The small, unassuming town of Paucartambo lies on the eastern slopes of the Andes, midway between Peru’s southern highlands and the Amazon jungle. This quaint village of white houses with painted blue doors acts as a convenient trading hub for the two regions it straddles. For most of the year, Paucartambo does not offer much of interest to outside visitors, but between July 15th and 18th each year this sleepy village comes alive with costumes, dancing, food and drink for the famous Paucartambo Festival of the Virgin of Carmen. With the town’s location only about three hours north of the city of Cusco, the Paucartambo Festival is an excellent opportunity for travelers to experience Peruvian culture in a unique and festive way.
Origin of the Paucartambo Festival
The Paucartambo Festival is celebrated in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, known in Spanish as the Virgen del Carmen or the Mamacha del Carmen. The roots of this festival lie in the 17th century, when llama herders of the high Andean plateau frequently traveled to Paucartambo with their animals in order to trade with the locals. On one of these trips, the face of the Virgin Mary appeared to both visitors and locals in a clay pot. Inspired by this apparition, the people of Paucartambo created an image of the Virgin along with a temple to house it. Since that time, citizens of the town have held a festival every year to honor and pay tribute to this sacred image.
Enjoying the Festivities
Paucartambo is considered the folkloric capital of the region and the Paucartambo Festival is one of the best opportunities for outsiders to experience Andean customs and celebrations. Visitors will have the chance to enjoy performances of an astounding variety of traditional dances, including the qollas, the qhapac negros, the chuncho, the saqra, the tarpuy and more. Many of these dances also incorporate elaborate costumes and storylines–a series of beautiful spectacles that never fail to captivate all in attendance.
Aside from being an enriching culture experience, the Paucartambo Festival also happens to be a great party, with delicious food and drink in abundance and a contagiously-merry carnival atmosphere. Don’t be surprised if your visit to Paucartambo is the most fun you have on your whole trip to Peru! If you’re planning a trip to Cusco in July, the Paucartambo Festival is an unforgettable way to spend a few days of your travels.
The following represents the typical schedule of the Paucartambo Festival of the Virgin of Carmen:
July 15th
The first night of the festival kicks off with a fireworks display followed by a bonfire. A group of locals act out scenes of purgatory as they leap through the flames and perform acrobatic feats. Musical serenades to the Virgin are played through the night until dawn.
July 16th
This is the main day of festivities, beginning with a morning mass followed by the performance of the regional dances known as the qollas and the qhapac negro. As the afternoon continues, dancing and singing take over the streets and last into the night.
July 17th
The highlight of the third day is the grand procession of the Virgen del Carmen, featuring bands playing traditional music and dancers dressed in brightly-colored clothing and masks. Festivalgoers dance along to the rhythm from the sidelines or from balconies as a spirit of revelry fills the air.
July 18th
On the final day, the sacred image of the Virgin is taken to the temple and blessed by the priest as festivities begin to wind down.
While many people choose to stay for the entire length of the festival, it’s also possible to visit for just a day or two as a side excursion from Cusco or as part of a planned itinerary in the area. Continue to the next section for some ideas to help you plan your trip to the Paucartambo Festival.
Planning Your Trip
If you want to experience the Paucartambo Festival for yourself, you’ll need to be in the Cusco region between July 15th and 18th. Since this is one of the most popular folkloric festivals in Peru, many people travel from all over the country and abroad to attend, so lodging options fill up fast in the small town of Paucartambo. For this reason, it’s best to plan your trip ahead of time so that proper arrangements for accommodation can be made. Your tour agent or guide should be able to assist you with this.
Paucartambo is located only three hours from the city of Cusco, so a visit to the festival is easy to incorporate into tour itineraries and longer travel plans in Peru. The town is also located along the main road between Cusco and Manu National Park, so a visit to the Paucartambo Festival can also be planned around a trip to the jungle.
Outside of the festival, one of the most popular attractions near Paucartambo is the Tres Cruces (“three crosses”) lookout point. This mountaintop vista puts you at nearly 4,000 meters above sea level, staring out at the vast expanse of the Amazon Rainforest below. The steam of the jungle meeting the frigid mountain air causes the sun’s light to refract and distort, giving the illusion of three suns rising in the sky rather than one. For this reason, Tres Cruces is reputed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world to see the sunrise, and many people camp overnight or arrive very early in the morning to catch this unique phenonenon.
Paucartambo Awaits
Attending a folk festival is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience traditional Peruvian culture, and the Paucartambo Festival of the Virgin of Carmen is one of the most colorful and festive of all. With its location just three hours north of Cusco, it’s easy to include a visit to Paucartambo as part of your Peru itinerary. If you’re planning a visit to Peru in the month of July, consider setting aside a couple days to take part in this unforgettable celebration!
Header Image: Modified from Flickr / Pablo Mangiarotti
1st Blog Image: Modified from Flickr / Jesus Abel tejada ramirez
2nd Blog Image: Modified from Flickr / Ricardo Sánchez
