Detailed Itinerary: Peru

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May 1, 2008
Epicurean Xplorers

May 16, 2008
Corpus Christi Festival
& 4th Weavers Awards

July 11, 2008
Virgen del Carmen Festival

September 18, 2008
Epicurean Xplorers

Contact us regarding these featured small group trips or our private departures throughout the year.

		Day 1: Arrival Most flights arrive in Lima in the evening. We'll stay in a hotel close to the airport tonight to maximize sleep before tomorrow morning's flight to Cusco. A welcome drink at the hotel is a great way to meet your fellow travelers and the CULTURE XPLORERS trip leader. We'll have an informal briefing of what to expect in the days ahead and try to get some rest before tomorrow's internal flight to Cusco.
		Day 2: Cusco We fly early in the morning to 'the navel of the world', also known as Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire. After a hot coca tea to help us adjust to the altitude of roughly 12,000 feet, we'll explore the city on foot, visiting some of its many beautiful squares, buildings and churches. Note: we will take it easy this afternoon to give our bodies time to adjust to the altitude.
		Day 3: Earth Offering Our destination today is a Quechua community deep in the Andes, where we will witness a magical ceremony called 'pago a la tierra', or 'payment to the earth'. This shamanic earth offering ceremony dates back over one thousand years to pre-Inca civilizations. Like most things religious in rural Peru, there exists a fusion of Catholic and indigenous beliefs and symbolism. The scenery is as magical as the ritual itself. Jimmy, our Quechua speaking day leader, will put the ceremony into context for us. After the ceremony and a picnic lunch by the river, we'll visit some families in the nearby community. These families are as excited about our presence as we are about theirs. They are likely to see only 4 to 6 other small groups of travelers during the entire year - all CULTURE XPLORERS clients! Note: there will be no bathroom facilities other than 'mother nature' during the ceremony and our time with the community (around 5-6 hours).
		Day 4: Free Day in Cusco Cusco is a wonderful city to explore on foot. Today will be yours to enjoy at your own pace. Of course, our trip leader will be available all day to recommend places for you to go, help with translation, buying or bargaining or accompany you while you explore the local markets, squares and plazas.
		Day 5: Textiles Nilda Callanaupa has done more to revive and promote the Peruvian textiles tradition than anyone in the last 20 years. She is a world-renowned expert on the subject, having given lectures at Harvard University and National Geographic's headquarters in Washington DC. Nilda is our host today, taking us to one of her favorite weaving villages. CULTURE XPLORERS clients are among the privileged few to visit this community of 120 families, half of whom dedicate themselves to weaving. We'll be introduced to the art of Andean textiles, and perhaps more importantly, to the people of this exceptional village. We'll have a picnic lunch and then time to walk it off, exploring on foot this isolated, spectacular outpost, nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. We'll end the day with a drive to Paucartambo, the venue for the famed Virgen del Carmen festival. Note: there will be no bathroom facilities other than 'mother nature' during our time with the community, trekking afterwards and on the drive to Paucartambo (around 7-10 hours total).
		Day 6: Virgen del Carmen - Paucartambo Today - fiesta! We join thousands of revelers for one of the most animated and colorful celebrations in all of Peru. The masked dancers, the music, the drinking, and the revelers all combine to create a contagious energy. The statue of the Virgen Del Carmen is carried through the streets by the faithful, with lots of participation from the masked 'devil' dancers who shrink in her presence. Regional dance troups enliven the scene with traditional costumes and thousands of merry-makers join in the fun. Our trip leader will explain the visually stunning festival and its history, putting it into perspective for us. After a long day of joining in the fun, we'll drive back to Cusco (4 hours) to get to bed early and prepare for tomorrow's busy schedule.
		Day 7: Inca Trail We'll board the'backpackers' train at 6:20am from Cusco to kilometer 104. Here, those who choose to do so will disembark for a very strenuous, 5 - 6 hour hike at altitudes of 10,000+ feet along the legendary Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. They'll be accompanied by our multi-lingual Peruvian day-leader, a five year veteran leading treks on the trail and an expert on Peruvian history. Those of us who choose not to push the physical envelope today will join our trip leader on an invigorating day-long exploration of Ollantaytambo, one of the loveliest towns in the Sacred Valley, complete with its own impressive ruins. Both groups will re-join in the evening in Aguas Calientes, the town just below Machu Picchu, to get ready for tomorrow's exploration of the incomparable 'lost city of the Incas'.
		Day 8: Machu Picchu Breakfast is at 5:45am and we'll board the first bus at 6:15am to get to the ruins by 6:45. Yes, this is painfully early! However, you won't want to wait around for the hordes who descend upon the site by 10am. So, appreciate the early morning quiet time with our expert guide. There will be plenty of free time to climb Wayna Picchu or just absorb the magic of the ruins before heading to a late lunch in Aguas Calientes. We'll return on the train to Cusco, arriving around 8:30pm. Tonight we celebrate! Dinner at one of Cusco's best retaurants. After all, this will be our last night together in Cusco and we have so many new stories to reflect upon!
		Day 9: Villa el Salvador We'll fly back to Lima in the morning, try some of the city's world renowned ceviche, then get ready for a truly unique afternoon visit to Villa el Salvador. This shantytown of 500,000 people one hour south of Lima hides a big heart below its dilapidated surface. It has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and has won the prestigious Principe de Asturias prize for social development (Spain's equivalent to the Nobel). The town's model to escape poverty - despite overwhelming odds - and the ideals and perseverance of its poeple, will leave a lasting impression on all of us. Our host for the day, Manuel Canterac, has been a resident of Villa el Salvador for 14 years. In addition to teaching at a local primary school, he runs a volunteer greenhouse project for students and directs the community library. Manuel will share the history of Villa el Salvador with us and will take us on a walking tour so we can better understand the town. Finally, we will visit the school where Manuel teaches and where CULTURE XPLORERS funds have helped to create a community library. We return to Lima to get ready for our flight back home. Our private transport will take you to the airport.
		Day 10: Arrive Home