Inti Raymi Tour

The Inti Raymi Full Day Tour is a premium cultural experience that takes you to witness the famous Festival of the Sun, the most transcendental festive celebration in the entire Andean calendar. It is one of the most grand and renowned historical stagings in South America.

Each year, this great festivity pays profound homage to the god Inti (the Sun), the supreme deity of the Inca civilization. The staging deploys more than 800 artists across the original architectural settings, spectacularly recreating the mysticism, traditional music, imperial costumes, and sacred dances of the ancient Tahuantinsuyo.

The staging of Inti Raymi is exclusively celebrated only on June 24th of each year. This emblematic date coincides directly with the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the time of the year when the sun is at its farthest point from the Earth.

As it is a fixed-date, once-a-year festivity, the influx of domestic and foreign visitors to the city of Cusco is extremely high. For this reason, it is indispensable to organize your trip and secure your access passes several months in advance.

The impressive imperial ceremony of the Sun is split chronologically throughout the day and takes place across three emblematic archaeological stages in the city:

• The Qoricancha Temple: The first stage where the Inca performs the initial invocation to the Sun god.
• Cusco’s Main Square (Plaza de Armas): The second meeting point where the emotional meeting of two worlds is staged.
• The Sacsayhuamán Fortress: The main and most majestic stage where the central rites and the greeting of the four suyos are executed.

The tour is carried out as a Full Day excursion. The scheduled activities begin very early in the morning with passenger pickup from their respective hotels starting at 07:40 am.

The culmination of the main performance at the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán is scheduled for approximately 03:30 pm. After that, the return transfer begins aboard our included tourist transportation back to the city center.

Yes, booking an organized tour is completely indispensable for this date. Because thousands of people gather on June 24th and many streets in the historic center remain closed, transfer logistics become highly complex.

By booking our tour, you guarantee authorized private tourist transportation, the continuous accompaniment of a professional bilingual guide, and, most importantly, a reserved numbered seat in the highly coveted Orange VIP Grandstand of Sacsayhuamán to enjoy the event in absolute comfort.

The physical difficulty level of this tour is rated as easy. Being a purely urban and cultural viewing itinerary, it does not require long walks or demanding mountain physical effort.

Most of the walking is done in the morning when moving between Qoricancha and the Main Square. At the main stage of Sacsayhuamán, passengers remain comfortably seated in the VIP grandstands specially set up for the show.

The total walking distance throughout the day is approximately 1.5 to 2 kilometers (0.9 to 1.2 miles). The stretches on foot correspond to the guided walk from downtown hotels to the Qoricancha temple and the subsequent tracking of the imperial entourage to Cusco’s Main Square.

The remaining uphill journey toward the high esplanade of the Sacsayhuamán fortress is completed entirely aboard our included private tourist transportation.

The average altitude at which the festivity takes place stands at about 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) above sea level, with this highest point corresponding to the esplanade of the Sacsayhuamán archaeological complex.

Meanwhile, the first two representations of the morning take place in the historic center of the city of Cusco, which is located at a base elevation of 3,400 meters (11,154 feet).

Although the tour features an easy difficulty, it is advisable to have at least one day of acclimatization in the city of Cusco before June 24th. Remaining exposed to the sun standing downtown and ascending to Sacsayhuamán can cause fatigue if the body has not adapted to the altitude.

Taking advantage of the previous days to rest, hydrate properly, and take light walks through the historic center will allow you to enjoy the Festival of the Sun with full vitality.

Yes, the Inti Raymi Tour is an accessible and highly recommended experience for children, seniors, and entire families. Access to the VIP grandstands is organized, and the seats provide the necessary rest.

You should only keep in mind that the day extends for several hours under the Andean sun, so it is fundamental to protect children and seniors very well with hats, sunscreen, and constant hydration.

To attend Inti Raymi, it is advised to dress in light but warm layered clothing, combined with a spare windbreaker or waterproof jacket. During the morning and the grandstand hours in Sacsayhuamán, the sun is usually quite radiant and intense.

However, in the city of Cusco, as soon as the sun goes down or wind gusts occur in the high areas, the temperature drops rapidly, so having a jacket at hand will keep you comfortable.

It is highly recommended to use comfortable walking sneakers or light trekking shoes. Although you will not be climbing mountains, you will walk over cobblestone streets in Cusco’s historic center and on the dirt and grass terrain of the fortress.

Avoid wearing sandals, dress shoes, or heels, as standing among the crowd in the morning or walking in the archaeological areas requires maximum stability and comfort for your feet.

In your daypack, you must strictly bring a wide-brimmed hat or cap, sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen, a bottle of water to stay hydrated, and cash in Soles.

Do not forget to pack your camera or cellphone with enough storage and a portable power bank, as you will constantly want to record the imperial dances and rites on video and photography.

Advance booking is crucial because the authorized spaces for the VIP grandstands in Sacsayhuamán are strictly limited by cultural conservation regulations and sell out quickly.

Added to this is the fact that flight demand to Cusco, hotel availability, and tourist transportation services reach their peak of the entire year during the week of June 24th.

The grandstands installed on the Sacsayhuamán esplanade are modern and secure metal structures, equipped with individual bucket seats. Our tour includes guaranteed entry to the prestigious Orange VIP Grandstand.

This central location places you directly in front of the main stage of the festival, giving you an unbeatable panoramic visual perspective to appreciate the choreography and listen to the traditional music with great clarity.

Yes, it is possible to experience mild discomfort due to the altitude, especially when we transfer to the Sacsayhuamán stage, located at 3,700 m (12,139 ft) above sea level. The combination of the sun’s heat and the geographical elevation can cause fatigue.

To counteract this, we advise you to drink plenty of mineral water in small sips throughout the day, avoid heavy meals the night before, and follow the rest guidelines provided by your guide.

Our tour groups are supported and monitored at all times by a professional guide trained in field assistance. We carry a comprehensive first-aid kit to provide immediate care in case of any eventuality.

In addition, the Cusco Integrated Services Committee deploys ambulances, Red Cross personnel, and satellite emergency medical posts around the Sacsayhuamán esplanade for the safety of all attendees.

Solar radiation in the Andes and high areas of Cusco is extremely high during the month of June. It is mandatory to apply 50+ factor sunscreen every two hours on your face, neck, and exposed hands.

Complementing this protection with UV-filter sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat will prevent heatstroke, heat headaches, or skin burns that could make your grandstand experience uncomfortable.

If you manifest dizziness, a sharp headache, dehydration, or low blood pressure, you must notify your assigned guide immediately. Our staff will provide you with the necessary support.

If required, you will be guided out of the crowd to a ventilated area, or the support of the medical personnel stationed at the fortress will be requested to stabilize you right away.

Yes, the deployment of public and institutional security in the city of Cusco is massive on June 24th. The National Police, tourist police, and municipal security personnel minutely guard each stage of the route.

As in any festivity with high crowds of people, it is only recommended to keep your backpacks properly zipped and watch your personal belongings in public squares to prevent mishaps.

Our program offers you a completely organized experience that includes pickup from your Cusco hotel, exclusive tourist transportation for the route, official numbered entry to the Orange VIP Grandstand at Sacsayhuamán, and a professional bilingual guide.

For your meals and hydration during the festival hours, the tour features the delivery of a comprehensive and delicious Box Lunch, along with continuous assistance and accompaniment by our staff.

The tour services do not include breakfast in the morning, dinner at night, additional soft drinks or alcoholic beverages you may wish to buy, personal souvenir expenses, tips, or transfers outside the established route.

We suggest having a nutritious breakfast at your hotel before pickup time and carrying extra cash in Soles for your minor purchases of the day.

Because the setup of traditional restaurants or hot food stalls is strictly prohibited at the Sacsayhuamán archaeological fortress to preserve the heritage, a premium Box Lunch is delivered to each passenger.

This cleanly and selectively packed cold lunch contains nutritious sandwiches, energy snacks, fresh fruits, and drinks, ideal for comfortable consumption in the grandstand seats before the start of the central show.

The seats assigned for the Inti Raymi VIP grandstands are issued by the Municipal Festivities Company of Cusco (EMUFEC) under a strict nominal system, meaning they are completely non-transferable and non-refundable.

Any cancellation or date change request is subject to a 100% penalty on the ticket value. We advise you to confirm your travel dates and information with absolute certainty before finalizing the reservation.

You can secure your spaces quickly and formally by sending a direct message to our WhatsApp channel, filling out the web booking form, or via email.

It will be indispensable to submit the full names, passport or ID numbers, and nationalities of the travelers, along with the corresponding payment to proceed with the immediate purchase of the numbered grandstand seats.

Throughout the full deployment of the cultural festival, you will appreciate solemn rites such as the report of the four suyos (regions of the empire), the rite of the sacred chicha de jora, the symbolic sacrifice of the llama, and the reading of the fire.

The entire performance is accompanied live by chants and invocations expressed in the ancestral Quechua language, complemented by musical performances with pututos, flutes, panpipes, and Andean drums that give you goosebumps.

Yes, the location in the Orange VIP Grandstand gives you an elevated and frontal position relative to the immense green esplanade of Sacsayhuamán. This allows you to capture exceptional photographic shots with clarity of the costumes and dances.

Being in a space with fixed and numbered seats, you will not have to compete for physical space to frame your best shots, which greatly facilitates the use of professional cameras or high-end cellphones.

Today, Inti Raymi transcends the tourist sphere, constituting the ultimate symbol of cultural identity and pride for the Andean peoples of Cusco. It represents the revaluation of the Inca worldview and respect for nature.

Witnessing this event immerses you in a living tradition where Cusqueños pay tribute to their ancestors, keeping the mysticism of the Andean New Year intact.

At the conclusion of the ceremony in Sacsayhuamán, our private tourist transportation will drive the group back toward Cusco city center. Due to the event’s vehicular traffic restrictions, a secure route is enabled.

Depending on the density of pedestrian and vehicular traffic at that hour, the transport will drop passengers off at a strategic point near the Main Square so they can walk comfortably to their lodgings.

Inti Raymi condenses the supreme historical, mystical, and artistic expression of the Inca Empire into a single monumental day. There is no other festival in South America that gathers such a number of artists reviving history in their own sacred temples.

Experiencing the Festival of the Sun in Cusco, surrounded by the imposing megalithic walls of Sacsayhuamán and vibrating with Andean music, will become an unforgettable and matchless memory of your journey through Peru.