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Peru: Machu Picchu and Quechua Campesinos
Itinerary for The Laurel School · May 22 – 31, 2017
DATE
May
22
DAY OF
WEEK
Monday
ITINERARY
Arrive Lima
OVERNIGHTS
Hotel Allpa
ACTIVITIES
This evening touch down in Lima to begin your experience in the
nerve center of modern day Peru. Colonial, coastal, and
cosmopolitan, the City of Kings boasts major industry, historical
plazas and cathedrals, fantastic cuisine, and leafy residential
neighborhoods. Your Student Expeditions to Program Leader will
meet you at the airport and accompany the group to your hotel in
the pleasant Miraflores area.
MEALS
DATE
May
23
24
DAY OF
WEEK
Tuesday
Wednesday
ITINERARY
OVERNIGHTS
Lima / Cusco /
Urubamba
Hotel Mabey
Urubamba
Hotel Mabey
ACTIVITIES
MEALS
This morning board a plane and head to the indigenous capital of B, L, D
Peru -- Cusco. As you descend into the Sacred Valley, you will
pass by snowcapped peaks and rugged Andean terrain before
settling into the heart of the Inca empire. Your Program Leader will
orient you to the robust indigenous history of the region and the
tensions that still play out in Peruvian government and social
structures today. Learn about the major initiatives that indigenous
rights groups advocate for today, including education, healthcare,
and land use.
The first stop is Sacsayhuaman, featuring some of the largest and
most impressive stonework of the Incas. Marvel at the
massive limestone boulders and ponder how the Incas
transported, carved, and meticulously positioned the stones so that
not even a sheet of paper fit between them. Next, to welcome you
to the Sacred Valley, you will visit with local community members
and participate in a ceremonial offering to Mother Earth. Learn
about the important role of weaving in Peruvian culture and see
how South American camelid fibers are used in garments. Meet
the alpacas and llamas from which they spool their wool and see if
you can distinguish between the two species! Finish the day with a
delicious meal made with local ingredients, enjoyed while gazing at
the steep peaks of the Sacred Valley.
This morning head into the countryside of the Sacred Valley, where B, L, D
the agrarian lifestyle endures and the native language of Quechua
dominates. Visit a women’s co-op that is dedicated to providing
opportunities for economic independence to single mothers in the
Sacred Valley. Women from surrounding villages come together to
create hand-made greeting cards out of recycled paper and natural
materials, which are sold in Europe and the United States. Meet
with the artisans who participate in this socially and
environmentally sustainable microbusiness and discuss the
challenges they face, including navigating traditional gender roles,
and access to health care and education. Appreciate this art form
as you work alongside these women and learn how to make your
own cards.
This afternoon visit a school or orphanage in the Sacred Valley
and participate in activities with local students. Practice speaking
Spanish and Quechua with your Peruvian hosts and teach English
through art and games. This is a wonderful opportunity for faculty
trip leaders to introduce their own games and activities.
DATE
May
25
26
DAY OF
WEEK
Thursday
Friday
ITINERARY
OVERNIGHTS
Urubamba /
Machu Picchu
(Aguas Calientes)
Terrazas del Inca
Machu Picchu
(Aguas Calientes)
/ Urubamba
Hotel Mabey
ACTIVITIES
MEALS
After breakfast, travel down the valley to Ollantaytambo and walk B, L, D
the wonderfully preserved ruins and stone streets wedged between
dramatic mountains. Ollantaytambo was home to the royal estate
of the ninth Inca, Pachacuti, one of the most important Inca rulers
because of his role in expanding the empire throughout South
America. After lunch, experience one of the world’s great train
rides as you embark on the journey to Machu Picchu. Sit back,
relax, and enjoy the views as the mighty Urubamba River carves
its way through the Andean peaks outside your window. Descend
into the cloud forest and arrive in Aguas Calientes, the gateway to
Machu Picchu. Or optional 1-day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu
from Kilometer 104.
After a night spent in Aguas Calientes, we head up to Machu B, L, D
Picchu in the morning for a guided tour of this world-famous
complex filled with ancient wonder, natural beauty, and cultural
intrigue. Delve into the different theories about the purpose of this
mountain citadel, and reflect on the way the Inca designed so
many of their structures in relation to the sun, the moon, and the
landscape around them. After a morning spent in the main
complex, enjoy privileged access to a phenomenal hike up Wayna
Picchu, the iconic peak that overlooks Machu Picchu (this hike is
optional). Enjoy a new angle of Machu Picchu, not to mention
breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. We
return to the Urubamba in the evening and prepare for the
upcoming Clean Stove Project and homestay in the highlands of
the Sacred Valley.
DATE
May
27
28
DAY OF
WEEK
Saturday
Sunday
ITINERARY
Sacred Valley
Sacred Valley
OVERNIGHTS
Community Homestay
Community Homestay
ACTIVITIES
MEALS
Join hands with community members from a rural village in the B, L, D
Sacred Valley to help with the Clean Stove Project, a special
Andean Discovery public health initiative. In many high-altitude
communities in Peru, women cook in their homes over an open fire
or stove without sufficient ventilation, usually just a hole in the roof
for the smoke to escape. As a result, families live and breathe in
smoke-filled homes, which lead to a host of respiratory illnesses,
eye infections, and other health problems. Furthermore, most of
the wood used to fuel the stoves is from native trees, which are
rapidly decreasing in number. The Clean Stove project allows us
to work directly with the families of this community, building
platforms for the stoves, brick foundations, and then installing the
stoves and chimneys. In addition to creating a healthier living
environment for the members of the community, you will help the
families save money on wood while also helping the environment
at the same time. During down time, play soccer and other games
or teach English with the children in the community.
During the project, accommodations include homestays with 2-3
students per family.
Clean Stove Project continued. This afternoon take a break from B, L, D
building stoves and enjoy a stroll around the village to discuss the
social and political structure of indigenous communities in the
highlands of Peru.
DATE
May
29
DAY OF
WEEK
Monday
ITINERARY
Sacred Valley /
Cusco
OVERNIGHTS
Hotel Rumi Punku
ACTIVITIES
MEALS
This morning participate in an activity with your host families before
joining community members for a celebratory farewell feast.
B, L, D
Quechua people from the highlands of Peru still adhere to the
beliefs and traditions of their Inca ancestors. This afternoon you
will have the opportunity to participate in one of their most
celebrated rituals: the Pachamanca Ceremony. Derived from the
Quechua words pacha (earth) and manca (cooking vessel), a
Pachamanca is a time-honored Andean cooking technique, in
which a hearty spread of meats and locally harvested produce is
baked in a hole in the earth lined with heated stones and covered
with damp grasses and soil. The food is typically wrapped in
banana leaves and cooked in layers, with potatoes on the bottom,
meats in the middle, and corn, cheese and beans on the top. More
than just a meal, the Pachamanca celebrates fertility and life, and
pays homage to Pachamama (Mother Earth). Join the community
leader in a traditional offering to Mother Earth and reflect on your
work over the past few days before digging in to your delicious
feast. Say “adios” to your new friends and return to Cusco.
Later this evening, head to the hills surrounding Cusco, and enjoy
a special stargazing night with a local astronomer. Learn about the
stars in the Southern Hemisphere, which make up entirely new
constellations, and explore the significance of astronomy in the
Inca civilization.
DATE
May
30
31
DAY OF
WEEK
Tuesday
Wednesday
ITINERARY
OVERNIGHTS
Cusco / Lima /
Depart
Arrive home
ACTIVITIES
MEALS
This morning continue exploring Cusco as you travel by foot and B, L, D
vehicle down its cobbled streets and narrow passageways with
brightly painted balconies overhead. You’ll discover the city’s roots
as a battleground between colonial and indigenous forces as you
visit sites that testify to the mix of cultures the city embodies today.
The first stop is a local, open-air market where Cusqueños buy
their produce, meats, and cheeses. Discover exotic fruits, and
several varieties of quinoa, the Andean superfood, as well as
unusual items like guinea pig and live frogs. Sample local
delicacies, such as Chuta bread, which is cooked in traditional
wood-burning ovens. Then, travel back in time as you take in the
historic Plaza de Armas, and the Coricancha, the Inca’s Sun
Temple.
This afternoon fly to Lima with your Andean Discovery Program
Leader who will assist with your check-in for your international
flight to the U.S.
Arrive home
Meals included: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
2017 pricing in USD
Land and internal airfare package
Based on 13-16 paying travelers: $2,575 per person**
Based on 10-12 paying travelers: $2,670 per person**
Based on 07-09 paying travelers: $2,750 per person*
Single supplement: $425
**Two free land and internal airfare for trip leaders (in double room)
*One free land and internal airfare for trip leader, plus Second trip leader 50% discount (in double room)
International airfare:
Estimated cost of $1,000 - $1,100 per person (An additional deposit of $100 per person may apply for flight reservations). International airfare
for the trip leaders has not been included in the package prices.
Included: þ
þ
þ
Accommodations based on double, triple, or quadruple occupancy as per itinerary
All activities and excursions as per the above itinerary conducted on a private basis
þ
þ
Private transportation as per the above itinerary
Clean Stove Project
þ
þ
Internal round-trip flights Lima to Cusco
Tourist Class train for Standard package round-trip (Ollantaytambo > Aguas Calientes)
þ
þ
All meals as per the above itinerary inclusive of restaurant staff tips (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Full time Andean Discovery English speaking Program Leader
þ
þ
Park fees and entrance fees to archeological sites as per the above itinerary and entrance fee to Machu Picchu
Guest Cell Phone for use during the trip
þ
Drinking water between meals
Not Included:
International round-trip airfare to Lima, Peru (available upon request)
Gratuities for staff such as guides and drivers (see pre-departure Adventure Handbook for recommendations)
Meals and expenses en route
Laundry, phone and other items of a personal nature
Cost of hospitalization and evacuation if necessary
Fees for passport, visas, and immunizations, if applicable
Group travel insurance (Available upon request)
Please note: Andean Discovery (AD) will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic,
environmental, cultural, or wildlife patterns) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. AD reserves the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if
necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility
of the participant.