Cusco, ancestral stronghold of the Incas, has a dynamic ancient culture that stands out worldwide. Inca customs and legacies still exist as an important part of Peru’s identity.
Cusco, an Andean area replete with snow-capped mountains, lagoons and frozen areas, also contains a large portion of the Peruvian Amazon, a place where different cultures converge and home to the greatest biodiversity in Latin America.
It is in this forest where some of the finest coffees in Peru are produced—especially in Santa Teresa district.
Santa Teresa, which sits at the base of the Templo de La Luna on the Urubamba river, all within the larger region of Cusco.
Santa Teresa is a crucial place in the history of Peru, this was the escape route of the last rebel Incas led by Manco Inca who would later settle in Vilcabamba, in the thick jungle of Cusco.
Its mountains were exploited for their mineral wealth and much of the land was depredated.
The mines were abandoned once the mineral in the area ran out. This gave way to a retropicalization of the devastated areas, a restoration of the original plants and fauna. The area’s wildlife returned with force, and this gave impetus to the re-introduction of agriculture and therefore the cultivation of coffee.
