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15th - 16th July - This trip leaves once a year!

Paucartambo is small town about 4 hours east from Cusco on the road to Manu National Park. It most famous for one massive festival: Virgen del Carmen, which takes place over four days, with the principal days from July 15th to 17th. The Virgen is known locally as Mamacha Carmen and is a patron saint of the mestizo population. The festival itself consists of lots of traditional and significant dances by people in awesome costumes. Many of these dances have ingenious choreographies that portray events in Peruvian history. On the central day, (July 16th) the Virgin Carmen is carried around the town in a spectacular procession to bless those present and scare away demons The dancers become more and more animated as the festival progresses performing daring gymnastics, showing off their colorful Inca and colonial garb. At the end of the procession, war is waged on the demons, from which the faithful emerge in triumph. Finally, the gathering ends up in the cemetery to pay homage to the souls of the dead.

About 40km north of Paucartambo is a site called Tres Cruces (3 crosses), which is situated on the very edge of the Andes mountains at an altitude of 3900m. From Tres Cruces, there is a steep drop into the Amazon basin, which means the view is incredible. Tres Cruces is most famous for the sunrise in the months of June and July because special climatic conditions mean that there are optical illusions.

This trip is ideally combined with our Mountains to Manu trip.

ITINERARY

Day One: 15th July
9am Collection from your hotel and departure from Cusco
· Visit to the Chullpas of Ninamarca
· Light snack
1.30pm Arrival at Paucartambo
Lodging in a shared accommodation, and a rest if you wish
3.00pm Visit to the different streets of the town
Visit to the main church, and an appreciation of the traditional entrance, and of the special dances "Cora Apacuy" and "Konoy".
8.00pm The serenade in honour of the Virgin del Carmen begins
We will be able to enjoy (visitors and locals alike) the happiness of this event. It's is possible for members of our group to rest, or others will wish to continue with the festivity until later hours.

Day Two: 16th July
1.30am We will assemble in our lodging to depart for our trip to Tres Cruces to see the see the sunrise, the only place you can see this spectacle in our continent. (3739 m)
Accommodation will be in an available place.
Light snack (with hot drink and a sandwich)
7am Return to Paucartambo.
Transfer to the lodging, rest, wash and breakfast (depending on each passenger). Visit to the Temple of the Virgin of Carmen, to the Bridge Carlos III where we can enjoy more than 15 typical dances.
3pm Procession of the Virgin of Carmen
We will accompany the procession and can appreciate the dances and the ability of the dancers.
5.30pm We will gather in our lodging to collect our things and board our bus to return to Cusco.
9.00pm Return to Plaza San Francisco, in Cusco and return to your hotel.

· the exact program is subject to change, due to weather and other unexpected circumstances.

INCLUDES
· Round trip transport Cusco- Paucartambo - Tres Cruces - Paucartambo - Cusco
· Shared accommodation
· English/Spanish/Quechua speaking guide

NOT INCLUDED:
· Meals
· Sleeping bag
· Extra snacks or water
· Entry fees to Tres Cruces or Ninamarca (if requested)

WHAT TO BRING
· Cash for personal spending (eg. Drinks)
· Photo camera
· Warm jacket, beanie, scarf, gloves
· Sleeping bag

Festival of Virgen of Carmen prices 2008

For organisational reasons, we require one week to organise your booking, prior to departure.

Siempre... gracias a Willy, Angel, Ruben y los Cuadrillo Negrillos

Itinerary Notes

• The times cited in this itinerary are approximate. Walking times depend on the group and the guide can change lunch spots and campsites, depending on the progress of the group. Each guide has their own preferred route and it might not correspond exactly to the route described here.
• This is an adventurous trip. You should be sure to bring an open mind, flexibility and a sense of humor. Most of all you should be prepared to go with the flow. Most of all, you are joining an Andean fiesta - and you should be willing to accept their means and methods of celebration.
• This region is not frequently visited by tourists, therefore tourist infrastructure is limited. This tour incorporates public transport, and use of local facilities. Visitors should be aware that things change, or may not go to plan. This is all part of the adventure!

APUS PERU Adventure Travel Specialists - Email: apusperu@westnet.com.au

© A.Svenson 2005. The design, content and photographs (except where noted) are 100% original. The majority of our treks were designed by Apus Peru.