Walking The Sage’s Path In the Land of the Incas

What Makes This Expeditionary Retreat Different Than a Tour or a Regular Retreat?

Many people come to Peru to participate in psychedelic plant medicine ceremonies or spiritual experiences rooted in indigenous cultural values. Sequestered in a retreat center, they have limited opportunity to explore Peru’s wild, natural beauty and its abundance of mystical archeological treasures. More importantly, many retreat participants leave without encountering the people and the beautiful culture that gave rise to the spiritual traditions of the Andes.

We not only visit the places that were sacred to the Incas, we get there by walking the same paths they walked. We surround ourselves with the people and immerse ourselves in the culture that gave birth to Incan cosmology. We understand that contemplation doesn’t require stillness. Hiking, climbing, and adventuring are forms of moving meditation. On this expeditionary retreat, internal and external discovery are inextricably linked as we explore our individual songlines, the ley lines of our souls.

Incan teachings remind us of our connection with the earth. We will have the unique opportunity to meet Andean paqos, indigenous Q’eros teachers, whose ancestors have practiced animistic ceremonies for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. We will spend several days immersed in nature, hiking through the mountains, allowing the awe-inspiring setting of the Peruvian Andes to open our hearts, bodies, minds and spirits to the unconditional love of the Earth Mother, the Pachamama. All religions / beliefs are welcome and celebrated.

Day 3: This day will be dedicated to an optional sacred San Pedro plant medicine ceremony (included in package price), which will be overseen by a practitioner with over two decades of experience in indigenous medicines. We will set our intentions and learn about the indigenous wisdom of the Incas as we prepare to receive nature-based renewal and healing. Those who choose not to participate in the ceremony are free to explore the area or visit Maras salt flats.

Day 4: Ceremony participants will spend the morning sharing insights from their sacred plant medicine journey. With the help of our practitioner, we will learn to integrate newly expanded perspectives and explore real-world applications. After lunch in Pisac, we will depart for the stone city of Ollantaytambo at the end of the Sacred Valley.

Day 5: Waking early in the morning, we will drive to Cordillera Vilcabamba to begin the 5 day / 4 night Salkantay Trek, which is listed by National Geographic Explorer as one of the top 25 treks in the world. We will spend our first night at Sky Camp with nighttime views of the stars through the camp’s sky domes.

Day 6: This will be the most challenging day of our trek as we ascend Salkantay Pass, reaching a high point of 15,190 feet. We’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of snowcapped mountains and verdant valleys as we descend to the edge of the Amazonian jungle. The second night of the trek will be spent sleeping in Andean huts.

Day 7: The third day of our Salkantay Trek will take us through lush tropical landscapes that include exotic flowers, rivers, waterfalls, and wildlife, en route to our camp at the Jungle Domes. We will spend the afternoon learning about coffee bean farming at a nearby coffee plantation.

Day 8: Hiking along part of the famous Inca Trail, we will have the opportunity to visit the Incan ruins of Llactapata and catch our first sight of Machu Picchu. The final night of the trek will be spent in a hostel in Aguas Calientes.

Day 9: Waking early in the morning, we will ascend the mountain on a bus from Aguas Calientes to the famed Incan citadel of Machu Pichhu. Heralded as one of the seven wonders of the modern world, Machu Picchu inspires awe in all who have the privilege to experience it. At day’s end, we will travel by train back to Cusco.

Day 10: In the morning we will depart for Cusco, the former capital of the Incan Empire. In Cusco, we will visit the sprawling Incan Citadel of Sacsayhuaman, which features impossibly large boulders, meticulously placed with perfect precision. The afternoon will include a bus tour of Cusco with time to peruse the San Pedro Market.

Day 11: At this point in your journey, you will feel as if you’ve covered months, not just days, since your arrival in Cusco. Each day helped you acclimatize for this day’s hike from Pacchanta to the base of Ausangate. Beside a sacred mountain lake, a Q’eros healer will perform a sacred Despacho ceremony of gratitude to honor the Pachamama / the Earth Mother. We will soak in Pacchanta’s hot springs before heading back to Cusco.

Day 12: In the morning, we will explore the San Pedro market, which is one of the most famous markets in Peru before catching afternoon flights home.