Page 76 - 2022 & 2023 Adventures by Land & Sea

Itinerary the Controversial Topic of the coca plant’s role in of Machu Picchu, so we can explore the ruins long after
Peruvian culture. Afterwards, we check in to our hotel in tour groups have departed.
the Sacred Valley, which is at an elevation of 9,000 feet. B,L,D — El Mapi Hotel or similar

DAY 1 • Depart U.S. • Arrive Lima, Peru
You depart from the U.S. and fly to Lima, Peru. An Please note: We will spend the next three days at DAY • Explore Machu Picchu

O.A.T. representative will greet you at the airport this elevations above 9,000 feet. We recommend staying We return to Machu Picchu in the morning, when the
evening and escort you to your hotel. hydrated and eating light while at high altitude. Travelers ruins are quiet and uncrowded. You can wander the
may rest at the hotel if necessary.
José Antonio Deluxe or similar sprawling ruins on your own, or, depending on which
B,L,D — Villa Urubamba or similar trails are open, choose between two hikes to the Inca

DAY 2 • Explore Lima Bridge or the Sun Gate. We then enjoy an afternoon at

After breakfast, we’ll get acquainted with our Trip DAY 5 • A Day in the Life of the Urubamba leisure in Aguas Calientes.
Experience Leader and group of 8-16 fellow travelers, community • Controversial Topic: Forced B,L — El Mapi Hotel or similar
including those who took our optional pre-trip extensions sterilizations of Peruvian women in the 1990s
to The Peruvian Amazon: Treks, Cruises & Indigenous This morning, we’ll share A Day in the Life of the DAY • Transfer to Cuzco • Chinchero

Communities or Landscapes of Bolivia: La Paz, Lake Titicaca Urubamba community in the Sacred Valley. We’ll meet weaving demonstration
& the Uyuni Salt Flats. Then we set off to explore Lima’s students and teachers at a local school (when in After breakfast, we return by train through the
fashionable Miraflores district. Lunch is on your own session). Donations from Grand Circle spectacular Urubamba Gorge before discovering the
today, and we’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Foundation—part of the World Classroom splendid Ollantaytambo ruins. We then transfer by
initiative—have helped pay for classroom construction
B,D — José Antonio Deluxe or similar bus to Cuzco, arriving in time for lunch at a local
at the school. Next we’ll visit Urubamba’s market and restaurant. This afternoon, we’ll visit Chinchero and

DAY 3 • Explore Lima • Fish market • pick up ingredients for the Home-Hosted Lunch we’ll witness a weaving demonstration by local women.
Larco Museum share as guests of a Sacred Valley family. We’ll also
This morning we’ll visit the Chorrillos fish market sample locally brewed corn beer. Later, we’ll learn about
to meet local fishermen and learn about this vital a Controversial Topic as we meet a local woman for a
industry. Then, we continue on to the Larco Museum, candid conversation about the forced sterilization that Watch this independent video to learn
housed in a former viceroy’s mansion, where we’ll see took place in low-income areas of Peru in the 1990s. more about this adventure
an impressive collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. B,L,D — Villa Urubamba or similar
Later, we’ll embark on a walking tour of downtown

Lima, including the historical center, Central Market, DAY 6 • Sacred Valley • Machu Picchu
and Chinese quarter. Enjoy an included lunch today, After breakfast this morning, we’ll witness a traditional
followed by a free afternoon. healing ceremony conducted by a curandero, an Andean
medicine man. Then we travel by train to Machu Picchu,
B,L — José Antonio Deluxe or similar
the legendary “Lost City of the Incas” and a UNESCO

DAY 4 • Fly to Cuzco • Controversial Topic: World Heritage Site. We’ll depart the train in the town at
Coca’s role in local culture • The Sacred Valley the base of the mountain, then take a bus up to Machu
This morning, we fly to Cuzco, the center of the Incan Picchu. Here we see remnants of the Ritual Baths, Palace
world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We then of the Princess, the Main Fountain, and the Sun and watch video
drive to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. En route, we’ll Condor temples. Later we arrive at our hotel in Aguas
meet women who sell coca leaves and learn about Calientes, which is conveniently located near the base

Meet the people who call Peru & Ecuador home

Family in Urubamba : We’ll visit a local market in Urubamba on Day 5 to pick out
ingredients for our Home-Hosted meal. Then, as guests of a local family, we’ll have a
chance to enter their home, enjoy a lunch of traditional Peruvian dishes prepared with
the ingredients we bought, and have an open dialogue about daily life in the Andes.
Curandero : On Day 6, we’ll meet with a curandero, or shaman, to learn about the
ancient spiritual and healing traditions of the Andean people, which have roots in
Inca culture. We’ll have the chance to observe a traditional healing ceremony and
receive a blessing for good health from the shaman, as well as learn about the
herbs and plants used in the ritual.

Chinchero Weavers : High in the Andes Mountains, the small village of Chinchero
is known for their handmade woven goods. We’ll explore the village on Day 8
and meet with the local weavers, who will show us how they create the intricate,
colorful patterns this region is known for.
Sinamune Disabled Children : While in Quito on Day 12, we’ll pay a visit to the
Sinamune Disabled Children’s Orchestra, a Grand Circle Foundation-supported
school. We’ll have the privilege of watching these talented dancers and musicians
put on a moving musical performance.
On Days 6 and 7, we’ll explore Machu Picchu.
76 Machu Picchu & the Galápagos www.oattravel.com/mpg2022

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