Current Workshops: Lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon Extension

Lord of the Earthquakes: Holy Week in Cusco, Peru Machu Picchu, Easter and Semana Santa

• Date: April 1st – 8th, 2012
• Fee: $2350
• Instructors: Adam L. Weintraub
• Lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon Extension, April 8th-13th, $1850

LAKE TITICACA AND COLCA CANYON EXTENSION
Dates: April 8th-13th
Fee: $1850

April 8th CUSCO – LAMPA
We set off on one of the most scenic drives in the Andes: from Cusco to Puno, passing several pre-Incan and Incan sites along the way (Andahuaylillias, Raqchi, La Raya). We’ll arrive in Lampa towards late afternoon, giving us perfect light to see this charming colonial town an hour from Puno. One of the most respected catacombs in the Americas, it’s church is a wonder only seeing confirms. Dinner at the historic Casona de Lampa. Hotel La Casona de Lampa (B,L,D)
April 9th LAMPA – ISLA TAQUILE-UROS FLOATING ISLANDS
Early in the morning we travel via private boat to the historic Island of Taquile (Takile), with unique local indigenous population and famous weavings. We’ll walk around the island, enjoying its terraces and the local herdsmen who are preparing wools for their very special weavings and colors. Then on to the famous floating islands of Uros, built on totora reeds in the middle of Lake Titicaca, hosting traditional descendants from over 500 years. Then we continue on to the port of Puno and a return to a delicious dinner at Lampa. Hotel La Casona de Lampa (B,L,D)
April 10th LAMPA – CHIVAY
7am we’ll leave for the town of Chivay in the Colca Canyon: passing through picturesque countryside where the famous Peruvian potatoes are cultivated. We head through the high altiplano region of Puno (approx. 5 hours with stops, box lunch en-route), arriving in Chivay just after lunch for a wonderful natural hot springs and late afternoon light in a town with a culture unto itself. Hotel Casa Andina Classic Colca (B,L)
April 11th CHIVAY – COLCA CANYON
Colca Canyon, located 100 miles northwest of Arequipa, is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the US. The colorful valley with small distinct towns was founded in the Spanish Colonial times. Formerly inhabited by the Collaguas and the Cabana peoples, the local people still maintain ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces. Bright and early, we leave for Condor’s Cross to observe the depths of the Colca Canyon (the deepest canyon in the world) and appreciate the majestic flight of the Andean Condor in its natural habitat. On our slow return to Chivay, we’ll visit some of the villages of the Colca Valley, such as Yanque, where we see the villagers´ traditions, customs, and the local dress: traditional skirts, colorful jackets, and hats bordered with flowers, animals and other designs from nature. Hotel Casa Andina Classic Colca (B,L)
Thursday April 12th CHIVAY-AREQUIPA
9am reunion in the hotel lobby for the approximately 5 hour leisurely drive from the small town of Chivay, admiring breathtaking landscapes with stops at places like Pampa Cañahuas, which is home to vicuñas, alpacas and llamas; and Bofedales de Toccra, a great place to see all kinds of migratory birds; the Volcano Overlook of Patapampa, from which you can observe the entire snow-capped Andes mountain chain and the famous conical volcanoes surrounding Arequipa. Box-lunch en-route. Arequipa, the second most populous city of Peru, is overlooked by the famous snow-capped volcano - el Misti – looming large and magical from many streets. The city has many colonial-era Spanish buildings built from a pearly white volcanic rock, from which it gets the nickname “La Ciudad Blanca” (The White City). The historic centre of Arequipa was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2000 in recognition of its architecture and historic integrity. We will spend the afternoon visiting the Convent of Santa Catalina, founded 1579. Inside, you observe a rich collection of religious artworks and architecture from the colonial era, as well as sites of historic note – truly the distinctive streets of this small “city within a city” and one of the most dynamic places to wander when the crowds start leaving. Optional late-night experience on Thursdays! Dinner at Chicha, by Gaston Acurio. Hotel Casa de mi Abuelo (B,L)
April 13th AREQUIPA – LIMA
We get the early morning to ourselves, prior to our noon flight to Lima. A late lunch at Museo Larco, one of the more spectacular colonial mansions of Lima housing the most important Incan collections in Peru. From there, we’ll head out to the breezy Pacific Ocean to capture last light along the malecon prior to our return to the airport for the international flight out. (B)