This May 29th, Peru honors the 2 million hectare Manu Biosphere Reserve which stretches between the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios during Manu National Park Day. Many travelers dream of visiting the tropical rainforest of the Peruvian Amazon, and stopping by Manu is a great way to do it. Manu is divided into the pristine and prohibited Nuclear Zone, the Buffer Zone, where eco-tourism and controlled scientific research is permitted; and the Cultural Zone, which is open to all. Manu is believed to house the greatest biodiversity range on the planet, providing refuge for many endangered species, including the jaguar, river wolf, and the spectacled bear.

The tropical rainforest of Manu is carved by rivers which rush from the high Andes down into the Amazon basin, widening and slowing, branching off and separating into cochas or lagoons which are the principal habitats of wildlife. As visitors delve into the labyrinth of rivers and lagoons, they enter a different world, with lush vegetation and a matchless biodiversity boasting more than 20,000 plant species, 1200 butterfly species, 1000 bird species, 200 mammal species, and 13 primates. In fact, Manu boasts the highest bird, mammal and plant diversity of any park on the planet. Of the 14 monkey species such as the squirrel monkey and maquisapa, you can see the leoncito, the world smallest. You can also observe manatees, felines, sloth, possums, capybara, agoutis, boa, giant tortoises, pecari, tapirs, North Andean and red deer, egrets and more! Scientists estimate that around 12,000 species in the Manu Biosphere Reserve remain to be identified.

All this wildlife relies on lush vegetation that is always green, including the gigantic trees of the area, such as the Caoba and the Lupuna, which reach up to 60 mts. in height, and other plants such as palms and heliconia. From the canopy hang lianas and climbing plants. Manu protects a surprising 10% of the world’s vascular plants- just one hectare can shelter more than 220 tree species.

Aside from protecting the natural wealth of Manu, there are also indigenous communities which live within the reserve, among them the Amahuaca, Yune, Nahua, Amarakaeri, Huashipaire, and the Matsiguenka, the last of whom admit travelers into their community. They, and the petroglyphs and ruins scattered throughout the jungle, provide a glimpse at a rich cultural history of the Peruvian Amazon.

What to Do in Manu!

Those of you interested in eco-tourism will greatly enjoy a visit to Manu, camping along the riverside or staying in community-operated eco-lodges, walking trails or going by canoe while observing the unique surrounding flora and fauna with your naturalist guide. Trips begin by land or air, than by motorboat along the river as you delve into the jungle.

Pirwa Travel Service offers some 3, 4, and 5 day packages for exploring Manu. You begin in Cusco, downhill biking from the high Andes through distinct ecological floors by bike, watching the landscapes change as we descend through the Cloud and Dwarf Forests until we reach the tropical rainforest. Along the larger than life route, there are stops to observe the pre-Incan Ninamarca tombs and the courtship dance of the bright Cock of the Rocks. Then we’ll canoe into the rainforest along the Pilcopata River, meeting the Matshiguenka tribe and exploring jungle trails as we watch the alligatos, monkeys, and parrots. Lodging in the park is in eco-lodges or by camping along the riverside.

Getting There

Manu is located 403 miles from the hot and isolated regional capital of Puerto Maldonado, which acts as a gateway for the reserve. Puerto Maldonaldo can be reached by land route from Cusco, or by air via Lima. (You may arrive by air from Cusco as well, but by contracting light aircraft rather than public transport.) From there one can move up the Manu River by motorboat.

It is recommendable to arrive from Cusco in organized package tours, as entry is not sold to individuals but to authorized agencies.

• From May to October it’s very hot, with cool nights and frequent rains. The rainy season goes from January to March, but there can be unexpected rains throughout the year, so travelers bring your rain poncho regardless!
• Tours may not operate, or may operate but with significant changes, during the rainy season, depending on water levels.
• Prepare for heat (daily temperature averages 35ºC during the day and 25ºC during the night), but cover your limbs, by finding long-sleeved shirts in light fabrics as protection against insect-bourne diseases.
  

Parade Inaugurating Puno's Alasitas Fair

When: The festival lasts about 9 days, it begins this year on May 1^st, but the main day is always May 3^rd

Where: Both the Alasitas Fair and the Festivity of the Bellavista Cross will take place in the neighborhood of Bellavista (ask for Barrio Bellavista), which is close to Puno’s city center and thus within walking distance from the train station and most hotels. Stalls will be set up along Avenida Floral, up to the height of La Paccha (Zampoña)

This May, more than a thousand eight hundred artisans and vendors will be participating in the Alasitas Fair, an Aymara tradition dedicated to the fulfillment of dreams and practiced in the buying and selling of miniatures. Common items include homes, vehicles, money, construction materials, grocery stores, diplomas and licenses, travel documents and more.

Puno, the little city with the big lake...

Many of these miniatures are destined to be bestowed on statues of the Aymara deity of abundance and prosperity, Ekkekko (dwarf). These represent the wishes of each person, which they hope the Ekkekko will grant them in the coming year. Once families have received an Ekkekko statue (you’re supposed to receive them, or give them as gifts, but not buy one for yourself), they’re responsible for giving him cigarettes and speaking to him to ensure his good graces. You’ll see Ekkekkos throughout the fair, dressed in traditional ponchos, with characteristically open mouths so that you can offer him pleasing cigarettes, and with open arms that you can fill them with miniature goods. In order to help the items bring you luck, it is customary for vendors to bless your purchase, performing a ritualistic ceremony for you in which he or she blows a charcoal and incense smoke over them, sprays them with alcohol, sprinkles confetti, and them wraps them in long thin ribbons while chanting.

The Alasitas fair is an interesting stop thanks to the ingenious variety of miniatures, the carnavalesque atmosphere, and parties that continue into the night. It runs at the same time as the Festivity of the Bellavista Cross, in a classic representation of the syncretism of Andean beliefs.

It all begins on May 1^st with the Popular Miniature Art Fair’s inauguration, reception of the musical bands and the welcome to the Lord of the Bellavista Cross. Before the ceremony there’ll be a colorful parade and the entry of the Ekkekko.

On the 2^nd, the day will break to the burning of the castles, so expect to hear loud booms throughout Puno as these wooden constructions laden with fireworks are lit. May 3^rd is always the main day, which will see the mass and procession in honor of the Bellavista cross. Some sources say that the miniature craftsmen competition and the awarding of prizeswill take place on May 3^rd in Parque de la Madre, others on May 9^rd.

Surely you’re wondering where you should stay during your visit to Puno, and why yes, we do have a suggestion- check out Pirwa Puno Backpackers here! If you need any help arranging your travel plans- from bus transport and flights to excursions throughout Puno, it’s outskirts, and stunning Lake Titicaca- Pirwa Hostels has it’s own travel agency, Pirwa Travel Service, with tour specialists eager to help!

At our newest hostel, Pirwa La Paz, we’re excited for of the biggest festivals in La Paz is the Fiesta del Gran Poder. El Gran Poder means the all powerful, as the festival is based on Christ the All Powerful, the 2^nd figure in an early 17^th century painting of the trinity in which the three entities display Indian or mestizo features. The artist is unknown; a novice nun had brought the painting with her it as her offering upon entering a convent, after which the painting changed hands many times amidst a growing reputation for granting miracles. Devotion grew and in 1939 the Parochial Church of the All Powerful was founded in its name. What began in the 1930’s with a handful of dancers has exploded through the years into a riotous celebration reminiscent of Carnaval, which falls a couple of months earlier.

Parades and processions with the figure of Christ, music and costumed dancers honoring cultural and ethnic backgrounds and performing selections from Bolivia’s rich folkloric legacy, such as the famous Morenada. The atmosphere is like a street party , with endless beer flowing as is commonly seen in many of South America’s religious celebrations! Dates change, but the festival always lands in the latter half of May or beginning of June. This year, the celebration falls on June 22^nd.

These days, dancers and musicians alone surpass 60,000 people- not bad for a festival which began as a simple candlelit procession! The procession with the painting is followed by 53 folkloric fraternities which represent different parts of the city or groups of people. Each fraternity is accompanied by a brass band in the middle and another in the back, and many dancers have instruments called matracas which click to the music. Their costumes can be the voluminous (or, for the younger dancers, voluminous in width but nonexistent in length!) skirts of the chola, costumes referencing historical figures from conquistadors to colonialists, Incas, African slaves, native indigenous groups, and more. They’ll follow a route through the streets of the popular zone and then arrive at the Hernando Siles stadium. (Where you can get seats but it won’t be free.) Those who dance make a promise to do so for three years as an act of thanksgiving, generally asking favors of the Christ before the festival day. Dancers continue for 5 hours, in costumes averaging 25.5kg!

Some of the most popular dances include the Morenada, the Diablada (Devil’s Dance) with it’s elaborate and colorful costumes, where the Devil represents the guardian to the Bolivian mines and receives coca leaves and other offerings in exchange for safe passage, and the Waca Takhoris, or Dancing Bulls, which requires a dancer to don a stuffed bull’s head and dried bull’s skin.

• Make reservations in advance! This is a high season for La Paz, and foresight will allow you to ensure availability and resist price gouging.
• Expect main avenues and streets in central la Paz to be shut down, so moving around will be easiest by foot.
• Prepare for strong afternoon sun and cold evenings- sun protection and light layers are essential.
• Don’t overexert yourself if you’re newly arrived- hydration and rest are essential for combating altitude sickness.
• Be wary of pickpockets- no more than small change in the outer pockets, and definitely no little electronics such as cameras, mp3s, or phones in outer pockets.

Pirwa Puno Backpackers is offering the best prices of the year, with 15% off all rooms. With a variety of shared dorms and private rooms, all with private bath, you’re sure to find a room which suits you- and you’ll pay less for it too!With an enviable location not far from Lake Titicaca and all of the services you’ve come to expect from Pirwa Hostels, Pirwa Puno Backpackers is an excellent choice for those looking for a cozy and welcoming place to stay in Puno. You can access the discount by reserving through our booking page. And if you’re traveling through Peru, don’t overlook all that Puno has to offer. We’ve compiled a small list of interesting sights to see for those of you compiling your itinerary:

The Attractions of Lake Titicaca

Massive Lake Titicaca stretches between Bolivia and Peru. As a dominant part of the protected area of Titicaca National Reserve, the world’s highest navigable lake protects more than 60 bird species, including the parihuana, whose colors inspired those of the Peruvian flag. Some of the lake’s sights you can see without really leaving the shores. The pedestrian path known as the Ecotouristic Inca Seafront Bay (Malecón Ecoturístico Bahía de los Incas) boasts not only stunning views but also pre-Inca artifacts known as across sukankas, or intihuatanas, which functioned as solar clocks, played the central role in rituals, and marked inter-communal land borders. Another good stop is the Yaraví, which as built in 1861 in Great Britain and crossed the Andes in pieces on mule-back. Now the oldest single-propeller iron ship in the world, the Yaraví Ship Museum stays anchored in Lake Titicaca porter as a free naval museum.

The lake’s most famous destination are the forty Floating Islands of Uros, artificial islands crafted from the lake’s most prevalent plant, the tortora reed. Which for the Aymara-speaking Uros Tribe, the kot-suña, people of the lake, provide food and shelter in addition to a material for island construction. They support themselves through fishing, weaving and tourism and have clung to their traditional way of life. They are believed to be the oldest surviving culture in the Americas.

Atop the two mountain peaks on Amantani Island, Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth), one finds ruins dating back to the Inca Empire and the pre-Inca Kingdom of Tiwanaku. Every January 20th the Quechua-speaking population opens the temples for a feast day, with half congregating in each temple, for a race between the chosen representatives of each temple to a midpoint between the peaks. The nature of the year to come will be foretold depending on which temple wins. Aside from the temple ruins and colorfully dressed traditional population, you’ll also enjoy the beauty of the island’s terraced hillsides. Another very traditional island is Taquile Island is considered to produce some of the highest quality handicrafts in Peru. In fact, their traditional weavings were proclaimed “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” in 2005. It also boasts pre-Incan terraces and ruins. Islanders still wear a mix of Spanish colonial dress with Andean touches and manage the community collectively, subsisting mainly on fishing, farming, and tourism.

The Outskirts of Puno

You can reach the sacred pre-Inca Sillustani Chullpas, or burial towers, but about 45 minutes by car from Puno. These structures, the final resting place for noble mummies awaiting rebirth, populate a burial ground located on a cold hilltop overlooking Lake Umayo. The circular towers are wider on top than on bottom, making them unique in South America. Another popular site are the ruins of Inca Uyo (Aymara for Place of the Inca), which date to after the Inca Conquest of the Lupaka Kingdom of Tiahuanaku. Inside of the ceremonial complex you´ll find many phallic stones 2-3ft high arranged upright like mushrooms. Though both temple and stones are authentic, the placement of the stones inside the temple was a municipal decision, which has led to the site´s as yet unproven presentation as a fertility temple where virgins sat atop large stone phalluses.

In the City of Puno

For a nice overview of Puno and the clear flat waters of Lake Titicaca, take a moment to stop at Huajsapata Lookout. If you’re feeling ambitious, Kuntur Wasi, also known as Condor Hill, lookout is even better, although it’s a climb of more than 600 steps. Once you hit the Plaza, there are three sights right next to each other which are all worth a visit. One is the 18th century mestizo-baroque Cathedral houses the venerated image of the Lord of the Quinary, known as Lord of the Bullet ever since it was shot in a clash between the Biscayans and Andalusians. Another is the Carlos Dreyer Museum, which houses exhibits of gold, silver, pottery, woven textiles, Pre-Inca stone sculptures from around the country, indigenous handicrafts and colonial paintings. There’s even an exhibit showcasing mummies and gold recovered from the Sillustani Burial Towers. Lastly, you might be interested in stopping by the 17th century Corregidor´s House. This historical monument is one of Puno´s oldest residences, now housing an art gallery with permanent and changing exhibits, library with reading room and research service, and a café-bar frequented by artists and expats; it hosts workshops and concerts as well.

Remember: Pirwa Hostels is a Full-Service company, so if you need assistance with transport, or are interested in arranging guided tours or packages, don’t hesitate to contact our agency department, Pirwa Travel Service, for information or services regarding any aspect of your trip!

Travel Tips

• The nearest airport is 28 miles north of Puno, in the city of Juliaca. Bus travel is popular for visitors to Puno, with buses by reputable companies such as Cruz del Sur and Ormeño arriving throughout the day from Cusco, Arequipa, and other cities.
• If you are not accustomed to high altitudes, you may experience nausea and fatigue, so it’s a good idea not to plan too much activity for the first day, to rest and to hydrate well, perhaps with the locally preferred remedy for altitude sickness: coca tea. If you need something stronger, stop by a pharmacy and ask for soroche pills, and if things feel quite bad, you can even pick up a personal mini-oxygen tank.
• Dress for the cold and dry weather of the high Andean plateau, or altiplano, where Puno is located. Temperatures average about 45 degrees, with 30 degree lows in the wintertime (June-August) and 60 degree highs in the summertime (Dec – Jan).
• Despite the cold weather, the sun is still a concern due to the high altitude, so don’t forget the sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat.

The event takes place in the Jardín de la Cerveza (Beer Garden), which is located on Avenida de la Cultura, just 5 minutes from Cusco’s Main Square, the Plaza de Armas. This is your chance to sample traditional regional dishes as well as dishes from Novo Andina, or New Andean Fusion, cuisine. Visitors can enjoy dishes such as fried trout with soltero, spicy fish escabeche, corn soup, corn soup, yuyo soup, stews of Andean lupin, trout cakes, clam soup, and candies made from loquat, fig, peach, and melon, and empanadas.

The fair will be divided into two sections, aside from the food stands there will also be a travelling market selling products such as trout, scad, anchovy, as well as products from the small subsistence farms which decorate the surrounding countryside, the Sacred Valley, of Cusco. Products are sold in the market, known as “Leading the Change”, at specially lowered prices as a special service, as in years prior to the event prices for important products would hike during Holy Week, scandalizing locals.

We’re keeping an eye out for Magdalena Zambrano, who won for best dessert in Peru’s largest food fair and competition, Mistura. She’ll be presenting traditional picarones along with mashua picarones and mango. But we’ll be bringing healthy appetites and hope to sample a range of dishes. Any of you planning on stopping by as well, remember to go early early early…because crowds begin arriving quickly and lines can get long.

As you know, Pirwa Hostels has FOUR locations in Cusco, and we’d like to get a group going! If you’re interested in stopping by, why not stop by reception and ask them when and where they’d like to pool people together for a little fieldtrip.

A Peculiar Breed: The World’s Smoothest Ride

The Peruvian Stepping horse developed in the northern regions of Peru through 400 year process of isolation and selective breeding using Spanish and Berber breeds of horses which were originally introduced during the period of the Spanish Conquest and the beginning of the colonial period. It is instantly recognizable by its peculiar and elegant gait a side-stepping method consisting of a series of synchronized movements of the front and hind legs in a parallel. Where other horses trot when moving at medium-speed, the compact and muscular Peruvian Paso horse employs this 4-beat lateral step, known as the paso llano.

This unique movement makes riding these horses a comfortable experience of smooth horizontal swaying, rather than both vertical and horizontal as in the case of other horses. The unique rhythm of the walk allows the Peruvian Paso Horse to be used as well in dance shows and competitions, where the man is on horseback and the woman on foot, and they dance the traditional dance of the Peruvian coast, the graceful Marinera.
 

The Event

The first Peruvian Stepping Horse Contest was held in June of 1929 in the Amancaes Pampa, with the first annual National Contest being held in April of 1945. The annual National Show in Lima is a major event in Peruvian cultural life, and is in reality, a weeklong festival. Beginning on Monday, horses and riders compete in different categories during the day and parties celebrating the music and cuisine of the Peruvian coast are thrown in the evenings. During Sunday’s closing ceremony, you can sample the different dishes of Peru in a food fair while watching the prize ceremony in which the best Peruvian stepping horses in the country demonstrate their abilities and the parade in which the horses and chalanes file to the marinera rhythm of coastal Peru. There’s also be Creole music and folkloric dances. The highlight is the IV National Marinera on Horse and Foot Contest, where the men dance on horseback and the women on foot.

When: This year, the LXVII National Peruvian Stepping Horse Contest kicks off on Monday, April 15^th and culminates the following Sunday. Entrance is free for all days except for Sunday’s closing ceremony on April 22^nd.

Where: The event takes place at the Mamacona stables near the pre-Inca ruins of Pachacámac. It’s located 19 miles south of Lima.

How: There are ranches which offer a visit to their facilities and lesson on the history of the horses, their characteristics, and training information along with visits to watch the National Contest, with a dinner or lunch included. If you’re staying in Miraflores you can get picked up, with daily departures at around 10:00am and also 3:00pm. If you’re interested in the arranging of a package, you can always stop by Pirwa Travel Service, which has information counters in both of our Miraflores hostels: Pirwa Prada Backpackers and Pirwa Inclan B&B.

When it comes to a comfortable and affordable place a stay during your travels in Lima, you can find budget-friendly private rooms or shared dormitory accomodations in both of our Pirwa locations, always with cheery colors, a warm atmosphere, comfy beds, and hot water. Not to mention that communal spaces from bars to rooftop patios give you plenty of space to get to know other travelers from around the world. Pirwa Hostels has it’s own travel agency which serves our clients, Pirwa Travel Service, which can assist you with guided excursions and packages as well as separate trip elements such as transport and entrances. And since we have hostel locations in Lima, Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Nazca, and Machu Picchu in Peru and La Paz in Bolivia, and serve our clients with unforgettable tours and treks throughout both these countries, it’s easy to get your whole itinerary taken care of in one place.

Holy Week is fast approaching! During this time, Cusco is a very popular destination for domestic and international travelers, as the erstwhile Imperial City of the Incas celebrates the event in its own Andean-Catholic style, notably with feasting, folkloric music and dance, processions of the Black Christ.

Palm Sunday

Left to Right: Palm Sunday Dance Troupe, Crowd Watching the Dancers

The syncretism of pre-Columbian Andean beliefs and Catholicism makes Cusco’s Holy Week unlike any other you’ll see. The day starts with mass in Cusco’s ornate Basilica Cathedral. In the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, the city’s main square, religious reenactments are followed by folkloric dances whilst vendors circle with their wares which promise good fortune.

Sample guinea pig and other dishes at the Festival de Sabor Andino (Festival of Andean Flavor) in the main square of the district of San Jeronimo, including Holy Week’s most traditional eats: roast suckling pig with Peruvian potatoes, tamales, and large rounds of ch’uta bread.

Holy Monday: Cusco’s Lord of Tremors

Monday of each Holy Week, the Lord of Tremors is taken out from the Cathedral of Cusco in procession with musicians and devotees, while the faithful strew purple ñucchu petals, which in ancient times were used as an offering to Inca gods but now are said to symbolize the blood of Christ.

Originally christened as Lord of Good Death upon its arrival to Cusco, it was long forgotten in an altar in the Chapel interior, darkening over time by the resinous nature of its construction materials, and the smoke of candles and incense. On Palm Sunday, 1650 an earthquake of devastating magnitude ravaged the city, tumbling temples, convents, and estates. The initial quake, believed for a long time afterwards to have been the world’s most severe on record, was followed by an unceasing stream of aftershocks over the following days. As buildings damaged in the initial quake crumbled during the aftershocks, the faithful carried out processions seeking forgiveness, carrying different virgins and saints, with women covering their faces covered in ash as a form of punishment against their own vanity and the men dragging heavy chains which wrapped about their necks as they bargained for salvation, but the aftershocks continued.

It was not until the Christ was taken out in procession and placed in the Plaza de Armas to be adored that the aftershocks ceased, giving birth to the cult of the Lord of Tremors, also often referred to as the Black Christ, who became the city’s patron saint.

In Cusco the processions continue to this day each Holy Monday. Some of the faithful believes that the color of their indigenous Christ darkens as he realizes miracles, and that the weight of the litter which the most devoted bear is the weight of the sins one carries, and that his face will express the nature of the coming year. 60 thousand devotees gather to receive his blessings.

Good Friday

Left to Right: Easter Spread in Pirwa Colonial, Dining Together in Pirwa Colonial

On Good Friday, the Hampirantikuy Market springs up to sell medicinal plants and plants for good fortune or of religious significance and devotees walk the Stations of the Cross from Plaza San Francisco to the Lord’s Cross in Sacsayhuaman Archeological Complex, the Inca fortress of the giant stones overlooking Cusco.  Unlike other places, Cusco does not celebrate this day with fasting, but with feasting. The tradition is to prepare 12 dishes.

Holy Week in Cusco fills up FAST, but Pirwa Hostels has four different locations in Cusco, so we’ve still got availability!

For an unbeatable view of the dancing and processions, try the Pirwa Posada del Corregidor! The in-house restaurant, Plus Café, has balconies overlooking the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, which is a great way to see the happenings without jostling for a spot at street level. (The photo at right was actually taken during the Inti Raymi Festival, but it’s a good representation of the way the plaza fills up during festivals, and the view from the Plus Café balcony.) Pirwa Suecia B&B, located a half block from the Plaza de Armas, is good spot if you wish to be close to the action.

If you’re looking for shared dormitories and fun common areas that include a bar and lounge with billiards, darts, ping-pong and more, then try Pirwa Colonial Backpackers. Pirwa San Blas Familiar would be a great choice as well, as it’s located in the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas 4 blocks up from the Plaza de Armas. Besides its picturesque nature, this area also boasts a concentration of artists’ galleries and studios, which during Holy Week will go into overdrive displaying unique and colorful wares during art fairs.

For Catholics, the feast day of St Patrick on March 17^th celebrates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. In countries around the globe the day has become synonymous with Irish national pride. Even though this isn’t a holiday which is celebrated very widely in Peru, Pirwa has always sought to be a gathering place for travelers from all over the world, and we’d never miss a reason to throw a party!

Celebrants often wear shamrocks or the color green, as the color became associated with St Patrick’s Day because St Patrick used  the three-leaved shamrock to explain the trinity.

Parades are common in many countries, and the lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol means that revelers often feast and drink a good amount of Irish beer (dyed green if you want to go there!) or whiskey.

Plans at Pirwa Hostels are well-underway for our annual St. Patrick’s Day party at Pirwa Colonial Backpackers on the 17th. There’ll be irish specials throughout the week, and those of you who are Irish can sidle up to the bar for a welcome drink on the house.

Pirwa Colonial Backpackers is located in Plaza San Francisco, only two blocks from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, the city’s main square, and you can expect things to be starting around 9:00pm.

We hope that all our backpacking friends, Irish and otherwise, join us for our St Patrick’s Day celebrations this year!

The town known officially as Machu Picchu Pueblo and colloquially as Aguas Calientes sprung up as a base for visitors to Machu Picchu Archeological Complex. It’s a vibrant and bustling one-street town set in an overwhelmingly beautiful natural environment. Due to its desirable location near the ruins but very small size, the question is often asked: After Machu Picchu, what am I supposed to do in Aguas Calientes?

Well, if you have extra time before or after your visit to the ruins of Machu Picchu, there are several things you can do in order to take advantage of that. After all, this is part of the protected area known as Machu Picchu Sanctuary, whose high-altitude rainforest boasts hundreds of exotic bird, butterfly, and orchid species.

Here are our suggestions:

You’ll find the small, often-overlooked, but excellent Manuel Chávez Ballón Site Museum at the base of the footpath that to leads to Machu Picchu, about a 25 minute walk from Aguas Calientes. If you have time, it’s a recommendable stop in order to learn about the construction and purpose of Machu Picchu as well the history of the area’s archaeological excations and what they found. You’ll be able to examine maps and video presentations as well as some artifacts (just the ones which remained after Hiram Bingham took the bulk to Yale University), so this is a great way to gain some context for what you’ll be seeing at the ruins. The museum also boasts its own Botanical Garden, a great stop for Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary protects not just the Inca ruins, but also a high Andean rainforest whose plantlife includes more than 90 classes and 200 species of orchids as well as native trees such as the pisonay, aliso, puya, and q’eofia trees.

The protected area known as Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary also boasts more than a hundred distinct butterflies. At the Butterfly House, just a 15 minute walk along the footpath from town that leads to Machu Picchu, you can examine some of these striking species up close during a 15 to 20 minute guided visit that costs S/.10.00 (soles). Currently the tour is only available in Spanish.

A longer, 2 hour, walk along the same path will take you to privately-owned Mandor Gardens & Waterfalls where for a fee of S/.10.00 (soles) you can explore its rainforest paths, in search of rare orchids and exotic birds. There’s also a small waterfall and a few small ruins but the paths do not lead to the ruins. If you’re not up for the walk, you might be able to catch a cab to Mandor. Or, along the same path but much closer, near the Ruinas Bridge, you can visit the Ecological Center and explore their own rainforest paths.

One popular spot, and the reason why the town became known as Aguas Calientes, is the hotsprings. Especially for tired trekkers who have been walking for days to arrive at the town, these sulfurous thermal baths are a soothing stop just 15 minutes from town. The pools vary between approx. 38 and 46 degrees Celsius. You should remember that swimsuits, sandals, and towels are mandatory, but if you forgot yours there are items available for rent.

If your guide book suggests climbing Putucusi (Happy Mountain) for a view of Machu Picchu, we’re sorry but this is no longer possible. A recent and difficult rainy season washed the ladders away and damaged part of the trail.

Pirwa Hostels has two locations in Aguas Calientes, Pirwa Machu Picchu Backpacker and Pirwa Machu Picchu B&B. We’re close to the train station, which is why we like to send someone from the hostel to come help guests with their bags and to the hostel. No matter which locale you choose, you’ll have access to comfy beds and 24 hour hot water, as well as internet and wifi and a locale to store your luggage should you need a place to leave things while exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu or the town of Aguas Calientes. The continental breakfast is not only included, but it can be served in the early hours for those of you looking to get a head start on your Machu Picchu adventure. We hope that you’ll stop by during your trip to Machu Picchu!

February 24 – March 4th

The Verano Negro (Black Summer) Festival is celebrated the final week of each February in Ica’s Chincha province with the objective of the festival is to highlight Afro-Peruvian culture, food, poetry and dance. Celebrations are centered in the district of El Carmen in the city of Chincha and among other cultural expressions include gastronomical fairs, art fairs, wine and brandy fairs touting the region’s most famous products, poetry reciting contests, and especially dances, parties, and parades around the Plaza de Armas (city center)- all celebrating the richness of Afro-Peruvian cultures.

The colorful and riotous festivities is one of the most important events to occur each year in the Chincha Province, and lucky travelers who chance upon it will have the chance to see folkloric dances like the landó and panalivios in dance contests, shows, and parades, and see musicians playing traditional instruments such as the Peruvian cajón, maracas, and even the jawbone of a donkey.

For Transport or Excursions during your trip, think of Pirwa Travel!

You can get to the city of Chincha, considered the cradle of Afro-Peruvian folkloric culture, in the province of Chincha in the Ica Region by taking a bus from Lima. The trip is about 200km south. If you’re using Lima as a base, Pirwa has two locations in Lima’s Miraflores District, Pirwa Inclan B&B and Pirwa Prada Backpackers, with in-house travel desks from Pirwa Travel Service where you can get all the help you need to arrange bus transport or other trip details.

Eating Carapulcra

Highlights from the Official Program-

Verano Negro 2012

Friday, Feb 24th
07:00pm:  Inauguration at Chincha’s Plaza  de Armas.

Saturday, Feb 25th
10:00am:  “Raspa Fresh 2012″- the famous smoothies/icees of the Peruvian coast! Sample the wares in Chincha’s Plaza de Armas

10:00am:  VIII National Marinera Contest at Chincha’s Coliseo Cerrado.  Make sure to stop by to see the graceful national dance of Peru which is danced with handkerchiefs.

12:00pm:  XXIV Grape Stomping Festival at the Naldo Navarro Winery. This is a good chance to pick up some of Ica’s famous wines and Peruvian pisco grape brandy!

05:00pm:  Cajón Playing Master Class at the Cajón Players of Peru Creative Network (Calle Lima 518). Learn how to play the iconic Afro-Peruvian instrument

Sunday, Feb 26th

10:00am:  First Session of the Great Cajoneada (Cajón Playing Fest) in the Plaza de Armas

11:00am:  Raspa Fresh 2012 in the Plaza de Armas

12:00pm:  Selection & Crowning of Miss Verano Negro 2012, with performances by the Afro-Peruvian Ballet, Los Ochoas Orchestra, and Grupo Kaliente along with raffles and gifts at Las Totoritas Beach

02:30pm:  Great Bingo in the Plaza de Armas

Monday, Feb 27th

07:00pm:  Inter-provincial bus, Chincha – Pisco route, from the Plaza de Armas

Tuesday, Feb 28th

04:00pm:  “Caress of Living Nature Art Show” at Chincha’s Library

08:00pm:  Great Afro-Peruvian Dance Parade around the Plaza de Armas- don’t miss your opportunity to appreciate the great variety of Afro-Peruvian music and dance, and also party along!!

Wednesday, Feb 29th

04:00pm:  “Caress of Living Nature” Art Show in Chincha’s library

05:00pm:  “Ebano & Clay” Art Show in Chincha’s Cultural Center

08:00pm:  “Marinera in a Thousand Ways” Open-Air Party in the Plaza de Armas

Thursday, March 1st

08:00pm:  Urban Dance Open-Air Party in the Plaza de Armas

Friday, March 2nd

09:00 pm:  Open-Air Party featuring local and national artists

Saturday, March 3rd

08:00am:  Touristic Circuit throughout Ica, organized bythe Social Services Administation of Chincha

10:00am:  Gastronomical Fair in the Plaza de Armas. While in Ica, be sure to pick up some bottles of the most famous product to have developed in the region, pisco grape-brandy, and sample one of the most traditional meals of the region, carapulcra stew!

11:00am:  SENASA’s Theatrical Presentation, “Erraticating the Fruit Fly in the Ica Region” in the Plaza de Armas

02:00pm:  “Marinera in a Thousand Ways” at the Plaza de Armas

08:00pm:  Afro-Peruvian Festival in the Plaza de Armas

09:00pm:  Watch  local and national artists perform and compete in a traditional Peña at the Gambug de Amador

Sunday, March 4th

09:00am:  “Getting to know Chincha” Tour- Sign up at Chincha’s Cultural Center

10:00am: The Great “Cajoneada” (Cajón Playing Party) in the Plaza de Armas

10:00am:  Gastronomical Fair in the Plaza de Armas de Chincha

07:00pm:  Closing and Prize Ceremony at Chincha’s Library

09:00pm:  Open-Airl Dance to the sounds of the Orquestra Bony band in the Plaza de Armas!