Piquimachay Cave + Ayacucho Grotto Excursion

Discover this hidden treasure in the Peruvian province of Huanta on this excursion to the Piquimachay cave, where you'll find a grotto inside that's over 20,000 years old.

Destination

Meeting at Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho, we'll start this full-day tour by visiting notable places in the Huanta province.

First stop: Piquimachay cave, a cavern over 20,000 years old. In Quechua, Piquimachay means flea. To reach the cave, we'll take a short walk of about 30 minutes, and once there, we will explore the cave and grotto discovered by Richard MacNeish, an archeologist.

Inside the cave, we will traverse different levels. The deepest, called Paracaisa, dates back to the Lithic period, while other levels are from the Pleistocene and Archaic periods.

After learning about the cave, we'll head back to the town of Huanta, known as the Emerald of the Andes. You'll discover the reason during the tour!

The tour covers sites such as Plaza Mayor, Matriz Church, and the venerated figure of Obispo de Piedra. We will conclude this guided tour of Huanta with a tasting of liqueurs made from regional fruits such as coca, lúcuma, muña, and algarrobina.

To end the day, we will make our final stop at the Aqocacha waterfall before returning to your pickup location to take you back to your hotel.