The Province of Tarma can be explored through several very different travel interests: religious traditions in Muruhuay, rock art and caves in Palcamayo and Huaricolca, and a marked trail in the Santuario Nacional Pampa Hermosa. The contrasts range from an annual pilgrimage practice and cave paintings dated to a distant past to a hike with a stated walking time. For planning purposes, it helps to consider these cultural sites and the specifically described trail sections as separate highlights.
Pilgrimage Culture in Muruhuay
The Festividad del Señor de Muruhuay was recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation by Resolución Viceministerial N.° 067-2017-VMPCIC-MC on April 21, 2017. Its main venue is the Santuario de Muruhuay. The sanctuary draws thousands of pilgrims every year and brings together Catholic rites and Andean cultural expressions, including the traditional Chonguinada dance.
The origin story is also part of the sanctuary’s profile: according to tradition, its origins are linked to the miraculous appearance of an image of a cross on a natural rock on the slope of Cerro Shalacoto. Recognition, pilgrimage practice and tradition describe different aspects of the same religious site—its cultural significance, its rites and the local story of its origins.
Rock Art and Caves in Palcamayo and Huaricolca
In Palcamayo lies the Gruta de Huagapo. Its rock paintings depict animals and hunting scenes and are dated approximately to between 10,000 and 6,000 BC. The cave is considered one of the deepest in South America. Its motifs and approximate date give this destination a different focus from the rock art sites in the district of Huaricolca.
The Mincetur inventory dated April 21, 2025, lists the Santuario Rupestre de Pintish Machay as a rock art site at an elevation of 4,075 m in the district of Huaricolca, Province of Tarma. The site consists of two almost adjacent rock shelters with rock art from the Andean Lithic period. Those interested in the form of a rock art site will find two rock shelters here; at Huagapo, by contrast, the focus is on the animal and hunting motifs and their approximate date.
The Caverna de Mama Huari, also in Huaricolca, offers another point of interest. The Mincetur inventory dated April 13, 2025, describes it as a karst cave measuring 10 m in height and 14 m in depth. A local legend links it to the history of Huaricolca and the processing of camelid fibers. Its measurable dimensions and the traditional connection to local history offer a different perspective from Huagapo’s images or the Lithic-period rock art of Pintish Machay.
Planning the Trail in the Santuario Nacional Pampa Hermosa
The more than 600-year-old Cedro El Abuelo stands in the visitor area of the Santuario Nacional Pampa Hermosa in Huasahuasi. The marked trail leading to it is 2 km long and takes about two hours to walk. This estimate applies to the specified trail and offers a concrete guide for planning your time.
The description of access to the visitor area gives a separate sequence of transport and walking sections: 25 km by off-road vehicle from San Ramón to Nueva Italia, then 500 m on foot to Refugio El Abuelo, followed by another 2.5 km on foot to Pampa de los Cedros Centenarios. For planning, the walking time on the marked trail and the stated access sections can be considered separately, rather than treating the approximately two hours as the time needed for the entire visit.
Another Cultural Connection in the Junín Travel Destination
In the broader Junín travel destination, the Huayligía or Huaylegía of the provinces of Jauja and Tarma in the Department of Junín is also recognized as Cultural Heritage of the Nation. An official declaration in 2024 records this recognition. It adds to the picture of regional traditions, while the Festividad del Señor de Muruhuay has its specific venue at the Santuario de Muruhuay.
Discover more destinations: Muruhuay, La Merced, Chanchamayo, Satipo, Concepción, Tarma, Huancayo.
Go to the main travel overview: Junín.
