Journey to the Sacred Valley of Urubamba
November 4th – 10th 2023
(Includes Machu Picchu and Cusco)
*Optional Extension to Mystical Lake Titicaca
November 10th-14th
Join HeatherAsh Amara, Don Jorge Delgado, Dr. Marie Mbouni, and the Queros (shamans) of Peru’s Sacred Valley in a weeklong immersion of mystery, spirituality, and ancient tradition that will further your journey of personal transformation.
Long before the advent of organized religion, shamans acted as intermediaries between human beings and the divine. Using music, dance, and ritual, shamans accessed unseen worlds, bringing back wisdom to benefit their communities.
Today, shamans continue to keep these sacred practices alive. Thanks to years of intense training, often with the help of plant allies, shamans can see the subtle energy patterns that cause us difficulty and pain. Under their wise direction, we can learn to shift our perspectives, remove stubborn inner blockages, and step into lives of greater ease, flow, and spontaneity.
Our travels to Peru will put us in direct contact with this 40,000-year-old lineage. With trusted guides supporting our journey every step of the way, we will sit with local shamans, explore sacred sites, and learn ancient Inca practices that will supercharge our ability to heal, grow, and transform.
Your journey begins as soon as you arrive at the airport in Cusco, Peru, where our staff will be waiting to whisk you away to the luxury hotel of Taypikala Valle Sagrado in the Sacred Valley of Urubamba. This quiet resort will serve as the home base for the first five nights of our journey.
Take time to relax after your travels. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley and allow your body to adjust to the altitude (approximately 8,000 feet above sea level).
Later this evening, we will officially begin our journey together with a fire ceremony and dinner.
Dinner included.
This day begins by traveling to the town of Ollantaytambo, which is approximately 3,500 years old. It was built strategically on a steep mountainside overlooking three valleys, and is believed to have provided refuge for Inca royalty and nobility. The Ollantaytambo builders chose this site because of the underground waterways, which allowed them to construct an aqueduct system that’s still there today. We will visit a temple to the Condor, a local marketplace, and a traditional Inca home.
Following our visit to Ollantaytambo, we will continue on to Pakaritampu Pyramid, also known as the “Temple of the Sun.” This ancient sundial was central to Inca practices around the solstice and equinox. We will learn about the history and science of this fascinating archeo-astronomical site, and have the opportunity to soak in the vibrations of this highly significant place.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Start the day with a scenic bus ride along the Urubamba River. Our first stop is the town of Urco, where we will participate in a traditional Chicha ceremony. Chicha is a fermented beverage brewed from corn, which the Incas used for ritual purposes while communicating with their ancestors and gods. During the ceremony we will offer this drink to Mother Earth in gratitude for our life and its gifts.
We will then continue on to the town of Pisac. At the time of the Inca Empire, Pisac was an important agricultural site. The name Pisac means “partridge,” and researchers believe the curving terraces built into the hillsides were designed to mimic the shape of a partridge wing. We will visit a temple where coca leaves are used to send thanks to the apu—the spirit of the mountains—and to Pachamama.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
We will depart at sunrise for a breathtaking train ride through the lush Urubamba river canyon to the town of Aguas Calientes. Here, we will have time to wander the charming cobblestoned streets before catching our bus to Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu, also known as the “Crystal City,” has been a spiritual and ceremonial center since its construction in the fifteenth century. We will begin our visit by asking permission to enter from the guardians of the site: the Puma and the Condor. We will then journey into the sacred complex, where our guides will introduce us to the Inca concepts of Munay (love), Llancay (service) and Yachay (wisdom).
Machu Picchu is thought to function as a spiritual amplifier, adding power and energy to one’s deepest intentions. We will take the opportunity to meditate, commune, and invoke our highest aspirations in this most sacred of locations.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
The morning begins by checking out of our hotel in Urubamba and departing by bus to visit the small town of Chinchero, known as the “Birthplace of the Rainbow” and famous for its handwoven textiles. Local weavers will demonstrate their techniques for creating stunning lliklla, or traditional blankets.
Later on, we will be driven to the city of Cusco, where we will visit some of the most significant temples in Peru, including Illapata, the “Temple of Light,” where we will learn a technique for releasing the past; Kusillochayoc, the “Temple of the Heart,” where we’ll practice the sacred ceremony of surrendering to love; and Qenko, the “Labyrinth Rock of Sacsaywaman,” where we’ll tap into our energies.
We will spend the night at the charming Taypikala Hotel Cusco, just three blocks from Cusco’s main square and 150 feet from the Temple of the Sun. HeatherAsh Amara, Don Jorge Delgado, and Dr. Marie Mbouni will guide us through a closing ceremony at which we can reflect on our experiences and integrate the teachings we received.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Relax at the hotel as you await your transfer to the Cusco airport. Take the time to meditate, journal, and integrate your experience in a way that feels meaningful to you.
Breakfast included.
Sacred Valley of Urabamba
*Discounted pricing in effect through June 1st*
We will continue our journey by traveling south along the Andean range to Lake Titicaca, the largest freshwater lake in South America and home to the Uros people, who live on floating islands made of sedge. HeatherAsh Amara, Don Jorge Delgado, and Dr. Marie Mbouni will guide us in Inca-inspired practices to open our hearts, deepen our gratitude, and connect with our inner sun.
We will board a bus to Puno, a bustling town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Along the way, we will visit the Temple of Wiracocha, an Inca deity known as the giver of life. This temple is thought to have been built following the eruption of a nearby volcano, to appease the god and bring good fortune to the region’s inhabitants. Our guides will lead us in a ceremony connecting us to the source of life and setting our intentions for the days ahead.
Leaving Wiracocha, we will follow powerful energetic lines leading to the pre-Inca city of Pucara, an ancient cultural center where nine stone pyramids are carved with images of serpents, pumas, fish, and frogs.
That evening, we will arrive at the charming Taypikala Lago Hotel, our home base for the next four nights, just in time for a delicious dinner, followed by an integration ceremony with our guides.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
We'll be traveling to Sillustani, a site renowned for its powerful telluric force. Located on the shores of Lake Umayo with breathtaking views of the reflected sky, archeologists believe Sillustani was an ancient cemetery for the most important Peruvian high priests and nobility. It is here that we will see the chullpass, or burial towers, constructed during the pre-Inca civilization. These burial towers were designed with an entrance facing east, allowing the deceased to communicate with the Sun God.
Our guides will lead us through a ceremony at the Temple of Fire, connecting us with the cosmic spiral and awakening our inner sun.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Rising early to greet the sun, we will travel by bus to the harbor of Puno, where we will catch a boat to the Cosmic Portal: Lake Titicaca. At three million years old, Lake Titicaca is one of just a handful of ancient lakes still in existence today. We will visit the indigenous Uros people, who live on floating islands in the middle of the lake, carrying on the subsistence lifestyle of their ancestors.
Our guides will lead us in a ceremony offering thanks to Mama Qocha, or “Mother Water,” after which we will board a traditional reed boat to participate in an authentic Uros dreaming ceremony.
With our hearts and minds invigorated, we will continue on to Taquile Island, home to Peru’s foremost practitioners of traditional knitting and textile weaving. Sitting on the sandy beach, gazing out at the Urubamba Royal Range, we will perform a gratitude ceremony, inviting the sun into our hearts and lives.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
On our final day together, we’ll travel by bus to visit mysterious pre-Inca crop circles whose circular design is a stunning example of sacred geometry. From here, we’ll continue to Inka Camaña, where pre-Inca astronomers erected megalithic structures to face the sun as it rises. After exploring the carved stone stairways and altars overlooking Lake Titicaca, we’ll do a ceremony honoring “Asiru Patjata,” the great snake of the volcano.
Our final stop for the day will be Aramu Muru, also known as the “City of the Spirits.” This massive stone doorway was believed by the Inca to be a portal, allowing priests and shamans to travel anywhere within the Inca empire or even to astral planes. Walking along a trail of sandstone rocks, we will pause at the traditional “drinking place of the Inca,” where the Inca people drank light. Our guides will lead us in a practice to activate our own inner light before continuing on to visit the portal.
Back at the hotel, there will be time for reflection and integration, followed by dinner and an intimate closing ceremony.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
This morning, comfortable airport shuttles will bring us to the airport in Juliaca, where we’ll fly to Lima (airfare not included) and onwards to our own destinations. This downtime is a precious opportunity to integrate, reflect, and prepare for the next steps in our lives.
Breakfast included.
Our mission is to facilitate personal growth and understanding in our community. Please email info@insighteventsusa.com for any questions or concerns or use the contact form below, or call 1-888-800-4240. All event tickets include a small credit card fee which is listed as SHIPPING at checkout. We do not ship any tickets. Click here to view more information on our Refund Policy.
