Countries
Cook with locals, ancient style
4
Apr
Date
4 Apr (Saturday)
Time
Sat, 10:00 AM
Venue
JW6M+C8 Aeropuerto Internacional de Chinchero Cusco
Chinchero, Peru
📝 Useful Information
For an authentic, ancient-style cooking event in Chinchero, the most traditional experience is preparing a Pachamanca, an ancestral Inca technique where food is slow-cooked underground using hot stones. This activity is typically hosted by local indigenous communities and paired with demonstrations of traditional weaving and agriculture.
Would you like to know the best time of year to visit Chinchero to witness specific agricultural festivals or large community Pachamancas?
Top Chinchero Cooking & Cultural Experiences
Key Ancient Techniques & Traditions You Will Encounter
•Pachamanca & Andean Traditions (Umasbamba Community): Located in the Chinchero district, this event starts with a welcome from the Varayoc (community leader). You will help prepare the Pachamanca pit with hot stones to cook meats, tubers, and vegetables underground. While the food cooks, you can participate in agricultural demonstrations using ancient tools or watch traditional weaving processes. This is available through providers like GetYourGuide.
•Experiential Tourism in Chinchero: These workshops go beyond just watching; you become an active participant in community life. Activities include farming with traditional Incan tools, learning to dye wool with natural plants, and cooking rustic meals like quinoa soup and roasted native potatoes with local families. Options are available via X Travel Peru.
•Pachamanca Culinary & Family Visit: Smaller, more personal group options allow for deeper interaction with a local family in their home. You can learn the specific "ancient style" of seasoning and pit construction used for generations in the Chinchero region. Details can be found on Homestay Journey.
•Andean Colors Textile & Cooking: This experience supports single Peruvian mothers and focuses on both the culinary and textile heritage of the region. It is known for its intimate, family-like atmosphere where guests are taught to make traditional dishes from scratch. Bookings are available through Expedia.
•Pachamanca: Cooking in an "earth oven" using heated stones to steam food buried in the ground.
•Chicha de Jora Workshop: Some Chinchero experiences include learning to make this sacred Inca corn beer, from grinding the corn to filtering it through traditional straw sieves.
•Native Ingredients: You will work with ancient staples like multiple varieties of native potatoes, ocas (Andean tubers), quinoa, and beans.
•Agricultural Tools: Many tours include a hands-on lesson using ancestral tools for planting and harvesting, such as the chaquitaclla (foot plow).
Updated at 20 Mar 2026