Yoga Retreat & Hiking Machu Picchu, Peru

The program begins with a transfer from the Cusco Airport to our lovely hotel conveniently situated in the historic center. Plan to arrive in Cusco by 11:00 AM to rest and acclimate to the 3399 m.a.sl. /11,200-foot altitude.

3:00 PM: group orientation in the hotel and a guided walk through the cobblestone streets of San Blas. Your professional guide will point out fascinating Incan stonework en route. Explore the Korikancha Temple, the holiest site during Incan times. Dine on your own in the evening by the main square.

Morning: Depart for the Incan ritual fountains at Tipón. “Where there is water, there is life.” Participate in an ancient Andean ceremony to honor Yaku, the spirit of water. At this picturesque site, you have the opportunity to touch the holy water to open the body’s energy centers and activate and enhance your individual creative and healing forces.
Then depart with your guide to the awesome giant stones of Saksaywaman overlooking the city of Cusco. Your party may participate in a brief meditation, hike around the vast Incan site, and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Evening: Meet in the hotel lobby at 6:30 PM. Willka T’ika invites the group to dine at a wonderful local restaurant that caters to various dietary preferences.

Depart for the Willka T’ika in the Sacred Valley. En route, explore the mysterious Moray Circles set amidst beautiful mountain scenery. A short distance away, discover the ancient Maras salt farms and choose to hike a zig-zag trail down into the Sacred Valley where your driver will meet the group to continue to Willka T’ika.

Picnic Lunch, and continue onto Willka T’ika. Introduction to the Willka T’ika family - the Quechua staff who will take care of you during your stay. After an orientation with our guide, we will have a guided tour of Willka T’ika and the renowned Seven Chakra Gardens. Option for individual spa treatments.

Evening Yoga session, Opening Circle, and dinner.

Traditionally, the Quechua ancestral belief is to honor Pachamama, Mother Earth, while embracing reciprocal exchange, Ayni, which is the principle of sustainable giving and receiving. The Quechua word for this mutuality is “Ayni”, meaning “today for you, tomorrow for me,” suggesting that giving comes before receiving. “Ayni” is the only commandment of the Incan religion that the Andeans know and keep until this day. Ayni is the thread that holds the fabric of Andean existence together.

07:00 AM Morning yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

08:30 AM Breakfast

This day is dedicated to Pachamama, Mother Earth, and guests are encouraged to relax or meditate in the splendors of the Seven Chakra Gardens. Meet our Pakko, a very special Q’ero healer, visiting from the high Andes. Guided walk through the nearby Rumichaka farming neighborhood where Quechua campesinos live. More challenging hikes along scenic routes into the valley are also possible.

1:00 PM Lunch. After lunch coca leaf blessings and a sacred “Despacho” ceremony. Optional private coca leaf readings may be available.

7:00 PM Dinner. After dinner, our Pakko invites guests to an authentic and transformative Andean fire ceremony to honor Pachamama, yourself, and your loved ones. The ceremony will remind us to focus our intention for this journey and serve as a wonderful preparation of mind, body, and spirit for the pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.

07:00 AM Morning yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

08:30 AM Breakfast

A day of Ayni, or reciprocity. Drive through the Sacred Valley to a Quechua mountain school supported by the nonprofit Willka T’ika Children’s Fund. Since 1995, Willka T’ika has supported isolated mountain communities where few tourists visit. In an Ayni exchange, the group will offer an interactive activity for the Quechua children. The warmth and heart-warming joy of the children and their openness in bringing guests into their daily lives are moments not easily forgotten. Enjoy a box lunch with a stunning view.

Evening: Continue with our local guide to the spectacular ruins of P’isaq. Overlooking impressive Incan terraces, the group can enjoy a short or longer hike through the ruins. Return to the main square of P’isaq by bus (or hike!) and visit the famous, colorful market filled with woven goods, jewelry, wall hangings, and hand-painted beadwork. Enjoy a café in the market square where you can observe colorfully dressed campesinos. P’isaq is a photographer’s dream. Return to Willka T’ika with time for an afternoon yoga session before dinner.

Early breakfast. Morning tourist train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to the majestic terraces of Machu Picchu. Enjoy an enlightening tour of the ancient “City of Light” with our guide.

Evening: Continue to explore Machu Picchu ruins, and hike to the Sun Gate or the Incan Bridge, taking photographs along the way as you enjoy the magnificent views.
6:30 PM. Meet outside your hotel. Willka T’ika invites you to a fabulous celebratory dinner in one of the friendliest restaurants in Aguas Calientes.

Morning: Open day in Machu Picchu with entrance ticket included, with the option to climb Machu Picchu Peak or Huayna Picchu Peak, depending on availability.

Return to the ruins for another glance at the Incan splendor. Return by bus to Aguas Calientes with time for a cool beverage or snack at a local café.

Evening: Afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, transfer to Willka T’ika in time for a late, light dinner and yoga session.

07:00 AM Morning yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

08:30 AM Breakfast

Visit the ceremonial site of Ollantaytambo and its famous Sun Temple. Enjoy walking the cobblestoned streets of this quaint picturesque town.
Picnic lunch en route back to Willka T’ika.

Evening: 8 Limbs of Yoga Discussion. Meditation in the Chakra Garden. Allow yourself time to receive the ancestral energies beneath the 1000-year-old lucuma tree. Enjoy an Andean Spa treatment. For the more active, choose from a variety of hikes and activities through the valley and up the mountains to the nearby Incan chullpas.

7:30 PM: Celebratory concert with Andean Classical Musicians.

07:00 AM Morning yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

08:30 AM Breakfast

Optionally, choose a guided morning hike to the town of Urubamba through farming neighborhoods, and visit a typical, lively Peruvian market, alpaca factory, and the famous Seminario ceramics shop. Hike or take a moto taxi back to Willka T’ika.

1:00 PM Lunch
Relax and enjoy spa services.

6:30 PM Farewell Dinner and Closing Ceremony.

07:00 AM Morning yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

08:30 AM Breakfast

One group complimentary transfer based on 10:00 AM check-out takes the group to the Cusco airport to connect to Lima and the outbound flight home. From Willka T’ika, allow 3 ½ hours before your Cusco flight. Ideal flights to schedule depart from Cusco between 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Additional costs apply for an individual transfer for guests with earlier/later departures & can be arranged onsite. Arrive home feeling blessed with the pure energy of your transformational Andean journey of a lifetime.