Day 1 - fly from Portland to Lima, Peru and overnight there
Day 2 - fly from Lima to Cusco, where Dr. Theo Paredes will be waiting to greet us. He will be with us from this day until the day that we depart from Cusco to Lima. We’ll drive overland for about an hour to the lower elevation of the Sacred Valley. This will be a quiet day, resting in a nice hotel/park setting to acclimatize to the altitude (8000'). Welcome ceremony of connection with Mother Earth who is so important to the people of the Andes.
Day 3 - Visit archeological Inca site of Pisac (spectacular place!) and introduction to sacred plant San Pedro. Overnight Sacred Valley.
Day 4 – Further exploration of the Sacred Valley, which is a warm, gorgeous, extraordinarily fertile river valley surrounded by glaciated mountain peaks. We'll visit Ollantaytambo, another Inca archeological site, a beautiful and powerful spot as well as being a fortress where the Inca made a last successful stand against the invading Spaniards. Finish the day with a drive back to the Cusco area (11,000’) , where we will settle in to the healing center/boutique hotel (La Casona de San Jeronimo) that is a beautifully restored 100-year-old hacienda home surrounding lush gardens
Day 5 - Visit Wiracocha temple in Sicuani. Overnight La Casona.
Day 6 - Travel to Ausangate, one of the two sacred mountains that is a traditional guardian of the city of Cusco. Horseback riding on the mountain, work with sacred plant during ceremony of thanks to the apu spirit of the mountain. Overnight La Casona.
Day 7 - Morning at rest in the gardens of La Casona or explore the surrounding town of San Jeronimo. In the afternoon, drive to the small and charming mountain town of Paucartambo located higher in the Andes. Overnight in Paucartambo hotel.
Day 8 - Leave at 4AM to drive to Tres Cruces located in Manu Biodiversity Park, one of the largest parks in the world. We will arrive in darkness at the ridge of the Andes Mountains, looking down the "back side" where the mountains descend into the jungle. At this particular point, it’s possible at this time of the year to look directly at the rising sun without incurring damage to one's eyes. We’ll work with sacred plant medicine during the sunrise as we connect with the energy of the sun, the energy that was so important to the entire Inca culture. Drive back to La Casona to spend the night.
Day 9 - Optional visit to Machu Picchu for those who wish to visit this incredibly mystic site. There will be extra cost if this option is chosen ($520 if only one person goes, $402 per person if two people go, $364 for three, $344 for four, $332 for five, $326 for six, etc.). You will rise early in the morning, take one of the most beautiful train rides in the world to the town of Aguas Calientes, spend several hours at Machu Picchu, and return late in the day to La Casona.
Those who do not wish to go to Machu Picchu will be able to visit Sacsayhuaman, a major and impressive Inca site of many temples that overlooks the city of Cusco. Overnight at La Casona.
Day 10 - Visit Naupa Iglesia, a newly-discovered ancient sacred site used for ceremonies of initiation. Overnight La Casona.
Day 11 - Drive to the Anta Valley, stopping along the way to visit Inca sites of Tarawasi and Sayuite, arriving at Cachora to stay at another lovely healing center.
Day 12 - Hike and/or horseback ride to the lip of the Apurimac Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. We will be able to view and work with the energy of Salkantay Mountain, the other sacred guardian of the city of Cusco. In the evening, opportunity to participate in the first of two deeply healing ceremonies with another traditional plant medicine.
Day 13 - Day of relaxation in Cachora, with an aya healing ceremony in the evening.
Day 14 - Drive back to Cusco, with a stop along the way at the site of Quillarumiyoc - an Inca site in the early stages of excavation, a site felt to have been probably as important as Machu Picchu in the Inca culture.
Day 15 - free day to go into Cusco, explore, shop - or just rest in the gardens at La Casona and incorporate the past two weeks' experiences. Farewell dinner in the evening.
Day 16 - Fly from Cusco to Lima, have a little time for exploring in Lima before return to the airport and a late-evening departure back to the USA.
Day 17 - return home
The size of the group will be somewhere between 8-12 people. This is NOT just sightseeing, it's very much a journey of learning about and experiencing Andean culture and along the way finding personal healing and growth. It's important for members of the group to be in a safe and supportive company of like-minded people, and a small group in which everyone can receive individual attention from the shaman.
Trip cost will be approximately $3495, which includes all hotels, all travel within Peru (including roundtrip airfare between Lima and Cusco), admission to all sites, all work with the shaman, all ceremonies, all breakfasts in Peru and about two-thirds of our lunches and dinners. It does not include round-trip airfare to/from Lima, beverages with meals, personal expenses, and any tips that participants may want to give to those who assist us.
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Please join us for this once-in-a-lifetime immersion into the mystical land and culture and healing ways of the indigenous people of Peru. Send information on the next page, along with a deposit of $300, to secure your space in the group. A full information packet will be mailed to you upon receipt of your deposit. For questions, contact Susan Kiley at susankiley@gmail.com or 503-807-6880.