Parque de la Identidad Wanka

The Parque de la Identidad Wanka, in the El Tambo district, is an unusual public space dedicated to celebrating the culture and history of the Wanka people. The grounds are dotted with sculptures, ceramic murals, and reproductions of traditional houses, costumes, and festival scenes. A large painted map of the valley shows the pre-Hispanic settlements and trade routes that made Huancayo a commercial centre long before the Spanish arrived.

One section is devoted to huaylarsh, the local competitive dance form — fast, exuberant, and performed in brightly coloured traditional dress — which was declared a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2010. The park is busiest at weekends when families from across the valley visit. Admission is free. It is in El Tambo, a short taxi ride north of the city centre.

things to do sight park
A story
The park was built in the 1990s as a deliberate act of cultural recovery. After generations of highland identity being overshadowed by Lima and the coast, Huancayo wanted a place that celebrated being Wanka — the indigenous people of the Mantaro Valley. The result is part open-air museum, part living archive, and entirely sincere.

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