Virgen del Carmen Festival Photography Tour in Peru
Cultural & Documentary Photography Experience – 3 Days / 2 Nights
This festival takes place on the 15th, 16th & 17th of July each year
The Virgen del Carmen Festival Photography Tour in Peru is an immersive 3-day cultural and documentary photography experience designed for photographers seeking authentic Andean traditions, dramatic rituals, and vibrant festival energy.
Held annually in July, the Virgen del Carmen Festival is one of the most visually powerful cultural celebrations in the Peruvian Andes, blending Catholic devotion with pre-Hispanic Andean symbolism. This tour places you at the heart of the action — from explosive dance performances and traditional costumes to intimate religious processions and emotional community rituals.
Unlike standard cultural tours, this experience is 100% photography-focused, offering strategic access, ideal shooting times, and expert guidance to help you capture compelling stories through your lens. From sunrise preparations to night celebrations, every moment is curated for visual storytelling and portfolio-worthy images.
This is one of the best festival photography tours in Peru, ideal for photographers looking to document living traditions, expressive portraits, and cultural heritage in a responsible and respectful way
Why This Tour is a Photographer’s Dream
Deep Documentary Photography Experience Peru: Go beyond snapshots — engage with ritual processions, dance troupes, and community devotion in meaningful, respectful ways.
Paucartambo Virgen del Carmen Festival Highlights: Capture the stunning choreography of traditional Andean comparsas — including Qhapaq Qolla, Saqras, and Ch’unchos — as they perform historic and mythic narratives across town streets and main plazas.
Peru Religious Festival Photography: Photograph the central Mass, firework displays, candlelit nighttime processions, and the majestic carrying of La Mamacha through narrow cobbled streets.
Cultural Immersion with Local Guides: Benefit from local expertise that helps you understand traditions, find the best angles, and approach subjects with ethical sensitivity — enhancing your indigenous festival photography Peru results.
Natural Landscape Photography Bonus: The itinerary includes a visit to Tres Cruces de Oro (12,100 ft), a spectacular vantage point for sunrise photos and Andean landscape imagery — ideal for expanding your portfolio beyond festival coverage.
Best For
This tour is ideal for travelers, professional photographers, and serious enthusiasts seeking to document one of the richest living traditions in the Andes through a Cusco photography tour cultural festival lens — combining ritual, folklore, community, and landscape into a single unforgettable photography expedition.
Virgen del Carmen Festival Photography Experience (3D/2N)
We start with an early morning transfer by private transportation from Cusco to Paucartambo village, visiting areas such as Urcos and the Ch’ullpas of Ninamarka. About 10.00 am we arrive at Paucartambo (13,200 ft), where we check in at our lodging in a shared accommodation and have a rest. Then we enjoy a walking tour with our private guide sorrunded by thousands of devotes and visitors. Next we have a buffet lunch of typical local foods.
Later in the afternoon we can observe the sixteen colorful “comparsas”, dancing in honour of the Mamacha del Carmen. After lunch a riotous firework display is held in the main square, during which the Qhapaq Qolla, the Ch’unchos and the Saqras dance wildly like some medieval vision of hell called “Fogata”. The fogata (‘fire’) is staged at night, a representation of Purgatory which continues with a big fiesta and serenade to the Virgen del Carmen. At around midnight, in an emotional gathering, all the comparsas meet again – this time without their elaborate costumes – to solemnly serenade the Virgin in front of the closed doors of the church.Home stay (L / D)
Day 1: Cusco – Paucartambo.
After breakfast we attend Central Mass following the great procession of “La Mamacha” to bless those present and scare away demons. We’ll see the different comparsas and specially the “Saqras” who occupy the rooftops and balconies of the town; these are Euro-Andean devils, dressed in vivid rainbow-colored costumes and elaborate animal masks crowned with extravagant wigs. Then we have a filling lunch.
The afternoon is free for you to enoy and explore the area at your own pace. We have dinner, and then we make our way towards the camp Tres Cruces de Oro, 40 km north from Paucartambo, which is situated on the very edge of the Andes mountains at a height of 12,100 feet. From Tres Cruces, there is a steep drop into the Amazon basin, which means the view is incredible. It’s most famous for the sunrise in the months of June and July because special climatic conditions mean that there are optical illusions. Home stay. (B / L / D)
Day 2: Paucartambo – Tres Cruces.
Day 3: Tres Cruces – Paucartambo – Cusco.
We wake up before dawn and then set out to see one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the world: the sunrise at Tres Cruces de Oro (12,100 ft), where the sun “dances” in the sky, or “plays” in the sky. We eat some snacks and return back to Paucartambo for a well deserved breakfast!
Next we attend the Blessing Mass. In the afternoon the image of the Virgin is carried through the narrow streets of the village to the venerable colonial-era bridge, Carlos III, surrounded by all those who have attended the festival, standing or kneeling, tightly-packed and respectfully silent. The Qhapaq Qolla and Qhapaq Negro address the Virgin in a moving song of farewell. The Virgin imparts her blessings on the fourth regions (suyos). At the end of the procession the spectacular “guerrilla” between the group of the Qollas of the Andes and the Antis of the jungle continues with a mock-battle in a hilarious slapstick style. This recalls the wars between Qollasuyo and Antisuyo in the time of the Incas. Finally the comparsas venture forth for the last time to dance the traditional Kachapari or farewell, closing for another year this magical festival. Return to Cusco. (B / L)
Information
1 people : US$950.00 per person
2 people : US$700.00 per person
3 people: US$650.00 per person
4 people : US$600.00 per person
5 people : US$550.00 per person
6 people : US$500.00 per person
7+ people : US$450.00 per person
Price Per person:2026
INCLUDES:
The entire round trip Cusco – Paucartambo – Tres Cruces – Paucartambo – Cusco by private ground transportation
One night in basic accommodation in Paucartambo village
2 breakfasts
3 lunches
2 dinners
Vegetarian meals on request at no extra cost
Fully guided sightseeing during the trip
English speaking professional photographer guide services
Assistant guide
2 nights Home Stay at Paucartambo
First-aid kit including emergency oxygen tank if needed
Not Included:
Sleeping bags
Personal equipment
Extra food or beverages
Travel insurance
Personal Expenses
Gratuities.
Extention tours
