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Women’s Quest Peru Adventure Retreat

📅 November 7–14, 2026 (Optional Pre-Retreat: November 5–6)

Welcome to Peru

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 Arrival

Thursday, November 5 — Arrival in Cusco

  • 🛬 Arrival & Transfer: Arrive in 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.
  • 🌿 Open Afternoon: Time to rest, hydrate, enjoy coca tea, wander cobblestone streets, journal, or simply allow your body and nervous system to adjust.
  • 🏨 Accommodation: 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!

Friday, November 6 — Cusco: Where Time Layers Itself

  • 🧭 Guiding Presence: 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 living Andean wisdom into a deeply human and engaging story. (Note: This is a Pre-Retreat day, so Gaby will be charging $20 per person and that includes Jorge) 
  • NOTE:  Please bring: 60 soles to pay the entrance to the Cathedral and Qoricancha 

temple (it must be in Soles) 

  • 🕙 10:00 AM — Sacred City Tour: We gather at Encantada Hotel and walk to Cusco’s main square, once known as Huacaypata (Warriors Square) — the ceremonial heart of the Inca world.
    • Cathedral: Visit the Cathedral, built with stones taken from Sacsayhuamán, and learn how Inca and colonial histories coexist in the same walls.
    • Koricancha & Convento de Santo Domingo: Continue to the Temple of the Sun, once covered entirely in gold leaf, and the convent built directly atop it. Witness the layers of time — Inca foundations beneath colonial structures.
  • 🧑‍🍳 3:30 PM — Optional Cooking Experience ($65 / 4 Hours): Peruvian Cusco Flavors — We will meet back at Encantada at 3:00 pm to go to the cooking experience. We will visit a local farmers market to learn about native foods, medicinal plants, and Peruvian superfoods, then prepare a meal together.
  • 🌙 Evening: Free to enjoy Cusco at your own pace.

🧘 The Retreat Begins

Saturday, November 7 | Opening Ceremony & Sacred Sites 

Guides ~ (Gaby, Jorge, Colleen)

  • 🧘‍♀️ 7:00 AM — Awakening the Senses Yoga: Gently opening the body and breath while overlooking Cusco to prepare physically and energetically.
  • 🥣 8:00 AM — Breakfast: On your own (OYO) at Encantada.
  • ✨ 9:00 AM — Opening Ceremony: Gather with Gaby and the Ñaupa Taki Group to connect with the Apus (Sacred Mountains) and ask permission to walk this land with respect and intention.
  • 🏛️ 10:30 AM — Sacred Sites Exploration: Hike above the city to Sacsayhuamán. 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: Gourmet picnic from local Restaurant, enjoyed outdoors with sweeping views of Cusco in a beautiful forest.
  • 🍽️ 6:30 PM — Welcome Dinner: Gather at A Mi Manera (Voted BEST IN PERU!) for a warm, celebratory first meal together.

Sunday, November 8 | Chinchero, Misminay & Moray

Guides ~ (Gaby, Jorge, Colleen)

  • 🥣 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM — Breakfast
  • 🧳 8:30 AM — Departure: Meet out front with bags for a short walk to our van.
  • 🧶 Traditional Andean Textiles Center (Chinchero): Visit a high-altitude village known for its women weavers. Learn how weaving is a living language using native plant dyes and ancient techniques.
  • 🏔️ Misminay Experience & Lunch: Visit the rural Andean community of Misminay (12,000 ft) for an authentic look into Andean life, traditional weaving demonstrations, and cultural stories.
  • 🥾 Afternoon Hike to Moray: Short hike down from Misminay to Moray — the mysterious circular agricultural terraces used by the Incas to experiment with microclimates and energy.
  • 🍽️ Dinner: Local restaurant in Urubamba.
  • 🏡 Overnight: Casa Colibrí Eco-Lodge.

Monday, November 9 | Pisac — Beauty, Geometry & Devotion

Guides ~ (Gaby, Manuel, Jorge, Colleen, flute player) 

  • 🧘‍♀️ 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM — Yoga
  • 🥣 8:30 AM — Breakfast
  • 🚌 9:30 AM — Departure for Pisac
  • 🥾 Ruins Hike: Hike up to the ruins of Pisac, accompanied by one of our Shamans playing the flute. Explore sweeping terraces, sophisticated water systems, sun temples, ceremonial fountains, and hillside tombs.
  • 🛍️ Afternoon: Lunch on your own (OYO), followed by time to explore the famous Pisac artisan market (textiles, silver by Mercedes, handcrafted treasures).
  • 🍽️ 7:00 PM — Dinner: Huacantay Restaurant in Urubamba (OYO)

Tuesday, November 10 | Pumahuanca Gorge & Despacho Ceremony

(Guides ~ (Colleen, Jorge, Carlitos, Humberto, + our shamans Riccardo and Benito)

  • 🧘‍♀️ 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM — Yoga
  • 🥣 8:30 AM — Breakfast
  • 🥾 9:30 AM — Pumahuanca Gorge Hike: Hike into a quiet mountain valley with shamans Riccardo and Benito, surrounded by waterfalls, ancient ruins, and traditional Quechua life.
  • 🧺 Picnic & Cleansing: Enjoy a picnic lunch near the waterfall, followed by a traditional herbal cleansing ceremony led by Shaman Riccardo to release what no longer serves us.
  • 🌺 5:00 PM — Traditional Despacho Ceremony: A sacred Andean ritual offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth) using flowers, seeds, and sweets to honor gratitude, intention, and balance. Then we sit by the fire to burn the bundles. 
  • 🍽️ 7:00 PM — Dinner: At the hotel.
  • 🎒 Preparation: Pack a small overnight bag for Machu Picchu. This bag must have your name on it and it will go directly to the hotel

Wednesday, November 11 | Pilgrimage to Machu Picchu  

Guides ~ (Gaby, Manuel, Carlitos, Colleen)

  • 🥣 5:30 AM — Breakfast and leave for train
  • 🚂 6:30 AM — Scenic Train: Travel to Ollantaytambo and board the Vistadome  first-class train for a spectacular journey through the Sacred Valley, following the Urubamba River into the lush cloud forest.
  • 🥾 Inca Trail Pilgrimage: Disembark at Kilometer 104 and begin our unforgettable pilgrimage along the ancient Inca Trail. Visit the ceremonial ruins of Chachabamba before climbing toward the magnificent Wiñay Wayna, with its cascading agricultural terraces, sacred fountains, and beautiful stone temples. Continue through the cloud forest to Intipunku, the legendary Sun Gate, where Machu Picchu reveals itself in all its glory! One of the most magical moments of our journey.
  • 🏛️ Late Afternoon Exploration: Enter Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate and descend toward the magnificent upper terraces, taking in the breathtaking panoramic views of this sacred city in the golden afternoon light. Explore the panoramic sector with Gaby, learning about the Inca civilization, the spiritual significance of this extraordinary place, and its remarkable connection to the surrounding mountains. As the afternoon unfolds and the crowds begin to thin, soak in the beauty and magic of Machu Picchu.
  • 🍽️ Dinner: In Aguas Calientes at Full House next to our hotel (OYO).
  • 🏨 Overnight: Aguas Calientes at Hatun Inti Boutique Hotel.

 

Thursday, November 12 | Sunrise & Huayna Picchu

  • Guides ~ (Gaby, Manuel, Colleen)
  • 🌅 5:30 AM — Sunrise Bus: Rise early to take the bus up to Machu Picchu for the beautiful morning light, or hike up with Colleen. Experience the magic of the ancient city as the morning sun illuminates the surrounding Andes.
  • 🏛️ Royalty Circuit & Sacred Temples: Explore the lower royal sector of Machu Picchu with our guides. Along our permitted route, discover the extraordinary Temple of the Sun, with its beautiful curved stonework and connection to Inca astronomy, and the royal residences where the Inca nobility once lived. Learn about the ceremonial fountains, sacred architecture, and remarkable engineering that made this ancient city so extraordinary.
  • 🧗‍♀️ Huayna Picchu Hike: Continue to the entrance of Huayna Picchu, the iconic mountain rising dramatically above Machu Picchu. Climb the ancient stone steps carved into the mountainside, passing Inca terraces and structures along the way. From the summit, enjoy spectacular views looking down over Machu Picchu, the Urubamba River, and the surrounding sacred mountains. An unforgettable adventure!
  • 🦅 Temple of the Condor & Final Exploration: Continue along our designated circuit through the royal sector, visiting the Temple of the Condor if accessible on our ticket route. This extraordinary ceremonial site features natural rock formations and beautifully carved stone representing the wings and head of the sacred Andean condor, a powerful symbol of the connection between the earthly world and the heavens.
  • 🥗 Lunch: At Machu Picchu (OYO) or down in town.
  • 💆‍♀️ Afternoon: Free time for massages, relaxation, shopping, or wandering the charming streets of Aguas Calientes. You must pre-book a massage for this afternoon:





Otto’s Spa in the basement of our hotel and treatments about 45 min to 1 hour:

Happy Feet Massage

$30 USD

Swedish Full-Body Massage

$40 USD

Hot Stone Massage

$40 USD

Inka Massage

$45 USD

  • 🚆 4:30 PM — Return Train: Enjoy the scenic train journey back to the Sacred Valley.
  • 🍽️ Dinner: El Albergue Restaurant.

 

Friday, November 13 | Sacred Valley Integration & Choice Day

Guides ~ (Perolniyoc hike with Manuel), (Maras and tour of Urabamba with Gaby)

  • 🧘‍♀️ 7:30 AM — Yoga with cacao ceremony
  • 🥣 8:30 AM — Breakfast

 Choose Your Morning Adventure:

  • Option 1 — Maras Salt Mines & Soul of the Sacred Valley (Mellow • Cultural • Restorative)
    • Visit the shimmering terraced salt pools of Maras, active since pre-Inca times.
    • Explore Urubamba and local markets at a relaxed, leisurely pace with Gaby.
  • Option 2 — Perolniyoc Waterfall & Raqaypata Ruins (Steep • Sacred • Adventurous)
    • A 4-mile steep hike starting from Soqma up to the Perolniyoc Waterfall and the ancient priestess site of Raqaypata (11,700 ft).
    • Point-to-point hike: Van meets the group at the top for the return!

🎨 Afternoon — Reconnect at Cerámicas Seminario

  • Gather together in Urubamba to visit the garden-filled studio and gallery of artists Pablo Seminario and Marilú Behar. Watch local artisans work with pre-Columbian inspired ceramic styles.

 

🥂 Evening Celebration

  • 🍽️ Farewell Dinner: A special evening to reflect, share stories, laugh, and celebrate the journey together.

Saturday, November 14 | Departure

Guides ~ (Gaby, Jorge, Colleen)

  • 🧘‍♀️ Morning: Extended yoga practice, labyrinth walk, and breakfast.
  • 🍽️ Lunch: Final group lunch next to Colibrí (OYO).
  • ✈️ Transfers: Late-afternoon transfer to Cusco airport.
     (Please book flights out of Cusco for 7:00 PM or later).

👩‍💼 Important Contacts & Details

Your Guide

  • 🏔️ Gaby Meneses — Cultural translator, storyteller, and guardian of place.
  • 📱 Mobile: +51 84 984 991 427

Women’s Quest Contact

  • 👩 Colleen Cannon
  • 📱 Phone: +1 720-951-0762
  • 📧 Email: colleen@womensquest.com

Accommodations

  • 🏨 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
  • Tipping: Per person ~ VERY IMPORTANT: The bills must be newer bills with the blue security stripe and in PERFECT condition — no tears, rips, writing, stains, or excessive wear. If the bills are damaged, they will not be accepted in Peru.

For our incredible guides!

  • Gaby $150, Jorge $100, Manuel $80, Carlitos $20
  • Additional tipping:  Please bring $80 USD in cash to give to Gaby on the first day in an envelope with your name on it. Gaby will take care of distributing the tips throughout the week for our drivers, local guides, ceremony/shaman support, musicians, hotel staff, and other local support along the way, so you don’t have to worry about tipping everyone individually.