Women’s group tour to Peru

Special Interest

SUMMARY

8 Days

Peru

Women have always been great explorers. And when this thirst for exploration is combined with impactful projects led by local women,the result is a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors and locals alike. This special tour has been designed especially for female travelers, and includes experiences led by female artists and leaders in local communities.

In an effort to create a more sustinable experience, carbon credits have been included in the tour cost. By participating in this unique experience, you will be reducing your carbon footprint during your trip, thus helping to preserve the forests of the Amazon, the lungs of our planet, and an incredible place of biodiversity.

Group size: Maximum of 16 passengers per group. Some shared services (tours, trains, bus transfers) are exceptions, where the shared departure group may join a bigger group for that particular service.

Departs Lima 22 October – Contact our consultants if you and your sisters, friends or colleagues would like to create your own women’s tour of Peru.

HIGHLIGHTS

Travel on a small group tour with up to 16 like-minded travellers
Tour in Lima and Larco Museum with Curator
Meet local women in Misminay who have contributed to gender equality in their community
1st class Vistadome train to Machu Picchu
Full day guided tour of Machu Picchu & 2nd-day entrance included
Explore the beautiful historic centre of Cusco
Options to extend to Arequipa & the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca or the Amazon Rainforest

ITINERARY

Day 1 Lima

Welcome to South America! Arrive at Lima airport and transfer to your hotel where you will meet your fellow travellers and Tour Director. Tonight, gather for a welcome briefing.

Day 2 Lima

Today you will visit the modern and colonial parts of Lima, known as The City of Kings, starting at the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro, and passing along a “huaca” or sacred pre-Inca site, before heading to the Historic Center. There, you will walk through some of the most important streets in the history of the city, which will lead you to the Plaza Mayor, where you can enjoy and take pictures of some of the main examples of colonial architecture. You will also get a glimpse of an iconic building that has served the people of Lima for centuries and continues to be an important cultural space to this day. In addition, you will visit the Convent of Santo Domingo, one of the most important religious buildings of colonial style. After exploring the historic center, you will go to the Larco Museum, which houses the unsurpassed private collection of Treasures of Ancient Peru, where you will have the opportunity to make a visit curated by an archaeologist, which will give us an inspiring and unforgettable experience.
Optional: Art and design shopping tour with Marina Garcia Burgos, a professional photographer and artist, who is passionate about fashion, art, and design. Marina has worked as a fashion photographer for more than 15 years, in important media platforms, such as Vogue México. Guided by our fashion and design expert, we will visit some of the most famous artists and designer shops in the city of Lima. Learn and hear from them about their story and their long road to success on this tour.
This evening transfer to the restaurant for your Welcome Dinner where you will enjoy an unforgettable dinner with the group.

Day 3 Lima/Cuzco/Sacred Valley

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival, transfer to the Sacred Valley with a visit to the Traditional Weavers Center along the way. Visit the town of Chinchero, located northwest of Cusco. This picturesque town has an important Inca center and is known for the traditional Andean weaving techniques that its inhabitants preserve. With colorful clothing, the people of Chinchero gather in the main square to offer visitors a series of handicrafts from the region, in a setting that will captivate you with its natural beauty. Lunch is included at Wayra restaurant Sol y Luna Hotel.
Optional Activity: Andean Meditation. A therapeutic session and meditation guided by a music therapist facilitator using vibrational sounds, executing ancestral Andean instruments of healing, and inducing deep meditation, harmonization, and connection with the three Andean Worlds (HANAN PACHA-the upper world, KAI PACHA-the world from here and UQU PACHA-the world below).

Day 4 Sacred Valley

Depart on a full-day tour to Maras, Moray, and the Andean village of Misminay on a day full of Female Empowerment. Head to the unique salt mines of Maras. Then, visit Moray, a fascinating archaeological site in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will visit its huge concentric terraces, which the Incas used as a botanical laboratory. Visit the Misminay community, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Upon arrival, the townspeople will give you a warm welcome with typical music and dances. Learn about harvesting and about the art of textiles from local experts. Local entrepreneurship in the Misminay community has flourished and strengthened, as in the case of Nélida and Flora, two women who have greatly contributed to gender equality in the community through amazing leadership.

Day 5 Sacred Valley/Machu Picchu/Cuzco

Experience full day Machu Picchu by Vistadome train with lunch. A visit to one of the most important tourist destinations in the world: Machu Picchu. Your excursion starts aboard a train towards the town of Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. The natural beauty of the surroundings makes the train the best way to start your visit. Once you arrive, you will begin the ascent to the ruins. This visit will, without a doubt, be one of your most memorable experiences. After you reach the top, you will take a tour of Machu Picchu, learning the history and mysteries of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. And, with amazing scenery everywhere, you’re sure to have more than one spectacular photoshoot. Then, return to Aguas Calientes. You will then have lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge Belmond Hotel. Finally, you will board the train for the return journey. Upon arrival at the Ollantaytambo station, transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

Day 6 Cuzco

Depart on a half-day walking tour of the city of Cusco + Cusqueño Art Workshop. You will visit Cusco, the imposing Imperial City, an example of the harmonious coexistence between the Andean and Spanish cultures. You will start with a visit to the Plaza de Armas, where you will visit the Cathedral, the most important temple in the city. Then, you will follow the path on foot until you reach the Koricancha Temple, an ancient Inca palace and center of worship to the Sun God, on which the Dominican order built a church, which remains standing to this day. It will culminate with a visit to the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, also known as “the artists’ district”, the cradle of well-known popular artisans, with its narrow and winding streets and popular art shops. Immediately following Get the best out of your creative self with this fully immersive, hands-on workshop. Guided by renowned local artists and artisans, you will explore traditional and modern techniques and create a unique piece as a personal souvenir of your visit to Cusco.
In the workshop, you will work as a true craftsman, learning and using a contemporary version of the Cusco colonial gilding process: using brass, aluminum, and acrylic paint. You will paint an iconic ‘Pucará torito’ (little bull), which is traditionally seen in pairs on the roofs of local houses. They represent the guardians of the home, embodying duality, good marital relations, protection, prosperity, and the achievement of goals and dreams. Throughout the experience you will be guided by renowned local artists; not only creating a unique souvenir to take home but also learning about the rich history of the city and the origins of these traditional Guardians of the Andes. This is a truly unique creative experience. This workshop experience takes place in a cafe with an artistic concept, which helps you to be inspired, to find art, traditional, syncretism, Andean vision, and a delicious menu to satisfy all your senses. Tonight transfer to a restaurant with farewell dinner.