Week 2 Sacred Sites Itinerary
Sacred Sites Day 1
Depart Retreat Center with our local guide Julian. Our First Stop is the Traditional Weaving Village of Chinchero where we will see a demonstration of traditional Andean dying and weaving methods and have the opportunity to purchase authentic hand woven Alpaca and Llama Wool textiles. We will then proceed to the Misminay Community for a traditional Pachamanca lunch. One hundred twenty families live in the community preserving their ancestral traditions and customs.
After lunch we will proceed to the archaeological site of Moray which is known for it circular terraces that were used for agricultural experimentation in ancient times. We will then visit the Salt Mines of Maras which are one of the largest salt extraction centers in Peru and currently under consideration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Salt has been harvested at Maras for at least 2000 years. We wrap up our first day of travel with a short drive to Ollantaytambo where we will check into our comfortable hotel and join together for a group meal.
Sacred Sites Day 2
Optional Hike to Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate (see below for details).
Guests who choose not to join the hike through the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu hike will remain in Ollantaytambo for the morning with Penelope and one of Julian’s guide team to relax and explore the town before departing on an early afternoon train to Aquas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.
The entire group will reconvene for dinner in Aquas Calientes, sharing our experiences for the day.
Machu Picchu Hike Details
Guests who join the optional Machu Picchu hike through the Sun Gate will leave on an early morning train from Ollantaytambo to the trailhead (elevation 2,100m/6,927ft). After a 90-minute train ride, our hike begins with a three-hour uphill walk (550m/1820ft elevation gain) to the archaeological site of Wiñay Wayna (2,650m/8,747ft).
After exploring the ruins and enjoying spectacular views of Urubamba Canyon, we meet the Inca Trail and walk to the Sun Gate (2,730m/9,007ft) with iconic views of Machu Picchu. This portion of the trail takes about 2 hours to complete and includes sections with stairs. We complete our walk with a gently 1 hour down hill to Machu Picchu (2,430m/7,972ft).
Sacred Sites day 3
Our full group will travel together by bus to Machu Picchu, leaving in the mid morning to explore one of the most incredible and beautiful places on Earth. After lunch we will board an afternoon train to Ollantaytambo, return to our hotel from the previous night and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Sacred Sites Day 4
After breakfast, we begin with a visit to the archaeological sites of Ollantaytambo and the Ollantaytambo Market. We will then board our bus and travel to Choquequilla, one of the Sacred Valley’s least visited archaeological sites. Choquequilla boasts some of the most previse stone craftsmanship in its highly polished surfaces carved directly into the cave walls. We stop for lunch in Urubamba on our way to Urqo and then arrive in the town of Pisac, check into our accommodation, visit the local crafts market and enjoy another delicious Peruvian meal.
Sacred Sites Day 5
We catch the morning sun at the Pisac Archeological Site. After exploring the main ruins at the top of Pisac Archaeological Park.as a full group, you will have the option to either walk down the mountain to Pisac town visiting other terraces in the park along the way, or return to Pisac town in our private bus and explore the town and market. Our full group will meet at Pisac Market for Lunch and then drive to Cusco where we will stop at Saqsayhuaman + Qenco before checking into our hotel.
Sacred Sites Day 6
We start our last full day of the retreat with a visit to the Water Temple of Tipon before continuing to the sacred mountain of Wanakawari for our Closing Ceremony.
We end the day with our farewell dinner at one of Cusco’s finest restaurants serving gourmet farm to table organic meals
Sacred Sites Day 7
After breakfast we will visit some of Cusco’s sites and shopping, before saying our farewells.