Rising along the mountainous Rimac River Valley east of Lima exists one of the city’s top weekend getaway locations, Chosica. With year-round sunshine, lush scenery, and villas and clubs with open space and swimming pools, Chosica has long been a reprieve for Limenos suffering from Lima’s gloomy weather. Also known as Lima’s gateway to the Andes, the area is popular for outdoor activities, including hiking, tent camping, and road biking, as well as for excursions to sites like Marcahuasi, Catarata Huanano (Huanano Falls), or Cataratas de Antakallo (Antakallo Falls).

Where to stay in Chosica

With Chosica’s popularity as a weekend getaway location, there are seemingly endless places to stay at. Unlike other more rural locations in Peru, Chosica’s proximity to Lima ensures easy to find lodging with many Airbnb options available (click here to get a free $25 coupon for your first Airbnb booking of $75 or more). There are numerous other options available as well, including villa style accommodations like La Pradera Country Club, Las Gambusinas or if you are on a budget, Club Social Centromin. There are also mini-resort style hotels like KisKas which have good nightlife, and put on concerts and shows throughout the year.

Another option is to take advantage of Chosica’s many different camping sites, several of which are tucked away in undisturbed pockets on the valley floor. These are a great option if you are looking for a peaceful refuge from the hustle and bustle of Lima. Some of the area’s most popular include Villa Natalia near the Santa Eulalia River and Marcahuasi at 12,500 feet (3810 meters) in the mountains above.

Things to do in Chosica

What to do in Chosica? Probably one of the toughest questions to answer, because the possibilities are quite endless. We’ll make it easy by giving you a couple of our favorites:

1. Enjoy the bountiful Chosica sun

This should go without saying, but make sure you soak up as much Chosica sun as possible. Especially before you head back to Lima “the Grey”. Nothing is better than taking a day to relax and enjoy being poolside in the heat. Just remember to bring sunscreen and bug spray.

2. Eat some good ol’ fashioned Pachamanca at El Paraiso Huanca

Pachamanca, the traditional Peruvian-Andean feast which means “earth” (pacha) and “pot” (manca) in Quechua, dates back thousands of years in ancient Peruvian history. It’s cooked in an earth oven with hot rocks for two hours and then served family-style. Pachamanca can include basically anything that commonly exists in Andean cuisine today, such as lamb, mutton, pork, chicken, guinea pig, potato, lima beans, sweet potato, yuca, corn, and humitas or tamales.

To get good authentic Pachamanca in Peru, one must go to the central Andes where the land is blessed with just the right type of wood for firewood, rocks for the cooking, and soil that’s conducive for creating a hot enough fire. At the foothills of the Andes, Chosica checks off all these. In Chosica, few do Pachamanca better than the folks at El Paraiso Huanca. Extremely popular with the locals, El Paraiso Huanca is a great restaurant to try Pachamanca for the first time. Make sure to pair your Pachamanca with a jarra (pitcher) of Chicha de Jora or Chicha Morada for the complete Peruvian gastronomic experience!

3. Visit Callahuanca, the capital Peruvian chirimoya

Just 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Chosica sits the picturesque pueblo and capital of chirimoya, Callahuanca. Situated on a plateau 2,000 feet (600 meters) up from the valley floor below, the steep mountain road to get to Callahuanca is covered with cascading spring-fed waterfalls and small chirimoya trees. Callahuanca’s geography and elevation creates an ideal microclimate of bright sunny days and persistence nighttime garúas (drizzling rains) that are perfect for chirimoya cultivation. Because of this, individual chirimoya from Callahuanca can grow to 8 to 11 pounds (4 to 5 kilos) in weight! Callahuanca chirimoya are also frequently regarded as the best in all of Peru. With this rich agricultural history, the pueblo puts on a chirimoya festival each April. Regardless of whether you like the fruit or not, the quaint pueblo is a must visit!

When to go to Chosica

Year-round sunny climate and close proximity to Lima make Chosica an accessible getaway option for most of the calendar year. However, there are high and low tourist seasons that can affect the tranquility and crowdedness of the area. A good time to go is between September and Christmas. High tourist season is generally around mid-Winter in July/August when the Limeno winter really starts to become a drag. There are also stretches around major Peruvian holidays like Easter (Semana Santa) and Christmas/New Year’s where Chosica gets crowded as well.

During the summertime Chosica does see isolated thunderstorms and rains from the Andes. Sometimes these storms can create a very dangerous situation in the valley, as seen from 2017’s El Nino floods. The good news is that disasters like these only occur once every 5-10 years. Just make sure to stay updated with what is happening climatically in the country.

Location and Info

Chosica is roughly 28 miles (45 kilometers) to the east of Centro de Lima on Peru’s Carretera Central. By far the easiest way of getting to Chosica is with your own vehicle, where on a day with light/medium traffic you could get to Chosica from Lima in as little as 50 minutes. If that’s not an option, you will have to take a private colectivo (minivan or car) as there is no direct public transportation available.

While there are a number of colectivo “stations” throughout Lima where colectivos congregate, they are mostly informal and can change from time to time. As of this article’s publish date there are a host of colectivos that go direct to Chosica in Centro de Lima, between Jr. Chota and Paseo Colon, one block from Plaza Bolognesi. Colectivo minivan prices are 6-10 soles per person and colectivo car prices are 10-15 soles per person. At this location it won’t be a mystery as to which colectivos are going where, as they’ll be shouting out their next destination. Once you arrive to Chosica, likely at the Plaza de Armas de Chosica, you’ll readily find taxis at the plaza to take you directly to your accommodation.

Returning to Lima is a similar process. The easiest way of getting back to Lima is to go to the Plaza de Armas de Chosica and look out for colectivos heading back to Lima. Usually at this spot the colectivos will already be in transit with other passengers, so they’ll be eager to get you aboard. Prices will be similar to those from your arrival trip.

Visit Chosica

In addition to Lima’s southern beaches and Huacachina, Chosica is easily one of the top weekend getaway locations for those in Lima. Especially for those in severe need of sunshine, outdoor activity, and mountain scenery!

Check out various pictures of Chosica below, just click to enlarge! Or for high-res slideshow viewing, see the Chosica Tourism album on the Lima City of Kings Facebook page.