June through September marks festival season in Peru, an especially vibrant time in which you’ll find large-scale festivities and celebrations in cities across the country. Here are some of the most notable festivities of the season, and how to experience them to the fullest. Festival Season Kicks off in Peru Festivity of the Señor de Choquekillka, Ollantaytambo Each June, the city of Ollantaytambo celebrates the Festivity of the Señor de Choquekillka. The festivity is meant to honor the city’s patron saint and the Pentecost, a holiday marking the descent of the Holy Spirit and the end of the Easter season. This historic city in the Urubamba Valley is scenic all on its own, so when you add in the bright colors and enthusiasm of a festivity, it’s truly a sight to behold. During the four-day festivity, worshippers will carry a cross with the image of Señor de Choquekillka from Ollantaytambo’s main plaza to the Temple of Santiago the Apostle. The procession is accompanied by music, and you’ll find dancing, masses, fireworks, and even bull fights throughout the festivity’s four days. The festivity highlights the syncretism between Catholic and indigenous traditions that characterizes many Peruvian faith systems. You’ll find food, observational rituals, and music that combine traits of both faiths, including more than 16 special dances that honor important aspects of Peruvian and Ollantaytambo history. Dancers are treated to meals and drinks by local sponsors, and as day turns to night, locals let their hair down and celebrate into the evening. If you want to see the special dances up close, be sure to arrive to the plaza early to get a good viewing spot! Corpus Christi, Cusco (movable feast: June 20, 2019) Corpus Christi is Cusco’s most notable religious celebration, and a treasured highlight of festivity season in Peru. The
June through September marks festival season in Peru, an especially vibrant time in which you’ll find large-scale festivities and celebrations in cities across the country. Here are some of the most notable festivities of the season, and how to experience them to the fullest. Festival Season Kicks off in Peru…
A major priority of Aracari is ensuring that the community-based tourism in Peru that we support provides benefits to the locals we visit. We believe that tourism should nurture local communities and foster opportunities for positive cultural exchanges. One way we do this is by collaborating with La Tierra de Los Yachaqs, a fantastic community-based tourism NGO. Tierra de Los Yachaqs aims to preserve the history and traditions of local people in Peru while enabling them to access the economic benefits of tourism. They do this through offering sustainable and authentic experiences for travelers and locals to connect. A Community Experience The Janac Chuquibamba are one local community in the Sacred Valley that benefits from the work of Tierra de Los Yachaqs. One experience, the Legendary Leaves of Achupalla tour, enables the Janac Chuquibamba community to shine a light on their culture for guests. On this tour, you’ll learn all about the Achupalla plant, which grows in inhospitable spaces on rocky hills and is indispensable to the local community. On the experience, you’ll receive a fascinating insight into the Janac Chuquibamba lifestyle as told by the locals who live it. You’ll learn about the culture’s customs and beliefs, as well as the traditions that shape their community. When you set off on your adventure, you’ll journey through stretches of breathtaking countryside. You’ll spot colorful wildflowers and the magical mountains out into the distance. You’ll also see quinoa and kiwicha fields stretching out as far as the eye can see. On the tail end of your journey, you’ll travel through an unpaved road into the village of Lamay. When you reach Lamay, local leaders will greet you dressed in bright, beautiful local clothing and playing local instruments. You can even try on the local clothing if you’d like! After breaking
A major priority of Aracari is ensuring that the community-based tourism in Peru that we support provides benefits to the locals we visit. We believe that tourism should nurture local communities and foster opportunities for positive cultural exchanges. One way we do this is by collaborating with La Tierra de…
Looking for your home away from home in Peru? Below, the most charming and outstanding hotels in Peru that are redefining luxury. Gocta Natura, Chachapoyas The stunningly beautiful and eco-friendly Gocta Natura cabins provide your window to Gocta, one of the highest waterfalls in the world. The cabins are located on a charming and secluded stretch of forest. Fostered by the owner, Rocio Florez's initiative, the whole team is committed to preserving the biodiversity of the surrounding Peruvian cloud forest is moving, and the property regularly helps support local projects. When you stay at Gocta Natura, you’ll enjoy boutique cabins, farm-to-table gourmet meals, and views of Gocta and the mountains. You’ll experience a peaceful, exclusive haven that allows you to enjoy nature in a whole new way - and you’ll want to linger as long as possible. Gocta Natura can also help facilitate hikes, horseback rides, birdwatching, local community visits, and textile workshops. Kentitambo, Chachapoyas Kentitambo is a slice of heaven unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Just on the edge of the town of Leymebamba, Kentitambo is set in its own little corner of the Chachapoyas cloud forest. This delightful B&B is owned by Adriana von Hagen, an accomplished archaeologist, co-director of the fantastic Museo Leymebamba, and author of several books on Chachapoyas culture. Here, you’ll find five bungalows overlooking the museum, and you’ll get to soak in the surrounding natural area, which von Hagan lovingly converted from a former barren, deforested hillside into a lush forest paradise. Kentitambo means “home of the hummingbird” in Quechua, and the property is known for its unrivaled bird watching opportunities. At Kentitambo, you’ll get to watch as over 16 species of hummingbirds spend time at the property’s hummingbird feeders, as well as parrots, tanagers, warblers, and toucans. Don’t forget to explore the
Looking for your home away from home in Peru? Below, the most charming and outstanding hotels in Peru that are redefining luxury. Gocta Natura, Chachapoyas The stunningly beautiful and eco-friendly Gocta Natura cabins provide your window to Gocta, one of the highest waterfalls in the world. The cabins are located…
Peru is one of the most coveted culinary destinations in South America - and the world over. As Peru’s restaurants serve up more and more memorable dishes, foodies and chefs alike keep flocking to the region. This all makes perfect sense when you consider the source: Peru’s wide range of unique crops. The Peru agriculture industry produces thousands of varieties of food staples we see on our tables every day, along with all kinds of unique Peruvian crops you can only find in the region. What’s especially exciting is that Peru is a hotspot for a growing number of superfoods, known for their high concentration of powerful nutrients. Peru Agriculture Helps The Culinary Scene Grow You’ll find evidence of this abundance of crops when dining at world famous Peruvian restaurants like MIL, Maido, and ámaZ. MIL, in the Sacred Valley, offers an 8-course experience with ingredients that reflect each of the eight ecosystems of the Andes. Maido, a top Lima eatery, specializes in Peruvian-Japanese fusion that draws on local ingredients. ámaZ, in Lima, serves up acclaimed Amazonian dishes. None of this would be possible without the robust Peru agriculture scene. Here’s everything you need to know about some of the top Peruvian crops, from superfoods to must-have staples. Peruvian potatoes This hearty crop is the most-eaten vegetable on the globe. There are nearly 4,000 varieties of Peruvian potatoes. South America is where the potato first surfaced, and the crop’s history on the continent spans about 13,000 years. In the 1400s, potatoes were brought to Europe from South America, and ultimately became a worldwide staple. A visit to a Peruvian market or restaurant will paint a picture of just how many varieties of Peruvian potatoes there are to sample, and how they can differ in taste and preparation. Some rare and
Peru is one of the most coveted culinary destinations in South America – and the world over. As Peru’s restaurants serve up more and more memorable dishes, foodies and chefs alike keep flocking to the region. This all makes perfect sense when you consider the source: Peru’s wide range of…
In honor of International Women's Day, Aracari is celebrating women who dedicate their lives to leading responsible businesses connected to tourism in Perú. Here, you'll meet Petit Miribel of Sol y Luna. Petit Miribel is the owner and creator of Sol y Luna, one of the most beautiful hotels in the Sacred Valley, and a Relais & Chateaux property. Sol y Luna was founded in the mid-’90s, and is a treasured benchmark for locally inspired luxury in Perú. Petit is originally from France. She and her husband Franz, who is Swiss, were living Perú in the ‘90s when they decided to move to the stunning natural area where Sol y Luna was born. They were drawn to the beauty of the location and their love of the outdoors. “The place itself is paradise, gardens filled with flowers and hummingbirds, the high Andes Mountains surrounding us and the original, vibrant art throughout the casitas and restaurants,” Petit says. “All these things are the unique face of Sol y Luna.” Empowering The Community Sol Y Luna Hotel is intimately connected to the Sol y Luna Foundation, a school providing primary and secondary education to underprivileged children and children with special needs in the area. “This project is something that started with a dream - my belief that education should be for all - and has turned into a reality that I could never have imagined when I started out. Our school and foundation is a real-life example of my definition of sustainability. What could be more sustainable than giving children education? It is like giving them a key which they can decide how to use, and which doors to open.” Sol y Luna doesn’t stop there, though: the hotel is also dedicated to environmental sustainability. “Reducing one-use plastic to minimizing waste
In honor of International Women’s Day, Aracari is celebrating women who dedicate their lives to leading responsible businesses connected to tourism in Perú. Here, you’ll meet Petit Miribel of Sol y Luna. Petit Miribel is the owner and creator of Sol y Luna, one of the most beautiful hotels in…