Machu Picchu Sacred Sanctuary of the Incas with Qigong teacher Lori Furbush April 8 th through 17 th 2015 $TBD Double Occupancy Standing 2,430 m above sea level, in the midst of a tropical mountain forest in an extraordinarily beautiful setting, Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height. Set on the vertiginous site of a granite mountain sculpted by erosion and dominating a meander in the Rio Urubamba, Machu Picchu is a world renowned archaeological site 1
Day 1 April 8 th Depart SFO for Lima We leave SFO or our West Coast airport in the evening for an overnight flight to Lima Peru. Day 2 April 9 th Arrive in Lima at 10:55am and connect to our flight to Cusco. We will be assisted at the airport and transferred to our hotel. The beautiful Casa Adina hotel. This hotel is a converted 18 th century house and located 3 blocks from Cusco s main square. We will have the evening to relax, get used to the altitude, dinner on your own at the hotel or nearby restaurant. Day 3 April 10 th Early am Qigong at the hotel plaza followed by breakfast. We will have a morning tour of the city. Our first stop will be The Temple of the sun (or Quri Kancha Golden Temple) which was built by Inca Pachautec in 1438-1572. Here homage was payed to the Sun Inti during the Inca Empire. At the time the whole building was covered in gold. This later became the base of the Santo Doimgo Convent at the arrival of the Spaniards. We will then climb above the town of Cusco to Sacsayhuaman, one of the most emblematic constructions of the Incas. Just minutes from the city, Sacsayhuaman is a World Cultrual Heritage site built by Pachacutec in the 15 th century. After lunch (included) we will visit the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas. Hundreds of stones were extracted from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman 2
to build this cathedral. We will return to the hotel by 3pm, you may explore Cusco on your own. We will have dinner together just off the main square at 7:00pm Day 4 April 11 h Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will return to the hills just above Sacsayhuaman with an Incan Shaman and he will create with us an offering to Pachamama (mother earth) and the wife of Pachakamac and her sons are Inti, the sun god, and Killa, the moon goddess. The offering is also for the Apu or spirit of the sacred mountains and home to the ancestors. After a post ceremony snack, we will hike to the temple of the moon or Amaru Machay The moon temple is located in the Sacsayhuaman archaeological parque. Very strange structures can be found here, including some caves, a type of altar, and heavily shining surfaces (vitrified rock) and pieces of the rock that look like they cut big parts out of the mountain as if it was a giant cheese. We will have the opportunity to practice Qigong with Lori on the hills above Cusco. This after noon we will have free time to rest, shop, or visit a spa. Cusco itself is a great town to explore on your own and visit museums, take in the local colorful scenery. 3
. Day 5 April 12 th Early am Qigong at the hotel plaza followed by breakfast at the hotel in Cusco. We will then descend to the Sacred Valley and visit Chincheros town, including the weaving center where you will meet locals and learn about their traditional weaving styles and techniques. Chincheros was an early Inca center built by emperor Tupa Inca. During the Inca reign, textiles were woven and offered to mark special occasions, from peace treaties and sacrifices to marriage ceremonies and puberty rites. Weaving is a way of life here, it is as important for preserving ancient traditions as it is for earning a livelihood. We will also be visiting on Sunday when people from surrounding communities converge on the town to buy and sell produce and other supplies. This is an authentic market, which is not just set up for tourist and is a great opportunity for photos. We will then proceed to Moras. The town is well known for its nearby salt 4
evaporation ponds, in use since Inca times. Since pre-inca times, salt has been obtained in Maras by evaporating salty water from a local subterranean stream. The highly salty water emerges at a spring, a natural outlet of the underground stream. The flow is directed into an intricate system of tiny channels constructed so that the water runs gradually down onto the several hundred ancient terraced ponds. We will have lunch in Moray and visit Quechua, an archaeological site on a high plateau at about 3500 m (11,500 ft.). The site contains unusual Inca ruins, mostly consisting of several enormous terraced circular depressions, the largest of which is about 30 m (98 ft.) deep. The purpose of these depressions is uncertain, but their depth and orientation with respect to wind and sun, creates a temperature difference of as much as 15 C (27 F) between the top and bottom. This large temperature difference was possibly used by the Inca to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops. We will stay at the 87-room Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay located in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Sonesta Yucay Posada is a former 18th century colonial-style monastery and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Dinner on own at the hotel.. Day 6 April 13 th After Breakfast and Qigong in the Gardens we will then proceed to Ollantaytambo. Incas inhabited this site in the past. Pachacutec (1438-1572) conquered the town and destroyed it The emperor rebuilt the town with sumptuous constructions and undertook extensive works of terracing and irrigation in the Urubamba Valley; the town provided lodging for the Inca nobility while the terraces were farmed by yanaconas, retainers of the emperor. It has one of the remarkable archaeological sites of the empire. 5
This city with the original building of the Inca construction has water still running thru the town s aqueducts as it did centuries before. The terraces above the town are still farmed and the pinnacle above the town is a small burial ground. We will visit this site in the morning when it is less crowded and we will have more time to explore the ruins and visit the town. On our way back to the hotel we will have lunch in a beautiful ranch atmosphere, with beautiful gardens and with Llamas grazing. If the weather cooperates we may do Qi gong in the gardens after lunch. After lunch we will return to the hotel for an early afternoon of relaxation and rest. That evening we will have an optional dinner at a nearby small restaurant. Day 7 April 14 th Early am Qigong at the hotel garden followed by breakfast at the hotel. Machu Picchu lay hidden from the world for such a long time because its location is fairly remote and inaccessible. Machu Picchu is located high up on a mountainside. The nearest town is Aguas Calientes, which is located down in the valley beside the Vilcanota River. There are no roads that connect Aguas Calientes to the outside world, you have to take a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu.The train follows the Urubamba river and offers spectacular views of the Andes. Upon arrival in Aguas Caliente we will have lunch and check into our hotel. Inkaterra Machu Picchu hotel sits on 12 serene acres of natural paradise, just across from the train station. We will stay in an authentic Andean 6
ambience of barefoot luxury. Accommodations and reservations range from the opulent Villas Inkaterra, with private terraces and plunge pools, plus round-the-clock butler service. We will have the afternoon to relax and explore Aquas Caliente. There is an extensive handicraft market and a hot springs and dinner is included at our stay at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu. Day 8 April 15 th Aguas Calientes is only a couple of kilometres away from Machu Picchu but it takes a bus about 20 minutes to climb the narrow, steep zigzagging dirt track that connects the two. We will rise early and after breakfast take the bus transfer to Machu Picchu. The ancient city was rediscovered in 1922 by Hiram Bingham, a Yale graduate and US senator fascinated with Inca archaeology. Ginham found Machu Picchu, with the help of the local farmer who knew about the ruins. He hypothesized that the site was a citadel existing for strategic and defense purposes. He also speculated that the site was a refuge for Cusno s Virgins of the Sun, based upon finding of skulls there, although not scientifically classified as female. Breakthroughs in archeology since 1985 have, taken as a whole, supported the emerging view of Machu Picchu as a ceremonial and administrative center for a very populous region. Machu Picchu was built, flourished and fell into demise within a period of 100 years. It is a spectacular site, unlike anything I have ever seen. 7
We will begin the day with a guided tour, which will last from 7:30am to 10:00am. At that time we will have free time to explore the ruins on your own. The ruins are usually shrouded in mist in the am but the sun comes out in the early afternoon so if you want to continue to explore the site starts to get crowded around 10 am, so we suggest a few options.. 1) The climb to Huayna Picchu is restricted to only 400 people per day in two groups of 200. The times are 7am to 8 am and 10am to 11 am. Slots are selected when purchasing the entrance ticket (in advance) there is an extra fee to climb Huayna Picchu. The climb to the peak takes about 1.5 hours for a person with an average fitness level. The climb is on a steep rock staircase with great views. There are cables attached to the rock in many places to help the climber and there are places to step aside to catch your breath and enjoy the view. To reach the very top you must climb through a very narrow tunnel through the rock on your hands and knees. This hike is very difficult and only for the very fit. I did it on our last trip, but it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. 2) 2) Sun Gate or Inti punku. High above the ruins is Inti Punku or Sun Gate. You can climb here and see the entire Sanctuary from above. The view is amazing, takes your breath away as you observe The Machu Pichu Mountain, the Vilcambamba or 8
Urubamba River, the Putukusi Mountain and the Huayna Picchu Mountain.. Lunch will be provided at the restaurant near the ruins. The rest of the day is yours to explore Machu Picchu on your own. We will find a quiet place to have a Qigong session with Lori while at Machu Picchu Day 9 April 16 th Early am Qigong at the hotel plaza followed by the hotel plaza followed by breakfast at the hotel spend the rest of your day exploring Cusco, Peru. We purposely allow plenty of time for our tour members to enjoy Cusco, visit the spa, or finish up last minute shopping. The city of Cusco, features many other attractions which by themselves would be enough to attract visitors. breakfast at the hotel. We will have time for a leisurely morning in Aquas Caliente before we board the train and then transfer by bus from Ollanta station to our hotel in Cusco. We will have a farewell dinner together at the MAP Café restaurant. Day 10 April 17 th Early am Qigong at We will board and after noon flight and on the return to Lima you get to see much higher mountains, some of which are snow-capped. In Lima we will change planes and have an evening flight back to the USA. 9
*Please note Jim Cramer photographed most of the pictures shown in this itinerary on our recent tour to Peru. Price $TBD Double Occupancy Tour Includes 8 Nights Hotel and Daily Breakfast Round trip air Lima to Cusco Daily Qigong with Lori Furbush Train and bus transport in Peru Daily Breakfast Entrance Fees for one day at Machu Picchu 4 dinners and 4 lunches Daily Tours with Incan Guide Inca Shamanic Ritual Spirit Tours Tour Coordinator services in Peru *SFO/LAX AIR SUPPLEMENT $898.00 5018 Buckthorn Ct. Santa Rosa, CA 95409 866 566 8078 www.spirit-tour.com www.baliadvisor.com 10