Peru Itinerary for May/ June 2005

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• Peru Itinerary for May 29th - June 9th, 2006 •
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This itinerary provides a brief description about each day of the journey. Our plans might be modified to accommodate changing conditions associated with international travel. Please note:Trip Insurance is available and required to attend our journey's. For more information please click the "Trip Insurance" icon above or contact us directly.

inca map

Monday, May 29
Day 1: USA/ Lima
You leave home to arrive in Lima, Peru early the next morning. After clearing customs we head to our hotel room.

Tuesday, May 30
Day 2: Lima/ Iquitos
Today we fly to the jungle city of Iquitos! We are about to enter the Amazon Jungle...
The canoe pushes through the mist, as if to tear it apart and cut a path for the hesitant rays of light unable to find an opening in the thick, hazy, almost impenetrable cloak. The haze seems to shroud everything in a dawn of diffused lines and shades, in which gnarled trunks and mud paths are sensed rather than seen.
An insistent breeze gradually blows the fog of the languid dawn away. The shadows disappear. No longer is anything sensed. The forest is made visible, a grand, extraordinary green labyrinth. An ocelot, wise, intrepid, silent, slips away from those adventurous souls who travel the Amazon, a paradise of bio-diversity in the northeast of Peru.
This is an exuberant and vigorous land that has not yet been punished by the destructive claws of civilization. The jungle is ferocious and intricate, hot and oppressive, but rich in life. In this area of the Amazon - mythologized by the Spanish conquerors as hiding place of El Dorado - the greatest variety of animal and plant species on the planet coexist in perfect harmony.
There are three conservation areas within the Amazon which are of great importance: the Manu Biosphere Reserve, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987, the Tambopata - Candamo Reserve, with intact populations of several endangered species, such as the giant river otter and the Harpy eagle, and the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, home to some 450 different species of birds.
The Amazon can only be described as a miracle of nature: A world of gigantic trees, powerful rivers and thick fog. Here, man is an outsider. A strange being disturbed by the whispers of the jungle while walking its ancient trails. As you will discover, silence never reigns and mysteries of ages past remain to be discovered.

On To The Jungle Lodge
From here, we take our boat to a tributary of the Amazon, the Rio Momon . After apx. 1 hour we arrive at The Amazon Rainforest Lodge, where we are welcomed by our guides with lunch and tropical juice. Later, after dinner, we will meet with our Shaman for orientation and an explanation of the Ayahuasca Ritual offered to those interested in participating the next evening. Please read "The Sacred Ceremonies" section for a complete description of this activity.

Wednesday, May 31
Day 3 Amazon Lodge
After our jungle breakfast we are taken on a hike into the Rainforest to investigate the plants Shamen use in the treatment of ailments. These practitioners are artful herbal masters whose information is verbally handed down from generation to generation. During the afternoon you are free to relax while listening to birds, canoe the jungle river or hike trails deep into the Amazon with an experienced guide.

To relax and tune into your surroundings, or venture into the living jungle begins a process expanding your awareness and intensifing your consciousness. For those interested, the first session with our Shaman is offered later this evening.

Thursday, JUNE 1
Day 4 Amazon Lodge
A free day to explore the surrounding jungle, visit nearby jungle communities or just relax!

After breakfast we will be free to explore the surrounding jungle and reflect upon our experiences. After lunch a guided hike into the jungle is offered.

Later, we will return to our lodge and stay one last night under this beautiful green canopy sprinkled with stars. Our first initiation completed, we are ready to enter the realm of Andean Shamen.

For those interested, the second Ayahuasca session is offered.

JUNE 2
Day 5 Puerto Maldonado/ Cusco
After returning by boat to Puerto Maldonado, we return to the airport for a short flight to Cusco. The meaning of the word Cusco comes from the Quechua word QOSQO which means navel, it has quite a few meanings, one of the most important is "Center, or navel, of the world" which was given by the famous cusquenian writer Inka Garcilaso de la Vega.

One of the first things you will notice about Cusco is the altitude. The valley floor is roughly 10,000' above sea level. To cope with the stress of being at such a height we drink a local hot beverage made from the Coca plant - Coca Tea. This tea aids the body to adapt to the altitude and helps you relax. It usually takes 24 - 36 hours for one to fully adapt. During this time you might feel tired or achy. Rest and Coca Tea are the greatest answer to these feelings.

Please check out this informative site if you are interested to know more about altitude sickness: http://www.high-altitude-medicine.com/AMS.html

JUNE 3
Day 6 Cusco
Today we are taken by private bus to the sacred sites nearby. The places visited are: Sascsayhuaman, an ancient temple complex (shown at the right), Tambomachay, the ancient temple of fertility where artesian springs flow and Kenko, an ancient Mu temple that houses the male and female energies of the Creator. We also explore the nearby Monkey Temple and the Temple of the Moon, which is located nearby and within a cave.

After traveling across the surrounding mountainsides we continue back into Cuzco, visiting the Temple of the Sun or locally known as the Coriconcha. During the evening, if weather permits, we return to the Temple of the Moon for meditation and a shamanic ceremony.

This is a remarkable place when the moon is full. As the moon passes directly overhead,its light passes through a hole in the roof of the cave that was intentionally made allowing light to illuminate the altar. While here I assist those who are interested in the further development of their ability to see energy. Those who have come here have developed the ability to not only see the flow of life force energy, but also an understanding of the processes directing this energy. Healers and those seeking awakening have had fantastic experiences here!

JUNE 4
Day 7 Cusco/ Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu
Today we travel by train to Aguas Calientes, a sleepy little village nestled in the valley beneath Machu Picchu. A narrow gauge train slowly climbs out of the Cuzco Valley through a mountain pass to take us on a scenic trek through the Andes Mountains. Within a short time we have entered the Urubamba Valley. Snow and glacier-topped mountains, small villages, and low-hanging clouds are only a few of the many splendors of this area. The image to the left is a view of the Urubamba Valley, which the Inca's considered sacred because of its beauty and temperate climate allowing crops to be grown all through the year.

After passing by small farms and villages we enter the inner jungle of the Andes. This lush, tropical environment is filled with many species of parrots and other birds. Lush green foliage lies beneath mist drape mountain tops. Here the Inca (and those who came long before) traveled the pathways throughout these mountains and valleys. A once great empire flourished here. We can only imagine others from time distant who called this paradise their home. Evidence of their rise and fall are found in many places we are about to explore.

Music of Shamen who roam the Andes is here

JUNE 4
Day 7 The Sacred Power of Machu Picchu
After a 4-hour journey, we arrive at the small village of Aguas Calientes. This remote village is located at the base of the mountain that cradles Machu Picchu against the silently moving clouds and bright beckoning stars. After checking into our hotel and enjoying a delicious lunch, we board a bus. Our next stop - the mythic city of Machu Picchu.

The ride up takes about 45 minutes. During that time you climb slowly above the valley floor. Narrow roads and lush greenery are at every turn. Every time I ride up to this majestic place my heart pounds. Of course it is a place of mystery and ancient legends. But, it also has an unspeakable quality to it when seen as you rise through the trees. There perched upon a mountain top, a great city, a jewel against the sky,silently awaits its master's return. Were we they? Are we now? You will feel the pull upon your heart when you eyes first behold this vivid dream come to life. Machu Picchu... to say these words elicits excitement, and the realization of a long held seed of inner knowing.

For a taste of the music and scenery click here

Machu Picchu

JUNE 4
Day 7 Arrive to Machu Picchu
There are no words that can express the way this place looks or how you feel once you enter the grounds and gaze across the landscape!

It is truly awesome! Click here for a virtual reality view of Machu Picchu. Quicktime is required.

Our guide escorts us through the ruins explaining every detail, telling us the many stories from the area and answering questions. The accompanied portion of the tour lasts about an hour or so.

Later, you are free to explore the mysteries of this awesome place on your own. Around 5pm we catch the bus back to Aguas Calientes.

After a meal and some shopping you might decide to return to our hotel for dinner and conversation. There are others here from far distant places who might have a few stories as well.

You never know who you might meet while wandering narrow streets of a small village hidden deep within the Andes.

At night we return to Machu Picchu with our Shaman for the San Pedro ceremony. There is an extra cost for the private bus which is shared between everyone who attends. Imagine... Machu Picchu with no one else there as you participate in an ancient rite of cosmic awareness. The mist rolls over head as distant stars twinkle. The distant sound of a flute moves through the ruins... I assure you... nothing you have ever experienced is equal to this.

JUNE 5
Day 8 Machu Picchu
Today is a free day for you to further explore Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes on your own. For those interested, there is an organized hike to the top of the mountain always seen in pictures as the peak in the distance - Huana Picchu (pronounced "why - nah pee - chew"). Climbing to the top you encounter birds, butterflies, and a spectacular view.

Music of the Andes is here

Place your cursor over the QTVR picture above
Click and hold as you drag the mouse to the left and right, up and down.
"Option" and "Shift" let you zoom in and out!


Temple of the Three Windows	Machu Picchu morning with mist

Don't feel like climbing a mountain? During the afternoon a different hike is offered.
During this hike you travel into a remote area near the Urubamba river, and behind the mountain Huana Picchu.

JUNE 5
Day 8 The Waterfall of Dreams
As we walk into this secluded valley we visit "The Place Where Rainbows Are Born". Along the way we enter into a primitive cloud forest full of 50' Ferns and an assortment of fruit, flowering and coffee trees.

This hike takes about two hours and is on mostly level ground. At the end of our hike we arrive at a beautiful place I have named "The Waterfall of Dreams". Here a majestic waterfall flows over a fern draped cliff. Created from the runoff of a distant glacier, its water is cold, clean and prized by Shamen for its spiritual and curative powers. Water droplets catch the afternoon sun and hang in the air like glittering diamonds.

It's no wonder this place has been kept secret and sacred for centuries. It is a magnificent place of worship and ceremony. Later, we return to the village. The thermal springs they are a short walk away. Listen closely to the sound of running water and the perfumed Andean breeze. You might hear the stories of this powerful place, whispered from flowing water.

JUNE 6
Day 9 Aguas Calientes / The Sacred Valley
This morning we travel by train to a pink granite mountain that was carved and shaped several thousand years ago by who we believe were refugees from the continent of Mu. These are the mysterious temples of Ollantaytambo. The energies here are very unique and powerful.

Ollantaytambo is a place filled with mystery and hidden surprises. Throughout this ancient complex are stones carved into once useful, artistically exceptional shapes. Waterfalls fill the air with natural music. Laughter is head as children play nearby. Looking down from the top of the complex you see the panorama of the Sacred Valley below. Across the valley a silent figure stands guard over this ancient place. Carved into the face of a mountain is the face of Viracocha gazing across his kingdom.

I am excited to show you the things I have found, and share stories of things I have seen while exploring this very ancient place.

Andean Shamen bless the site with music and prayer... click here

JUNE 6
Day 9 The Stones of Ollantaytambo
As you explore the area you come upon six massive pink granite slabs. Inspection reveals the inner surfaces to be highly polished and made with precision. We are told these stones were as highly polished on the exposed surfaces as well, at one time. It wasn't until the Spanish came into this area that the stones faced any threat. After all, granite is one of the hardest stones on Earth. The Spanish saw figures carved onto the stones and believed them to be of the devil - they attempted to destroy the temple.

Now these once sacred stone tablets stand silent to their original purpose and meaning. Together, with enhanced awareness, we explore this ancient place to find those waiting treasures.

JUNE 6
Day 9 The Children of Ollanta
Before we leave Ollantaytambo we have an opportunity to visit with the children of the nearby village. They love the candy and balloons we bring!

Additionally, there are several vendors in this plaza. I love this place! You can get great deals here. Because it's not near a bigger city (like Cusco) you can find unusual items, artistically woven rugs, poncho's and antiques at a great bargain. You soon discover a special quality about the folks who live here.

Afterward, and as the daylight fades, we travel by bus through the sacred valley to our lodgings. Here we reflect on our journey as we rest.

JUNE 7
Day 10 Sacred Valley / Cusco
This morning, we start our return to Cuzco. On the way we might stop at Moray - weather permitting. This is a fantastic spot well off the normal route and very high into the Andes. There are three areas where seven concentric circles were formed into the earth just below a mountain top. The purpose and meanings are forever lost to time. However, the Shamen of the Andes consider this a highly charged energy vortex. They come here whenever they feel the need for renewal, or if a special ritual is required. This is a place that most travelers never visit due to the secretive nature of the location and because of the difficulty to arrive here. The Shamen consider this place to be one of their most sacred sites... and we have a standing invitation.

Where we go is completely dependant on the weather and day we are in this area. Sometime during the afternoon we will arrive in Cusco where the adventure will be to find those treasures you wanted to take home. In the evening we can go to Ukukus for those interested in the local night life and cultural music. This is a favorite place for many travelers and locals, with several good restaurants nearby.

JUNE 8
Day 11 Cusco
This is your free day for shopping, exploring or sampling the local restaurants of Cusco. Perhaps you will join Kathy & I as we take a horseback ride across the nearby mountains.

Whatever you choose, this is your free day to experience one of the most interesting (civilized) places Kathy or I have ever been!

Now, about that picture on the right...
It was during Halloween. Kathy & I had taken about 50 pounds of hard candy along for the kids in Ollanta - we had a bit of it left over. So, we went into the street to see if the solders might like some. And of course they did!

In return, they had to sing a song with us - one they didn't know the words to, written by John Lennon called "Give Peace A Chance". I'm sure you've heard it. Now imagine these guys on the right - equipped with machine guns, grenade launchers and riot gear swaying and singing "..give peace a chance"

It was a priceless moment we managed to capture after the fact with this picture. And where's the candy? It's in their pockets!

JUNE 9
Day 12 Cusco/ Lima
In the early afternoon we arrive at the airport to leave for Lima. Once in Lima have lunch. Afterward we travel 45 minutes by bus to the oceanside temples of Acacia. Here you will experience the true diversity of Peru. You will see a great desert expanse, bordering the South Pacific.

Overlooking the ocean, a mighty complex of buildings and temples completely composed of clay bricks. Here is where a mysterious oracle first told the Inca King that a great enemy was about to arrive that would precede the downfall of the Inca Empire. In a nearby museum the oracle stand forever mute. Its magical powers faded, like the now setting sun.

Later, we return to the airport for our return home.

For you who have decided to continue, this is a night to get some rest and get ready for a great adventure into the very heart of ancient Andean mystery.

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