Once you’ve mastered Machu Picchu it’s time to party. So kick up your heels at one of these fun festivals in Peru. Whichever one you go to, use it as an excuse to visit the rest of this fabulous country
01
The One With 200 Musicians

More than 200 musicians and dance troupes hit the town of Puno in February for La Candelaria festival. The Virgin of Candelaria is led through the city by a colourful procession of priests and pagans. Get ready to be wowed by the masked dancers who will be blowing on their panpipes and making offerings to the earth goddess Pachamama.

02
The One With Celebrity Chefs

None other than Gaston Acurio has been spotted at this annual food fest in Lima. Chefs, foodies, and farmers all gather at Mistura in September to celebrate the best in Peruvian cuisine. Highlights include a huge farmer’s market, the ‘Hall of Pisco’, and food trucks that serve up a mouthwatering array of local dishes.

03
The One With Adrenalin Sports

If you were ever in any doubt that a trip to Peru would be an adventure, head to Lima in March for the Lunahuana Adventure Sports Festival. The rapids of the Canete River play host to rafting and kayaking competitions, while the mountains are filled with mountain bikers, parasailing fiends and gliders.

04
The One With Wine

Festival Internacional de la Vendimia (Wine Festival) in Ica is a celebration of the grape harvest and the region’s wine and famed pisco brandy. Expect beauty contests, floats, and musical festivals, and a swirl of Afro-Peruvian dances. On the second week of March.

05
The One With Saints For Sale
Santuranticuy Fair in Cusco is one of the largest arts-and-crafts fairs in Peru. Santuranticuy, which literally means “saints for sale”, is held in the Plaza de Armas. Artisans layout blankets around the square, as in traditional Andean markets, and sell figurines and Nativity scenes as well as ceramics, carvings, pottery, and retablos (altars). And to help protect you from those winter chills, vendors sell hot rum punch called ponche. On 24 December.
Photography: Nicolas Gill/Flickr
Suggested Itineraries

Classic Kyushu

Japan

  • Explore Fukuoka’s most famous Yatai with your private guide
  • Ride on the scenic trains Yufuin No Mori and Aso Boy!
  • Stay in a traditional Japanese ryokan with hot spring baths
  • Embark on a boat tour to discover the famous landmarks of Nagasaki
ideal length 10 nights

Hanoi, Sapa & Ha Long Bay

Hanoi, Mai Chau & Ha Long Bay Vietnam Asia Europe

  • Enjoy an early morning visit to Hoan Kiem Lake and the Ngoc Son Temple

  • Return to the golden age of travel with an overnight trip on the Victoria Express Train

  • Explore the dramatic scenery and ethnic hill-tribe villages of Sapa

  • Cruise around the emerald waters, towering limestone pillars and tiny forest-topped islets of Ha Long Bay

  • Start your day with sunrise tai chi on the sundeck of your boat

ideal length 6 nights

Trekking in Bhutan

Paro, Thimphu & Punakha

  • Hiking Bhutan’s iconic Druk Path, enjoying the magnificent scenery and fresh mountain air
  • Visiting the sub-tropical valley of Punakha and experiencing a totally different climate and landscape
  • Enjoying a mix of both nature and culture with sightseeing after the trek
ideal length 8 nights
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