Hostels Arequipa Peru
The lazy town of Puerto Maldonado, on the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers, is the perfect base for those tours of the Peruvian Amazon we wrote about. We’ve also dedicated some blog space to activities to do in the town itself, rather than solely visiting the surrounding rainforest.
We’ve dedicated a few blog posts already to the wonderful day trips one can take from Puerto Maldonado, from Monkey Island to the Canopy walks. If you have some time to spare within Puerto Maldonado itself, however, here are a few options that will allow you to observe local life and sample local cuisine a little.
The dusty little town of Paucartambo, so famous during its Virgin del Carmen Festival each July, is also home to a unique natural phenomenon which has attracted admiration since the time of the sun-worshipping Incas. It takes place two hours from the town, at Tres Cruces de Oro Lookout (Acjanaco Pass) 12,100 feet over sea level.
The tiny colonial town of Paucartambo, located about four hours from Cusco, doesn’t have much more than three streets to its name, and yet, it is considered one of the folkloric capitals Peru. This is entirely due to the idiosyncratic Virgin del Carmen Festival, when residents abandon the quotidian chores of country life to don papier maché masks and bull fighter’s dress, or other traditional costumes, and dance as their ancestors did, downing as much beer as possible in the process. The festival has become more popular each year, so much so that for a few days each July the town overflows with more than 90,000 visitors, the majority of who camp out on its streets when lodging is no longer available.
Music and art lovers, should make it a point to visit the UNESCO-backed Selvámonos music festival. The setting is ideal, as it will all take place within the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yanesha Biosphere Reserve near Yanachaga Chemillen National Park. It’s nestled in a green valley of Peru’s high jungle and protects indigenous communities as well as the area’s flora and fauna. And, if you share the organizers’ ecologically conscious ideals, then it’ll be an even more perfect fit for you.