Inti Raymi Festival

Inti Raymi Festival (one day)
Cusco, June 24th

Cusco, Perú is the site of Latin America's second largest festival. The Inti Raymi is celebrated every year on June 24th and was once the most important festival of the Incan empire - Tawantinsuyu.

Now that you've visited the great Incan architectural achievements it will be apparent to you that the Sun was the main deity worshiped in the Inca culture. In today's Inti Raymi Festival all of the significant Sun Festival rituals are re-enacted (don't worry, the llama sacrifices are simulated!). This special day also includes The New Fire Celebration. No fires were allowed in the city this day until the fire created by hollow mirror was used to concentrate the sunlight onto animal fur and kindling. Only then were all other fires started from this source. You will also see the Inca representative carried on a litter and toasted with chicha (a fermented drink). In an the appropriate finale, The Inca gives a speech in the native Quechua language.