Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Cusco: Traditions, Events & Tips

Every year we try to ring in the new year in a new and exciting destination. Well, being right between our two home cities (New York and Argentina), this year we decided to celebrate New Year's Eve in Cusco, Peru!

Spending New Year's Eve in Cusco was an unforgettable experience filled with energy, traditions, and amazing celebrations. Whether you're looking for a lively party or a cultural experience, this city has it all.

If you want to celebrate 2026 in a fun way, then Cusco is an excellent option! In this guide we're going to share our experience, and exactly what to expect so that you can also start the new year off in the most epic way yet.

Celebrating New Year's Eve in Cusco, Peru: a Brief Intro

before diving into what New Year's Eve in Cusco looks like, let's go over how Peruvians ring in the new year, so that you can understand why it's such a fun place to celebrate, and what makes it so special.

🎆 What Do People in Peru do on New Year's Eve?

New Year's Eve in Peru is all about traditions, celebrations, and good luck rituals. 

You can expect people dresses in yellow, fireworks lighting up the sky at midnight, and a lot of street parties. Many people also take part in unique customs like eating 12 grapes at midnight for good luck, burning effigies (muñecos) to leave the past behind, and (our favorite!) running around the block with suitcases to manifest travel in the new year.

💛 Why Do Peruvian's Wear Yellow on New Year's?

Yellow is the color of luck and prosperity in Peru, so it’s common to see people dressed in yellow or to have yellow accesories like scarves, headbands, or jewelry on New Year's Eve. 

Many people also wear yellow underwear, believing it will bring happiness and success in the coming year.

While we found it difficult to find yellow clothing, the streets were full of people selling the different accessories for just 1-10 soles, so of course we joined in on the tradition!

🥘 What Do They Eat in Peru for New Year's?

Food plays a big role in New Year's Eve celebrations in Peru, although this is something we didn't personally experience.

They traditionally have meals symbolizing prosperity and good fortune, such as lentils which are eaten for wealth and abundance in the new year. Lechón (roast pork) is a common dish too, which is often served with tamales, salads, and rice.

At midnight, many Peruvians eat 12 grapes, one for each month, making a wish with every bite. For dessert, panettone, an Italian-style sweet bread, is a staple on holiday tables, which is paired with hot chocolate or champagne to toast to the new year.

❣️ Where is the Best Place to Celebrate the New Year in Peru?

The best place to celebrate the New Year in Peru is in Cusco, where thousands gather for the massive party in Plaza de Armas. Lima is also a cool place to celebrate for beach parties, but we definitely think Cusco is the place to be to ring in the new year.

New Year's Eve in Cusco: Our Experience

Now that you know what a traditional New Year's Eve in Peru looks like, we're going to share what our New Year's Eve in Cusco looked like!

Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

We arrived to Cusco on New Year's Eve, and got our luggage quickly. We hopped in a taxi, and were taken to our hotel. Well, at least that's what we thought.

We didn't see our hotel, and realized it was up a grueling set of stairs (keep in mind the altitude is VERY high in Cusco, and even a few steps can leave you out of breath!).

Fede made it to the top of the stairs, and our hotel informed us that their booking system messed up, and they were overbooked. Being New Year's Eve in Cusco, we kind of panicked. However, we were incredibly lucky to call up our favorite hostel, and they had a few spots available (yes - it was absolutely a miracle).

🏙 New Year's Eve in Cusco City

We head over to Loki and had a nice and smooth check in. We ran to the pharmacy to grab our altitude sickness pills (which are a must for preventing altitude sickness in Peru!). The rest of the day we spent walking around the city and going on a search for a yellow piece of clothing for Fede, which was surpisingly difficult.

Cusco was super busy! But it was just like we remembered- so full of life and with a great energy about it. We explored as normal until the sun set and we headed to our hostel to get ready for the night.

🎉 New Year's Eve Celebrations at Loki Hostel

Loki hosts a massive party for New Year's Eve, so we were really excited to be able to get ready, have a drink and start the celebrations right where we were.

At 9 PM the party was starting, and there was a fire show, barbecue, and shots for the entire party! We stayed until 11:30, and then everyone pretty much went over Plaza de Armas for the New Year's countdown.

🎆 New Year's Eve in Cusco: The Party in Plaza de Armas

We arrived to the Plaza with our water bottle full of vodka and joined the thousands of people getting ready to ring in the new year. The vibe was so incredible, and everyone was super friendly.

As soon as the clock hit midnight an endless amount of fireworks went off and everyone started hugging - and then, the real adventure begun!

🚶🏻‍♀️ Walking Around the Square

The tradition is that everyone brings their suitcases around the plaza, but honestly we didn't see a single one- probably because it would have been absolutely destroyed with the amount of people.

Fireworks continued, music played, and everyone lumped together walking 3 big laps around the sqaure. This actually took us an hour! In the meantime we were dancing, drinking, and making friends with people along the way.

Food was sold, live concerts were on, and the lines for the bathroom were entirely too long (that's why I didn't drink beer).

The party there went all night long, but we decided to head back to the hostel, as everyone was back at Loki for a long night of partying! We stayed up until 3, although we know it continued til probably 5 or 6.

Overall, we had an incredible New Year's celebration in Cusco, and would definitely recommend it to other travelers!

Where to Stay for New Year's Eve in Cusco

The main festivities all happen around the main plaza, so staying in the old town of Cusco is definitely the way to go.

If you're young and looking to party hard, then Loki is the number one choice for celebrating New Year's Eve in Cusco, especially because they also host an incredible party that goes all night long!

If you're a family or looking for something a little more low key, then you can stay in one of the many boutique hotels in Cusco's old town. The closer to Plaza de Armas the better, so that you can easily walk (getting taxis is more difficult on New Year's). Also do your homework well, because many streets go uphill!

Finally, make sure to book well in advance! Properties' rates go up drastically at this time, and reserving in advance will allow you to find something nice and affordable.

Check out the map below, so that you can choose a property in the right area:

Celebrating New Year's Eve in Cusco: Other Things to Know

Now you know almost everything you need for celebrating New Year's Eve in Cusco! But don't go just yet - here are a few other things you may want to keep in mind.

☀️ Weather in Cusco During December and January

December and January are 2 months that fall during the rainy season. This means that chances are you'll experience a lot of rain, particularly up in the surrounding mountains.

While we got lucky and had pleasantly warm and sunny weather during the days, temperatures dipped down at night, and our adventures to places like Laguna Humantay were freezing and so rainy you couldn't even see.

We even experienced snow at Pallay Punchu Rainbow Mountain!

📆 Is December a Good Time to Visit Cusco?

Don't let the potential bad weather dissuade you from visiting Cusco in December! We had great weather for most of our trip, with the exception of 2 nights and 1 day out of 8.

The important thing is to be prepared! Have an umbrella and layers with you, so that you can enjoy the pleasant days, but stay warm when it gets cold.

A big plus for visiting at this time is that everything is super lush and green, and it's the time of year that you can experience the red river near Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain!

👗 What to Wear in Cusco, Peru for New Year's Eve

Cusco is such a tricky place to pack for, because the weather changes so much! We were constantly changing from being hot to cold. One day the weather was in 80's and the next it was snowing (different parts of Cusco though).

For New Year's Eve in Cusco, we'd recommend having some yellow clothing that isn't too heavy, but to bring an extra layer with you, and to have closed footwear since the plaza is chaotic and we got stepped on a lot.

As far as packing for Cusco in general though, we'd recommend dressing for spring- so having nice sandals and a dress or jeans for during the day, and carrying a sweater with you at all times.

For going into the mountains, you should definitely have a jacket and some extra layers. Don't forget good hiking boots, as some of the best things to do in Cusco involve trekking!

🧳 How to Pack for New Year's Eve in Cusco

Packing for Cusco can be tricky! Surely if you are going to celebrate New Year's Eve in Cusco, you are going to also be checking out some of the other nearby attractions like Machu Picchu or one of the rainbow mountains, so we'll create you a packing list for New Year's, as well as for visiting Cusco for more days.

What to Pack for New Year's Eve:

• Something yellow to wear
• Reusable water bottle
• Fanny pack to keep your valuables under your clothes
• Closed-toed shoes
• Sweater to bring for the night time

What to Pack for Cusco:

👮🏻‍♀️ Safety During New Year's Eve in Cusco

Cusco is a city that really feels a lot safer than many other cities. That being said, during New Year's Eve there are people from all over visiting, and with chaos comes crime.

We were warned by the hostel to leave all valuables in our rooms, as petty crime can happen at the square. Luckily nothing happened to us, but it's important to keep an eye out for your belongings, and don't casually throw your phone up without having it secured to you.

Tips for Visiting Cusco on New Year's Eve

Now you know exactly what to expect for celebrating New Year's Eve in Cusco, Peru! We hope this guide helps you plan the most epic way to ring in the new year and inspires you to also explore one of our favorite cities in South America.

We're all about checking off bucket list festivals around the world, so the more we attend, the more we will continue to share. Also, we have a holiday calendar that includes over 80 festivities around the world! 

Looking for the latest updates on all of our articles? Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter, and to check us out on Instagram.

Ready to plan your trip to Cusco? We're here to help! Scratch Your Mapa offers one-of-a-kind travel planning services, dedicated to creating you the most awesome itinerary. Simply email us for your free consultation!

Here are some other articles you'll love: