CEREMONY OF THE LAMAS IN THE ANDES OF MACHUPICCHU

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Itinerary
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Stop At: Homestay Journey, Urubamba Peru

CEREMONY OF THE LAMAS IN THE ANDES OF MACHUPICCHU

Day tour

In the Cusco Andes, the ancestral and spiritual beliefs, such as faith in the Holy Mountains (Apus), in Mother Earth (Pachamama), Huacas (Holy Rocks where rituals are held) and the Sun, the Lakes, Thunders, the Rainbow, Condor, Puma and Serpent, are still kept from generation to generation, from the time of the Incas until today.

We will be part of the ancestral event in one of the communities of Patacancha, a people that is considered to be the last Incas living their traditions, habits, typical costumes and faith. The highlight may well be the Ceremony of the Lamas. In this ritual of the Lamas the Andean man gives thanks to the Apus, the Holy Mountains like Ausangate, Huaccaywilca, Tirijuay and Salkantay, the Guards that protect the entire Holy Valley and to Mother Earth, the Pachamama, that thanks to mother nature one can live and produce different products, so that man can survive. We will also be parto f an Andean gastronomic event, which is the ceremonial Pachamanca dish, a form of cooking with different ingredients such as trout, alpaca, chicken and a variety of vegetables, on stones buried under the ground.

Day 1 Cusco – Patacancha (11,811 ft) Cusco

Very early, we leave for the village of Patacancha where we will meet with the Homestay family to guide us to the pastures where lamas, alpacas and sheep are grazing. There, we will participate in a lama Ceremony and learn how the Andean people thank nature. After the ceremony, we will return to the village of Patacancha where we will also share the typical Andean Pachamanca dish. The Homestay family will explain to us what are the principal ingreients and the whole cooking process. It will not just be a demonstration, but we will all be assistants in the process. While waiting for 40 minutes for the meal to get ready, the Homestay family will give us a small demonstration of their textile arts, which is part of their daily life as they are themselves producing their own typical, colorful costumes in the whole region. Then, we can taste our Pachamanca meal and say goodbye to the family to continue by private transport to the beautiful archeological site of Pumamarka. After that, we will descend by car to the village of Ollantaytambo, visiting the archeological site with beautiful terraces, water sources, Palaces and its Holy Huaca that today is known as the Sun Temple. In the time of the Inca, this was a very important village. Back to our hotel in Cusco.


Duration: 5 hours

Included
  • Accommodation as per itinerary
  • Private tour
  • Lunch
  • Professional guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Round-trip private transfer
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Not included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Gratuities
Additional
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Dress code is smart casual
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
  • Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Features
Cultural
55% Tourism
45% Adrenaline
45% Sport
35%