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Women’s Quest Peru Adventure Retreat
November 7–14, 2026
“The journey is not about arriving somewhere new — it is about remembering what has always lived within you.”
Hello Beautiful Women,
Welcome to the Women’s Quest Peru Adventure Retreat — a journey into the heart of the Andes, where ancient wisdom, living ceremony, and breathtaking landscapes invite you to slow down, open your senses, and remember something deep within yourself.
This retreat unfolds as a gradual immersion — beginning with an optional early arrival in Cusco to acclimate and arrive fully, then moving into the Sacred Valley, and culminating in our pilgrimage to Machu Picchu. Every experience has been chosen with intention, reverence for the land, and respect for the living traditions of Peru.
Optional Pre-Retreat:
November 5–6
Main Retreat: November 7–14
OPTIONAL PRE-RETREAT ARRIVAL
Wednesday, November 5 | Arrival in Cusco
Arrive into Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire and still one of the most energetically powerful cities in South America. At over 11,000 feet, the altitude itself invites you to slow down, breathe more deeply, and begin listening inward.
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 — time to:
- Rest and hydrate
• Enjoy coca tea
• Wander cobblestone streets
• Journal
• Or simply allow your body and nervous system to adjust
Hotel
Encantada – Casa Boutique Spa
A warm, intimate boutique hotel with beautiful views over Cusco — peaceful, grounding, and welcoming. The Swiss owner even has the staff put warm water bottles in your bed at night. AMAZING!
Thursday, November 6 |
Pre-Retreat – Cusco: Where Time Layers Itself
Today we begin exploring Cusco with Gaby Meneses, who will guide us throughout the entire journey. Gaby has a rare gift for weaving archaeology, mythology, ceremony, humor, and lived Andean wisdom into a deeply human and engaging story.
This is a Pre-Retreat, so there is a charge for her guiding this day. TBD depending on how many women join in.
We gather at 9:00 am at Encantada Hotel and go to Cusco’s main square, once known as Huacaypata (Warriors Square) — the ceremonial heart of the Inca world.
From here we visit the Cathedral, built with stones taken from Sacsayhuamán, and learn how Inca and colonial histories coexist in the same walls.
We continue to Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), once covered entirely in gold leaf and considered the most sacred temple in the Inca Empire, and the Convento de Santo Domingo, built directly atop it.
Walking here, you can literally see layers of time — Inca foundations beneath colonial structures — a living lesson in resilience, continuity, and transformation.
Optional Cooking Experience 2 PM
In the afternoon, there is an optional cooking experience, one of Colleen’s favorite ways to enter Peruvian culture.
We visit a local farmers market to learn about native foods, medicinal plants, and Peruvian superfoods, then prepare a meal together — cooking, laughing, and connecting through nourishment.
It is called Peruvian Cusco Flavors and it lasts 4 hours and is $60.
Evening is free to enjoy Cusco at your own pace.
THE RETREAT BEGINS
Friday, November 7 | Opening Ceremony & Sacred Sites
8:00 am – Awakening the Senses Yoga
We begin the retreat with Awakening the Senses yoga, gently opening the body and breath while overlooking Cusco. This practice invites presence and prepares us physically and energetically for the days ahead.
9:00 am – Opening Ceremony
We gather with Gaby and the Ñaupa Taki Group for our opening ceremony, formally connecting with the Apus — the Sacred Mountains — and asking permission to walk this land with respect and intention.
10:30 am – Sacred Sites Exploration
Late morning we hike above the city to Sacsayhuamán, one of the most astonishing megalithic sites in the world.
Massive stones — some weighing over 100 tons — fit together with impossible precision.
We explore:
- Underground ceremonial caves of Qenqo
• The Heart Temple honoring Pachamama
• The Temple of the Moon (Amarumachay) associated with feminine wisdom and the Celestial Serpent
Lunch
A gourmet picnic from Cicciolina Restaurant, enjoyed outdoors with sweeping views of Cusco in a beautiful forest.
Welcome Dinner – 6:30 pm
In the evening, we gather for our Welcome Dinner at A Mi Manera, a warm and celebratory first meal together.
This restaurant is Voted BEST IN PERU!
Saturday, November 8 | Chinchero & MORAY
We descend into the Sacred Valley, where the energy softens and opens.
Our first stop is Chinchero, a high-altitude village known for its women weavers.
At the Traditional Andean Textiles Center, we learn how weaving is a living language — each pattern a story, each color a prayer — using native plant dyes and techniques passed down through generations.
After we visit the sacred ruins of Chinchero, we are going to a special town called Misminav to experience the authentic Peruvian life, where weaving demonstrations and stories offer a rare, intimate glimpse into Andean life + lunch.
Misminay is a rural Andean community located at 12,000 feet on the heights of the Sacred Valley with spectacular views of the Apu mountains.
The community is next to the famous circles of Moray, considered an ancient experimental agricultural center.
Misminay became known after the studies of anthropologist Gary Urton, who was living there in the 70’s, who wrote a very interesting book about ancient Incan astronomy, that the elders in the community knew at that time and used for their farming.
To hike down from there to Moray is very rewarding.
Afternoon
We will hike 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: Casa Colibrí Eco-Lodge
Sunday, November 9 | Pisac — Beauty, Geometry & Devotion
The day begins with yoga and breakfast.
We explore Pisac, one of the most beautiful and expansive Inca sites in the Andes.
Pisac is known for:
- Sweeping agricultural terraces carved into the mountainside
• Sophisticated water systems that still function today
• Sun temples
• Ceremonial fountains
• Hillside tombs
Pisac reveals how the Incas worked with the land — shaping stone, water, and sunlight into a living system of devotion, agriculture, and ceremony.
Many consider its stonework among the finest in Peru, often compared to Machu Picchu.
We will hike up with one of our Shamans playing the flute as we climb.
After lunch on your own, there is time to wander the famous artisan market, rich with textiles, silver, and handcrafted treasures.
Dinner at Huacatay Restaurant in Urubamba.
Monday, November 10 | Pumahuanca Gorge & Despacho Ceremony
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, offering a glimpse into how life has been lived in the Andes for centuries.
We will not see anyone on this trail.
At the end of the hike, we participate in a cleansing ceremony with herbs, releasing what no longer serves and preparing energetically for Machu Picchu.
Traditional Despacho Ceremony
In the afternoon, we gather for a Traditional Despacho Ceremony, one of the most sacred Andean rituals.
A despacho is a prayerful offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth), created with:
- Flowers
• Seeds
• Sweets
• Symbolic elements representing gratitude, intention, balance, and reciprocity
The offering is blessed and returned to the Earth, reminding us that we are in relationship with the land — not separate from it.
Dinner near the hotel.
Pack a small overnight bag for Machu Picchu.
Tuesday, November 11 | Pilgrimage to Machu Picchu
We travel by Vistadome first-class train, enjoying panoramic views of the Sacred Valley.
From KM 104, we hike the Inca Trail, passing the stunning ruins of Wiñay Wayna before entering Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate — the ceremonial entrance used by the Incas.
Arriving this way transforms the experience from sightseeing into pilgrimage.
We explore the ruins with Gaby and remain inside until sunset, when the crowds thin and the energy quiets.
Dinner in Aguas Calientes.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Wednesday, November 12 | Sunrise & Huayna Picchu
We rise before dawn to witness sunrise over Machu Picchu, then hike Huayna Picchu — a steep, exhilarating climb that offers breathtaking views of the citadel below and a powerful sense of perspective.
You will have lunch at Machu Picchu or you can take the bus down and enjoy lunch in town.
The afternoon is free for:
- Massage
• Relaxation
• Wandering the village
We return to the Sacred Valley by train and enjoy dinner at Chuncho Restaurant.
Thursday, November 13 | Sacred Valley Integration & Celebration
Morning yoga and breakfast.
Late morning offers optional adventures, including:
- Guided walk to the Salt Mines
• Biking $$
• Horseback riding $$
The Salt Mines are a stunning mosaic of earth, light, and tradition where mineral-rich water feeds hundreds of terraced pools carved into the mountainside — still actively harvested today.
Biking and Horseback riding are extra $.
We will gather information now because the horse ranch needs to know in advance.
Farewell Dinner
In the evening, we gather for our Farewell Dinner — a time to reflect, laugh, and celebrate the journey we’ve shared.
Friday, November 14 | Seminariao Art & Departure
Our final morning includes:
- A long yoga practice
• A labyrinth walk
• Breakfast
We then visit Cerámicas Seminario, a place where ancient spirit and modern artistry intertwine.
Seminario is more than a gallery — it’s a living temple of creativity and cultural reverence, and they are dear friends of Gaby’s.
Founded by the visionary duo Pablo Seminario and Marilú Behar, their work brings the legacy of Andean civilizations into vibrant, living form — storytelling through earth and fire.
As we wander the exhibition, you feel the symbolism and sacred geometry woven into color and clay — creating the perfect integration moment, a way to bring Peru home in something tangible and meaningful.
We will have our last lunch at a beautiful restaurant next to Colibri. (OYO)
Late-afternoon transfer to the Cusco airport for evening flights to Lima.
Please make your flight at 7 pm or after.
YOUR GUIDE IN PERU
Gaby Meneses
We are deeply grateful to be guided throughout the entire journey by Gaby Meneses, one of the most trusted, knowledgeable, and heart-centered guides in the Cusco region.
Gaby is a cultural translator, storyteller, and guardian of place, weaving history, archaeology, ceremony, and living Andean traditions into every day of the experience.
Primary On-the-Ground Contact
+51 84 984 991 427
IMPORTANT CONTACTS & EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Hotels
Encantada – Casa Boutique Spa (Cusco)
+51 84 242 206
Casa Colibrí Eco-Lodge (Urubamba)
+51 84 205 003
Hotel Santuario (Machu Picchu Pueblo)
+51 980 898 023
Emergency Numbers (Peru)
Police: 105
Fire: 116
Ambulance: 106
Women’s Quest Contact
Colleen Cannon +1 720-951-0762
colleen@womensquest.com
This journey is rich, soulful, adventurous, and deeply nourishing — a rare opportunity to experience Peru in a way few travelers ever do.
We would love to share it with you.