El Tigre Journeys  Andean Huachuma Pilgrimage Communion With the Spirits  of Nature and Cosmos An inspiring spiritual shamanic journey  through the Sacred Valley to legendary Machu Picchu ... and in June only, a very special despacho ceremony  of offering to Pachamama with the Q'ero shamans  from the sacred apus of the high Andes June 27-July 3, 2004 January 11-17, 2005 June 26-July 2, 2005

 Day 1 - Cuzco/Pisac/Urubamba:

We'll be met on arrival at the Cuzco airport by our private driver Dante. The name of the city in Quechua is 'Qosgo.  Though Cuzco is a lovely city with a lot to see and do, we'll spend little time here on arrival to minimize the effects of the high altitude and hasten our arrival in the Sacred Valley.

After a brief stop in the central market of Cuzco for fresh supplies, we'll travel on to Pisac in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Pisac is famous for its spectacular Indian featuring bright colors and bustle of local artisans and vendors. We'll spend some time casually exploring the market and central plaza of town. This will be an excellent opportunity for purchases of Quechua Indian art and craft, and esoteric objects such as crystals and old artifacts.

We'll spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring the outstanding ruins of Pisac above the town. The views of the Sacred Valley from the ruins are spectacular. At the end of the day we'll travel to the lovely town of Urubamba for dinner and a good night's rest at our quiet and cozy hostal.

Day 2 - Chinchero/Ollantaytambo:

After breakfast we will enjoy the natural beauty of the Rio Urubamba valley, with steep surrounding mountains and fertile valley basin.  The 18th century Spanish naturalist Antonio de León Pinelo pronounced Urubamba to be the biblical Eden. We'll ascend above the town to overlooks with grand vistas of the magnificent cordillera and apus (sacred grandfather mountains) of the Incas.

*On our July pilgrimage, we'll arrive at an isolated area in the Sacred Valley to rendezvous with the legendary Q'ero shamans.Our first Huachuma Mesa work will follow our despacho ceremony with the Q'ero shamans.

*On our January pilgrimage, we will go directly to Laguna Huaypo for our first Mesa Work with grandfather Huachuma.

*Note: We regret that the Q'ero despacho reunion is not possible in January due to inclement weather in the high Andes at this time of year which makes their travel difficult and unreliable.

The Q'ero people are the direct descendants of the Inca who escaped the Spanish conquest by retreating to the high Andes in the 1500's. They have established contact with the modern world only during the past thirty years or so.

They will share with us a despacho ceremony, a sacred offering to Pachamama, Mother Earth, in an unforgettable pre-columbian ceremony of gratitude, renewal, and communion.
 

Following an early breakfast, we'll ascend the Andean plateau to Laguna Huaypo, a mystical lake near Chinchero. Here we will open our Puma Mesa ceremony to seek clarity and comprehension from grandfather Huachuma.

Laguna Huaypo is a magical lake of power and mystery. It is the only saline lake in the area. Strange lights are often observed by local residents, entering and leaving the lake in the dead of night.  Some believe this lake has been a landing site for extraterrestrials for centuries.

After our drinking ceremony at the lagoon, we will carry the Mesa with us to the Inca ruins of Chinchero, known in pre-Columbian times as the "town of the rainbow,"  Here we'll visit an incredibly powerful sacred huaca... naturally magnetic granitic formations where the Incas carved stone seats for spiritual meditation to commune with the powerful earth and universal energy concentrated here. The awesome power here is timeless and inescapable. We'll spend much time at the huacas, sharing the same magical communion with the spirits of Nature and Cosmos that empowered the Inca and their ancestors for millennia. At the end of the day, we'll arrive at Ollantaytambo were we will enjoy a fine meal and a lodge in elegance for the next two evenings.

Day 3 -
Today will be a day of relaxed integration of the teachings of grandfather Huachuma as we casually visit the great fortress of Ollantaytambo, a site of great military and spiritual importance to the Incas. The fortress contains seven huge pink granite monoliths which were not mined in the Sacred Valley. Ollantaytambo is considered to be the best preserved of the old Inca sites. We will spend tonight in Ollantaytambo.

Day 4-5 -  Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu:

After an early breakfast we will catch the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, known locally as Machupicchu pueblo, a small town located in the Urubamba valley below Machu Picchu.

We will spend the next two days at the magnificent pre-Columbian Inca sanctuary Machu Picchu and the valley town of Aguas Calientes.  We will marvel at the vast and magnificent panoramas; incredible montane escarpments and the deep Río Urubamba canyon. The Inca reverence for Nature...the mountains, the cloud forest, the sun, the moon, the stars and the stones is evident everywhere. You will understand precisely why the Inca, and quite possibly their ancestors as well, built shamanic temples to the spirits of Nature and Cosmos at this place of magnificent beauty and awesome power.  Many consider Machu Picchu to be the most impressive known example of human architecture in harmony with Nature.

We'll spend two nights in Aguas Calientes and will have the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu twice. We will have most of the first day for a leisure exploration of the ruins including an optional hike to Wayna Picchu for the fit and stout-hearted. We will marvel at the innovative technology employed by the Incas to meet the urban needs of water, food, banks, palaces, plazas, temples, and homes, all constructed of stone, some of it mined scores of miles away.

The following morning after breakfast (day 5) we will ascend by bus to Machu Picchu and go to an often-overlooked huaca which is actually the central focal point of cosmic power at Machu Picchu ... it is the captain's chair on starship Pachamama.  At this place of great shamanic power we will partake of the sacred Huachuma and enter our communion with the sacred spirits of Nature and Cosmos.

Throughout the day as we receive inspiration and guidance from the timeless mystery and power of grandfather Huachuma and Machu Picchu, we will journey deeper in our personal quest for clarity and truth ... to truly "See" and realize the profound revelations of this great planta maestra in a place of highly focused spiritual energy. The ancient Incan reverence for Pachamama - Mother Earth ... the stone - hard fire, the plants, the animals, the stars and the infinite cosmos will be understood and shared. The impact will be transformative and unforgettable. Be prepared.

We will return to Aguas Calientes at the end of the day. We'll have the option of going down via buses (the one departs Machu Picchu at 1730 hrs = 5:30 p.m.) or walking down the ancient trail which is all downhill, moderately strenuous but absolutely stellar in its shamanic impact. It takes about an hour and a half to arrive at Aguas Calientes after dark. There will be ample time in the evening and the next morning to bathe in the enticing natural mineral hot springs for which Aguas Calientes is named.

Day 6 - Aguas Calientes/Cuzco

Today we'll have time to explore high jungle cloud forest trails around town, return to the hot springs, and shop for local art and craft before catching our train to Cuzco around 2:30 p.m.  We will arrive in Cuzco around 7:30 p.m. where we will dine and spend the night in our comfortable hotel a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas and dine at one of many fine restaurants there.

Day 7 - Cuzco/Lima

We will depart by 1030 hrs for the Cuzco airport to catch our flight to Lima where we will await departure to our next destination.  Activities and expenses in Lima are not included in the cost.

Note: You can delay your departure from Cuzco if you wish to spend more time exploring the city and environs. Just book your return flight for the date you wish to depart Cuzco. Additional time in Cuzco after our scheduled departure is not included in the cost of the Andean Huachuma Pilgrimage.

Best options for time in Lima include the safe and attractive urban Miraflores district, the excellent Museo de la Nacion, or the famed Gold Museum featuring an incredible private collection of pre-Columbian textiles, Inca gold artifacts, original ancient erotic art from the Mochica, Chimú and Chavín cultures, and historic arms from around the world. Private guide and taxi service can be arranged in Lima by advance reservation.

Leaders, Accommodations, and Transportation

Group leader: The Andean Huachuma Pilgrimage will be led by Howard Lawler , principal facilitator of biocultural and shamanic studies and founder of El Tigre Journeys.  We will not engage the services of professional tourist guides but instead benefit from the knowledge and insight of the local people at each stop along the way. Group size will be limited to twelve.

Lodging: We will lodge double-occupancy in safe and comfortable 3-star hotels and hostels in Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Aguas Calientes, and Cuzco with complimentary breakfast included.  Single occupancy is subject to availability at cost added and must be booked in advance.

Meals: Complimentary breakfast is provided.  Other meals are not included in the cost to give everyone greater choice and flexibility in cuisine according to individual taste and budget.

Transportation:  Airfare is not included. All land transportation upon arrival in Cuzco is provided. We will have private combi van transportation from airport arrival in Cuzco until our arrival at Ollantaytambo ... no public tour buses or canned tours.

We'll be self-contained and moving at an unhurried pace to assure that we realize the greatest blessings and insight each step along the way. We will travel on the fast tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and return from Aguas Calientes to Cuzco by train for our final night in Cuzco.  We'll depart Cuzco early the next morning for Lima.

To assure lodging and transportation reservations we must receive your completed application questionnaire, passport number with full name as it appears on the passport and nationality, notarized waiver/acceptance of terms, and non-refundable deposit of US$500 no less than sixty days prior to departure date.

Deadline for receipt of application materials and deposit is 60 days before starting date. Balance of payment (US$550) is due in our hands 35 days before our starting date.

Contact us for preparation details and assistance with travel arrangements. We can book your air travel reservations inside Perú.

Cost and Terms

Cost is US$1,050 landed in Cuzco with a minimum of four pilgrims.

Group size is limited to twelve.

Application screening is required to assure compatibility and preparation.

The cost includes all land transportation, lodging, most breakfasts, guidance and facilitation, translation, ceremonies
and magico-medicinal plants from arrival in Cuzco to departure.

*Please note that the Q'ero shamans cannot be with us in January
due to inclement weather conditions in the high Andes which makes travel unreliable.

NOT INCLUDED: airfare, airport taxes, tips, lunches, dinners,
travelers' insurance, and personal items.

We are not responsible under any circumstance for losses due to theft, accident, or other factors beyond our control.

 

Touch the heart of Huachuma to send us e-mail requesting registration information. Be sure to include your mailing address if you need a packet by postal mail. You can contact us in Perú by calling Otorongo Blanco at (011-51-65) 22-3595. Your questions and comments are welcome.

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