AMARU, ANDEAN WEAVERS Cusco, Machu Picchu and Titicaca Lake ITINERARY SUMMARY DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN LIMA DAY 02: LIMA CUSCO FLIGHT. FREE DAY FOR ACCLIMATIZATION DAY 03: CUSCO CITY AND SURROUNDINGS: SAQSAYHUAMAN, Q ORIQANCHA DAY 04: AMARU COMMUNITY DAY 05: AMARU PISAQ. TRANSFER TO OLLANTAYTAMBO DAY 06: OLLANTAYTAMBO. TRAIN TO MACHU PICCHU DAY 07: MACHU PICCHU. TRAIN TO CUSCO. OPTIONAL HUAYNAPICCHU DAY 08: PUNO / CUSCO BUS DAY 09: TITICACA LAKE: UROS LLACHÓN DAY 10: LLACHON PUNO DAY 11: PUNO JULIACA LIMA. OPTIONAL: SILLUSTANI CHULPAS DAY 12: INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE DETAILED ITINERARY DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN LIMA Arrival in Lima. We will pick you up at the airport and transfer to your hotel. We will welcome you and deliver the necessary documentation, and we will do a detailed review of the program. Overnight in Lima Meals: None Private transfer. DAY 02: LIMA CUSCO FLIGHT. FREE DAY FOR ACCLIMATIZATION
We will take you to the airport for local flight to Cusco (3,400 m above the sea level). Upon arrival you will be met by our staff member and transfer to your hotel were you will rest to acclimate. We will have a free afternoon to independently explore Cusco at your own pace. The ancient Inca capital, Qosqo (the center of the world) was a sacred city of stone palaces and temples. Its streets and roads design reflected the technology, organization of the Inca Cosmo vision. Cusco was built under this city houses, colonial churches and plazas. It is a unique place to understand the Inca culture but also the cultural shock, syncretism and heritage of the mestizo baroque. Our recommendation is to have light meals, drink plenty of water or coca or muña tea, to attenuate the symptoms of altitude sickness (soroche). Overnight in Cusco Meals: None Private transfer. DAY 03: CUSCO CITY AND SURROUNDINGS: SAQSAYHUAMAN, Q ORIQANCHA Today we will leave the city heading to Sacsayhuaman, an imposing Inca building that dominates Cusco from the north heights of the city. We will visit Puca Pucara, Tambomachay And Q'enko;all these archaeological sites will help us understand the history and Inca Cosmo vision as they are related to the cults of the Inca state and the astronomical observation, critical to the development of the agricultural economy in the Andes. In our way back, we will visit two important sites of the city; The Cathedral and the Qoricancha Temple of the Sun which is the true sacred center of the ancient Inca capital. Overnight in Cusco. Meals: B Services on private or shared basis. DAY 04: AMARU COMMUNITY The heights of Cusco shelter, for centuries, hundreds of Quechua communities engaged in farming or ranching. Their current structure dates back to colonial times, when the Inca ayllus (community) were reorganized by the Viceroyalty of Peru. The oral tradition and cultural resistance have allowed them to preserve centuries of wisdom and Andean traditions, sometimes hidden in other forms. Each community has its own history, which is reflected in their attire and their art, dances and agricultural techniques, celebrations and rituals. The Amaru community is located 30 minutes from Pisaq in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This peasant indigenous community has kept ancestral techniques that you can discover guided by the villagers who have organized themselves to get additional income and fair value to their resources. The Amaru Association of Community Base Tourism consists of 25 families that have being working for 10 years in the rescue and preservation of local culture and biodiversity. Part from the revenue that the association obtains is given to the community to improve roads and other projects that they see fit.
We will participate with the residents of the community in different activities according to our interest: Traditional Agriculture: According to the time of the year, we can participate in harvesting or planting of potatoes, corn or quinoa respecting local traditions and working the land organically and sustainably. Weaving workshop: Weaves tell the story of Andean culture, is a key element in the history and local tradition. Their weaves are works of art and to value them and appreciate them it is necessary to see the different processes of manufacture. We will start learning about dye plants and how to get the variety of colors. We will take part in the wool shearing, yarn and fabric respecting the iconography of the community. Village women will show us with affection and complicity the difficulty of this job. Natural Medicine: Located on a high altitude floor of ecological biodiversity. The community has a great wisdom in the use of local plants with them, we can harvest plants and leaves to make creams and natural medicines used for colds, muscle pain and digestive problems. Our participation as visitors will directly benefit the people who interact with us in daily tasks, and indirectly, we will be encouraging the conservation of the environment, the biodiversity of native flora and fauna, and the recovery of traditional arts and techniques, which reinforces the people identity and provides alternatives for sustainable development. We will have a delicious dinner with local and organic foods. Then we can continue the weaving workshop or participate in other activities such as reforestation, traditional agriculture, walking around the village. Overnight in a local home / Meals: B, L, D Services on a private basis. DAY 05: AMARU - PISAQ. TRANSFER TO OLLANTAYTAMBO After a good breakfast we will hike to the archaeological ruins of Pisaq crossing fields and crops and enjoying an incredible view of the Sacred Valley. Our hosts, the Amaru community, will reach us with a delicious picnic to enjoy with this wonderful landscape. We will visit the archaeological remains of Pisaq and return to Ollantaytambo at the end of the afternoon. Overnight in Ollantaytambo / Meals: B, LB Services in a private basis. DAY 06: OLLANTAYTAMBO. TRAIN TO MACHU PICCHU Today we will have free time to enjoy the citadel of Ollantaytambo and the fortress* that guards the small Inca origin town, the valley, the river, and the narrow streets; and get a clear idea of how was this military, religious and cultural center during the Inca Empire. The cobbled streets with houses and tiled roofs are endearing. In the afternoon, we will take the train to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu from the Ollantaytambo train station. The trip last approximately. 1:45 h. Aguas Calientes is at the base of the mountain on which the sacred city of Machu Picchu is located. * Admission ticket to the fortress included in the BTC (Cusco Tourist Ticket). Our destination, Machu Picchu, still keeps many mysteries. Nowadays we know from archaeological research that most likely it was a place of sacred and religious nature built by the Inca Pachacutec. It was dedicated to the surrounding mountains, mainly the Salkantay Mountain and to astronomical observation which was very important in the pre-columbian Peru. Archaeological findings show significant presence of female remains, possibly priestesses. The sophisticated carved stones, architecture and engineering, are a supreme expression of the Incas technological achievements. Excavations go on and every day we discover something new about this unique place. People think that somewhere in the city the tomb of Pachacutec (the most important ruler of the Incas) can be found.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes Meals: B Train in Expedition service. (See supplements for up-grades). DAY 07: MACHU PICCHU. TRAIN TO CUSCO. OPTIONAL HUAYNAPICCHU From Aguas Calientes we will take a bus to the citadel of Machu Picchu ascending 400 m using a zigzag road for about 30 minutes. We will arrive at the sanctuary of Machu Picchu where we will have a guided tour (Approx. 2 hours). We will visit the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sundial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries; then we will still have time to explore the archaeological site at our own leisure. In the afternoon we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes where we will have a meal at a local restaurant (not included). A specific hour and a meeting point will be set in the town of Aguas Calientes where we will board the train back to Cusco. In the afternoon we will board the train back to Cusco*. We will arrive to Poroy station and transfer to your hotel. * Budget option taking the train to Ollantaytambo and then a bus to Cusco Plaza del Regocijo. Optional Huaynapicchu: After the tour we will still have time to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, which takes approximately 90 minutes to climb. Although it is not a difficult hike, it is necessary to be in good physical condition. Alternatively for another spectacular climb which is less steep, Machu Picchu Mountain offers incredible views. Both also need permits to enter which need to be booked in advance. Please do let us know if you would like to pre-purchase these. Overnight in Cusco Meals: B Services on private or shared basis. DAY 08: CUSCO / PUNO BUS Early in the morning, you will be picked up from the hotel to the bus station. We will depart to Puno at 7:30 am, on a tourist bus with onboard service. The trip takes eight hours, but our stops and the passages that we take will make this a fun and rewarding day trip; this route fills our hearts with landscape and history. We will have guided tours to the Pukara museum; we will pass through La Raya (highest point of the journey at 4,335 m. above sea level), the archaeological complex of Raqchi and the Andahuaylillas temple. We will arrive to the city of Puno (3,800 m. above sea level). If it is a dry season, from April to August, there may be very cold in the mornings and freezing in the evenings. You will be picked up at the bus station and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Puno Meals: D, A
Services on shared basis only. Tours and museum entrances included in Bus ticket. DAY 09: TITICACA LAKE: UROS - LLACHON This day we will visit the legendary Lake Titicaca, a gigantic portion of the sea captured to 3.965 meters above the sea level, making it the highest navigable lake in the world. In the morning, we will go to the port of Puno (3,800 m above sea level). At 7:30 am we will start our journey by motor boat that will allow us to see the vastness and beauty of Lake Titicaca. The first destination will be the Uros floating islands and their community, one of the oldest in the continent. Although today it is said that little remains of the original Uros, their descendants have certainly known preserved techniques to twist and shape the reeds ( Totora ) as a remarkable cultural legacy. With them they create huge floating islands on which their homes, schools and medical centers are built. We will continue the journey to the Llachon Capachica community on the peninsula. Llachon villagers belong to the Quechua ethnic and live off cattle activities, farming and fishing. They are also recognized for their textile art skills. Unlike other areas more indulged by conventional tourism, Llachon and neighboring communities have managed to keep a high quality model of Community Base Tourism. Families welcome visitors in their simple but warm homes, rustic and safe rooms decorated with textiles from the area and built with adobe using traditional techniques. Visitors are invited to get involved in family activities. You can do some hiking, mountain biking and also kayaking (not included, see supplements). Dinner with the host family, small meeting and cultural exchange Overnight in a host family home Meals: B, L Services on private or shared basis. Traditional wooden motorboat. DAY 10: LLACHÓN PUNO After breakfast we could enjoy the traditional weavers art or we could take kayaks for a 2 hours tour around Lake Titicaca Optional). Depending on the time, we could go back to the hosting family to have lunch before going back by boat to the city of Puno. After picking up your luggage at the hotel, we will go to the airport in Juliaca to take the flight back to Lima. Overnight in Puno Meals: B Services on private basis.
DAY 11: PUNO JULIACA - LIMA. OPTIONAL SILLUSTANI CHULPAS On our way to the airport to take the flight to Lima we could, optionally, visit the Archaeological Complex of Sillustani, one of the largest cemeteries in the world where we will find the Chulpas: large stone funerary towers built by the Incas and the Qollas ethnic group (inhabitants of the lake before the Incas), to bury their dead. They are surrounded by a landscape of stunning beauty that seems to be summed up in the serene waters of the lagoon Umayo. We will take the flight to Lima. Transfer to the Hotel. Overnight in Lima Meals: B Services on private basis. DAY 12: INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE A driver will pick you up from the hotel to take you to the Jorge Chavez Airport for the internatonal flight. - Meals: B Private Transfer. END OF ITINERARY B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; BL: Boxed Lunch; D: Dinner The BTC or Cusco Tourist Ticket, allows you the entrance to 16 places surrounding Cusco and Sacred Valley. INCLUDED Reception and transfer from/to airport, hotels and bus terminals Tourist Bus to Puno/Cusco Expedition Train to Machu Picchu via Ollantaytambo / Aguas Calientes / Cusco Entries to each archaeological site and/or natural reserves included in the trip Official local guide All meals included in the program (excepted when the pickup is before the hotel breakfast) BTG (Cusco Tourist Ticket) Printed local flights boardingpass (and International flight if locator is sent) Follow up phone service and 24 hours emergency phone NOT INCLUDED Entrance to Cusco Cathedral Entrance to Huaynapicchu Mountain
Tips Overweight Luggage Meals not specified in the program Personal expenses and any other items not specified in the program. Travel insurance LIABILITY All itineraries are subject to our Terms and Conditions. You can read them in the link below: http://arawiperu.com/?p=350 DESIGN AND TECHNICAL ORGANIZATION Arawi Perú Expediciones Av. Primavera 1771, oficina 15, 2do piso Lima 33, Perú T: +511 6749371 (Lima office) +51 +51 978210309 (Lima mobile) +34 656 914 266 (Barcelona mobile) www.arawiperu.com Information and reserves on this route: info@arawiperu.com RUC: 20555149507 Registered in the National Directory of Qualified Tourism Services of Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry; and registered in the TOUR OPERATORS SPECIAL LIST BY SUNAT. Photo credits: Danielle Pereira Tati Quiñones