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 OPTIONAL PRE-RETREAT ARRIVAL

Thursday, November 5 | Arrival in Cusco

Arrive into Cusco (CUZ), once the capital of the Inca Empire and still a powerful energetic center of the Andes.

You will be greeted at the airport by our team holding a Women’s Quest sign and transferred to our hotel in the artistic San Blas neighborhood. This day is intentionally open — rest, hydrate, enjoy coca tea, wander cobblestone streets, journal, or simply allow your body to adjust to the altitude and the rhythm of Peru.

Hotel:
Encantada – Casa Boutique Spa, Cusco
A warm, intimate boutique hotel with beautiful views over the city.

Today we begin exploring Cusco with Gaby Meneses, who will guide us throughout the entire retreat. Gaby brings Cusco alive through storytelling, mythology, ceremony, and lived experience.

We gather at 12:00 pm at Encantada Hotel, We then go to the main square, once known as Huacaypata (Warriors Square), and learn how this sacred plaza anchored the Inca world. We visit the Cathedral, built using stones from Sacsayhuaman, and continue to Koricancha (Temple of the Sun) and the Convento de Santo Domingo, where Inca foundations still hold colonial walls.

In the afternoon, there is an optional cooking experience, one of Colleen’s favorites — a visit to a local farmers market followed by preparing a meal together, learning about native foods, medicinal plants, and Peruvian superfoods.

Evening is free to enjoy Cusco at your own pace.

Saturday, November 7 | Opening Ceremony & Sacred Sites

We begin with Awakening the Senses yoga overlooking Cusco, followed by an opening ceremony with Gaby and the Ñaupa Taki Group, connecting us to the Sacred Mountains and the spirit of the land.

Late morning, we hike above the city to Sacsayhuaman, exploring massive megalithic stonework, the underground ceremonial caves of Qenqo, the Heart Temple honoring Pachamama, and the Temple of the Moon (Amarumachay), associated with feminine wisdom and the Celestial Serpent.

Lunch is a gourmet picnic from Cicciolina Restaurant in the beautiful forest overlooking Cusco.
In the evening, we gather for our Welcome Dinner at A Mi Manera in Cusco. Voted Best restaurant in Cusco!

Sunday, November 8 | Chinchero & the Inca Trail

We descend into the Sacred Valley, beginning in Chinchero, a high-altitude village famous for its women weavers. At the Traditional Andean Textiles Center, we learn how weaving is a living language passed through generations.

After we visit the sacred ruins of Chinchero, we are going to a special town to experience the authentic Peruvian life, where weaving demonstrations and stories offer a rare, intimate glimpse into Andean life.

In the afternoon, we will go to Moray – the mysterious circular agricultural terraces believed to have been used for experimentation with microclimates and energy.

Dinner in Urubamba (on your own).
Overnight at Casa Colibrí Eco-Lodge, our home in the Sacred Valley.

Monday, November 9 | Pisac

Morning yoga and breakfast begin the day.

We explore Pisac, a vast archaeological site with sweeping terraces, sun temples, ceremonial fountains, intact water systems, hillside tombs, and a powerful sense of scale and ingenuity. We hike up with a shaman that plays the flute for us. The afternoon is free to enjoy lunch on your own and wander the famous Pisac artisan market.

Dinner at Huacatay Restaurant in Urubamba.

After yoga and breakfast, we hike into Pumahuanca Gorge, a quiet mountain valley rarely visited by tourists. Waterfalls, ancient ruins, and traditional Quechua life surround us.

We participate in a cleansing ceremony with herbs, followed by a picnic lunch in nature at the Priestess temple. Later, we gather for a traditional Despacho ceremony, a sacred earth offering honoring Pachamama.

Dinner near the hotel.
Pack a small overnight bag for Machu Picchu.

We travel by Vistadome first-class train, then hike the Inca Trail from KM 104, passing Wiñay Wayna and entering Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate.

We explore the ruins with Gaby and remain inside until sunset, one of the quietest and most magical times of day.

Dinner in Aguas Calientes.
Overnight near Machu Picchu.

We rise before dawn to witness sunrise over Machu Picchu, followed by a hike up Huayna Picchu, a steep and exhilarating climb with breathtaking views.

The afternoon is free for hot springs, massage, or market wandering.
We return to the Sacred Valley and enjoy dinner at Chuncho Restaurant.

The morning begins with a long expanded yoga practice and breakfast.

Late morning through early afternoon offers optional adventures:

• Salt Mines walk (guided by Women’s Quest)

• River rafting

• Biking – E bikes available

• Horseback riding – beautiful horses close by to experience the magic of the Andean horses. 

  (Please let us know which activity you are choosing so we can arrange the guides and if you want massages)

In the evening, we gather for a Farewell Dinner at a special restaurant in Urubamba — a time to reflect, laugh, and celebrate the journey.

Morning yoga and breakfast, followed by a visit to Cerámicas Seminario, a renowned pottery studio where ancient Andean symbolism is brought to life.

Late-afternoon transfer to the Cusco airport for evening flights to Lima.