A MAGICAL JOURNEY TO MACHU PICCHU
Experience
the Spiritual, Traditional, Cultural and
Mystical Wonders of Peru Ten night program June 23-July 3rd 2010 Registration deadline April 15th, 2010. Call 480 212 6747 to register. Magical Journey invites
you on a journey to the ancient and mysterious land of Peru. Willka T'ika
Guesthouse, set in breathtaking gardens in the Sacred Valley of the Inka, was
designed as a modern retreat center. The surrounding gardens are filled with
Andean medicinal plants, brilliant flowers and organically grown vegetables,
all featured in our gourmet strictly vegetarian meals. Our menus also include
delicious and nutritious protein-filled Andean cereals and legumes. Seven
sacred gardens for healing and meditation, indoor meditation rooms,
solar-heated floral medicinal baths, healing massage rooms and a crystal bed
healing room are all available to guests.
This program also offers
you a spiritual and cultural adventure for mind, body and soul. Each day after
a relaxed buffet breakfast, you will visit a different ancient Inkan site in
the Sacred Valley. Time is set aside for hiking and your personal exploration
and meditation inside each sacred site. At all times, you will
travel with a guide passionate about her work, who will spark your excitement
as you come into contact with the traditions and spirituality of each ancient
site. Diana will ensure that your adventure is organized to cater to your
individual needs. We invite you to step out
of yourself and enter the mystical world of Peru, the cradle of a unique
culture and its spiritual traditions. You are invited to participate in an
authentic ritual led by a practicing healer who is a seer in the Andean
tradition and a modern day representative of an age-old line of spiritual
authority. And you are invited to a sound healing ceremony at Machu Picchu. The package includes six
nights at Willka T’ika, two days in fascinating Cusco City, two days at Machu
Picchu, guides, authentic Andean ceremonies, transport, hotel accommodation,
entrance tickets and tourist train to Machu Picchu. All meals at Willka T’ika,
a welcome lunch in Cusco and special dinner at Machu Picchu are included.
A Magical Journey to Machu
Picchu provides the opportunity to connect on a deeper level to the indigenous
culture and authentic spirituality of the Quechua people. We guarantee that in
this program there is something for everyone. You will be inspired by: ·
Willka T’ika Garden Retreat
Centre: A place of serenity, peace and exquisite beauty. ·
Early morning/evening
meditations in our beautiful gardens and studios. ·
Magnificent Andean peaks and
Sacred Valley scenery. ·
Mysterious ancient cities and
temples including Machu Picchu. ·
Vibrant and colourful Quechua
people in their mountain villages. ·
Andean culture and cosmology.
Participation in authentic ancient ceremonies. Itinerary Day
One: Departure
from home country for Cusco City via Lima. Day
Two: The
program begins in Cusco, ancient capital of the Inkan Empire. Magical Journey
airport transfer to comfortable hotel conveniently situated off the historic
Plaza de Armas. Rest for a few hours and acclimate to the 11,000ft altitude
before the program officially begins. At 1pm, your guide will meet you
downstairs in the lobby. Magical Journey invites you to a welcome lunch,
followed by a group orientation meeting with your leader and guide and an
introduction to this special program. Late afternoon walk through the
cobblestone streets of Cusco where your guide will point out fascinating Inkan
stonework en route to the Korikancha Temple, the holiest site during Inkan
times. Explore the remarkable technological wonders of this remarkable culture.
Early night to rest, or enjoy a walk through the San Blas Artists' district, a
quaint area filled with artisan and art shops. Stop in at one of the lively
restaurants or coffee shops. (L) Day
Three: After a
buffet breakfast in the hotel, early bus to the Inkan ritual fountain at
Tampumachay, the perfect starting place for our program on Andean cosmology.
“Where there is water, there is life.” To the Andean people water is sacred and
we invite you to participate in a water ceremony to balance and open your
energy centers, activating and enhancing your creative and healing forces. A
brief coca-leaf ceremony will invite you to tap into the energies of Pachamama
(Mother Earth). Continue onward with a visit to the sacred sites
at Saksaywaman overlooking the city of Cusco. Impressive stonework and
structures weighing hundreds of tons will leave you in awe. How did the
ancestors of the Quechua and Inkans build those structures without the use of
the wheel and steel implements? Return to Cusco for lunch on your own or free
time to explore some of the quality silver shops on the main square. Group
meets back at the hotel for afternoon departure to the Sacred Valley and Willka
T'ika Garden Guest House, your base over the next week. Willka
T’ika was built especially for Magical Journey groups to practice yoga or related
activities such as movement, music and meditation in a garden setting, all
while enjoying the splendor of the Andes. Orientation at Willka T'ika followed
by a welcome dinner and introduction to our friendly Quechua staff, who will
take care of your needs during your stay. (B.D) At Willka T'ika you will enjoy the peace and
tranquility of Nature surrounded by an abundance of Andean flowers and
medicinal herbs, the perfect setting for healing/meditation practitioners. Our
vegetarian meals cater to the special health diets and requirements of our
guests and include high protein Andean grains and fruits. All meals at Willka
T'ika are vegetarian, with large amounts of our organic food grown in the
sacred energy of our gardens. While at Willka T'ika there will be time to
schedule a private massage/healing session in our healing rooms, a crystal bed
treatment, or a soak in our hot outdoor Andean baths filled with minerals from
Pachamama and medicinal herbs and flowers from the gardens. Enjoy some of the wonderful offerings at Willka
T’ika. Make sure that you set time aside to explore the seven healing gardens
filled with medicinal herbs and flowers. Check out the array of unique Andean
birds in the gardens. In addition, the following optional services may
be arranged once you arrive at Willka T'ika: Spa in the Andes: Enjoy an Andean full body massage with aromatherapy oils for $65 per
hour. At night under the stars treat yourself to a solar bath filled with
aromatic medicinal flowers from our gardens and mineral salts for purification
for $20 per bath. A half-hour treatment on our crystal bed imported from the
miracle healer John of God in Brazil is $30 for a half-hour healing session, a
wonderful offering to balance body and spirit. GUESTS PLEASE NOTE: The
providers of the above services need to be paid in cash in US dollars (untorn bills) or Peruvian soles. Peru is a cash
country. Providers cannot accept credit cards. Hikes: There are many unspoiled hikes and trails in this area. Your guide
will be happy to lead hikers along country trails where you will see everyday
Andean life. Willka T’ika facilities: ·
Two magnificent sunlit
yoga/multipurpose studios look out to the mountains and flower-filled gardens.
The well-equipped studios are built from natural earth materials, with heating
and hardwood flooring. ·
The Takiwasi music room has a
supply of Andean musical instruments for your pleasure. Our Yachaywasi library
with its cozy fireplace has a great selection of books on all subjects. Guests are encouraged to tune into nature or
simply enjoy the peace and flowers in the gardens. ·
River rafting on the nearby
Urubamba River. The cost of this four-hour outing is $50 per person and
includes lunch. You will be picked up and returned by the rafting company.
Professional outfitters also offer mountain bike riding. ·
Horse riding. Nearby stables
offer guided rides on local trails. The cost is approximately $25 per hour. Attention
shoppers - Peru has
markets filled with wonderful goods. If you like to shop, when you see all the
Andean offerings, you will want to buy a variety of beautiful hand-woven goods,
ceramics, music, alpaca sweaters, hats, gloves and loads of creative jewelry. If
you are tempted by any of the offerings and you enjoy shopping in foreign
country markets, please plan to bring EXTRA CASH in US currency (untorn bills).
Based on feedback from past participants, Magical Journey recommends that you
bring extra cash in US dollars. Euros can be changed in Cusco. Day Four: Special
day with authentic Andean ceremony. Morning meditation and buffet
breakfast. After breakfast group orientation tour of the seven sacred
gardens at Willka T'ika. Incorporating Andean symbols, these magnificent flower
and herbal gardens bring wholeness to our being and have been built with love
and guidance from nature. Group attunement and meditation in the gardens
connect us with Pachamama and further enhances our connection to the energies
of the Sacred Valley. Our guests are encouraged to spend time and meditate in
the splendors of nature during their stay at Willka T’ika and during visits to
nearby ancient sites. Energetic guests may hike in the countryside,
stopping at a neighbor's chicharia to see how the traditional drink is
brewed. Chicha, made from Sara (sacred corn), is an important
component in ceremonies to the Apukuna (mountain spirits). Our staff,
all children of traditional Quechua campesinos will happily accompany you and
invite you into their nearby homes.
Others may wish to use the time to rest, paint and write in their
journals. Early afternoon also is the best time to schedule coca-leaf readings.
After an early dinner, an authentic pakko
– a ritual specialist – invites the group to participate in a special Andean
offering ceremony to Pachamama. Conducted for the well-being of the group and
practiced by Andean Quechua for thousands of years, this despacho
healing ceremony invites you into their spirit-filled world. The despacho ends
with a fire ceremony, preparing our mind, body and spirit for our pilgrimage to
Machu Picchu. (B.L.D) Day
Five: After
breakfast, we welcome the sparkling energies of the day with a drive through the
Sacred Valley to the spectacular ruins of P'isaq. Overlooking impressive Inkan
terraces, we hike the non-tourist trail to the Inkan Temple of the Sun, a
doorway to the upper Andean world of the Condor, messenger of the Gods.
Optional meditation and optional hike down the mountain to the colorful market
of P'isaq. Be prepared - this market offers a wonderful opportunity to buy
woven goods, jewelry, colorful wall hangings and hand-painted beadwork, as well
as wonderful photographic opportunities. Observe the colorful
traditionally-dressed campesinos coming to barter and sell their produce. Our
guide will recommend some delicious options for an inexpensive al fresco lunch,
where you can watch the lively activities of the market. Return to Willka T'ika
in the afternoon with time to relax before dinner. Optional visit to 100%
Alpaca shop in the valley. (B.D) Day
Six: After
your own group session and breakfast, your day will begin with a very special
visit to an Andean mountain school (weather permitting). For fifteen years Magical Journey has
maintained contact with dedicated school teachers and traditionally-dressed
pupils in isolated high mountain communities, in areas that few tourists are
privileged to visit. With each visit, we see how Andean communities, so dear to
our hearts, are progressing. The warmth and joy of the children and
their openness in bringing us into their daily lives are experiences not easily
forgotten. Visitors always are humbled and deeply moved by this cultural
exchange. After our visit with the community, we will make
our way to the Ollantaytambo ruins with its wonderful stonework and sun temple.
Preparation for Machu Picchu. (B.L.D) Day Seven: Morning train to Aguas Calientes, the lively village
situated below the nearby Machu Picchu Ruins. After a brief check-in to your
hotel, ascend by bus to the sunlit terraces of the historical Inkan center of
spiritual and political power. In the morning you enter Machu Picchu as
tourists and follow our special guide on a tour of the "Lost City of the
Inka." Thereafter there is plenty of time to return in the afternoon as
pilgrims for meditations and explorations in feminine and masculine energy
sites. Diana will assist the group in deciding which areas they might
wish to further explore or hike. Meet at the hotel at 6pm. Weather permitting, the
group is invited to participate in an outdoor shamanic healing ceremony. The
healer uses special custom-made instruments to tune in deeply to the core
essence of Machu Picchu. After the hour-long ceremony, Magical Journey invites
you to a delicious three-course dinner in one of the finest restaurants in
Aguas Calientes. (B.D) Day Eight: Full morning free to wander through the colorful town of
Aguas Calientes, soak in the outdoor thermal baths, visit the shamans shop and
general market for gifts, clothes and crystals, and have lunch along the river.
The energetic wishing to climb Waynapicchu, Young Mountain, for a
spectacular view of Machu Picchu, may leave on the 5:30am bus and must have
ready approx $40 to reenter the ruins and $12 for a return bus trip (prices are
subject to change). We will meet you back at the hotel in the afternoon
at the appointed time to catch your afternoon train back to Ollantaytampu where
you will transfer to Willka T'ika in time for dinner. (B.D) Day Nine: A day of mindfulness. After Machu Picchu, participants
welcome time to unwind and integrate their experiences. Group will have time
for their final group activity. Massages and crystal bed healing sessions are
available to pamper the body. Some of you may wish to hike into the village of
Urubamba and visit the local ceramic studio where beautiful art is handcrafted
or check out top-quality alpaca sweaters in a nearby shop. Farewell dinner
celebration at Willka T’ika. (B.L.D) Day Ten: There
will be one bus transfer for the group to Cusco Airport for the flight to the
Lima airport and connecting flight home.
Passengers have to be at the airport one and half hours before the flight and
it takes one hour and fifteen minutes from Willka T’ika to the airport. To
avoid getting up at dawn, we suggest that you book your departure from Cusco at
around 11:00-11:30am. Multiple flight departures may require multiple transfers
from the guesthouse at additional cost. With some airline exceptions, overseas
flights out of Lima tend to leave in the evening. (B) Day
Eleven: Arrival
in home city. We strongly suggest that all participants take out travel/health insurance to
protect their travel investment. Net cost based on shared accommodation:
$150
upgrade to luxury rooms at Willka T’ika based on shared accommodation. Program begins and
ends with group Cusco airport transfers. serve delicious
organic vegetarian meals including ample buffet breakfasts, garden lunches
and gourmet dinners. ·
(B.L.D) indicates breakfast, lunch, or dinner
included in the land costs. There
is no facility like Willka T’ika in Peru, and there is no other company we know
that offers an authentic Andean program at this price, with high quality
accommodation, massage and spa options, beautiful meditation facilities,
superior healthy meals, first class services, excellent guides who offer personalized
teachings, wonderful and genuine Andean ceremonies, and a commitment from all
our staff to do their very best to make this a journey of a lifetime. Not included: ·
International return flights
from your country to Cusco via Lima. ·
Please allow between $4-$14 for
the meals not included in the itinerary. ·
Airport departure taxes: Each participant must keep aside a total of
approximately US$44 (US$32 for one international and $6.00 each for two
domestic departures). ·
Second day entrance/bus ticket
into Machu Picchu ($52 – subject to change). ·
Individual airport transfers. ·
Tipping to service providers
($80). ·
Guide tipping (group
discretion). Tipping: It is customary in Peru for each group to tip their guide who will
be with the group the entire time at the end of the program. Past participants
comment on how much the guide enhances the journey. The amount of this tip is
entirely up to the group’s discretion.
Flights:Please coordinate the flight times with Diana to ensure that you all arrive together. We recommend arriving into Cusco by
9:30am in order to get started with acclimation. Peru is currently a very popular
travel destination and we advise that early international and domestic flight
bookings are essential. LAN Airlines has convenient international direct
flights to Lima, with connections on their subsidiary LanPeru to Cusco.
Multiple US carriers fly into Lima. TACA Airlines has international service to
Lima with daily connections to Cusco. If arriving at a different time from the group , you can hire a taxi from within the baggage claim area at the airport
and transfer you from the airport to the hotel in Cusco. Hotel selection depends on availability. Late
registrants cannot be assured of our first choice of hotels and Magical Journey
reminds you that early booking is essential and will ensure your place in this
special program. A late add fee of $150 will be required within 45 days of
program start date. Additional detailed tour information, including suggested packing, reading
and contact lists will be made available to send to participants upon their
registration. All costs are accurate at the time of printing and are subject to
change.