The June solstice (winter in the Southern Hemisphere) marks the most important date on the Andean calendar: Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun. It’s one of the most impressive cultural celebrations in Latin America, a large-scale reenactment of the Inca ceremony honoring the Sun god (Inti).
If you dream of seeing the festival, the time to plan is now, not next year. In this Tari Tours guide you’ll learn about the celebration and how to secure your seat.
The meaning: the bond with the Sun
Inti Raymi was the central religious ceremony of the Inca Empire (Tahuantinsuyo) and took place on the Southern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. Today, the reenactment is held every year on June 24.
- The purpose. The Incas thanked the Sun for the harvests and asked it to return after the shortest day of the year, to ensure the fertility of the land.
- Ban and reenactment. The festival was banned by the Spanish conquerors. Today’s ceremony is a reenactment based on historical chronicles and takes place every year in Cusco.
The festival today: three acts, three settings
The Inti Raymi reenactment is divided into three acts that move through the most sacred places in Cusco:
- Act 1: Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun). The festival begins at the ruins of the ancient Temple of the Sun, with the Sapa Inca and his court greeting the first rays of sunlight.
- Act 2: Plaza de Armas. The procession moves on to the Plaza de Armas, where the ceremony uniting the four suyos (the four regions of the empire) takes place.
- Act 3: Sacsayhuamán. The main act, and the most impressive, takes place on the esplanade of the Sacsayhuamán fortress. Here the ceremonial offerings and symbolic sacrifices are staged, with a large cast of actors and musicians.
The golden rule: seats and reservations
The Plaza de Armas part is free, but access to the ceremonial area at Sacsayhuamán is limited and requires a ticket, as for a concert or a sporting event.
Sacsayhuamán ticket: seats are limited and sell out months in advance, often at the same time as Inca Trail permits.
Fixed date: Inti Raymi is always on June 24. If you’re going to Cusco on that date, have your logistics sorted before December of the previous year.
Plan your Festival of the Sun
Inti Raymi is more than an event: it’s a day to see the grandeur of the Inca Empire up close. Planning ahead is the only way to secure a good spot to watch the show.
Going to Cusco for Inti Raymi?
We’re a local agency in Cusco, registered with MINCETUR since 2003, with English-speaking guides. We put together Inti Raymi packages with a Sacsayhuamán ticket, guide and transportation, with time to sort everything out before the seats run out.