Discover La Mar Province

La Mar Province can be explored through a range of themes: archaeological structures, waterscapes and cultural traditions each offer a distinct perspective on the destination. The following highlights can help you tailor your hotel search to your travel interests.

Archaeological structures and protected areas

The Cedrocucho archaeological site includes unfinished terrace walls built by the pre-Hispanic population. Overlaid stone slabs form circular, square and rectangular structures. These varied shapes define the site’s appearance and make Cedrocucho a distinctive archaeological highlight in La Mar Province.

Another archaeological site is the Piedras Marcadas 5 landscape area in the district of Santa Rosa. Provisional protection has been established for this area. Its designation as an archaeological landscape and its protected status are the key points of reference here.

Waterfall, stone forest and valley

Catarata Qatun Ispaj in the district of Anchihuay is approximately 100 metres high and is fed by the Yanaccocha. The route from the hamlet of Marayniyuq to the waterfall is listed as 14 kilometres and 3 hours and 30 minutes on foot. These distance and time figures refer specifically to this walking route to the waterfall and provide a concrete guide for planning your own trip.

The Los Callejones stone forest, belonging to the Unión Minas community, offers a different landscape perspective. The area has diverse flora, fauna and birdlife. From a higher viewpoint, the view extends across the district of Tambo. The waterfall and the stone forest therefore differ both in their landscape features and in the natural themes described.

The Torobamba Valley stretches along the left bank across the districts of San Miguel, Patibamba and Ninabamba. The Río Torobamba runs parallel to the valley and irrigates it. The description thus links the valley’s course through several districts with the river’s role in irrigation.

Inherited traditions in Anco and Tambo

Baile Costumbrista Llaqta Maqta is an inherited dance from the district of Anco and also an Indigenous musical expression passed down from generation to generation. In the district of Tambo, livestock-raising families celebrate the Herranza tradition with Tinya music and singing in Quechua; the celebration includes an honouring of Pachamama. Both traditions are cultural expressions, but they have different emphases: dance and the transmission of music in one case, and a celebration by livestock-raising families featuring music, language and an honouring of Pachamama in the other.

Ayacucho as a wider travel destination

The wider travel destination of Ayacucho features other distinct highlights. Reserva Nacional Pampa Galeras Bárbara D’Achille protects vicuñas and high-Andean biodiversity. At the reserve’s control post, at an altitude of 4,000 metres, the site museum displays photographs, fauna and flora, as well as models related to biodiversity conservation.

The Wari archaeological complex was the pre-Hispanic capital of the Wari culture of the same name. It can be reached from Plaza Mayor de Ayacucho by tourist bus via a paved road; the distance is 23 kilometres and the stated journey time is 35 minutes. As these are route details, it may be useful to check them again before travelling.

Tourist visits in Barrio de Santa Ana include walking tours of the workshops of Ayacucho artisans. The artisans explain their training, traditional tools, colours and production methods; visitors can purchase artworks and crafts directly. Templo de Santa Ana was built in 1569. At Plaza Mayor de Ayacucho, the Unión, Constitución, Independencia and Municipal portals frame all four sides of the square.

If you are looking for a hotel in La Mar Province, first consider whether your trip will focus mainly on archaeological sites, landscapes or cultural traditions. This will give you a suitable thematic starting point for your search, after which you can compare the specific details of the hotel offers.

Discover more destinations: Tambo, Ayacucho.

Back to the wider travel overview: Ayacucho.