Welcome To El Carmen: Peru's Afro-Jewel That You've Probably Never Heard Of

Along the Pan American Highway that moves south away from Lima, there are few attractions until you reach Ica or Paracas. Most of the towns along the way all seem to blend together, undistinguishable from the next. From the outside the town of Carmen might appear just like the others, a blur along the road to Ica – but that’d be a premature judgment. Carmen is the stronghold of Afro-Peruvian culture in Peru, where song and dance can be seen on street corners and enjoyed over drinks in a bar. This is the little town of Carmen, the cultural jewel that lies between Ica and Lima, a town that often times gets overlooked, but shouldn’t.

You won’t find it written about in many travel books, and if it is, it’ll only be a small blurb. Most books and travel guides dedicate time to the places every tourist is trying to see: Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Puno and Arequipa. This is the classic Gringo trail that takes you from Lima and moving south before it swings up into the Andes. Most travelers have time constraints and can’t stop at every town in Peru – but if there’s a little town to make time for, it’s Carmen, the town that you didn’t know you really wanted to see.

Drink some of the best pisco Peru has to offer in El Carmen

El Carmen dates back to the 17th century when Jesuits began settling in the area. The town and the district of Chincha soon became the plantation capital of Peru, producing sugar and cotton. It was an area in Peru that was dependent upon slavery for labor. After the abolition of slavery, families stayed in the area and continued to stay in the area of Chincha and the town of Carmen, making it the largest collection of Afro-Peruvians in Peru, where tradition and culture run deep.
As areas throughout Peru have lost their Afro-Peruvian identity, Carmen is a reminder of those great traditions and culture. It is a place to experience a different side of Peru, one that lives in its music and food forever, reminding tourists and Peruvians that the country is more than the Incas and their ruins.

Enjoy some of the best live music in Peru

Another big draw to the area are its old colonial plantations turned luxury hotels, none better than Hacienda San Jose. A night at San Jose is not only luxurious, but it’ll give you everything the town has to offer. You’ll learn Afro-Peruvian dances as you listen to classic Afro-Peruvian music while eating crollo food (Afro-Peruvian food). The grounds are a living, breathing museum, where underneath the hotel you’ll find slave tunnels that would run from the plantation to the nearby port, where they’d smuggle in slaves. El Carmen is the hidden gem you just can’t miss.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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