If you’re planning to explore Peru in 2025, June is the perfect time to visit Cusco. During this special month, the city transforms into a vibrant stage filled with color, music, dance, and spiritual energy. Its streets come alive with ancestral rituals, dazzling parades, traditional food, and deep religious devotion, offering an unforgettable experience that blends living history, ancient culture, and joyful celebration like nowhere else on Earth.
Whether you’re coming for the grandeur of Inti Raymi, the solemn beauty of Corpus Christi, or the rich flavors of the Chiriuchu festival, each day in June offers something extraordinary. It’s a time when the past and present come together in powerful celebrations, and every corner of the city invites you to reconnect with its deep cultural roots.
Although the city of Cusco —the former capital of the Inca Empire— was officially founded by the Spanish on March 23, 1534, its jubilee celebration now takes place on June 24. But why?
Cusco existed long before the Spanish arrived, though its exact founding date during the Inca period remains unknown. What we do know is that on June 24, the Incas celebrated Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun —their most important ceremony dedicated to honoring Inti, the sun god.
In the 20th century, local authorities decided to change the city’s official jubilee date from March 23 to June 24, aligning it with this ancient tradition. This change was a way to revive the cultural identity and ancestral pride that had been suppressed during colonization, and to celebrate Cusco not from a colonial starting point, but from its majestic Andean origins.
Now that we know why June is considered the jubilee month of Cusco, let’s take a look at the most important events happening in Cusco, the historic capital of Peru.
And don’t forget — keep your phone camera ready to capture the magic, colors, and music that will flood the streets throughout this extraordinary month.
This isn’t just a bridge made of straw — it’s a living masterpiece of Inca engineering, one of the last remaining handwoven Inca bridges in existence. Each year in the Canas province of Cusco, four Andean communities — Choccayhua, Huinchiri, Ccollana Quehue, and Chaupibanda — come together to completely rebuild the Q’eswachaka Bridge by hand, using only traditional techniques and natural fibers from ichu, a highland grass.
Everything begins on the first day with a ceremonial offering to the Earth (Pago a la Tierra), dedicated to the sacred mountain Apu Quinsallallawi, performed at sunrise. During this ritual, the women gather Qoya Ichu, a special Andean grass, and weave it into cords called Q’eswas. The entire process is guided by the Chakaruwak, a native master in the art of Inca bridge building.
The next day, the old bridge is carefully dismantled. The stone anchors are loosened, and four thick new ropes are stretched across the canyon to form the foundation of the new structure.
On the third day, the handrails and upper walkway are constructed.
And on the fourth day — it’s time to celebrate! The communities come together with dances, food, and joy, as communal work in the Andes has always been a reason to celebrate.
This reconstruction is more than a task — it’s a sacred community ritual, filled with songs, blessings, and teamwork. A lesser-known Cusco festival, yet deeply moving, it’s a powerful reminder of the enduring wisdom of Inca culture.
Through Cusco’s streets and main squares, employees from public and private institutions across the region gather to express their love for the city and its Inca heritage — through traditional dances passed down from the time of the Inca Empire (and even earlier!).
Each day, dozens of dance troupes perform intricate choreographies wearing elaborate, vibrant costumes that tell stories of local myths and origins. The live music, rich colors, and contagious energy create a truly unforgettable experience.
These festive parades serve as the grand lead-up to Inti Raymi, filling the city with rhythm and excitement. It’s one of the most lively and colorful moments of Cusco’s June festivities.
These vibrant cultural parades will take place in Cusco’s main square (Plaza de Armas) on the following dates:
June 10: Early childhood education institutions
June 11: Primary schools (Highly recommended)
June 12: Secondary schools (Highly recommended)
June 13: Higher education institutions
June 14: Technological University of the Andes
June 15: College of Journalists of Peru and journalism institutions
June 16: National University of Fine Arts “Diego Quispe Tito” (Giant moving sculpture parade – Highly recommended!)
June 17: Andean University of Cusco
June 18: National University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco
June 19: Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Educational Institution
June 22: Parade of the 13 provinces of Cusco
June 23: Civic parade of private institutions from the region
These events are part of Cusco’s jubilee month celebrations and provide an excellent opportunity to witness the region’s rich cultural expressions up close.
Tip: Arrive early to secure a good spot along the sidewalks of the Plaza de Armas. Being a public space, there are no benches or reserved seating available.
A spiritual pilgrimage like no other, this unique Cusco festival gathers more than 60,000 people—including devotees, dancers, and musicians—who ascend over 4,600 meters (15,000 feet) above sea level to reach the Sinakara Glacier, home to the sacred sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Riti.
This figure represents Christ crucified, mysteriously painted on a rock at the heart of the glacier. According to legend, in the late 18th century, a local shepherd boy named Marianito Mayta encountered a mysterious blond-haired child in the highlands. The two quickly became close friends, spending their days herding, playing, and laughing. One day, a snowstorm forced them to seek shelter together, but by morning, Marianito was found lifeless beside a rock—upon which appeared the image of Christ crucified.
From this mystical story, a powerful tradition was born. Every year, people from across the Andes gather in symbolic costumes to sing, dance, and celebrate around the sacred site. Over 50 traditional dance troupes, known as “nations,” participate with vibrant music, masks, choreography, and ceremonial dress.
Among the most iconic figures are the Ukukus—mythical half-man, half-bear creatures. They are the guardians of the ritual, keeping order and climbing the icy mountains at dawn to collect sacred glacier ice.
This celebration beautifully merges Catholic traditions with Andean spirituality, honoring both Christ and the Apus (mountain spirits) as well as Pachamama (Mother Earth). Declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2011, the Qoyllur Riti pilgrimage is one of the most powerful and moving examples of living Andean ancestral traditions today.
Corpus Christi in Cusco is one of the most solemn and visually striking religious festivals in Peru. Fourteen elaborately dressed statues of Catholic saints and virgins are carried from various churches around the city in a grand procession to the Cusco Cathedral. Thousands of faithful followers accompany them with music, fireworks, and offerings, transforming the Plaza de Armas into a vibrant center of Catholic devotion blended with Andean tradition. It’s an awe-inspiring mix of incense, faith, and celebration.
The city of Cusco is surrounded by traditional neighborhoods founded during the Spanish colonial period. Each of these districts is dedicated to a specific Catholic saint, to whom a church was built. On June 18, the day before the main event, these sacred statues are taken from their respective churches and paraded through the streets toward the Cathedral. Local families, chosen in advance to lead the procession, are responsible for this task. Their representative is called the “Mayordomo” or “Carguyoc”, and the journey is full of traditional dances, colorful costumes, live bands, and heartfelt joy.
That night, the 14 images rest inside the Cathedral. On June 19, they are brought out in a grand procession around the Plaza de Armas. Each sculpture is accompanied by its Carguyoc, dancers, musicians, and community members in a display of collective pride and spirituality.
When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Cusco—the heart of the Inca Empire—they sought to evangelize the native Andean people by replacing their spiritual traditions with Catholic practices. One such tradition was the Inca procession of the “mallquis”—mummified ancestors of former rulers—paraded around Huacaypata (now the Plaza de Armas) amid music, chicha (a fermented corn beer), and festivity. The Spaniards decided to replace this deeply sacred ritual with the Catholic procession of Corpus Christi, merging Andean reverence for ancestors with Catholic veneration of saints.
Today, Corpus Christi remains a living expression of that fusion—deeply spiritual, richly cultural, and absolutely unmissable for anyone visiting Cusco in June.
On the same day as Corpus Christi, just three blocks west of Cusco’s main square, the Plaza San Francisco comes alive with a different kind of celebration—one that delights the taste buds: the Chiriuchu Food Festival.
The name Chiriuchu comes from Quechua: “chiri” means cold, and “uchu” means spicy stew or chili, so the dish literally translates as “cold and spicy.” Its roots trace back to colonial times and the mita—a labor system originating in the Inca Empire and later imposed by the Spanish.
Under this system, indigenous men were required to work shifts in mines, agriculture, or public works as a form of tribute to the crown. For lunch, they brought meals prepared by their families, often eaten cold and shared among workers. From this communal tradition, Chiriuchu was born.
Today, this iconic Cusqueñan dish—always served cold—is a rich fusion of flavors and cultures. It typically includes guinea pig (cuy), chicken, cheese, seaweed, fish roe, corn, and sausage, all boiled or cured, and served alongside a crispy corn tortilla. Locals and travelers flock to Plaza San Francisco to savor this festive dish that has been part of Cusco’s culinary heritage for centuries. Dozens of food stalls compete for your attention (and appetite), each offering a slightly different variation under colorful tents.
If you’re a food lover, this is your perfect day to indulge!