Folklore in Peru is everywhere and if you’re lucky you can bump into a festival or parade in the street, but don’t leave it to chance, we’ll tell you about the places that offer shows with the most outstanding traditions of the country from all the different regions .
Lima, Brisas del Titicaca
They offer a nice experience to the coast, mountains and jungle. This folkloric show is probably the most famous in Peru because it’s been around for several years, offering the best of music and dance. They feature 42 artists performing throughout the show in more than 34 dances. As its name indicates, the association of folklore, in the beginning, focused on defending Puno, but today the journey takes you everywhere. They dance the tarkada, the waka waka, the tuntuna, caporales and diabladas, the zamacueca and marinera from the northern coast and jungle inspired dances from the indigenous Boras of Iquitos. They offer different options: folkloric lunches on Friday and Saturday at 1pm (the show starts at 2pm) to 5.30pm, the entry fee is between 27 and 30 soles with consumption à la carte or a package including appetizer, main course and a pisco sour 49-65 soles, you can buy the tickets directly at the office with at least 4 days in advance. There are performances every Tuesday and Wednesday evening from 9pm to 10pm and on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm. Admission is 30 to 49.50 soles depending on the day you choose, doors open a half an hour before. There are additional specials on the menu each month: cocktails and carnivorous or seafood snacks. The cuisine from the mountains is traditional with a hint of flavors from the coast.
Where? Héroes de Tarapacá 168, at the height of block 1 of Av. Brasil, Breña
Lurin, Mamacona
Mamacona is a beautiful neo-republican hacienda and a renowned horse breeding center for the Peruvian Paso horse. These typical Peruvian horses have a special walk of elegance, a patriotic symbol for the Nation. It has belonged to the Rizo Patron family for four generations. They offer a show every Sunday at noon. It lasts a little over an hour and comes with a complimentary pisco sour. They present the Peruvian Paso horses and are paraded around with their riders and the devils alonge to some Afro-Peruvian dances and the elegant marinera dancers. To the rhythm of a military march, the marinera is a game of seduction between the dancing couple where the woman loves the man and circles him moving her embroidered dress while he dances with a white handkerchief. They dance gently and agility hitting their feet on the ground. After the show, in the evening, go to the Casa Abierta: a very well served buffet in a large terrace surrounded by bougainvilleas. You can enjoy with the family and the children have organized activities. Spacious green areas and horses are open to the public. And of course, after the show, you can ride a horse and take a nice souvenir photo. La Hacienda is located just before reaching Pachacámac. We recommend visiting this new archaeological site in the morning before the show.
Cusco, Qosqo Center of Native Art
With the purchase of an integral tourist ticket, which allows you to visit most of the archaeological sites in Cusco and the Sacred Valley and some museums, a folkloric presentation is included at the Qosqo Center, held every night at 6:45 pm. It has a small museum of costumes and typical instruments. The presentation focuses on the carnival dances or warrior rituals and agriculture. The show lasts an hour and is a perfect introduction to the costumes, Andean rhythms, and the joy and energy transmitted through the folkloric dances. Since the show is included, there might be a line. Arrive 30 minutes before to secure your seats.
Integral tourist tickets cost 130 soles and is valid for 10 days at 16 sites. The entrance is also included in the partial ticket circuit 2, focused on the same city of Cusco, valid for two days, 70 soles.
Where? Centro Qosqo, Av. El Sol N° 604. Tickets are on sale at the door of every archeological site or museum. You can also buy them at DIRCETUR, the touristic information office (Calle Mantas 117-A, Monday to Saturday from 9AM to 12AM and from 2PM to 6PM). More details on COSITUC.
