Watch the Dancing Horses of the National Competition in Lima this April

While other horses trot, the Peruvian Paso horse has a distinctive, instantly recognizable gait known as the paso llano, a synchronized side-step that makes it look like it was trained for marching in military parades. However, this is how the horse naturally walks; it’s a result of 400 years of isolation and selective breeding during the beginning of Peru’s colonial period. It makes for one of the smoothest rides in the world, and though this sounds ridiculous to say,  t makes the horse a wonderful dance partner…

See it for yourself during the competitions this April, which includes dance shows where a woman on foot and a man on horseback dance the Marinera, Peru’s national dance.

The first Peruvian Stepping Horse Contest was held in 1929 in the Amancaes Pampa, but the first annual National Contest didn’t take place until 1945. Today, the National Contest has extended into a weeklong festival and become a major event in the cultural life of Lima.

Horses and riders compete in different categories during the day and parties celebrating the music and cuisine of the Peruvian coast are thrown in the evenings. On the day of the closing ceremony, you can sample the different dishes of Peru in a food fair while watching the prize ceremony in which the best Peruvian stepping horses in the country demonstrate their abilities and the parade in which the horses and chalanes file to the marinera rhythm of coastal Peru. There’s also be Creole music and folkloric dances. The highlight is the V National Marinera on Horse and Foot Contest, where the men dance on horseback and the women on foot.

If you have the chance, try pachamanca, which is a simple meal cooked in the earth by heated rocks- it’s a pre-Columbian meal that hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Because of its singular in-the-ground preparation, you can’t find it in restaurants even though it’s such a traditional dish.

When: The dates for the 35th National Peruvian Stepping Horse Contest, this year’s edition, have not yet been confirmed, but are expected to take place during the final week of April and the first day of May. (We’ll revise this post with the exact dates when they are announced.) Entrance is free for all days except for the closing ceremony on the final day.

Where: The event takes place at the Mamacona stables, near the pre-Inca ruins of Pachacámac. It’s located 19 miles south of Lima.

How: Our Lima travel agency, Pirwa Travel, can arrange an excursion for you. Or, check with Mamacona or neighboring ranches, which offer tours teaching about the horses and their characteristics, history, and training. They also offer visits to watch the National Contest, with a traditional Peruvian dinner or lunch included. They even offer transport from Miraflores district, where our hostel in Lima is located. On the days of the contest, buses depart at 10am and 3pm daily.

Contest, with a dinner or lunch included. If you’re staying in a hostel in Miraflores you can get picked up, with daily departures at around 10:00am and also 3:00pm.

If you’re looking for an economical but comfortable hostel in Lima, give Pirwa Inclan B&B a try. It’s located in the most popular area of Lima for travelers, Miraflores district, and offers both beds in a shared dorm and private rooms. Breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace so that you can enjoy the sunshine, and our friendly staff can assist you with your travel questions and arrange for transport and excursions on your behalf.