Sondor Raymi: the mythical Apurimac festival

Every second week of June, in the town of Sóndor, Apurímac, hundreds of people gather to celebrate the centenary Chanca civilization, in the Pacucha lagoon.

Around one thousand local actors and two hundred musicians from the 27 districts of the provinces of Andahuaylas and Chincheros participate in this festival.

What can be seen in the Sondor Raymi?

The Sondor Raymi recreates several important historical events of the Apurimac region. Among these are the appearance of the leader Usccuhuilka and the resistance against the Inca invasion.

The Pacucha lagoon is a mythical scenario for Apurímac. Legend has it that from there emerged Usko Willca, considered the first Chanka and who was in charge of unifying all the local people in complicated times in the area. 

Currently, the event attracts several tourists who take the opportunity to have contact with this pre-Inca culture.

 

What can be found in the Sondor Raymi?

The Sondor Raymi is a series of staged events important to the local culture of Apurimac. These are:

1. Payment to the earth or pachamama. In this ceremonial rite they pay tribute to "mother earth".
2. Local actors participate in the recreation of the fight of the mythical warrior Usquwillka against the Inca army of Pachacutec. According to legend, Usquwillka, who is considered the first Chanka deity, was born in the Pacucha lagoon. 
3. After the tribute to Usquwillka, the ritual goes to the outskirts of the Sondor archaeological complex to stage the battles between the Chankas and Inca warriors. 
4. The Sondor Raymi ends with a staging of the entrance of the Chankas warriors to the Sondor, after defeating the Inca invasion. 

How to get to the event?

There are several ways to get to the Pacucha lagoon, the place where the Sondor Raymi takes place:

• Traveling by roadFrom Lima the distance is 760 km, which is a 15 hour trip.
• Traveling by planeAndahuaylas has a modern airport, connected to several cities in the country. Once arrived in the province, it takes about an hour to get to Sondor.

Recommendations

• Use sunscreen and sunglasses.
• Be well hydrated because the place is located at 3701 meters above sea level.

Having a real and satisfactory experience is the desire of all tourists who attend this festival. In this sense, you should not only consider staying in Hotels in Andahuaylasbut also consider a hotel in PacuchaFor this, the best option is Pacucha Glamping, which offers the best services to its visitors very close to Sondor.