Travel Itinerary
WALDORF IMMERSION
Sample Itinerary
Authentic cultural travel broadens horizons and enriches the spirit, affording a deeper understanding of the world in which we live.
DAY ONE / SUNDAY
Arrival Sacred Valley
Take a spectacular morning flight to Cusco, the navel of the world, landing in the heart of the Andes. You will be greeted at the Cusco airport to begin your Peruvian immersion. Enjoy a 45-minute scenic drive through the Peruvian countryside and small villages to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Revel in your first glimpse of Peruvian landscape—the striking beauty of the snow topped peaks, mountainsides delineated by Inca terraces, and fields that cover the valley floor. Arrive in Pisac’s small town charm and settle into your room at the Pisac Inn, enjoying a cup of coca tea to help you acclimate. Savor your first in a series of delicious meals spun into a select set menu prepared by the Inn’s renowned restaurant Cuchara de Palo which explores the diversity and richness of Peru’s ancient agrarian heritage. Take the afternoon to acclimate or wander the cobblestone streets of Pisac on your own. Gather for an orientation reception followed by a welcoming dinner.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: L, D
DAY TWO / MONDAY
Cusco Archeological Sites
Enjoy a 30-minute scenic drive to explore pre-Columbian sites outside of Cusco including the sacred spring of Tambomachay, the lunar and solar observatories of Kenko, and megalithic Sacsayhuaman zigzag walls are built with some of the largest stones to be found in Inca masonry. You will be captivated by the introduction to Andean astronomy and sacred geometry, the foundation of Andean culture that will be expanded on each day of your journey. Enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by natural beauty and ancient ruins, with time to draw and paint. Before dinner learn about the unique vision of Kusi Kawsay Andean School that combines elements of Waldorf Pedagogy with Andean tradition and what to expect during your time there. Dinner followed by an evening walk to observe the stars of the southern hemisphere. See the constellation of the Southern Cross and other important constellations connected to the genesis of Andean culture.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, Picnic, D
DAY THREE / TUESDAY
Kusi Kawsay Andean School
After breakfast, walk up to Kusi Kawsay Andean School . Enjoy a guided tour of the school, learn about the history of Kusi Kawsay and unique vision that weaves Andean tradition with elements of Waldorf pedagogy. Participate in designated volunteer projects such as assisting a teacher, or helping at the school’s Organic Farm with weeding, planting, harvesting, composting, selecting seeds etc. You might join a music class, learn a bit of Quechua, or play with the students during recess. Return to Pisac Inn and enjoy some time to reflect before dinner. After dinner, participate in an evening coca leaf offering, a unique opportunity to personally engage in an authentic Andean ceremony.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, L, D
DAY FOUR / WEDNESDAY
Kusi Kawsay & Pisac Site
Spend morning at the Kusi Kawsay Andean School to continue with designated volunteer projects. Hike to the Pisac archeological site where the staggering agricultural terrace work is among the most extensive in the area following the shape of the mountainsides in entrancing concave and convex forms. with magnificent vistas up and down the valley. Explore Intihuatana, the central astronomic and ceremonial area complete with fountains that is widely acclaimed as some of the finest stonework, comparable to that of Machu Picchu. Absorb the expansive natural setting with magnificent vistas up and down the valley floor, find a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch, and draw and paint. Upon return to Pisac wander the streets, or enjoy a sunset stroll along the corn fields before dinner followed by a festive traditional music and dance with a local group of youth, musicians, artists and visionaries who have dedicated their lives to preserving their Andean culture. This presentation follows the Andean agrarian ritual calendar with in depth explanations.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, Picnic, D
DAY FIVE / THURSDAY
Kusi Kawsay & Ollantaytambo
After breakfast walk to the Kusi Kawsay Andean School to continue with designated volunteer projects. Meet at Pisac Inn at 11am to get ready to drive through the Sacred Valley to the Inca town Ollantaytambo. Enjoy a nice lunch out before hiking through Ollantaytambo’s magnificent archeological site with an impressive astronomical observatory, irrigation waterways, fountains, and ceremonial site. Learn about the Llama constellation and take some time for drawing and painting before exploring the town that was built in the shape of a corncob. Upon return to Pisac, enjoy a special dinner.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, D, (lunch not included)
DAY SIX / FRIDAY
Traditional Community of Amaru
Delight in a 45-minute drive into the majestic high Andes and walk through the patchwork fields replete with potatoes, fava beans and corn to the traditional highland community of Amaru, where a genuinely authentic way of life is still practiced to this day. You will be welcomed with an endearing sweetness rarely felt in this day and age by this community that is consciously preserving and practicing their ancestral heritage. Through participation in a communal workday a beautiful cultural exchange unravels as you experience this incredible opportunity to step back in time and appreciate a quality of life with an admirable simplicity that is strikingly moving and profound. Activities may include planting, harvesting, or selecting produce. Enjoy a traditional lunch prepared with their prized agrarian products as the women begin to spin their naturally dyed wool. Others meditatively set up their back-strap looms to share their ancestral weaving skills with us. Spend some time drawing and painting in this amazing location. This wonderful opportunity to purchase textiles directly from the weavers is not to be missed. Return to Pisac and enjoy a quiet evening with dinner.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, L, D
DAY SEVEN / SATURDAY
Machu Picchu
Get an early start for your amazing day trip to Machu Picchu, renown as a wonder of the world! After breakfast begin the one-hour drive through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo to catch the morning train. Enjoy the spectacular ride and observe the vegetation change, as you get closer to the rainforest. Take a 20-minute bus ride up to magnificent Machu Picchu. Isolated among mountain peaks, this awe-inspiring site carries sacred mathematical and scientific wisdom yet to be fully discovered. Explore the important sectors full of astronomic explanations, and immerse yourself in the beautiful natural setting and ancient ruins. Return to Aguas Calientes for a light dinner before catching the train to Ollantaytambo and drive back to Pisac. After a full day of exploring, your return to Pisac Inn feels like coming home.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, Picnic (dinner not included)
DAY EIGHT / SUNDAY
Tipon
Drive to Tipon, an amazing archeological site full of water channels that come from a natural underground spring. The Inca were brilliant engineers who integrated their architecture with its natural surroundings. Tipon, a 500-acre site built around a spring near Cusco, has been called their masterpiece of water management. Hike the site, and find a perfect spot for a picnic lunch, and drawing. Tipon has beautiful stone terraces with fountains and irrigation channels that still function, which provides an endless, soothing soundtrack of running water. Upon return to Pisac, spend the afternoon exploring the festive Sunday market on your own before dinner.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, Picnic, D
DAY NINE / MONDAY
Kusi Kawsay
After breakfast, participate in your final morning at your volunteer project at Kusi Kawsay. After lunch, explore the food market where locals buy and trade their produce. Taste a variety of exotic fruit and get a few ingredients that will be used in the late afternoon cooking event at Fielding and Roman’s home. Go to the nearby town of Taray to prepare dinner together. Following dinner, participate in a guided reflection and closing circle before returning to Pisac.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, L, D
DAY TEN / TUESDAY
Cusco City
Drive to Cusco, visit the main pre-Colombian Inca Temple, Coricancha. Have lunch out in the city and spend the afternoon strolling through the streets of Cusco, the Plaza de Armas, admiring the Inca walls, and exploring the shops and museums. Late afternoon return to Pisac to pack, followed by evening farewell dinner celebration.
Hotel: Pisac Inn Meals: B, D (lunch not included)
DAY ELEVEN / WEDNESDAY
Departure Day
Included
Not Included
