The Chaccu Festival of Vicuñas in Ayacucho is one of Peru’s most authentic Andean traditions, where highland communities gather to carry out the ancestral chaku ritual, a practice inherited from Inca times. During this celebration, wild vicuñas are carefully herded, sheared without harm, and released back into their natural habitat.
More than a cultural event, the Chaku combines conservation, community work, and respect for nature. It helps protect one of the most emblematic animals of the Andes while keeping ancient traditions alive in a unique highland setting.
What is the Chaccu festival of vicuñas?
The Chaccu, or vicuña roundup, is an ancestral Andean practice that continues to this day, especially between June and September in the Peruvian Andes. Its purpose is the controlled, communal capture of wild vicuñas to shear them without harming them and then release them back into their natural habitat.
The most representative event takes place in the Pampa Galeras National Reserve in Ayacucho and is usually celebrated around June 24th, coinciding with Farmer’s Day. There, local communities organize the chaku using techniques inherited from the Inca era, forming long human lines to guide the vicuñas to temporary corrals where the shearing takes place.
Maybe you’d like to read: 16 Extreme sports in Peru
History of the Chaccu de vicuñas
The vicuña roundup (Chaccu) originated in the Inca Empire, where it was a state-organized activity to collect the valuable fiber of this animal without endangering its population. During that time, thousands of people participated, forming large human chains to capture the vicuñas, carefully shear them, and then release them, thus ensuring the sustainable use of the resource.
With the arrival of the colonizers, this practice weakened, and the vicuña was intensively hunted, which brought the species to the brink of extinction in the 20th century. It wasn’t until the second half of the last century that protective measures were implemented, most notably the creation of the Pampa Galeras National Reserve in 1967, a key area for the species’ recovery.
Why vicuñas are important in Andean culture
Vicuñas hold profound value in the Andean worldview, not only for their presence in high-altitude ecosystems but also for their historical connection to local communities. Since the time of the Inca Empire, this animal has been considered sacred, and its fiber was reserved exclusively for the nobility.
Beyond its cultural significance, the Chaku is also a key strategy for conservation and sustainable management. Vicuña fiber, one of the finest in the world, is obtained without harming the animal and generates income for high-Andean communities. This model has been fundamental to the recovery of the species, which remains protected today thanks to these regulated traditional practices.
Maybe you’d like to read: Trekking tips for beginners in Peru
Where the Chaccu is celebrated
The vicuña roundup is celebrated in various high Andean regions of Peru, especially in areas located above 3,800 meters above sea level, where these animals roam freely. Although this tradition is maintained in several regions, some destinations stand out for their organization, history, and ease of access for visitors. In this section, I will tell you about the main regions where this ancient Andean practice takes place.
1. Pampa Galeras National Reserve
The Pampa Galeras Bárbara D’Achille National Reserve, in Ayacucho, is the most iconic location for the vicuña Chaku in Peru. The main event usually takes place around June 24, in connection with Peasant’s Day.
During this celebration, local communities, authorities, visitors, and artisans come together to take part in the process. The event includes the herding of vicuñas, controlled shearing, traditional music and dances, and local fairs. Beyond its cultural value, Pampa Galeras plays a key role in vicuña conservation and the sustainable use of its fiber.
2. Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve
The Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve, located between Arequipa and Moquegua, is another important area for vicuña conservation. Its high Andean landscapes, wetlands, lagoons, and grazing areas provide a natural habitat where vicuñas live freely.
Here, the Chaku is usually more community-focused and less touristic. Local communities organize the capture, shearing, and release of vicuñas as part of a sustainable management system that helps protect the species while generating local income.
3. Junín National Reserve
In the Junín National Reserve, Chakus are also carried out as part of community-based conservation and rural tourism activities. Although less known than Pampa Galeras, this highland region plays an important role in protecting vicuña populations.
Local communities participate in herding, shearing, and releasing the animals, maintaining a practice that combines tradition, local economy, and environmental care.
4. Cusco Region
In the Cusco region, the festival is organized by different highland communities as part of their cultural and productive activities. In many cases, it is also connected to rural tourism experiences. During the Chaku, communities form human chains to guide vicuñas into temporary enclosures, where they are carefully sheared and then released. This activity not only preserves an ancient tradition but also provides income through fiber production and supports wildlife protection.
5. Puno Region
In Puno, the Chaccu is part of long-standing traditions in the Andean highlands. It takes place in communities where vicuñas are managed collectively and sustainably. In this region, also carries a strong cultural and symbolic meaning. Along with herding and shearing, some communities include rituals, offerings to Pachamama, and traditional practices that reflect the deep connection between Andean people and nature.
Maybe you’d like to read: Complete Cusco tourist ticket guide
Chaccu festival of vicuñas in Ayacucho
The vicuña roundup festival in Ayacucho, is one of the most representative events of Andean culture in Peru, where tradition, conservation, and community life come together in a single day. It takes place primarily in the Pampa Galeras National Reserve, a key area for vicuña protection since the second half of the 20th century.
In this region, the Chaku maintains a strong communal organization. The peasant communities actively participate in all stages of the process, from planning to shearing. Participation is not individual but collective, reflecting one of the most important Andean principles: community work, or ayni, where everyone collaborates for the common good.
Another distinctive element in Ayacucho is the symbolic value given to the vicuña. Before beginning the Chaccu, some communities make offerings to Pachamama as a sign of respect for nature. This act reinforces the idea that the activity is not only economic but also spiritual, maintaining a balance between resource use and respect for the environment.
How the vicuña chaccu ritual is performed
The Chaccu, chacu or chaku (Quechua and Aymara word meaning “capture of vicuñas”) is an ancestral pre-Hispanic technique of capturing, hunting and shearing vicuñas and other ungulates that is still practiced in the Andes. This ancestral form of management is still practiced especially in the departments of Huancavelica, Ayacucho, Puno, Apurímac, Cusco and Arequipa, where peasant communities have a vicuña committee made up of the community members themselves, who carry out the capture every year, generally between the months of April and November.
Previous rituals and offerings to Pachamama
Before the herding begins, the ritual has a deep spiritual meaning. During the event, people share coca leaves, make offerings to Pachamama with liquor, and perform ritual chants. At the end of the Chaku, the celebration usually closes with a payment to the earth and a traditional challa. In some communities, such as in Arequipa, there is also a symbolic “marriage” between two vicuñas, representing the importance of the species’ reproduction.
Collective herding: the human chain
The ritual can bring together around 1,500 people to herd, shear, and release wild vicuñas without harming them. Vicuñas usually live in high, remote areas that are difficult to access. After several hours of walking through grasslands, rocky terrain, or highland landscapes, participants gather at a designated point.
From there, groups of about 10 people are formed, each led by a group leader. They are placed in strategic locations to create a large human chain. This chain slowly guides the vicuñas toward a temporary corral. If the animals move outside the human chain, one traditional tactic is to lie down on the ground and remain still so they do not scatter further.
Selection and veterinary care
Once the vicuñas are inside the corral, specialists, veterinarians, and volunteers help manage them carefully. Adult animals suitable for shearing are selected, while young or vulnerable vicuñas are released. During this stage, the animals may also be counted and treated for parasites such as mites, worms, or diseases like sarcoptic mange.
In some cases, their lower teeth are slightly trimmed when they have grown too much, helping them feed properly. This makes the celebration not only a shearing activity, but also an opportunity to monitor the health of the species.
The shearing
Vicuña fiber is considered one of the finest in the world, with a diameter of around 12 microns, even thinner than cashmere. Because of its quality and rarity, it is highly valued in international markets.
The shearing is done carefully to avoid hurting the animal and to reduce stress. On average, each vicuña can provide around 150 to 180 grams of fiber. In some recent Chackus, hundreds of vicuñas have been captured, with only the suitable adults being sheared before release.
Release and celebration
After shearing, the vicuñas are returned to their natural habitat. This moment is one of the most symbolic parts of the ritual because it shows the balance between using a natural resource and protecting the animal.
Afterward, the collected fiber is manually sorted, usually by women from the community, and later sold under strict state regulation. In Peru, the use and benefit of vicuña fiber belongs to the communities that manage the territories where the animals live.
Impact on conservation
The chaccu has played an important role in the recovery of the vicuña population in Peru. Today, Peru has the largest number of vicuñas in the world, with current estimates reaching more than 280,000 animals.
This practice benefits both rural families and the vicuñas themselves. Communities receive an additional source of income that can support local projects, while the animals are protected from poachers. Once sheared, vicuñas lose much of their commercial value for illegal hunters, which helps reduce poaching pressure.
Vicuña chaccu dance
The Chaccu dance is a theatrical representation of the Andean ritual of capturing and shearing vicuñas. It is not a dance invented for the stage: it is the ritual itself transformed into movement, music, and costumes. Its origins are pre-Incan, and there is evidence of it in the rock art of Toquepala and in the pottery of the Chanka people.
On stage, the dancers recreate each stage of the traditional ceremony: first the offerings to Pachamama, then the famous human chain surrounding the vicuñas, the enclosure in the corral, the shearing, and finally the release of the animals. The choreography, in its traditional form, reflects the emotional state of the moment, and the movements are performed in lines or circles, mimicking the motion of the human encirclement. At the end, the ball of sheared wool is raised to the heavens while Quechua chants and dances resound with fervent devotion, bringing the ceremony to a close.
Main Characters
The Chaku dance is a communal performance in which each character plays a specific role reflecting the social and spiritual structure of Andean communities.
The Achachi (elder man) and the Awila (elder woman) represent the wisdom and memory of the people. They are the guardians of ancestral knowledge, guiding the ceremony and keeping alive the bond with those who came before. Their presence in the dance is a reminder that the Chacku is not merely a productive activity, it is a sacred heritage.
The Choquela is the hunter, the central figure of the herding. He embodies skill, agility, and deep respect for the animal: he knows the land, leads the human chain, and drives the vicuñas without causing them harm. He is the practical hero of the ritual.
The Kusillo is the comic and irreverent character who brings joy to the celebration through jokes, exaggerated gestures, and humor. He serves an important social function: releasing tension in the moment and creating an emotional connection between the audience and the dance.
The Matico Yokalla is the nimble young dancer who embodies the vicuña itself. With swift, graceful movements, he imitates the animal’s behavior, fleeing, stopping suddenly, gazing alertly into the distance. He is the symbolic heart of the dance, for without the vicuña, there is no Chaku.
Tips for visiting the Chaccu festival
Attending a Chaccu is one of the most authentic cultural experiences the Peruvian Andes has to offer — but it requires some planning. This is not a polished tourist event with hotels nearby and food stands at every corner. It is a living ritual that takes place at over 4,000 meters above sea level, in open puna landscapes, organized by and for the communities that have practiced it for centuries.
When to go
Although there are around 14 Chaccus held yearly, the main day is June 24th, known as the Farmer’s Day. The Chaku is considered one of the most dazzling alternative festivals in the Andes, and many visitors choose to travel to Peru specifically to witness it. If you can’t make June 24th, remember that communities generally organize captures between the months of April and November, so there are multiple opportunities throughout the year.
Prepare for the altitude
This is perhaps the most important practical tip. The festival takes place at more than 13,500 feet (4,110 meters), so be prepared for strong sun, cold temperatures, and lots of wind. Be especially aware of the altitude if you are arriving from low-altitude Nazca or the coast, as spending time at these altitudes without acclimatizing can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.
What to bring
Since temperatures at 4,100 meters can drop sharply even in summer, thermal layers and warm clothing are essential, along with light gloves and a windproof jacket to deal with the constant high-altitude winds. Comfortable walking shoes are a must, as the terrain is uneven and rocky throughout the area.
Even on cold days, the sun at altitude is deceptively intense, so sunscreen and a hat should always be within reach. Because there are no food or drink vendors on site, packing your own water and light snacks is not optional.
For wildlife viewing, a pair of binoculars is highly recommended. Vicuñas are shy and easily startled, so observing them from a distance is both more respectful and more rewarding than trying to get close. A camera with a zoom lens works well for the same reason. Finally, a small daypack ties it all together, letting you carry everything comfortably during what will likely be a long and memorable day outdoors.
