CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
PSMHI3 – THE PATH OF INCA KNOWLEDGE
SUMMARY
DURATION AND SEASON
02 Days / 01 Night
LOCATION
Department of Cusco
ALTITUDE
From 2350 to 3300 m
ATTRACTIONS
Archaeological and historical complexes: Archaeological complexes of Moray, Ollantaytambo,
Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu, Salt mines of Maras.
Natural complexes: Local flora and fauna
TYPE OF TOURISM
Historical tourism
TYPE OF SERVICE
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Private
GUIDE – TOUR CONDUCTOR
Spanish, English, French and other according to availability and demand
DESCRIPTION
During this journey, we will try to understand how the Incas understood their world; their
symbolic view about construction and development of human activities and their relationship
with the earth and the stars.
CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
ITINERARY
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Day 1:CUSCO – CHECOQ – MORAY – MARAS – OLLANTAYTAMBO
Pick up at your hotel in Cusco or another point which would be agreed on.
BEGINNING OF THE SERVICES
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Visit to Checoq - The site of Cheqoq is challenging in
more than one way. You will find stairs, platforms,
rectangular buildings with roofs that may be covered
with thatch, or “ichu” straw and which seem to be mainly
warehouses or more precisely, Inca refrigerators.
Traditionally, “qolqas” Colcas or warehouses are intended
primarily to maintain reserves of food in optimal
conditions, outside, in cool places. Further studies show
that they were put in such a way that doors or windows are oriented in the coldest
direction, capturing the coolest winds or icy nights. But here, additional elements appear:
first the inner leads can capture currents of fresh air, but sometimes, the air is not the
only way to control the refrigeration. It seems that there is a humidity control and
temperature control.
A drain system is clearly identifiable at the doorway. The engineers have melted the
combined effects of water and air in certain conduits to generate a real circuit in
thermoregulation as the principle of a refrigerator today. The cool wind funneled through
conduits affects the water temperature and vice versa, maintaining a balance also
transmitted to the stone and earth, and finally to room or storage areas for food and
other items to keep.
Visit of the archaeological complex of Moray
This is a unique archaeological complex with giant natural
holes on the surface of the land that were used to build
agricultural terraces or platforms with their respective
irrigation canals. There is an average of 15°C of
difference between the highest and the lowest part of
the site, some 30 m deep. In these formations, nature
has
created
an
environment,
conditions,
and
microclimates, which nowadays is created by the man
thanks to greenhouses.
Moray, thanks to its climatic conditions and other
characteristics, was an important centre for the domestication, aclimatisation, and hibridisation
of wild vegetable species that were modified or adapted for human consumption. It is a
CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
greenhouse prototype, or experimental biological station, rather advanced for its times. It
helped the American people in the past bring to humanity 60% of the vegetable products that it
consumes; it helped the Andean man consume 1500 different types of potato, 150 varieties of
corn, and many other products.
 Visit of Maras
The salt mines of Maras have existed since the pre-Incan era. They date back to time in which
salt was highly valued, and rationed accordingly. Salt was very important for Peru. If it was not
wealth in the strict sense, it constituted a power factor. It was a form of payment of the State,
a gift, the offering in times in which the preservation of foods- meat, fish, shellfish- was
practically impossible without adequate salting.
This can be seen in the village of Maras where the most important inhabitants illustrated their
weight in society by the opulence of the entrance ways in their houses, which still take the name
of the families that built them.
The salt mines are located in an unexpected and surprising place. Hundreds of retention pools of
salt were erected over the sides of the mountain, hanging in a little gorge that flows over the
Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The salt gets to the gorge via a river that comes out to the left of the gorge. Big quantities of
salt mass at the core of the mountain. According to local inhabitants, there has already been
some research into the origin and volume of the salt, however, none was successful. Slowly the
salt dissolves in the water which comes to the surface.
CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
Following this, the saturated water is drained through an infinite number of small canals, to
pools in which centimetres of solar-heated water evaporates to let the salt deep down; the
evaporation generates the star-shaped formation of the salt. The families which work with each
pool spend all day bent-down with their feet soaked in the salt water. Then, with little boards,
they begin to scrub the salt stuck at the bottom of the pools. They make piles which are dried
before packing the salt to lift it onto a man’s back and to be carried to one of the 6 deposits
where they weigh the bags.
Nowadays, this work is still an exhausting task from another time that produces little money for
a product that exists in quantity and is commonly imported.
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Lunch in Urubamba
Visit of Ollantaytambo, the last living Inca village
Located 80km north-east of Cusco and 40km from Machu Picchu by train, Ollantaytambo village
is situated at 2792masl in Urubamba province.
In Inca times, the tampus were the living quarters which could accommodate thousands of
people thanks to their gigantic granaries, their very well developed road networks and
astronomic observatories. They were also characterized by their proximity to Cusco being
located on the Inca Empire’s main road, which allowed the travellers to have a rest while going to
important places like the Machu Picchu sanctuary.
Each one of this tampus or tambos owed its name to an important person in the Empire. In this
way, Paucar’s tambo was Paucartambo and Ollanta’s, Ollantaytambo. This very one is quite
singular thanks to its strategic location.
CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
This Inca village presents some characteristics proving that members from the upper class used
to live there. In total, only Cusco and Ollantaytambo are built according to this model: whether
on the highest part of the town (on the mountain side) or in the valley, the architecture is the
same and differs from the others Inca architectonic complex. The residential district is
composed of carved-stone walls and trapezoid-shape doors. Along the straight roads, the water
flows in some perfectly designed canals.
Ollantaytambo also keeps the secret of two famous legends: the first one tells that the gods’
messenger, the Tunupa, arrived in the village a long time before the Inca Empire’s creation, and
that he was disguised as an old man in rags. The inhabitants and in particular, the Curaca (chief)
of the village, accommodated him with all the honours. In order to thank him, Tunupa offered
him the stick he walked with. According to the legend, it turned into gold when the Curaca’s son
was born. This first child, who was called Manco Capac, went out of Ollantaytambo brandishing
it. After sticking it in a mountain close to Cusco (Huanacauri), he decided to build the Inca
Empire and to found its capital at this very place.
The second legend tells that an Empire’s general fell in love with the Inca Pachacutec’s daughter
and he decided to kidnap her in order to marry her. From this general’s name, Ollanta, comes the
name of the town.
 Dinner not included
 Night in Ollantaytambo (possibility to take the train and spend the night in Aguas
Calientes)
CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
Day 02: VISIT TO MACHUPICCHU
Breakfast
Train transfer to Aguas Calientes depending on the spaces.
Early in the morning, we will take the buses leading to the impressive citadel of Machu
Picchu, where we will be able to appreciate the sunrise. We will observe one of the
World’s Seven Wonders and its architectural techniques, which are unique in Peru.
 Entrance to MachuPicchu
The impressive and colossal citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the
most important tourist attractions in Cusco. 400 years hidden by
the mountains and tropical jungle, it was rediscovered in 1911 by
the explorer Hiram Bingham.
Machu Picchu was a cultural and astronomical observation centre,
whilst also a private refuge for the Inca Pachacutec. It is made up
of 2 large areas, one agricultural, and another urban one, where its
temples, squares, and royal mausoleums stand out for the exquisite
perfection of their construction.
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After our visit, we will return by bus to Aguas Calientes
Lunch not included.
Return to Ollantaytambo by train and to Cusco by bus
END OF THE SERVICES
MAP
CUSCO
Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq
T: 51+ 84 233952
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
WE RECOMMEND
LAMBAYEQUE
Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo
T: 51 +74 221282
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CUSCO
LAMBAYEQUE
Email: [email protected]
www.chaskiventura.com
SERVICES AND CONFORT
Entrance to MachuPicchu and Maras
Meal per person: lunch day 1
Night in Ollantaytambo
Private transport
Train tickets Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes- Poroy
Bus to Machupicchu (round trip)
Official tourism guide
Lunch of the second day, Dinners
General Touristic Ticket (entrance to Moray and Ollantaytambo)
Extra drinks
Tips for the staff
Camera and/or video camera with extra battery
Light clothing, comfortable shoes, rain coat, cap
Rucksack or suitcase
Extra cash, particularly for those interested in purchasing
handicrafts
Water bottle, insect repellent, sunscreen (the sun is much stronger
in altitude), personal toiletries
Personal medicines
Tel : (00-51-84) -233952
Cel.: (00-51- 74) 979232848 / RPM #744846
WWW.CHASKIVENTURA.COM
[email protected]