Province of Paucartambo: Festivals, Inca Roads and Nature

In the valley where the Río Mapacho and Río Qenqomayu converge lies Pueblo de Paucartambo. In 2023, the World Tourism Organization named the town one of the “Best Tourism Villages.” The Province of Paucartambo is also where high-Andean landscapes, Inca architecture and religious festivals come together.

Mirador Tres Cruces: the transition between ecosystems

Mirador Tres Cruces is located in the district of Kosñipata, at an altitude of about 3,700 meters. From the viewpoint, you can see the transition between the ecosystems of the Andes and the Amazon region. At sunrise, an optical phenomenon appears above an expansive sea of clouds covering the Amazon Basin of Parque Nacional del Manu: the view creates the impression of several suns or a luminous spectrum.

To reach Pueblo de Paucartambo, the route from Cusco covers 105.5 kilometers of paved road; travel time by tourist bus is 2 hours and 15 minutes. The route to Mirador Tres Cruces is different: from Pueblo de Paucartambo, first take a public bus for 26 kilometers on a paved road to Abra Acjanaco. Then travel 14 kilometers in a private vehicle along a passable unpaved road.

Parque Nacional del Manu lies partly within the Province of Paucartambo. Its high-Andean sector includes cloud forests and grasslands, as well as orchids, pumas and spectacled bears. To visit the park, you must use a tour operator authorized by SERNANP. As operational requirements may change, check the current guidelines before your visit.

Inca architecture and community-based tourism

The Watoqto Archaeological Complex in the district of Colquepata is an Inca architectural monument. It comprises three areas: Sector Ceremonial, Sector Saqsaywaman and Sector Pachatuzan. A pre-Hispanic paved Inca road leads to the complex and branches off further in the direction of Qosñipata and Manu.

In the district of Kosñipata, the Comunidad Nativa Queros Wachiperi has been developing Indigenous community-based tourism since 2006. This includes visits to the Hinkiori petroglyphs and traditional cuisine. Rock art and cuisine give this community-based tourism distinct themes and add another cultural dimension to the province alongside the Inca archaeological sites.

Festivals with set dates

The dances of Pueblo de Paucartambo accompany the procession of the Virgen del Carmen. The Festividad de la Virgen del Carmen de Paucartambo takes place in the province every year from July 15 to 18, attracting worshippers and domestic and international tourists. If you want to plan your trip around this festival, check the event dates before making arrangements.

Another annual event is the main feast day of the Santuario Del Señor De Exaltacion De Sani on September 14. It includes penitential pilgrimages on foot from the Comunidad de Chacabamba in the district of Huancarani to the sanctuary. Unlike the July festival, this celebration centers on a pilgrimage on foot. The two dates therefore differ both in the calendar and in the traditions described.

If the Río Manu is your main destination, one route goes through Paucartambo and then via Acjanaco, the cloud forest, Pilcopata, Atalaya and the Río Alto Madre de Dios.

Discover more destinations: Pillcopata, Aguas Calientes, Province of Calca, Quispicanchi, Espinar, Pisac

Go to the main travel overview: Cuzco.