5 BEST FESTIVALS IN PERU

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.

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.

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.

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.