The 7 Sights You Should See in Paucartambo

The province and town of Paucartambo is located in the Cusco Region of Peru, 3 hours by car from Cusco city proper (4-5 hours by bus). It’s considered the regional folkloric capital, thanks to the famous Virgen del Carmen Festival, which put Paucartambo on the map. Those who are traveling along the Cusco – Paucartambo road will find that the route, as well as Paucartambo itself, has plenty to offer in terms of scenic natural landscapes and pre-Incan, Incan, and Spanish colonial remains. 

Tres Cruces de Oro Lookout (Three Golden Crosses Lookout): Many visit Paucartambo as a mere stop en route to Tres Cruces lookout. There, at Acjanaco Pass, located in the Cloud Forest which separates the cold Andes from the beginning of the Amazon Basin, they can overlook the beginning of the Peruvian Amazon. The lookout is popular in June and July due to a natural phenomenon that makes it appear that there are three moving suns (or crosses, if one squints). We’ve written numerous blog posts about the lookout, you can check one out here: The 3 Suns of Tres Cruces Lookout Near Paucartambo.

Carlos III Bridge: The Carlos III Bridge was built by order of Spain’s King Carlos III in 1775. It spans the Mapacho River and becomes a key part of the ‘set’ when it comes to staging the Virgen del Carmen Festival in Paucartambo each year.

Virgen del Rosario Church: For much of the year, the Virgen del Carmen, affectionately referred to by locals as the Mamacha Carmen, is housed in this colonial church. Once a year, she parades to the theatrical dismay of china sajra demons and to the dancing exuberance of a massive cast of devotees.

Chullpas de Ninamarca:  Chullpas are circular pre-Incan burial towers that were also used by the Incas later on. They housed mummies awaiting rebirth, and thus have small doors facing the sunrise. These particular chullpas are a set of 17 towers, which at 2.5 meters tall are quite small compared to the chullpas found near Puno (the city on the shores of the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca).

The Kosñipata Petroglyphs: The Kosñipata District in Paucartambo is home to the remains of part of the original and extensive Inca Trail network. This particular section contains canals and petroglyphs spread out over a large area. They represent human and animal figures as well as unknown signs.

Watoqto Archeological Site:Accessed vía a colosal door, this site includes a large rectangular temple with trapezoildal niches.

Caicay Church: This colonial church with bell tower is found just 31km from the city of Cusco. It houses beautiful works of art, especially the main altarpieces, embroidered figures, and paintings of the Cusco school.

As always, feel free to contact the experienced specialists at Pirwa Travel Service if you’d like any assistance arranging transport, guided excursions, entrances, or any other aspects of your trip to Peru.