyclable materials to create a fantastic array of artwork. Taller Huaringa L...
 Vancouver exhibit of Peruvian silver, including pieces from Larco Muse... On October 5th, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada will open the exhibit Luminescence: the Silver o...