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Peru Hiking & Yoga Adventure Retreat
Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu Peru
October 12-19th, 2024
Cost: $4250
October 11: Friday,
Most are flying in on Friday to Encantada
Airport pickups
Encantada taxi will have a Women’s Quest sign
Pick up at the airport in Cusco when you arrive at anytime
Transfer to the Hotel Encantada. Taxi will run about $20 per person
ENCANTADA – Casa Boutique Spa
San Blas, Calle Tandapata 354
Cusco-Peru
Teléf.: (084) 24 22 06
Fax: (084) 24 18 88
reservas@encantadaperu.com
www.encantadaperu.com
Saturday October 12, 10:00 Check into rooms that are open and meet our front for YOGA
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Opening Ceremony with Gaby and Apu Pachatusan Group for our first connection with the Spirits of the land and the Sacred Mountains.
Explore downtown Cusco, the Qoricancha temple, and San Blas artisans’ neighborhood, the Coca Museum. “Experience the SUPER FOODS” of Peru. Gaby will take us to the local market where we will learn about the sacred herbs of Peru 6:30 Dinner together at Mi Manera
Welcome dinner for the entire group in a traditional restaurant “A Mi Manera”.
Oct 13: Sunday
Morning
7-8 “Awakening the Senses” on the front lawn overlooking Cusco with Colleen
8 Breakfast at our hotel (WQ pays)
9:00
Visit to Sacsayhuaman and other Huacas around Cusco.
(On the way we visit the silver specialist in town (Mercedes Huarhua Pillco)
First we will take the bus and hike above Cusco to explore the expansive area of Sacsayhuaman including the carved boulders and hidden underground caves of Qenqo. We will visit the “Heart Temple” where we will have ceremony to honor Pachamama, the Cosmic feminine Spirit. The original name of this place in quechua is Kusilluchayoq, the place of the monkies, because of some carved rocks in that shape.
Then we will visit a fascinating area still being excavated, known as “Temple of the Moon”. The original quechua name is Amarumachay meaning The shelter of the Celestial Serpent because of carved rocks with that shape. After that we will visit Qenqo, where we will visit a very ancient place of worship and a ceremonial cave.
Afternoon
Picnic lunch from GREENS ORGANIC RESTAURANT (WQ pays)
We will visit the zigzagging walls and impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman where we will be introduced to some of the greatest megalithic stonework in the world.
Gaby will help us understand the significance and theories about the awe-inspiring and sophisticated construction of Sacsayhuaman and beyond.
4:00 Free afternoon for spa treatments or optional walk to the local market.
Evening
7:00 Dinner at Pacca Pappa *not included (or eat at hotel)
Oct 14: Monday
Morning
7:00 Breakfast at our hotel (WQ pays)
7:45 Departure to the Sacred Valley.
9:00
Visit the Ruins in Chinchero
High above the Sacred Valley at 12,000 feet, famous for its women weavers, we will spend the morning with easy hiking the Chinchero ruins and visit the weavers that use native plant dyes and millenarian techniques to create very fine quality textiles.
We will visit the Center for Weavers of Chinchero “Awayricch’ arichiq” for a weaving demonstration
Afternoon
Lunch is included: This is a very special lunch with Jorge’s family at their home in Chinchero. His mother/father/grandmother/aunts/cousins will have a feast for us and a very special “UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL” weaving demonstration.
Afternoon hike: We will hike a part of the Inca Trail: 3 hour downhill hike from Chinchero to the Sacred Valley
6:00 Dinner in Urabamba OYO
8:00 Check in at the hotel Casa Colibrí (means hummingbird house) in Urubamba in the Sacred Valley
Casa Colibri eco-lodge ,Urambamba Peru
Colibri 51 84 205003
Andina 51 84 211107 at Colibri
October 15, Tuesday
Morning
6:30 Breakfast at our hotel
7:30 leave for Pisaq
Gaby and Quintin will help us to engage and connect with our surroundings with an earth offering ceremony at a special spot high in the Pisac ruins. Hampu ceremony and soul retrieval with blessing bracelet on top of Pisaq
9:00 We will explore the vast area of Pisac. Pisac is as big as Machu Picchu in size, but because it was discovered by the Spanish, it is not as intact as Machu Picchu. But, Pisac is well worth exploring for a full day as there is so much to see and discover including its sun temple area, vast terraces, intact water systems, hillside tombs and famous craft market.
Afternoon
Lunch on your own in Pisac
Explore the traditional market. Great shopping opportunities.
Evening
Dinner: yummy restaurant called Huacatay in Urubamba, Not included
Oct 16, Wednesday
Morning
7:00 Yoga
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Hike to Pumahuanca gorge where we can experience a great connection with the Apu Spirits. We will do a special guided hike up a mountain valley to a waterfall not often visited by other tourists. There we will be able to explore some rarely visited ruins that were an inka priestess retreat place, waterfalls and see how the local Quechua people live high in the mountains.
We will be hiking with our Andean Priests Riccardo and Benito.
We will have a special cleansing ceremony at the end our hike with special herbs to prepare for our Despacho ceremony
Afternoon
Picnic lunch (WQ pays)
Afternoon to get ready for the Despacho
4:00 Traditional Despacho ceremony with an Andean priest (Riccardo and his family) from Q´ero community to prepare for the journey to Macchu Picchu. They travel 3 days to meet with us
Dinner.
At hotel and then pack for the next morning (you will need one small bag to pack for one overnight in Machu Picchu).
Oct 17 FULL MOON, Thursday
Pilgrimage to Machu Picchu
Early Morning
Breakfast at our hotel
5:30 READY to leave the hotel and drive for 20 min. to Ollantaytambo train station
6:10 Take the 1.5 hour vistadome first class train to our hiking stop before
Machu Picchu enjoying a gorgeous scenery on the way.
Machu Picchu: We will spend two days exploring the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. We will be arriving to Machu Picchu by hiking on the famous Inca
Trail with our guides. This hike is a 4 hour hike to Machu Picchu and we will enter Machu Picchu by the Sun Gate. We will explore the ruins in the afternoon of our first day, Gaby will give us a full tour of the central ruins with its ceremonial center, and sun-dial, still functioning water channels and impressive stonework, all built in harmony with the surrounding mountains of the high jungle.
Gaby will lead a ceremony with Apophyllite stones to open and center before the Sun Dial.
Afternoon
Box lunch on the train to pack and bring your snacks for the hike (WQ pays)
We will stay in the ruins until sunset, one of the quietest times of the day.
Evening
Check in at the hotel
Dinner at Indio Feliz not included
Oct 18, Friday
Morning
We will arise at dawn today and experience the magic of sunrise at Machu Picchu.
After that we will hike some of the most famous trails at Machu Picchu
We will hike the ascending Inca staircases to the top of the spectacular
Huayna Picchu, descending down Inca steps and ladders to the back side of the mountain to explore the Moon Temple and circling back to the main ruins on an awe inspiring ancient trail cut right into the side of the mountain.
Then Gaby will lead us on another tour of Machu Picchu
Afternoon
Lunch either up at Machu Picchu or in town on your own
4:20 Train back to the Sacred Valley arriving at around 7:00
Evening
7:00 Dinner El Albergue restaurant WQ pays
Oct 19, Saturday
Integration day. After a magical week with the sacred spirits of Peru we’ll take a day to integrate all we have experienced into our lives and begin to reintegrate back to daily life.
Morning
Yoga
Breakfast at our hotel
Visit to the Seminario pottery workshop
Early lunch in town
2:00 Leave for Moray (all packed for the airport)
5:00 Leave for the Cusco Airport
8:00 Flights depart from Cusco to Lima
Phone numbers
Gaby Cell – +51 84 984991427
Encantada – +51 84 242206
– +51 84 241888
Colibri 51 84 205003
Andina 51 84 211107 at Colibri
Colleen 720-951-0762
Meals:
WQ pays for all 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners