Come and discover the incredible Inti Raymi, the traditional and magical Festival of the Sun in Cusco!
Inti Raymi, which means Festival of the Sun in Quechua, is one of the main festivities in the city of Cusco. The celebration is full of songs in Quechua, traditional dances and colorful costumes from Inca times.
This annual festival is held during the winter solstice and is one of the most memorable experiences in Peru.
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Inti Raymi is an ancient Inca religious celebration in which the Incas worshiped their god, “Inti or the Sun”, in the capital city of Cusco. In the past, Inti Raymi lasted about 15 days, during which sacrifices were made and dances were performed to honor the “Sun God”. The last Inti Raymi held with the presence of the Inca Emperor took place in the year 1535, one year before the Spanish Conquest.
Today, Inti Raymi is a theatrical reenactment. Thousands of Cusqueños and visitors from all over the world gather for this event, which is one of the most important cultural and traditional manifestations of Cusco.
The Sun is the highest object of worship in Inti Raymi, its very essence and source of life. It is the supreme god and one of the most important celestial bodies in the Andean world. During this festival, the Sun marks the beginning of a new yearly cycle, which is why offerings and rituals are dedicated to it.
The word Inti Raymi comes from Quechua; Inti means sun in Spanish and Raymi means festival or celebration. Therefore, Inti Raymi is translated as “festival or celebration of the sun”.
“Inti Raymi” or “Festival of the Sun” was the largest and most important festival held in the time of the Tahuantinsuyo Empire. Their religion was based on the worship of the Sun. It was established by Inca Pachacútec, “the transformer of the world”, in the 14th century as part of a religious reform, with the Sun as the highest deity.
The Festival of the Sun was the greatest and most important celebration of the Tahuantinsuyo Empire. Centered on the worship of the Sun as the supreme deity, it was instituted by Inca Pachacútec in the 14th century. In this ceremony, the acllas, the ayllus, the Imperial Inca army, representatives of each suyo and other authorities took part, bringing together almost the entire population of the Tahuantinsuyo.
The Inca’s entrance into the Plaza de Armas or the esplanade of Saqsayhuamán was a solemn moment: he was preceded by the acllas, who scattered flowers, and by the pichaq, men who used straw brooms to drive away evil spirits from the path. In his public appearances, the Inca was accompanied by his kumillo (a hunchbacked dwarf), who held the achiwa, a colorful feathered parasol.
During the colonial conquest, Inti Raymi continued to be celebrated in secret. Later, the mestizo writer Inca Garcilaso de la Vega preserved the memory of this festival in his work Royal Commentaries of the Incas.
Inti Raymi was born as the great festival of Inti, the Sun god, who represents the center of the Andean worldview. Long before the Incas, different Andean peoples were already observing the sky, solstices and equinoxes in order to organize agricultural activities.
The Incas inherited that solar tradition and took it to its peak. Under the rule of Pachacútec in the 15th century, this celebration was instituted, and it was not only religious, but also a political tool to unite the four suyus around Cusco and legitimize the Inca as the “son of the Sun”.
This festival evolved into the most important celebration of the empire, a kind of Andean New Year ritual and a renewal of the pact between the Sun, the Inca and the Tahuantinsuyo. During colonial times, the Spaniards saw it as an “idolatrous” rite and banned it as a public celebration. In 1944, Cusqueñan artists recreated Inti Raymi based on chronicles such as those of Garcilaso, giving rise to the theatrical version we know today.
The modern staging of Inti Raymi began with the proposal of Humberto Vidal Unda, who suggested dramatizing an Inca ceremony that, until then, existed only as a small theatrical recreation of an Inca festival.
Thus, in 1944, a groundbreaking staging was held for the first time, which we now know as “Inti Raymi”. That same year, June 24 was established as Cusco Day.
The first Inti Raymi celebrated after the Spanish conquest starred Don Faustino Espinoza Navarro, the first actor to play the Inca. He was a Cusqueñan writer and actor, founder of the Academy of the Quechua Language, and a key figure in the revival of Inti Raymi.
In 2001, “Inti Raymi” was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation and an Official Act of National Identity.
| Inti Raymi | Inca Inti Raymi | Modern Inti Raymi |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Festival filled with color, dance, devotion, and rituals and offerings to the Sun God. | Festival that revives and honors the traditions and customs of our Inca ancestors. |
| Duration | 15 days before the winter solstice | 1 day, June 24 |
| Years | 1430 – 1532 A.D. | 1944 – Present |
| Attendance | 50,000 inhabitants of the Tahuantinsuyo | 60,000 attendees from different parts of the world and around 1,000 performers among musicians, dancers, etc. |
The Inti Raymi festival is celebrated every June 24. This day is not only a celebration of the Sun, but also Cusco Day, and the entire month is filled with various events, especially on June 24, the central day, when the Inti Raymi reenactment takes place and hundreds of people prepare to give their best artistic performance.
In 2026, the Inti Raymi celebration will once again take place on June 24, with music, traditional dances and an unforgettable theatrical performance.
Today, Inti Raymi is celebrated with great color and tradition. Everything begins very early in the morning, when the entourage of the Inca and the Qoya (his wife) sets out in procession.
In the Qorikancha gardens, a ceremony of greeting the Sun is held with music played on quenas (flutes) and drums. This is the most ritual and spiritual moment, with the sun rising over the mountains.
Afterwards, the procession continues to the Plaza de Armas, where the Inca arrives carried on the shoulders of his warriors, and the Qoya, the Inca’s wife, does the same.
From an elevated platform, the Inca gives a speech to the people in Quechua, asking the Sun for protection and announcing prosperity. The traditional dances of Cusco follow.
This is the most anticipated moment of the day. Sacsayhuamán is the main stage where the Inca, the Qoya, priests, warriors and regional delegations gather for the principal ceremony to the Sun. There is a grand parade of the four suyus, each with its own costumes, feathers and dances.
The main ceremony takes place at Sacsayhuamán, where a symbolic sacrifice of a llama is reenacted, along with offerings of corn, chicha, textiles, food and flowers. Finally, the Inca ends with a final invocation to the Sun, asking for a good harvest and balance for the new Andean year.
We know that the role of women in the Inca Empire was very important and essential, as they were a symbol of abundance and fertility.
The central female figure in the Inca Empire was the Qoya, who stood out for her leadership and ability to guide the empire through times of crisis. She was the Inca’s partner, his advisor and his right hand in government. When the Inca died, she was in charge of leading the Panaca, the “noble descendants of the Inca”.
During the Inti Raymi Festival, the Qoya was a highly significant character, accompanying the Inca throughout the entire ceremony and embodying sovereignty and power.
The Qhapaq Ñan was a vast network of Inca roads that linked sacred sites (huacas), forming a communication and transport system among the peoples of the Tahuantinsuyo. It was extremely important because, during the Festival of the Sun, “Inti Raymi”, it was the route used to reach Cusco.
Every June 24 in the morning, this Inca tradition begins, with the first staging at the Temple of the Sun, Qorikancha or Santo Domingo. Then it continues to Cusco’s Main Square and finally to the esplanade of Saqsayhuamán, where the main performance lasts approximately 2 hours. It usually ends around 3:30 p.m., although it can extend a few minutes longer.
| Place | Time | |
|---|---|---|
| First part: | Qorikancha – Temple of the Sun | 9:00 a.m. |
| Second part: | Huacaypata – Main Square of Cusco | 10:30 a.m. approx. |
| Third part: | Saqsayhuamán Fortress | 1:00 p.m. approx. |
The traditional Inti Raymi route takes place in three historical locations in Cusco, following the same order every June 24.
This is where the “Greeting to the Sun” ceremony takes place. It begins with the sound of conch shells (pututos) and the entrance of the acllas, musicians and dancers, followed by the appearance of the Inca. This first part lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Here the ceremony called “Encounter of the Times and Coca Leaf Ceremony” takes place, where the Inca and his entourage stand on the great ushnnu or ceremonial platform. Most of the audience watches while standing, and this part lasts about 1 hour.
This is where the central Inti Raymi ceremony is performed. It features the biggest section of the reenactment: the Qoya and the Inca enter accompanied by dances, music and chants, and then the main act begins. The Inca presides over the offering ritual, symbolized by the sacrificial reenactment of a llama. This part lasts about 2 hours.
The performances at Qorikancha and the Main Square are free of charge, so it is recommended to arrive early due to the large crowds. In contrast, for the ceremony at Sacsayhuamán you must purchase tickets to enter the stands.
The VIP area is made up of three grandstands, and they offer the best views to enjoy this festival.
All three grandstands offer a unique view of Inti Raymi, since the esplanade of Saqsayhuamán is a wide, open space. So don’t worry too much about that—wherever you sit, you’ll still have a great view.
With Cuscoperu, you not only get your tickets, you also receive the best advice to enjoy the show to the fullest. We help you plan everything in advance: organization, transportation and a box lunch, so you can just relax and enjoy.
The best place to watch the ceremony in Sacsayhuamán is the Orange Grandstand, as it is located right in front of the main stage. However, it is also the most expensive option.
Happy passengers