Our second day on the Qoylloriti pilgrimage, we spend the full day at the Sanctuary, watching and learning about the activities of the pilgrims. We attend the “alacitas” market in the morning where you can buy miniature goods such as trucks, houses, cattle, university titles and anything that your heart desires! The legend says that whatever you purchase and then sacrifice to the Lord will come true, thanks to the power of the Lord of Qoylloriti.

The morning mass at the Sanctuary is the next event followed by the “Pablitos” mass. The afternoon is reserved for other activities: the procession of the Lord of Tayancani and the Virgin, several dancing performances, and mass at the Sanctuary again in the evening.

At night, after dinner, we enjoy a spectacular Andean fireworks show where wooden constructions with fireworks are set alight. Afterwards, the pilgrims ascend to the glacier to bring down the crosses to the Sanctuary. We retire to our tents.

After breakfast and a last look at the celebrations around the Sanctuary, we will get ready for the Qoylloriti pilgrimage. We wait and attend the Blessing Mass and then leave in the so-called “24 hour procession” together with the rest of the pilgrims. The procession leaves from the Sanctuary and runs through Calvario Machucruz, the lagoons in Kumukasa and Alqamarina sectors, until reaching Yanacocha, where we arrive at around 6 pm after about 6 hours of hiking.

At this point, we can either rest for 3-4 hours until 10:00 pm, when we start walking during the night towards Tayancani with the other pilgrims. Alternatively, we can opt for an early rise (around 4am) to catch the sunrise over Ausangate and a slightly late arrival at Tayancani. This will be discussed and decided upon among the various members of the group during the trek.

If your group opts for the night pilgrimage – an incredible experience! – we will wait for the sunrise and the impressive Sun Greeting Ceremony at 7am before we descend to Tayancani and attend the Blessing of the Sanctuary and the town of the same name at 8am. We can attend mass at 10am and then follow the trail 2h up a mountain pass and then down another hour to Ocongate where we will have lunch.

In the afternoon, we board our private car for the 3 hr drive back to Cusco, arriving in the late afternoon, exhausted but incredibly satisfied for having completed the trek to Qoylloriti.

Note: Thursday is Corpus Christi in Cusco. We organize this trek so that you will be Cusco for this equally colorful and fascinating cultural event.