PeruNorth's musings on events & destinations in Northern Peru, Amazonia ... and beyond. Detailed tour reviews.
Carnival - the exuberant celebration that precedes the Christian observance of Lent - is most closely associated with Brazil, and especially Rio de Janeiro with its famous Sambodromo floats and dancers. Nonetheless, there are carnival festivities throughout Latin America, with Peru being no exception.
Arguably the best-known in Peru is the Carnaval de Cajamarca, a vibrant and colorful festival celebrated in the city of Cajamarca.
Of several working farms in the Cajamarca area, Granja Porcon, 30 km (19 miles) north west of the city of Cajamarca, stands out for providing visitors with good tours, a restaurant serving fresh, home-made meals, and comfortable accommodation.
The Cuarto del Rescate is one room, of Inca stonework, with a red line drawn at around 2m high, supposedly indicating the height at which the room was to be filled with gold treasures.
Not really much to indicate the change of regimes, religions, language and world view that the execution of Atahualpa signified. Not to mention the massive loss of life through pestilence and warfare.
Luckily, Cajamarca has a lot else to offer, even if its remarkable place in history is not abundantly obvious or celebrated.
