Cheap Tickets to Inti Raymi in Peru and Ecuador

When asked about the big festivals that take place in South America, most of us would be able to name the famous Carnival celebrations in Brazil, and some of us might be aware of the Semana Santa processions that take place in much of Latin America – but it’s a smaller number who would be familiar with the Inti Raymi celebrations, despite the fact that they’re some of the biggest on the continent.

Inti Raymi, which means Festival of the Sun, is an historic ceremony that was important to the people of the Inca Empire, and it dates back to the 13th century. After the conquest of the Incas by the Spanish, the Inti Raymi celebrations lost their grandeur and then finally were stopped altogether. Then in 1944, the ceremony and celebrations were presented in a theatrical way – eliminating some of the more gruesome aspects of the original ceremonies – based on historic accounts, and they’ve continued each year since then.

Today’s Inti Raymi celebrations are performed by actors representing the Incas, and the festivities have become a major draw not only for people from nearby areas but tourists from all over the world.

>> Inti Raymi marks the winter solstice on June 24th of every year.

Inti Raymi in Peru

By far the largst Inti Raymi celebrations are held in Cusco each year, attracting hundreds of thousands of people from around the world. The festival in Cusco lasts for a week – in Incan times, that week would have been spent fasting, but today that week is full of street fairs, music, and dancing. On June 24th, participants draw the whole crowd from the Santo Domingo church in a procession up to the hills above the city in front of the ancient Sacsayhuaman walled complex where the ceremony reenactments take place.

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Inti Raymi in Ecuador

Peru may get all the attention as far as Inti Raymi goes, but there are similar celebrations in Ecuador, too, in the Andean villages that were once part of the Inca Empire. In particular, the provinces of Pichincha and Imbabura are where to go to find the Inti Raymi festivities in Ecuador. These celebrations of the Inti Raymi often last for a month or more, with regular daily life put on hold as everyone focuses on the ceremonies – including processions to sacred water sources, preparation of special food and drink, and participants in colorful masks and costumes.

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Inti Raymi in Other Countries

• Argentina – The region of Argentina where you’ll find Inti Raymi celebrations (albeit smaller than the ones listed above) is the northwest part of the country in and near the Andes mountains.
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• Bolivia – Inti Raymi is celebrated with similar rituals, dances, and ceremonies in the Andean communities of Bolivia, with the addition of a procession of so-called “Virgins of the Sun” wearing intricate costumes.
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photo by bdamon