Qoyllur Rit'i: the Andean pilgrimage below Ausangate (dates and how to attend)

Qoyllur Rit'i ("snow star" in Quechua) is one of the most remarkable pilgrimages in the Americas. Every year tens of thousands of people from Andean communities climb to a sanctuary at about 4,700 m in the Sinakara valley, below the glaciers of the Vilcanota range near Ausangate. For several days, in sub-zero temperatures, troupes of dancers in spectacular costumes dance almost non-stop in a festival blending Catholic devotion to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i with the ancient worship of the apus, the sacred mountains. UNESCO recognised it as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.

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What it is and its origins

According to tradition, in the 18th century an indigenous shepherd boy, Mariano Mayta, befriended a mysterious child in the Sinakara area, whose image was left on a rock. The spot became a sanctuary, where an image of Christ painted on the rock is now venerated. But the festival's roots are much older: it coincides with the reappearance of the Pleiades in the Andean sky, linked to the harvest and the new agricultural cycle, and with the worship of glaciers as a source of water and life.

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When it takes place

Qoyllur Rit'i is a movable feast tied to the Catholic calendar: it's held in the days before Trinity Sunday, about eight weeks after Easter, just before Cusco's Corpus Christi. It usually falls between May and June. In 2027 Trinity Sunday should be 23 May, so the main days would be roughly 20–23 May. Confirm dates with local sources before planning.

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The nations, dancers and ukukus

Pilgrims arrive organised in "nations", groups from different regions, mainly the provinces of Paucartambo and Quispicanchi. Each nation brings its dancers: ch'unchus, representing jungle peoples, with feathered headdresses; qhapaq qollas, evoking traders from the high plateau; and ukukus, half-bear, half-man figures in woollen masks, who keep order and mediate between people and the mountains. Traditionally ukukus climbed the glacier at night; today, because of glacial retreat and for safety and conservation, ice is no longer taken.

Getting to the sanctuary

1. From Cusco, drive along the Interoceanic Highway to the village of Mahuayani in Ocongate district; about 3–4 hours.
2. From Mahuayani, walk about 8 km uphill to the Sinakara sanctuary, roughly 3 hours. Horses can be hired.
3. At the sanctuary you camp or sleep in very basic shelters among thousands of pilgrims.

During the festival there's plenty of public and private transport from Cusco, though vehicles fill up fast.

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Extreme conditions

• Altitude: the sanctuary is at about 4,700 m. Arriving well acclimatised after several days in Cusco or higher is essential.
• Cold: night temperatures fall well below zero.
• Crowds: tens of thousands of people in a mountain valley, with very limited sanitation.
• No comforts: no formal accommodation and no medical care nearby beyond basic posts.

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Attending respectfully

• Go with a local guide or a specialised agency that knows the festival and its rules, or with Cusco friends who take part.
• Always ask before photographing dancers and pilgrims, and accept a no. Some ritual moments shouldn't be photographed.
• Don't drink alcohol: it's traditionally banned at the sanctuary and the ukukus enforce it.
• Dress modestly and don't interrupt processions or dances.
• Carry all your rubbish back down.

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What to bring

• A sleeping bag rated below freezing, a mat and a tent if the agency doesn't provide one.
• Thermal layers, a down jacket, hat, gloves and spare socks.
• A headlamp with spare batteries.
• Water, energy food and hot drinks in a flask.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses: daytime radiation is intense.
• Toilet paper, wipes and rubbish bags.
• Earplugs and personal medication.

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