Inti Raymi
Feel the excitement and honor to attend an Andean celebration, where the Sun god is worshipped.
Native people invite you to live an ancestral spiritual experience. Did you know that the Andean cultures celebrate Inti Raymi? Get close to this ritual where people worship their god: Inti, or Sun. The winter solstice indicates the beginning of a new cycle for nature and for the beings that are part of it. It takes place during the longest night of the year, between June 21st and 24th.
More than five hundred years ago, the ceremony was held with dances and sacrifices. Nowadays, four bonfires are lit in the last few hours of June 20th, and they are kept all night long. The following day, the new solar year is celebrated with songs, dances and toasts. The attendees make a hole in the earth –Pachamama’s mouth-, they give it food and drink, and make offerings. Get close to this sacred ceremony.
Geographic location: Inti Raymi is celebrated in the North region of Argentina, in Andean communities of the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca.
Climate: The prevailing climate of the region is sub-tropical with dry season. There is heavy rainfall from December through March. To the west, the climate changes to dry and cold and to Andean dry puna climate (puneño).
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 4 days.