Virgen del Carmen Festival

Every July around the sixteenth, Paucartambo holds the festival of the Virgen del Carmen, its patron, and around twenty dance troupes - comparsas - take over the town for four days. Each has its own costume, mask, music and role, and several are satirical: the Qhapaq Negro recall enslaved Africans, the Qhapaq Qolla are highland traders, the Saqra are devils who climb onto roofs and balconies and mock the procession as it passes, the Maqta are clowns who harass the crowd, and the Doctorcitos parody colonial lawyers and officials. The image of the Virgin is carried through the streets while the Saqra writhe above and the other troupes dance below, and the whole thing culminates in a mock battle and a blessing from the church. It is a working religious festival for the town, not a show for visitors, and UNESCO-listed status has raised attendance considerably.

What you actually see

• The comparsas - around twenty troupes, each with its own mask, music and role.
• The Saqra - devils on roofs and balconies mocking the procession below.
• The satire - Doctorcitos and Qhapaq Qolla parodying colonial figures.
• The procession - the Virgin carried through streets full of dancers.

When to go

Around 15 to 18 July each year. Two to four days to see the full sequence. Accommodation in Paucartambo must be arranged months ahead, and many visitors stay in Cusco and travel in.

Honest expectations

The town is overwhelmed - beds run out, prices rise and many people sleep rough or on buses. Heavy drinking is part of the festival. It is a religious occasion; the dancers are not performing for photographs. Cold nights at 3,000 metres.

Nearby

Tres Cruces and the Manu road are above the town; Cusco is four hours west.