Province of Tarma: Pilgrimage Traditions, Rock Art and Nature

The Province of Tarma brings together an important pilgrimage tradition, high-altitude rock art, cave paintings and a cedar tree more than 600 years old. Religious customs take center stage in Muruhuay, while Huaricolca and Palcamayo offer different points of interest, with rock art and cave traditions. In the Santuario Nacional Pampa Hermosa, the route into the visitor area includes specific driving and walking sections. When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to first prioritize the places and experiences you want to shape your stay.

Muruhuay: Festival and Tradition

In Muruhuay, the Santuario de Muruhuay is the main venue for the Festividad del Señor de Muruhuay. The festival was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation through Resolución Viceministerial N.° 067-2017-VMPCIC-MC, dated April 21, 2017. Every year, the Santuario del Señor de Muruhuay attracts thousands of pilgrims. Catholic rites are combined with Andean cultural expressions, including the traditional Chonguinada dance.

The tradition surrounding the origins of the Santuario is also part of this cultural picture: according to tradition, its origins are connected with the miraculous appearance of an image of a cross on a natural rock face on the slope of Cerro Shalacoto. Thus, Muruhuay brings together a recognized festival tradition and a traditional account of its origins, which tell different stories: one concerns the festival and its main venue, while the other concerns the origins of the sanctuary.

Rock Art and Caves in Huaricolca and Palcamayo

In Huaricolca, the Santuario Rupestre de Pintish Machay and the Caverna de Mama Huari offer different points of interest. Pintish Machay is a rock art site at an elevation of 4,075 m. It consists of two nearly adjacent rock shelters with rock art from the Andean Lithic period. The Caverna de Mama Huari, by contrast, is notable for its karst formations and local traditions: the cave is 10 m high and 14 m deep. A local legend connects it with the history of Huaricolca and the processing of camelid fibers.

In Palcamayo, the Gruta de Huagapo offers another way to explore rock art: its paintings depict animals and hunting scenes and are dated to approximately 10,000 to 6,000 BC. The cave is considered one of the deepest in South America. Comparing the sites, Pintish Machay draws attention to its two rock shelters and the classification of its art as belonging to the Andean Lithic period; at Huagapo, the focus is on the motifs and their approximate dating.

Pampa Hermosa: Driving, Walking and the Cedro El Abuelo

Access to the visitor area of the Santuario Nacional Pampa Hermosa includes a 25 km drive in an off-road vehicle from San Ramón to Nueva Italia. This is followed by a 500 m walk to Refugio El Abuelo and a further 2.5 km walk to the Pampa de los Cedros Centenarios. The visitor area is home to the Cedro El Abuelo, which is more than 600 years old. The marked trail to the tree is 2 km long, and the walk takes about two hours. This makes it possible to plan the access route and the trail to the tree as separate sections.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Planned Visits

The destinations mentioned are associated with specific locations: the Santuario del Señor de Muruhuay is in Muruhuay in the district of Acobamba; Pintish Machay and the Caverna de Mama Huari are in Huaricolca; the Gruta de Huagapo is in Palcamayo; and the Santuario Nacional Pampa Hermosa is in Huasahuasi. These names give you a practical reference point for choosing the location of a holiday rental.

Discover more destinations: Tarma, Huancayo, Satipo, La Merced, Concepción, Chanchamayo.

For the broader travel overview: Junín.