Next: about 21 to 24 May 2027
Qoyllur Rit'i
The Star Snow festival: Quechua pilgrims climb to a glacier at 4,700 metres to honour the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i and the mountain spirits.
When is Qoyllur Rit'i in 2027?
Qoyllur Rit'i 2027 runs from 21 to 24 May 2027. The date follows the moon or a local calendar, so it can move by a day. Other years: 2026, 29 May to 1 June 2026; 2028, 9 to 12 June 2028.
About Qoyllur Rit'i
Qoyllur Rit'i, "snow star" in Quechua, is a pilgrimage festival on the glacier of Ausangate in the Peruvian Andes, held before Corpus Christi. Tens of thousands of pilgrims from Cusco and the surrounding communities, organised into nations, such as the Paucartambo and Quispicanchis, walk for days to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i at about 4,700 metres. It joins Catholic devotion, which centres on an image of Christ painted on a rock, with a much older worship of the apus, the mountain spirits. Dancers in costumes and masks, including the ukukus, who are bear-like figures that guard the pilgrims, perform. On the final day, the ukukus climb the glacier at night with candles and bring down blocks of ice, which are believed to have healing powers. It is listed by UNESCO.
Qoyllur Rit'i dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Qoyllur Rit'i date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 May to 1 June 2026 |
| 2027 | 21 to 24 May 2027 |
| 2028 | 9 to 12 June 2028 |
This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.
What is eaten
- chicha
- coca tea
- soup
Also part of it, and being written: Ukuku (The bear-like dancers.), Ausangate (The sacred mountain.), Apu (The mountain spirits.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Qoyllur Rit'i" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.