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Andahuaylas, Peru - See The Famous Sunday Market Of The Apurimac Region

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Map location: Andahuaylas, Peru
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Peru travel blog by Mark Berman - August 2011   » View Photoset (47 Photos)

Mark Berman, South America backpacker for over 12yrs!
Andahuaylas was the next place I wanted to visit in Peru's southern highlands. Andahuaylas is famous for its Sunday market, a huge market full of color and activity, the biggest market in South America that I have ever seen!

Bus from Ayacucho

From Ayacucho it had been an 8 and a half hour journey to get to Andahuaylas, we had passed through some brilliant and beautiful terrains including from up in the mountains - amazing views of the river Rio Pampas at Airabamba with its turquoise blue waters. Along the way we travelled through the small towns of Chincheros and Uripa and a few others.

Find a Budget Hotel

After arriving in Andahuaylas, I looked for a budget hotel near the markets, it was not easy to find a nice budget hotel, just horrible ones. In the end I settled for the best of a bad bunch.

Market Starts 5-6am Sundays

Market day in Andahuaylas starts early, around 5am, but the first hour or so is spent setting up, so it doesn't really get going until 6am. By 6:30am I was there. The sun hadn't come over the horizon yet, the locals were eating breakfasts of soup in the market street kitchens. I was hungry too.

They Come from Far and Wide

Quechua indigenous people come from all over to participate in the markets, they bring their fresh produce, all kinds of fruits and vegetables (mountains of it), flowers, honey, whole cooked pigs, herbs and spices and fresh fish. Household products are also in good supply, bedding, furniture, towels, tshirts, caps and other clothing, musical instruments, health remedies and potions, shoes... you name it, it's here. The market area runs along both sides of the river for at least half a km. Starting at the bottom at the fresh produce stalls, up to the clothing and goods stalls, way up to the top where there are the livestock markets.

Huge Animal Market

This was a livestock market like no other I had seen, much bigger than in Otavalo in Ecuador. So many animals - guinea pigs, chickens, baby and adult pigs, sheep and lambs, cows and calves, horses, goats, turkeys, ducks and animals for pets like parakeets.

See Indigenous People

If you love photographing indigenous people in traditional clothing, then Andahuaylas and the Apurimac Region is the perfect place. It's a dream. Andahuaylas market is really something, don't miss it if you are in nearby cities.

Day Trips from Andahuaylas

Also to see near Andahuaylas is the lagoon Laguna de Pacucha at 3300m, it's an easy day trip. Near to it are the ruins of Sondor.

4hrs by Taxi-Van to Abancay

By late morning after chicken and noodles for lunch it was time to move on to my next destination Abancay. I booked a seat in a shared taxi-van, the ride takes 4hrs.

     

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My Hostel & Hotel Reviews for Andahuaylas, Peru:

Encanto de Apurimac Inn, Andahuaylas, Peru - Large Photo
Encanto de Apurimac Inn, Andahuaylas, Peru (September 2021 - 1 night) - A comfortable room with good value at $50 soles per night in the center of Andahuaylas. Room with private bathroom with hot water, comfortable bed, tv, wifi and a window to the street. OK for a night or 2 and close to shops, restaurants and transportation. Friendly and helpful staff.
Hotel Libertadores Wari, Andahuaylas, Peru - Large Photo
Hotel Libertadores Wari, Andahuaylas, Peru (August 2011 - 1 night) - Slightly better than the other hotel I had found in Andahuaylas but the toilet had not been cleaned in my room. This place was the best of a very bad bunch of hotels that I found in Andahuaylas. There was a view of the city from my window. OK for 1 night, just.
Hotel Cental Andahuaylas, Andahuaylas, Peru - Large Photo
Hotel Cental Andahuaylas, Andahuaylas, Peru (August 2011 - 3 hours) - Cheap and nasty, there is a problem here with the plumbing and it smells. After a few hours I asked for my money back for which they gave me 80% of it and I left. Not Recommended.

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Andahuaylas, Peru - See The Famous Sunday Market Of The Apurimac Region. Andahuaylas is famous for its Sunday market. A huge market full of color and activity, one of the biggest markets in South America!