Province of Apurimac

Capital: City of Abancay
Altitude: 2.380 m.a.s.l.
Distance: not available

The name of the province Apurimac, comes from the quechua word Apu = God , Rimac = Speak; that means "The Speaking God".

The province of Apurimac is located in the center of Peru. The land is rugged clue to being located in the Andes between valleys and sierras.

The variety of its tourist and cultural attractivenesses offers the visitor beautiful and natural landscapes; besides the chance of knowing important archeological vestiges.

Abancay, capital of the county of Apurimac. It is characterized by its beautiful valley of white lilies and is famous for its colorful carnival; beside its very good food. It has one of the best climates of the Peruvian Sierra.

The city of Abancay is the departure point for tours around the region: Curahuasi, Saywite and the Canyon of Rio Apurimac. Ideal places for adventure tourism.

How to arrive

By land

Lima-Nasca-Puquio-Abancay: 912 Kilometers. (14 hours by bus).
Lima-Ayacucho-Andahuaylas-Abancay: Kilometers. (22 hours by bus).

By air

Theres no regular or direct flights. It is posible to arrive by air taking the route Lima-Cusco (1 hour) and then continue the travel by land Cusco-Abancay 198 Kilometers. (4 hours and 30 minutes by car).
Festivities
Abanquino and Apurimeño Carnival / February – March (entire region)

Along the celebrations the “Pandillas” (folkloric dancers) delight the visitors with the colors of their costumes and dance. The ceremonies to honor the Pachamama (Mother earth) are very interesting, the "Corte de la Yunsa" and the  Tica-Pallana carnaval are the most importat parts of the Carnival.

Sondor Raymi “La Epopeya Chanka” /  June 19 (Andahuaylas province, Pacucha district)

The celebration starts at Pacucha lagoon. The legend tells that USQUWILLCA, mythical carácter emerged from the lagoon, subjugate the area ethnic groups from the sourrandings, starting alter its expanding warrior campaign.

Apurímac touristy week / July 31 to August  3  (Abancay and Andahuaylas Provinces

Among other activities a cokerel championship takes place, also adventure sports competitions: canoeing by Apurímac River,  Mountainbiking and strolls to Ampay National Sanctuary. Also takes place dance festivals as the  Apu-Raymi  and gastronomy festivals.

Señor de las Ánimas Festivitie/ July 31 to August 3 (Aimaraes province, Chalhuanca District)

The celebration starts with a mass and Señor de las Ánimas Procession. The next day takes place the "Yawar Fiesta".
Cañaveral Queen Festival / September (Chincheros Province)

The touristy festival takes place during the youth month, spring starts. The Cañaveral Queen is chosen, in Pampas River, next to Callebamba Town.

Tourist Site Attractions:

It is interesting to visit:

- Archeological Park of Saywite
- Colonial Bridge of Pachachaca
- Colonial Churches of Mamara (Grau) and Caype (Lambrama)
- Stone Prison of Haquira (Cotabambas)
- View-point of Usnomocco
- Thermal Baths of Pincahuacho (Aymaraes)
- National Sanctuary of Ampay (Abancay)
- Canyon of Rio Apurimac (Curahuasi)

The Miscabamba street, one of the oldest streets of Abancay. Located between Nuñez Avenue and Micaela Bastidas Park. It was made during the time of the Independence.

The House of David Samanez Ocampo, declared historical monument in homage to the memory of such notable character of Peruvian history.

The Ecological Park of Taraccasa, known as El Mirador (view-point). Ideal place for observing the cities of Abancay and Tamburco.

The National Sanctuary of Ampay, located at 5 kilometers from Abancay. It is considered one of the natural and ecological attractions of Abancay. This Sanctuary has a varied wild fauna. An ideal place for eco-tourism: mountain, climbing, hiking and trekking.

The Snow-capped Mountain Ampay, majestic and imposing with its two snow-capped peaks at 5.228 and 5.221 m.a.s.l.

The Thermal Baths of Cconoc, located at 78 kilometers from Abancay and 120 kilometers from the city of Cusco, in the town of Curahuasi. These baths are famous for its curative powers. It has accomodations areas, restaurants and bar for the visitors.

In the province of Apurimac there are other thermal baths; among which are: The Thermal Baths of Kilkata. Also, in the forest of Titankas or Puyas de Raymondy and Queuña, located in the province of Aymaraes, there are the thermal baths of Pincahuacho.

Canyon of the River Apurimac, located in the Southwest Inca region, at 68 kilometers from Abancay. It has a deep slope, the deepest of Peru and America. From an impressing height, over 5.000 m.a.s.l., it comes down abruptly around 500 meters. It is one of the most beautiful and impressing spectacles of the region.

On the route Abancay-Cusco, it can see the deep precipices from which it can be see the Apurimac River, copious in the rainy season and calm in dry season. The surface extension of the valley itself along the Apurimac is about 350 kilometers long. It is ideal for practice tourism adventure, especially canoeing.

The Prison of Stone (Ccacca Carcel), located in the town of Haquira, province of Cotabambas. It is interesting to visit the Square of Arms of Haquira, it has a platform of stone of 12 meters wide by 15 meters high. In the middle there is a justice court of colonial style, in the lower part there are cells for men and women. This prison of stone was used in colonial times to incarcilate out-laws dangerous for the colony, and who violated the laws of the colonial period.

Archeological Sites

Archeological site of Saywite, ceremonial center and archeological place located in the community of Concacha, at 47 kilometers from the road Abancay-Cusco.

The monolith of Saywite is a sedimentary stone carved in high and low relief of 2,28 meters height. On the platforms it can see representations of animals and geometrical figures; like: animals, irrigations, platforms, lagoons and stairs.

300 meters away it can see other small monoliths like Rumihuasi or "House of Stone" with stairs, geometrical shapes and canals. And the Intihuatana "Sundial" that was possibly an Inca observatory used to observe the astronomical movements.

Archeological site of Sondor, or "Sitio Inca" (the Inca Place). It is located at 21 kilometers from the city Andahuaylas. It is a ceremonial center and archeological site located in the Pacucha district, at 30 minutes from Andahuaylas. According to studies, it has architectonical elements of monumental character.

The first discovery is Muyu Muyu Ruins, sacred promontory of Sondor; with stairs and restored terraces. At 500 stairs up, on the top of the central pyramid, there is a huaca where presumably human sacrifices took place.

In the Sondor Ruins, at present, the epopey of Chanka is represented. In which the leader Anccohuayllo marched against Cusco facing the menace of the Incas for his people.

Archeological site of Choquequirao, located at 120 kilometers from the city Andahuaylas. It is a ceremonial center and archeological site located in the province of Cusco, district of Vilcabamba. Due to its accessibility it is visited through the district of Cachora, from the county of Abancay. The place is considered a tourist attraction of big archeological importance.

This site is located at the west of the Salccantay Mountain, on the limit between the provinces of Cusco and Apurimac. It has an altitude of 3.500 m.a.s.l.., and 80 kilometers from the citadell of Machupicchu.

These archeological sites are touristic circuits from Cusco:
Thermal Baths of Cconoc - Archeological Site of Saywite - Archeological Site of Choquequirao - Machupicchu "Camino Inka". Trial Inca Road.

Useful information
Tourist assistance
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