Inti Raymi festivals attract thousands in Cusco and Otavalo

The annual Inti Raymi Sun Festival was celebrated in Cusco, Peru, on June 24, 2026, drawing more than 4,000 spectators to the historic sites of Qorikancha, the Plaza Mayor and the Sacsayhuamán complex. The event paid a special tribute to the late director Leonardo Arana Yampe and featured traditional rituals, music, dance and participation by the Peruvian army’s mountain brigade and PNP cadets.

In Otavalo, the complementary Churay Tuta celebration of Inti Raymi prompted the closure of 26 city streets from 19:00 to 02:00. Twenty‑three tents were erected for families and dance groups to gather, and officials advised pedestrians to use the ring road. The festivities, organized by Sisay Pacha Raymi and led by Rafael Maigua, continue the town’s decade‑long tradition of communal dancing and cultural preservation.

Both events highlight the ongoing revival and public engagement with Andean heritage across the region.