A couple of years ago we asked our specialists in South America to design the ideal trip for June. The result was this trip to Peru to learn about the Inca ancestral ceremony known as Inti Raymi, which is celebrated every winter solstice in the heart of Cuzco.
Trip departing on 14 June to discover the «Inti Raymi» which honours Inti, the Sun God.
A cultural journey that combines Inca traditions and spectacular Andean landscapes.
Inti Raymi celebration
Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun (Quechua “Inti” = sun and “Raymi” = festival or ceremony), began as an Inca religious ceremony honouring the sun god. It marks the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere’s Andean countries. In Inca times, the Inti Raymi The most important of four festivals held in Cusco, the imperial capital, marked the start of the year and the mythical origins of the Inca. It lasted 9 days, with dances and sacrifices. The last Inti Raymi in the presence of the Inca emperor it was carried out in 1535, before it was banned by the Spaniards. However, the festival continued to be held in secret by the indigenous peoples of the Andes.
A feast of gratitude to the sun for the harvests and to ask for blessings for the new year.
The ceremony centres on the fortress of Sacsayhuamán.
Today, Inti Raymi takes on a different character. The spectacle welcomes both tourists and Cuzco residents, for whom it expresses local identity and cultural belonging, inspiring enthusiasm and mass participation. Modern Inti Raymi celebrations vary by place, but most include a ceremony thanking the sun for the harvest, traditional music and dance, and a bonfire. In Cuzco, Inti Raymi begins in the Plaza de Armas, where The Inca give a speech to the crowd. Then, the procession moves to the esplanade of Sacsayhuamán, an ancient Inca fortress, where the main ceremony takes place. The Inca offers sacrifices to the sun and ignites a large fire.
The performance begins
The spectacle involves thousands of people and begins before Qorikancha, where the ‘Inca’ invokes the Sun. Spectators wait on the Sacsayhuamán esplanade, the procession's destination. Ancestral instruments and chants evoking Pachamama, Mother Earth, accompany the procession. Representatives of Tahuantinsuyo's four nations — Chinchaysuyo, Antisuyo, Contisuyo and Collasuyo — carry the Inca on a golden litter. Each group contributes colourful costumes and traditional dances.
An alpaca is then symbolically “sacrificed”, and the “Inca” invokes his father, the Sun. The heart of Inti Raymi beats on the Sacsayhuamán esplanade, where the “Inca” solemnly offers a white llama, symbolising purity, to the Sun. Smoke carries the people’s prayers skywards.
Participants take their roles seriously, creating an exuberant display of colour, music and dance.
When is Inti Raymi held?
The Inti Raymi is held every June 24, coinciding with the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. In Peru, this date is a national holiday, especially in the city of Cuzco, where the main celebration takes place.
Where is Inti Raymi held?
The main ceremony takes place at Sacsayhuamán fortress, just 2 km from Cusco. Although the Inti Raymi is held mainly in the Inca capital, and events and ceremonies are also held in other Andean cities and communities in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina.
In recent years, Inti Raymi has resurfaced as an important cultural celebration. It is now celebrated worldwide by people of Andean descent.
Special trip to Peru Inti Raymi
Peru✔️ Departure 14 JUN 2026
✔️ Price from 3255€