SACRED VALLEY, PERU
Weaving, Natural Dyeing, Culinary + Machu Picchu
May 11 - 18, 2024
ABOUT THIS ACE CAMP
Journey to the beautiful Sacred Valley of Peru to learn all about Andean Textile Art with master artisans. Explore the community of Ollantaytambo and the sacred sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The weavers of Patacancha will teach you about their community, Quechua culture and provide you with an in-depth discovery of Andean Fibre Arts.
You will also visit the small town of Calca set against dramatic mountain peaks where you will create plant dyes using materials and techniques practiced in this region for thousands of years. You’ll experience various traditional and artesian focused meals showcasing local ingredients and cooking techniques and explore the art of elixir distillation in a focused workshop in Ollantaytambo.
Full Trip Itinerary below. This workshop is open to all creatives beginner to advanced.
DATES
May 11 - 18, 2024 ∙ 8 Days, 7 Nights
PRICE
Private Room SOLD OUT
Shared Room SOLD OUT
Full Rooming + Pricing Details Below
This Ace Camp is currently SOLD OUT, you can register for the WAITLIST below for priority notification should a place become available
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE
Andean Textile Art Workshops learning about weaving and natural dyeing
Distillation workshop and make-your-own Elixir Andino
Guided Tour of Machu Picchu
Guided Tour of Ollantaytambo + visit to Alqa Gallery
Traditional + Artisanal Culinary experiences
Cusco Airport Transfers (on specified days)
All transportation during tours, workshops and to restaurants
All admissions to sites during included tours
Learn with Peruvian Artisans
The traditional crafts of natural dyeing and weaving have been practiced in this region for over a millennium. The artisans are most often taught by family and work much the same as the generations before them.
You will visit and learn with the Quechua community of Patacancha traditional, spinning, dyeing and weaving. And with artisans in Calca, centuries-old natural dye techniques.
There will also be the oppurtunity to learn with Destilería Andina during a craft distillation and botanical mixology workshop to explore the tradition of Peruvian Cañazo. The master distillers take guests through the artisanal cañazo distillation process based in Peruvian history and contemporary innovation
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Cusco + Welcome Dinner
Welcome to Cusco, Peru! Airport arrivals will be picked up at the airport. Settle into your hotel room and relax before you meet the group for dinner.
This evening we have a meet + greet welcome dinner.
Day 2
Journey to Sacred Valley and Tour Ollantaytambo
Today we set off for the Sacred Valley. Once we reach Ollantaytambo we will have a guided tour of the community.
Ollantaytambo has been an agricultural area since pre-Inca times and farming continues to be the main source of income for a large majority of the area’s population. You’ll notice the amazing terraced fields, water canals and granaries that were built over 500 years ago and continue to be used to date.
Later we visit the Alqa Andean Art Museum + end our day at the Wine Bar.
Day 3
Textile Workshop in Patacancha
This morning we journey to the Quechua community of Patacancha to begin exploring Andean Fibre arts. You’ll experience an Alpaca shearing ceremony, yarn spinning, start working on your own woven piece using a special backstrap loom.
Group Dinner this evening
Day 4
Textile Workshop in Patacancha
We return to Patacancha to continue our weaving workshop. You will learn about Andean textile symbology, complete your personal woven pieces and we’ll end with a small group exhibition.
You’ll enjoy a traditional Pachamanca earth oven lunch. These meals are prepared across the country for special events. Each region has their own special recipes. Ingredients are buried and cooked underground over hot stones. The result: an explosion of flavour only found in the Peruvian Andes.
Group Dinner this evening
Day 5
Distillation workshop with Destilería Andina
This morning you will work with the Destilería Andina team and make-your-own Elixir Andino! The tradition of distilling sugar cane into cañazo goes back centuries in Peru.
The master distillers of Destilería Andina take guests through the artisanal cañazo distillation process based in Peruvian history and contemporary innovation, with the chance to try the full range of Caña Alta products, including many private blends and in-house experiments. You will take home your own herbal macerado with spices and herbs harvested from the farm. We finish with a cocktail tasting and family-style tasting lunch.
This afternoon you will have some free time to explore the town of Ollantaytambo. Your local guides can make suggestions for places to visit and shop.
Day 6
Natural & Botanic Dyes Workshop in Calca
Today we will visit the small town of Calca set against dramatic mountain peaks where you will learn to create plant dyes using materials and techniques practiced in this region for thousands of years. For lunch you will enjoy a gourmet Andean picnic.
Further, we visit the captivating Maras Salt Flats. Over 3000 salt pools dating back to pre-columbian times are still harvested using traditional techniques at Salinas de Mares. Water, naturally salt-infused, flows down from the mountains and settles in the pans. As the water evaporates, salt remains, to be extracted with simple tools. The salt gathered here is considered some of the best in the world.
Group Dinner this evening
Day 7
Guided Visit to Machu Picchu + Farewell Dinner
Early wake up today as we board the train to Aguas Calientes with our guide who will take us on a walking tour of the historic sanctuary known as Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna.
Return train back to our hotel and Farewell Dinner in Ollantaytambo
Day 8
Return to Cusco
Enjoy breakfast in Ollantaytambo before we board our group shuttle back to Cusco. Thank you for joining us on this incredible adventure!
Nota Bene: this is a prospective itinerary. It is subject to modest modifications, dependent on local weather, new opportunities, and the desires of the group.
Where We’re Staying
Cusco
Located in Cusco’s most historic neighbourhood, our welcome hotel is an original casona that has been restored to its former prestige with beautiful hand-carved wooden balconies, stone patios, and stone archways that invite the past into the present.
Sacred Valley
Originally opened in 1925, our hotel is located in the Sacred Valley community of Ollantaytambo a little more than an hour away from Machu Picchu and Cusco. Our rooms are surrounded by gardens visited by hummingbirds and engulfed by the aroma of fuchsia, passionflower, peaches and avocado trees.
ROOMING OPTIONS
Please read below carefully and make your rooming selection on the booking page
Group Size: Minimum 8 guests and maximum 12 guests. All Prices are in USD.
This Ace Camp is currently SOLD OUT, you can register for the WAITLIST below for priority notification should a place become available
OPTION 1 - TWIN SHARED ROOM
SOLD OUT
Room Notes: Shared rooms have two individual beds. You will share a room with one other guest for the duration of the trip. The style and layout of every room is unique and may not be exactly as pictured.
OPTION 2 - PRIVATE ROOM
SOLD OUT
Room Notes: You will have a private room for the duration of the trip. The style and layout of every room is unique and may not be exactly as pictured.
Important Trip Notes + Details
ACCESSIBILITY
Please note this tour includes several walking tours. You should be able to walk on uneven ground for a distance of at least 2 miles. Cobblestones, stairs, gravel and uneven pavement are everywhere.
CULINARY NOTES
We will do our best to accommodate specific dietary preferences on this trip with advanced notice. Please let us know as soon as you register so that we can ensure there are no concerns with our partners in Peru. We cannot accommodate any dietary preferences if you do not advise us when you register.
Please contact us before registering if you have any questions.
WHO IS THIS TRIP FOR?
This trip is for the open minded and patient traveler. You should be eager to learn and work hands-on with a local community of skilled artisans and curious about regional culture and cuisine.
This is an immersive adventure and best suited for those who enjoy traveling as a part of a small group.
ELEVATION
This regions high altitude (9,200+ feet above sea level) means air is rarefied, thinner. It usually takes about 48 hours to adjust and staying hydrated helps.
ACE CAMPS TOUR MANAGER
An Ace Camps Tour Manager is a part of your group and is there to look out for your safety, to help resolve issues, and to make sure you get what you want from your trip. Your Tour Manager is not a local guide but will work with all local vendors and partners to insure the right combination of pace, information, and duration.
THIS ACE CAMP INCLUDES
Seven nights accommodation in Cusco + Ollantaytambo; Hands-on workshops led by local artisans, transport during workshop, tours and included meals; Workshop supplies, Cusco Airport transfers on specified days/ at specific times; seven breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
International roundtrip airfare; Personal Travel Insurance: We require all participants to have personal travel insurance that at minimum covers medical emergencies and cancellations; Alcoholic Drinks; activities not included in the trip itinerary; hotel incidentals including room service, expenses during free time; laundry service and hotel bar tabs; food and beverages not included in itinerary.
TRAVEL HEALTH
Consult a doctor, nurse or health care provider, or visit a travel health clinic preferably six weeks before you travel. If you have any pending health concerns you should contact your health care provider prior to registration of this Ace Camp.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Ace Camps will email you when it is time to make your travel arrangements. This email will be sent 90 days or more before your trip departs unless you book within 90 prior to the camp. We will also be sending you an Ace Camps Travel preparation document prior to your trip. It will include a detailed itinerary, arrival and departure information, a suggested packing list, useful country information and more.
WHERE DOES THIS TRIP START + FINISH?
This trip begins and ends in Cusco, Peru.
WEATHER
If you enjoy looking at a blue sky and love the sun than this is a great time to visit this region of Peru. Average daytime high is 20.1°C (68.18°F).
COVID DISCLAIMER
While we strive to deliver all aspects of the included itinerary and specific accommodation, due to challenges some vendors may be facing, certain aspects of your Ace Camp may be changed according to the situation beyond our control. In the small chance this does occur, we will work to offer comparable accommodations and/or activities when possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Individuals will be responsible for ensuring they are able to travel to the destination selected. Countries have various Covid-19 related entry requirements including but not limited to: providing proof you are fully vaccinated, taking a test before entry and after entry etc. You should be prepared to meet all necessary entry requirements. This may also include wearing masks in all public settings.
Ace Camps Inc. will not be responsible for refunding any lost trip funds if you have to miss your scheduled trip as you cannot meet the requirements provided by the country you are visiting.
Please read our full COVID-19 Policies + FAQ’s HERE
BOOKING TERMS + CANCELLATION POLICY
You may cancel on or before January 12, 2024 and receive a full refund minus a $500 USD per-person admin fee. If you cancel on or after January 13, 2024 there is a 100% cancellation fee and no refunds or credits for all payments made. Please ensure you read through our full Booking Terms + Cancellation Policy.
QUESTIONS + FAQ’S
If you have any further questions about this Ace Camp please feel free to contact us.
You can also read more FAQ’s here.