Mollepata is located in the western part of the province of Anta.
The territorial extension of the district of Mollepata is of 822,65 km2, it extends from the white river until Acobamba for the West; of the snowy ones of Salkantay, Nevado Humantay and Kishuar for the North, until the river Apurímac for the South.
Mollepata is a tourist destination that the traveler can choose, especially if they are interested in rural tourism, in long walks, and in the sighting of beautiful natural settings, but also, if they want to know some of the vestiges that pre-Hispanic cultures left for immortalize.
Is a decent sized Peruvian mountain town. After hours in Cusco, this is the starting point for backpackers taking the Salkantay Trek route.
CLIMATE
The climate of Mollepata in Cusco is varied, from the most frigid in the snowy mountains, temperate in the central part and warm on the banks of the Apurimac River.
If you want to get to know this beautiful and quiet neighborhood, especially during its main celebrations, it is recommended that the traveler close it from September 14, when the town pays homage to the Lord of Exaltation both in the midst of liturgical and traditional events.
MOLLEPATA TOURISM
The Humantay Lagoon
The Humantay Lagoon is the most beautiful lake in Cusco, and without a doubt it surprises us more every day, it is a turquoise lake and it is in the middle of the Andes Mountains.
The Humantay Lagoon is formed as a product of the melting of the snow of Humantay, part of the Salkantay mountain.
This is the most beautiful lake in Cusco, and without a doubt it surprises us more every day, it is a turquoise lake and it is in the middle of the Andes Mountains.
The Humantay Lagoon is formed by the melting of the Humantay mountain, this mountain is part of the famous Salkantay mountain.
What differentiates the Humantay Lagoon from other lagoons is the natural color it has because it does not have much marine flora in its waters, it has an indescribable color in words, but understandable to the eye.
It forms a unique landscape, where travelers seek to capture the ideal moment with their cameras capturing a wonderful and magical landscape at the same time.
All this and more makes Humantay a very visited place by all tourists visiting Cusco.
The Church of Mollepata.
The church of Mollepata is modern, perhaps built over an Inca huaca, as was the custom of the Spaniards, to replace a native place of worship, for another Catholic. It is located on the western side of the main square of the town; there, the most venerated image is the Señor Manuel de Exaltación de la Santa Cruz, a beautiful sculpture carved in wood.
Tillka or Tilca.
It is the name of a pointed hill of conical form, it is located four kilometers to the west of the population of Mollepata, it was station of signals, observation point of the surrounding territories, and astronomical observatory, therefore it was a sacred place, this is huaca. In the summit there is a cross and very few vestiges on the surface, with respect to the Incanate. In the flank of the hill there are five old platforms, and towards the side of Choquechurco, four, all in bad state of conservation.
Markawasi or Marcahuasi.
It is a town, it was a very important and big Inca seat, today it offers several archaeological groups, beautiful Inca walls. What stands out the most is the following:
A beautiful ancient wall with twelve niches, on which they have built a shed that serves as housing for some peasants, it seems to us that it is the internal face, a back wall, which today deprived of the other walls, remains with the face towards the open area. The building must have been one of the best, perhaps if it was an Inca palace.
The andenerías form a set, they are to the eastern side of Marcahuasi, they have all the virtues of other identical sets built by the Incas, say disposition, location, height of the walls, good earth in the embankments and aqueducts.
The hill Qoriwayrachina or Corihuayrachina is part of Marcahuasi, this towards the side of the main valley, is a surprising archaeological repository, with fractional surface pottery (ancient sherds), collapsed walls.
In all times Marcahuasi was an important agricultural center, for the feracity of its lands and its good climate. Garcilaso de la Vega tells that on January 21, 1560, while traveling from Cusco to Lima, to later continue to Spain, he passed by an estate “called Marcahuaci” nine leagues from Cusco, property of Pedro Lopez de Cazalla, a native of Llerena and neighbor of Cusco, where he found the estate “loaded with beautiful grapes”. It was there that grape wine was made for the first time, in what corresponds to the region of Cusco.
La Estrella
It is a farm located to the southwest, below and very close to the town of Mollepata; going up by car on the road that leads to Mollepata, La Estrella is on the left side and in the last stretches of the road. The farm has a house-hacienda of unbeatable location, like a pulpit hanging over the area, is an exceptional viewpoint, the building is beautiful architectural ensemble, with gardens, orchards, all expresses elegance and elegance, was the residence of Don David Samanez Ocampo.
Plains of Soraypampa in Mollepata
Soraypampa is located north of Mollepata, at 3950 meters above sea level. During Inca times, it was the ceremonial site of Huaca Salkantay. Today, the Umantay and Salkantay snow-capped peaks can be seen in the surrounding landscape of Soraypampa in Mollepata. Because of the location of Soraypampa in Mollepata is an area suitable for camping, used by tourist groups that make the route to Santa Teresa, Choquequirao and Machu Picchu.
The Moonstone
Another place not to be missed is the archaeological complex of Quillarumiyoc, located 20 minutes from Mollepata and whose meaning, of popular origin, is based on a figure carved in a rock of approximately seven meters: “The stone of the moon” or “The moon carved in the stone”. When arriving at the complex, the first thing that is appreciated is the body agitation: Quillarumiyoc is located at 3,400 meters above sea level. Even so, the tour of the site is impressive.
Although there is still little historical evidence of the origin of this complex, it is known that Quillarumiyoc was a very important religious ceremonial center in the Pampa de Anta, on the way to Chinchaysuyo, where the Andean priests worshipped their gods, according to the observation, study and analysis of the stars. “This is part of the tourist circuit and the area itself has a mystical interpretation because it has a set of carved rocks, caves, ceremonial sites such as the Usno, a circular platform that was used to see the movement of the stars,” says Patrick Hermoza, local tour guide, whose agency has developed a mystical tourism circuit given the ceremonial importance of Quillarumiyoc.
The complex also includes areas of cultivation and irrigation systems, making this archaeological zone a technological, artistic and religious manifestation of ancestral cultures that expressed their cosmovision in every aspect of their existence.
HOW TO GET FROM CUSCO TO MOLLEPATA?
How to get from Cusco to Mollepata by own vehicle
From Cusco to Mollepata it is 88 kilometers by road 3S (paved). In this detour, you leave the main road and ascend for 10.5 kilometers along a road in good condition. If you go by car, consider an hour and 45 minutes approximately.
How to get from Cusco to Mollepata by public transport
To get from Cusco to Mollepata there are at least four options:
Take a bus to Curahuasi (large and comfortable bus) at the Cuzco bus terminal, located at 429 Via de Evitamiento Avenue. Get off at Limatambo and take a bus to Mollepata. It will be necessary to pay the full fare to Curahuasi.
Take a combi to Limatambo, and from there take a bus to Mollepata. These combis are taken at the terminal on Arcopata street, just before the corner with Apurimac Avenue.
Hire a private service from Cuzco, for about 90 soles.
Coordinate transportation alone with any of the numerous tourism companies that take tourists on guided tours to Salkantay. Between the end of May and September, several companies leave every day, so it is possible to request an available space and arrange a price. Of course, this option is only plausible if it is a small group.