Marriott Celebrates National Alpaca Day in Peru

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation of Peru (Minagri), 80% of the world's population of alpacas is found in Peru, making us the first producer of alpaca in the world and the world's first producer of fiber from this camelid. high Andean

With the aim of revaluing its breeding, preserving the species and disseminating the work of the breeders of this important resource in the country, every August 1 is celebrated in Peruvian territory, the National Alpaca Day. Likewise, this camelid was declared a Genetic Resource of Peru, through Law No. 28350.

Alpacas have been domesticated by the Incas for more than 6 thousand years and of the 17 producing regions of the country, Puno, Cusco and Arequipa, are the departments that concentrate the highest production.

Within the framework of this celebration, Marriott brings some sites and tours available in Cusco where you can see and share moments with these beautiful animals.

Hike with alpacas and llamas in the Sacred Valley
One option to share with these animals is a hike and tour through Valle Pumahuanca located in the Sacred Valley.

The visitor will have the opportunity to learn about the traditional life of an alpaca herder in his daily quest to take his cattle to graze. The journey starts from the base camp of the Llama Pack Project, continues along a small river, crosses native Andean forests, until reaching the hidden location of the Inkarakai Ruins. This low-difficulty hike takes about six hours and is available in the mornings from April through December.

And this is how every first of August the day of the alpaca is commemorated, also known as the walking gold of the Andes and since time immemorial it has accompanied the Andean settler, as it is one of the few animals that has adapted its body to the difficult conditions highlands.

Panchita, Panchito and Chaski
On our way through the heart of Cusco, the unmissable colonial city with Inca echoes considered the heart of the Peruvian Sacred Valley, we find the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco. In its beautiful colonial patio, Panchita and Panchito await the tourist, some tender and friendly alpacas who pose to be photographed by their side together with Bonifacia, their owner.

If you want to meet Panchita and Panchito, the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco offers unique and incomparable experiences where you can not only capture a moment with the friendliness and warmth of both alpacas, but also enjoy Peruvian cuisine and learn about its culture.

"The alpacas are a very important part of the culture here in Cusco and we have decided to bring Panchita, Panchito and Bonifacia as a way to also help the local community," said the hotel's General Manager, Eduardo Ortiz.

In front of the sacred precinct of Qoricancha, a religious and cultural center of great importance for the Incas, is the Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel where Chaski, a friendly alpaca awaits you to give you a warm welcome and share an unforgettable moment. 

As part of the experience, the visitor can take a souvenir of Cusco inside the hotel there is a store with Peruvian roots dedicated to the manufacture of camelid textiles. 

Awana Kancha
Another recommended place to meet alpacas in Cusco is Awana kancha. On the way to the Sacred Valley, a beautiful exhibition center for South American textiles and camelids awaits you, which, in addition to presenting the beauty and benefits of vicuñas, alpacas, llamas and guanacos, shows its derivatives obtained thanks to a combination of traditional and modern techniques.

Awana Kancha was born more than 17 years ago, as a family initiative that sought to revalue the ancestral knowledge about the immaterial culture that they had known through many incursions in Peru.

The center offers tourists and visitors a unique experience of meeting them, feeding them and even being able to sponsor them. This facilitates the opportunity to know and differentiate each type of alpaca, without the need to leave the city of Cusco.