Explore Cañete

1 Lunahuaná, adventure outside of Lima

Lunahuaná is the tourist and cultural capital of Cañete. It is 185 kilometers south of Lima. It is famous for its adventure sports such as canoeing.

Lunahuaná, adventure outside of Lima

The province of Cañete

Cañete, south of Lima, is one of the provinces that make up the department of Lima on the central coast of Peru.

Its name is of colonial origin and refers to the cane fields that were cultivated in the place, although it also refers to the fact that this was the name of the land of origin of Viceroy Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, which was named in his honor.

It has an important history that dates back to pre-Inca times with the farmers of the Chilca Valley 7,000 years ago. The towns of this fertile valley faced the Incas firmly but ended up being dominated by the army of Pachacutec and Túpac Yupanqui.

The province of Cañete has fertile lands where you can grow products such as cotton, grapes and tangerines. Its gastronomy is very famous with dishes such as: carapulcra with dry soup, also called ‘Mancha pecho’.

It is also known for being an enclave of Afro-Peruvian culture. Even the town of San Luis de Cañete was named by the Ministry of Culture of Peru ‘Living Repository of Afro-Peruvian Collective Memory’.

The province of Cañete is made up of up to sixteen districts: San Vicente, Asia, Calango, Cerro Azul, Coayllo, Chilca, Imperial, Lunahuaná, Mala, Nuevo Imperial, Pacarán, Quilmaná, San Antonio, San Luis, Santa Cruz de Flores and Zúñiga.

San Vicente de Cañete is the capital of the province. This place is very visited by tourists (especially from the city of Lima). Its main tourist attraction is Lunahuaná.

Other tourist attractions in the province of Cañete are: the Cerro Azul spa, Azpitia (a place where adventure sports are practiced), the Incahuasi archaeological site, its pisco and wine cellars (especially in San Vicente) and more.

Where is it located?

The province of Cañete is located south of the department of Lima on the central coast of Peru. Its capital San Vicente de Cañete is located at 40 meters above sea level.

The province limits to the north with the city of Lima and the province of Huarochirí, to the east with the province of Yauyos, to the south with the province of Chincha and, finally, to the west with the Pacific beaches.

How to get there?

To get to Cañete, from the city of Lima, it is recommended to follow this route:

• From any point in the city, take a taxi or public transport to a point on the Panamericana Sur highway (Atocongo bridge or Benavides bridge, for example).
• Take the public transport buses that will take you through the province of Cañete such as Cerro Azul, Asia or San Vicente. The trip takes approximately 2 hours. The price varies between 10 to 20 soles per person.

Cañete and the Incas

The history of Cañete goes back to the farmers who worked its fertile lands approximately seven thousand years ago.

In pre-Inca times, ethnic groups from the Chavín (1,200 BC – 400 BC) and Tiahuanaco (1,500 BC – 1,100 AD) cultures settled there.

During the Inca period, there were several kingdoms on the central coasts. These were grouped into the so-called ‘Huarco Confederation’ to face the Inca army led by Pachacutec and Túpac Yupanqui at the end of the 15th century.

After four years of battles, the Incas managed to annex these kingdoms to the Tahuantinsuyo empire. The Huarco kingdoms depended on Cusco, the Inca capital. These towns would support the Spanish army who defeated the Incas in the 16th century.

In the viceregal era (August 30, 1556) the ‘Villa de Santa María’ was founded in the Cañete valley through the viceroy Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza.

In the republican period, Cañete witnessed historical events such as the War of the Pacific, such as the Cañete massacre in 1881 (Lunahuaná was occupied by the Chilean army).

In the 1990s, modernization works were carried out in Asia, Mala, Cerro Azul. The Asia shopping center stands out, one of the most visited in Lima, especially during the summer (January, February and March).

Today the province of Cañete is one of the most important and touristic in the Lima region.

Tourist attractions of Cañete

• Lunahuaná – Lunahuaná, in the district of the same name, is famous for its vineyards, its fruits and the adventure sports that can be practiced. It has a good offer of restaurants, hotels and cafes. Rafting on the Cañete River is the main tourist activity. It is visited mostly by tourists from Lima.
• Cerro azul – The Cerro Azul resort is famous for its beautiful landscapes and soft sand where many tourists like to camp. It is one of the districts of Cañete. It stands out for the ‘Puerto fiel’ as well as the Puerto Viejo and Cerro Azul beaches.
• Azpitia – The town of Azpitia, in the district of Santa Cruz de Flores, is famous for the various adventure sports that can be practiced, especially on the Mala River: canoeing, horseback riding, quad biking and trekking. It offers basic tourist services such as hotels and restaurants.
• Incahuasi – The Incahuasi archaeological site, in Lunahuaná, was made in the Inca imperial period (under the orders of Pachacutec). It was an administrative center that includes structures such as ushnus, colcas, palaces, colcas, and more. It is a great option if you visit Lunahuaná.

Climate

The climate in the province of Cañete varies according to the locality. However, because it is located on the central Pacific coast, its climate is generally desert depending on the seasons of the year.

The average annual temperature is 24ºC. maximum (from December to March) and 16ºC. at least (in winter, from April to November).

The rains are not intense (annual average of 11.4 mm). The rainiest season is in winter (April to November).

More things you should know about Cañete

The province of Cañete covers an approximate area of 4577.16 square kilometers. Its estimated population in 2023 is 263,879 inhabitants.

The province has a history influenced by Afro-descendants in Peru. In 1971 the Afro-Peruvian folklore festival ‘Black Art Festival’ was held. Afro-descendant citizens are generally in districts such as Bujama Baja, Arona and San Vicente de Cañete.

Due to its grape production, the province of Cañete has restaurants and shops where good quality wines are offered. The vineyards are very visited by tourists. Also its restaurants where you can taste exquisite dishes such as ceviche, shrimp, rice with duck, tamales, pachamanca and, of course, the acclaimed carapulcra with dry soup.