The beautiful Mirador Tres Cruces Paucartambo is located 2 hours and 30 minutes from the province of Paucartambo and 4 hours from the city of Cusco. This incredible viewpoint is located very close to the entrance to the Manu National Park, at an altitude of 4000 m. / 13123 ft.
Tres Cruces Paucartambo is one of only two places in the world where you can witness the sunrise in such splendor . The main attraction here is the stunning sunrise, which displays a stunning array of colors. This unique phenomenon allows you to see the shades of the sky, the light, and the shape of the sunrise in a truly extraordinary way.
The Festival of the Virgin of Carmen in Paucartambo is one of the most exciting and popular religious festivals in Peru. Held every year in mid-July, this unique Andean festival lasts four days and features beautiful dances, local food, and impressive parades. INKA TRAIL offers adventurous culture enthusiasts the unique opportunity to witness the festival of the Virgin of Paucartambo firsthand.
We start our journey from Cusco and have enough time to enjoy all the planned activities. We head to Paucartambo through a stunning Andean landscape. We enjoy a beautiful afternoon and evening in Paucartambo, a charming town known for its traditional Andean culture and vibrant festivals, arriving just when the festival is at its peak (it will be an unforgettable day).
We will continue our journey to Tres Cruces, known as one of the most beautiful sunrises in the world . Located on the edge of the Manu National Park. We will arrive at Tres Cruces at the end of the night. We will contemplate the beautiful surroundings while preparing for the early start of the next day. Ready to witness the extraordinary sunrise the next morning.
So during this phenomenon, you can witness two sunrises, also known as double sunrise. The first is a false sunrise, in which you can see the glow of the sun rising over the horizon full of lush vegetation for about 20 minutes. The second sunrise reveals the sun in all its splendor, illuminating the dense jungle of Manu for approximately 10 minutes. The light illuminates with a mix of yellow and orange hues that are a visual delight for visitors. Also there, every winter solstice (at the end of June) a natural phenomenon known as 'the white ray' occurs , which only occurs in Japan and Cusco . During this natural phenomenon you can see an optical illusion with three suns on the horizon caused by the effervescent light and the proximity of the sun to the planet.
In addition to the mesmerizing sunrise, you will also be able to enjoy stunning views of the Ausangate mountain range, a snow-capped peak that adorns the Paucartambo River. The landscape is further enhanced by the majestic Apuqañaqway, known by locals as the “protector of Antisuyo.”
Back to Paucartambo around 7am after sunrise.
In Paucartambo we will visit the Temple of the Virgin of Carmen and the famous bridge built in the style of King Charles III. Here we will witness more than 15 traditional dances, all of them part of the festival of the Virgin of Carmen. At 3:00 pm we will join the procession of the Virgin of Carmen, marveling at the skills of the dancers.
At 5:30 pm, collect your belongings and board the bus for the return trip to Cusco. You will arrive in Cusco around 9:00 pm, concluding this memorable tour.
Note: Accommodation, transport, meals and additional excursions can be arranged.
| Tres Cruces, The Virgen del Carmen (Paucartambo) - 2024 | $ 75.00 USD |
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Relax532098
April 29, 2026
You are in safe hands with Percy Edwin and the team. They are a newer business but care so much about their group! We had a fantastic time with them, the Inca trail is a challenging trek at high altitude and the looked after us for every step of the way. The views are AMAZING and entering Machu pichu through the sun gate at the end is breathtaking. Despite this, be prepared to wee in a bush if needed as that’s expected for this type of trip. There are flushing toilets for the whole duration at camp each day but nature until then. I’d highly recommend this company - the food is incredible and you have a 5kg baggage allowance that the porters take up for you, they sort water and anything you need. The camping is in tents but there is full equipment provided and the dinner is hosted in a tent set up for you by the porters every lunch, breakfast and dinner time. This is a 4 day 3 night trek and the tour guide takes you through all of the sites in great detail. We are English and most of our group spoke Spanish but it was still easy to interact with them and the guides spoke in both making it easy to understand. The tour is cheaper than the other options with the likes of GAdventures, we saw these teams at the same camps as us and they had the exact same experience only with larger groups - there were 11 of us in total. Tips for the porters are recommended at $60USD and they totally deserve this! Other trips would also expect you to tip so it’s great value :)
Jinay P
April 29, 2026
Amazing! Percy and Edwin were great guides. The food was some of the best I had in Peru, the organisation and logistics were all taken care of and we could fully enjoy the view, the trek and learning all about the Inca’s
Bianca d
April 29, 2026
Nossa experiência com a Inka Trail foi perfeita. Eles transformam cada momento em uma experiência única. Cada integrante da equipe nos acolheu com muito carinho... Percy e Edwin foram profissionais e acolhedores, tornando nossa trilha, apesar de dura... inesquecível. Super indico.
Alvin Lui
April 24, 2026
Johann was our tour guide for our full day Inca Trail and provided amazing services. He made us well informed on what to expect before the tour to ensure we were prepared. During the trail, he explained each site in great detailed. He made our visit an unforgettable one. If you have Johann as your guide, you’ll have an amazing experience at Machu Picchu!!
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