Peru 2025 ~ a Journey Home to the Heart

The journey begins…


We are so delighted to confirm our journey for 2025, and to invite you to be a part of it. We hope you’ll join us on a voyage of inner and outer discovery…!

This will be a nourishing and connective journey, a pilgrimage into and through this extraordinary landscape that holds powerful gifts for those who take the time to stop and listen… This year, the emphasis is on travelling more slowly than we have done for a little while. It is so tempting to try to see and do as much as possible – this is completely understandable. But sometimes, what’s needed is to move at a slower pace; to really have time to settle into the land; to make sure we are not rushing or pushing ourselves, otherwise the gifts of the journey don’t have an opportunity to land and be integrated. This year’s journey is all about taking the time to stop and listen, and allowing ourselves to receive the wisdom that’s waiting for us there.

The itinerary below provides all the information that we feel it’s important to tell you about, because our many years of experience has proved to us that the details and information included here will help you get the most from our time together in this extraordinary land. So we really recommend taking the time to really absorb what’s here. If there is anything else that you would like to ask, please feel free to contact us. Contact Chris or schedule a call using the button below…

Most important of all: this is a Sacred Journey. We visit many of the same sites as other visitors (including Machu Picchu of course), as well as those that are less well-known, but we visit them differently. We step into ceremony each day, receiving the energetic transmissions of the lineages that we are connected with. These lineages are first and foremost that of the Q’ero, through our friends and teachers in the Sacred Valley; and also the Aymara lineage connected with Lake Titicaca through our friend, teacher and host, Jorge Luis Delgado. As we receive these rites, transmissions and teachings, we also feel how they begin to work with us, and we feel their power and influence guiding us towards ‘Ayni’, right relationship, with our world, with each other and within ourselves. We allow time along the way for integration, through practices like quiet time and journaling – fundamental elements of the journey.

Our group will range from those who have repeated the Medicine Wheel training with Spirit of the Inca for many years, to those for whom this is their first connection with us. Everyone is welcome. Our emphasis is always on welcome and inclusion, connecting with our lineage, and on our personal healing journey; as we all offer this to one another, we then receive it for ourselves.

Please note that we are likely to be adding to this information as the time for our journey approaches. Please check back regularly, so that you receive the most up to date details. (This page was last updated on 28 May 2025.) And please note that things can change!

So, let’s dive in…

You can also schedule a conversation with Chris

Monday 22 September

Destination: INTERNATIONAL flights to LIMA

We recommend choosing a flight that arrive at around 6pm local time, and staying overnight at the Wyndham Costa del Sol airport hotel at Lima airport. You’ll book your own international flights, and this is the only hotel booking that you’ll need to make – all the others are included.

Tuesday 23 September

Destination: LIMA to CUSCO; internal flight; CHINCHEROS LAKE.

We’ll leave the Wyndham hotel and take our mid-morning flight together. We will advise on the specific flight to book. Do not book any other flight than the one we recommend.

In Cusco, we will be met by our Q’ero shamans, and then travel on our own private coach to Chincheros, where we’ll have a cleansing ceremony at the water’s edge to welcome us to the Sacred Valley and to the beginning of our journey. We’ll also visit a lovely place there owned by our friend Marielena. Afterwards, we’ll make our way to our home for the next few nights, our favourite hotel in our favourite town…

Hotel: Tanupa Lodge OLLANTAYTAMBO 

Wednesday 24 September

Destination: OLLANTAYTAMBO WATER TEMPLE 

This morning we visit a little-known temple near Ollantaytambo with our Q’ero Earthkeeper shamans, where we receive the foundation rites of the Munay Ki: the Bands, the Seers and the Healers Rites. We are invited to lunch at Chino’s home, and afterwards we have an afternoon free for healing sessions with the shamans, journaling, to rest and acclimatise, to explore, sit in a local cafe and absorb the atmosphere and the view, or to visit the market stalls in this beautiful location which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hotel: Tanupa Lodge OLLANTAYTAMBO 

Thursday 25 September

Destination: MORAY.

This morning, we’ll gather as a group for reflection time, then we’ll have some time to explore, before boarding our private coach to spend the afternoon at Moray. We’ll have a picnic lunch (provided by Spirit of the Inca), and then we’ll receive the Ayni Karpay and the Daykeeper rites near a stone altar in the landscape. In the evening, we’ll have time for healing sessions, and have dinner independently in town.

Hotel: Tanupa Lodge OLLANTAYTAMBO

Friday 26 September

Destination: OLLANTAYTAMBO MAIN TEMPLE 

This morning, we’ll make the short walk up the road from our hotel to visit the temple high above Ollantaytambo, exploring the lesser-known corners of this extraordinary site, and finally making the climb up to the top for an amazing view! There are some treats that await us at the top, including the famous ‘singing windows’, and some incredible examples of the stone work that this region is famous for. After a leisurely walk back down into town (past the market stalls…), we’ll have time for lunch in town, and then a restful afternoon sharing stories, journaling, or receiving a healing session from our shamans.

Hotel: Tanupa Lodge OLLANTAYTAMBO 

Saturday 27 September

Destination: ÑAUPA IGLESIA and then a picnic; CHINCHEROS WEAVERS; MOON TEMPLE AT SUNSET

Today, we’ll head away from the town and up into the hills away from places that other travellers normally find, up to Ñaupa Iglesia with our Q’ero shamans, where we’ll receive the rites of the Wisdomkeepers. We’ll have a picnic up on the land, and then we’ll head back to Chincheros to meet the weavers collective, who will demonstrate their dyeing, spinning, and weaving skills; we will flex our shopping muscles (this is probably the best collection of alpaca yarn that we will encounter on our journey!) On the way back after sunset, we’ll stop off at the Moon Temple for some stargazing! Dinner is in town, independently, on our return.

Hotel: Tanupa Lodge OLLANTAYTAMBO

Sunday 28 September

Destination: MANDOR FALLS 

Today we bring with us a small overnight bag, and make a very special journey on a train with a glass roof that runs alongside the Urubamba River to Machu Picchu Pueblo. After arriving and dropping our bags at our hotel, we’ll grab a snack and set off, walking along the valley floor below Machu Picchu mountain, and then up into the lush green cloud forest gardens and the spectacular waterfall at Mandor. On our return in the late afternoon, we’ll be in good time for a leisurely dinner independently in town, soaking up the atmosphere…

Hotel: Casa Andina, MACHU PICCHU PUEBLO 

Monday 29 September

Destination: MACHU PICCHU

Today we have a leisurely start, and then meet after an early lunch independently in town, to get the bus up to Machu Picchu to spend the afternoon visiting the Crystal City. We’ll return to our hotel to collect our things in good time for the train back to Ollantaytambo in the early evening. We return to our hotel, and have dinner independently in town in the evening.

Hotel: Tanupa Lodge OLLANTAYTAMBO

Tuesday 30 September

Destination: URQO TEMPLE; PISAC TEMPLE & MARKET 

Today is our final day in our beautiful Ollantaytambo hotel. We check out this morning, and spend our day at PISAC. We’ll stop off at one of our favourite small, lesser-known temples. As we make our way up to Pisac mountain, past its famous, extraordinary terraces, we receive the rites of the Munay Ki. Then we make our way to our new hotel, and have a late lunch in the town, and spend the afternoon in Pisac’s famous market.

Hotel: HOTEL INKA PISAC

Wednesday 1 October

Destination: KILLARUMIYOQ 

Today we gather as a group in the morning to do our meditations together, have breakfast, and then board our bus to make a journey to the temple of Mama Killa, Grandmother Moon, at Killarumiyoq, receiving the Munay Ki rites in Ceremony with our Q’ero shamans. We return to Pisac in late afternoon, and have dinner independently in town.

Hotel: HOTEL INKA PISAC

Thursday 2 October

Destination: JOURNEY BY BUS ACROSS THE ALTIPLANO to LAKE TITICACA with Jorge Luis Delgado 

This is a very special day and a very special journey. This morning we check out of our hotel in Pisac, bid a fond farewell to the Sacred Valley and our Q’ero shamans, and board our bus to make the day-long journey across the Altiplano. We have lunch at a cafe with an awesome view en route, arriving at our hotel on Lake Titicaca in the early evening, where dinner at the hotel will be waiting for us.

Hotel: Taypikala Lago LAKE TITICACA

Friday 3 October

Destination: DOORWAY OF ARAMU MURU 

Today, we wake up to a view of the sunrise over Lake Titicaca, as we spend our first day at the ‘lake at the top of the world’. We’ll have some time in the morning to gather as a group, and then, in the late morning we travel to Aramu Muru, the extraordinary gateway rediscovered by Jorge Luis himself.

Hotel: Taypikala Lago LAKE TITICACA

Saturday 4 October

Destination: AMANTANI ISLAND (via the REED ISLANDS and a dream journey on the lake!) 

We travel by boat to Amantani island, known for the remarkable Temples of Pachatata and Pachamama, which we will walk up to. Our sunset ceremony is a special moment to renew our love and gratitude for this journey, this land and of life itself.

Hotel: Overnight on AMANTANI ISLAND with the Islanders.

Sunday 5 October

Destination: AMANTANI & TAQUILE ISLANDS 

Today after breakfast, we travel by boat to another beautiful island on the Lake – Taquile. Here we step into a ceremony of gratitude to the Lake, and have a wonderful lunch with the Islanders, who are renowned for their distinctive style of knitting (so there will be opportunities to buy some of their wares). In the afternoon, we make the final leg of the return journey back to our hotel, where supper awaits us.

Hotel: Taypikala Lago LAKE TITICACA

Monday 6 October

Destination: SILLUSTANI

After breakfast, we take our bus in the late morning to one more extraordinary site – Sillustani and its Sun Temple. Connecting with the Sun in a ceremony held for us by Jorge Luis is a wonderful way to bring together all the gifts that this journey has given us, and set us on a new, extraordinary course as we prepare to return home. We complete the day, and our journey together, back at the hotel with an evening Fire Ceremony to express our gratitude for our days together.

Hotel: Taypikala Lago, LAKE TITICACA.

Tuesday 7 October

Destination: JULIACA AIRPORT, LIMA & HOME 

This morning we check out of our beautiful home for these past few days, and leave at around 9am by bus for Juliaca Airport. From there we take our flights to Lima (we will let you know the flight to book). International flights to our home destinations usually leave during the late afternoon and evening.

International flights

For this journey, you will need to organise for yourself one international return flight to Lima.

Our journeys will begin from different starting points, of course, but it’s our recommendation that you meet us in Lima in the evening on Monday 22 September at the Wyndham Costa del Sol airport hotel at Lima airport, which is literally across the road from Arrivals. (You’ll need to book your own hotel room at the Wyndham for that night.)

For your flight home from Lima, we recommend booking flights that leave after 6pm.

A couple of points of general advice: first, check your passport to ensure that the expiry date is at least six months after the date of entry into Peru (some sources suggest that nine or ten months are a wiser option). Please also remember to check whether the your passport’s home country requires a visa to enter Peru.

For those travelling via the USA: if you are transiting via a US airport on your way to or from Lima, you may need a visa or other documentation – even though you are not entering the country. For UK folk, check with the UK Foreign Office here (a visa or ESTA will be needed). We’ve heard that at least nine or ten months left on your passport from the date of entry are highly recommended.

Internal flights

You will need to book two internal flights, and we recommend booking the following flights immediately.

The first internal flight will be from Lima to Cusco on Tuesday 23 September: please book LATAM flight LA2609 at 11.30 from Lima arriving in Cusco at 12.50

The second is an internal flight from Juliaca to Lima on Tuesday 7 October: please book LATAM flight LA2208 at 14.00 from Juliaca arriving in Lima at 15.35

Please ONLY book these flights. We know from many years experience that there is no advantage to booking different flights than the ones we recommend. We have had participants having to rebook, get refunds (not always easy), or delay the rest of the group because they didn’t follow our advice, so now our private coaches do not wait for participants arriving late because they made different arrangements.

Our hotels

Our aim is that you have a beautiful and comfortable place to lay your head at the end of each eventful day. There are three types of rooms to choose from.

Most hotel rooms in Peru are shared rooms with twin beds (all rooms have en-suite bathrooms). If you are traveling with someone you’d like to share a twin room with, simply let us know and we will do our best to arrange this for you. Otherwise, you’ll share a twin room with a fellow journeyer.

Matrimonial rooms have double beds, so if you and your partner/spouse are travelling together, please let us know and we will advise our hotels.

If you’d like a room to yourself, there is a single room supplement of $600. Please note that the number of single rooms is limited and are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. 

Meals and special diets

All breakfasts are included in the cost of your journey. Most breakfasts include fruit, eggs, breads, cured meats, cheese, yoghurts, and cereals, just as you would find in most hotels throughout the world.

During our time in the Sacred Valley, we will often have simple picnic lunches out on the land. This way we can make the most of our time each day. Picnics are provided by Spirit of the Inca and are included in the cost of your journey. We buy local produce like avocados, cheese, bread, and fruit from the markets in the morning and take it with us. In this way we eat lightly, locally and well. You are of course welcome to supplement with your own snacks, and we recommend having snacks and your water bottle with you at all times. Occasionally, such as when we are in towns (like our days in Machu Picchu Pueblo or Pisac), we make our own arrangements for lunch.

For our evenings in the Sacred Valley, we are free to make our own arrangements for supper in the many restaurants on offer, from pizza to quinoa soup; these meals are not included in the journey cost, but prices are likely to be around $10-$20 per meal. We highly recommend quinoa soup because it’s great for acclimatising to the altitude, it’s filling, light and full of protein. Local food is excellent and they serve western food too.

When we are in Lake Titicaca, all of our meals are provided and included in the cost of your journey..

We recommend that you have bottled water and snacks with you at all times. Avoid drinking the tap water (we recommend that you use bottled water to clean your teeth). You might also find that drinks like Gatorade/Poweraid become more palatable here! These have vitamins and minerals added rather than just sugar, and can provide welcome energy boosts. 

If you have any special dietary requirements or any food intolerance or especially a severe food allergy, in Peru it is impossible for us to advise you or take responsibility for this issue for you. You must make sure that this is a journey that you can safely undertake and also in a way that does not impact the group. In our experience, however, we have found that sometimes foods do not aggravate us in Peru the way they do in the UK (for example, we have seen people who avoid gluten in the UK eat bread in Peru without a problem).

How we all create a wonderful journey

We have been making these journeys for many, many years. These recommendations are therefore based on a lot of experience of what we can do to ensure that we create a beautiful, smooth and graceful journey for ourselves and for the whole group.

FITNESS: for this journey we will be walking for 2-3 hours every day at altitude, mostly either uphill or downhill – rarely flat! Make sure that you can walk comfortably for that amount of time. It is a well-known fact among the Andean people that the mountains will call you! You will be helped by the energy of the mountains, and we will be traveling with Earthkeeper shamans who will always ensure that you are accompanied. Make sure too that you have comfortable walking shoes or boots, and that you have prepared yourself physically. You will be carrying your own small backpack and your Mesa (if you have one), water, snacks, and some layers of clothes, at all times.

ALTITUDE: it is vital to prepare your body for the change in altitude by eating lightly before you embark on this journey, and investigating remedies for support at the altitudes that we will be experiencing. Please also be aware that we plan this journey so that we adjust to the change in altitude as smoothly as possible, which is why we journey to Ollantaytambo first. Drinking plenty of water during the day and evening is also essential. And bring with you remedies for altitude (one of our favourites is Coca 30, for example).

HEALTH: we recommend consulting your doctor to ensure that you have any inoculations or medications that are currently recommended (the Sacred Valley is not usually a malaria risk); or whether this affects your insurance policy. If you are currently taking medication or have a health condition, it is your responsibility to make sure that this is a trip that is safe for you to make and will not have implications for the rest of the group; we take no responsibility for this. We recommend too that you bring with you a First Aid kit that includes remedies that help with an upset stomach (like dioralyte or charcoal tablets), and items like Emergen-C, antiseptic spray, bug spray, and so on. Some people have found benefit in consulting a homeopath for remedies like Coca 30 (which can help with altitude) and Arnica (which can help with aching legs). Your doctor or qualified practitioner will be able to tell you what you need.

INSURANCE: you will need to organise your own comprehensive travel and medical insurance. Please also remember to check specifically that your insurance covers you for the altitudes that we’ll be experiencing – the fact that you specify Peru as your destination is not sufficient (Lima is at sea level). And you’ll need to give us the reference number of your policy and the 24-hour emergency contact phone number when you make your first US$ payment instalment. We also recommend making sure that your insurance covers you for cancellations, so get your insurance EARLY in the process – it is not to be left until last.

What to pack

Clothing:

  • Walking boots/sandals/shoes that you find comfortable to walk in.
  • Factor 50 sunscreen (and lower options as well).
  • A broad-brimmed sun hat and sunglasses.
  • Waterproofs.
  • Layers: in the sunshine during the day it can get very warm. In the early morning and when the sun sets, it gets very chilly very quickly. The temperature range in a day can be huge.
  • A small, comfortable backpack: if you are a Mesa-carrier, you’ll bring your mesa everywhere we go.
  • We always carry water/energy drinks and snacks.
  • Wet wipes, tissues. 
  • A reusable water bottle, into which you can decant bottled water.
  • Mini-torch or head-torch, rehydration sachets, insect-repellent, anti-bacterial hand gel, tissues, a bag for your rubbish. All of your own toiletries/bathroom necessities. A travel towel.
  • Notebook for journaling.
  • If you feel to, we bring some crayons, paper, pencils etc for the children at the school on Amantani Island.
  • If you have a connecting flight, bring necessities in your hand luggage.
  • Leave room in your suitcase for all the things you’ll bring home!

Documents

  • You must have comprehensive Medical and Travel Insurance. We will need the company name, policy number and the 24-hour emergency contact telephone number for your insurance policy as part of your booking.
  • You will need at least six months left on your passport from the date of your arrival in Peru (potentially longer – see the paragraph on International Flights above).
  • In order to book your tickets to the sites we visit (including Machu Picchu), make your hotel reservations and book your train tickets, we will need to supply to our organisers in Peru with the following information: your passport number and expiration date, nationality, and your full name as it appears on your passport.
  • It is your responsibility to check whether you require a visa. 

There are a few things that we request that you don’t bring. We are stepping into a sensitive environment and the following feel much more impactful:

  • First, we request that you avoid alcohol while we are together, and during the run up to the trip. Energy work and alcohol do not mix, especially at altitude if you’re not used to it.
  • Please smoke/vape minimally; smoking is not allowed anywhere in the hotels, and at altitude it can make breathing feel very difficult. (Also for those around you.)
  • Cosmetic perfumes and aftershaves: our request is that you don’t use them at all while you’re with us. The smell can be overpowering for people not used to them – again, especially at altitude.
  • We also recommend helping your body to prepare for the altitudes that we’ll be experiencing in the 2-4 weeks before we leave. In addition, anything you can do to improve your fitness can also be very beneficial.

Spending money

We recommend budgeting for at least $20-$30 a day on drinks, water, meals, and snacks.

We’re sure you’ll wish to book a healing sessions with our Q’ero shamans. These are likely to be around $60-$80 each, but this will be confirmed by them when we are there. It is common for people to have two or three healing sessions while we have the opportunity.

And then there is shopping! The beautiful knitted and woven items of the Andean culture are beautiful and far cheaper to buy in Peru than in Europe, but of course this makes them all the more tempting! We will be visiting markets; almost everywhere we go, except places that are really off the beaten track, there are market stalls or local craftspeople selling weavings and other gorgeous things along the path or roadside.

Shops in Peru may not all have card facilities (the sellers we meet on our walks certainly don’t) though this is becoming more and more common. The market stall holders accept cash in Peruvian New Sols (PNS) or US$, so we recommend that you bring with you at least $800 in Sols and US Dollars. There are ATM machines in the main towns, so you can always download more money if you run out.

This is a tipping culture. For some of us this will be familiar, but if not, we tip our bus drivers, our shamans, hotel staff, our hosts on Amantani and Taquile as a way to show our gratitude and appreciation. We recommend budgeting for at least $100-$150.

Costs, payment schedules and cancellation policy

There are three payments to be made, and the payment structure is as follows:

PAYMENT #1: a non-refundable deposit of £660 (inc VAT) is to be paid direct to Spirit of the Inca to reserve your place on this journey.

Account name: Spirit of the Inca
Sort Code: 08 92 99 (the name of the bank is the Co-operative)
Account number: 69518025
IBAN: GB78CPBK 089299 69518025
SWIFT or BIC: CPBKGB22

PAYMENT #2: USD$2,250 (inc VAT) to be paid into Chris’s Wise.com account. This payment must be received by 18 July at the latest.

Make Payment #2 via Wise here

PAYMENT #3: USD$1,875 to be handed to Chris Waters in cash when we gather as a group in the evening at our hotel in Ollantaytambo. Add $600 to this payment if we have confirmed that you have a single room.

All payments must be made in the currency stated, and the amount received must be the exact amount specified – any bank charges must be covered by you, and please use the reference that we give you so we can trace your electronic payments.

Cancellations:

Once made, all payments are non-refundable. You must ensure that your insurance policy covers you financially for any cancellations.

Our days together


Each day will be different of course. Sometimes, we take an opportunity to begin the day by gathering together as a group for meditations that help us to anchor the Munay Ki rites and connect us with the lineage and the land. Breakfast is usually around 7am-7.30am. We might take time afterward to share stories and reflections. Or we might set out for the day’s destinations. Every day involves visiting sacred sites, stepping into ceremony with our Earthkeeper shamans, receiving rites, Despachos, and practices from the Q’ero and Aymara traditions. 

Sunset is at around 6pm and it is generally dark (by which we mean pitch black) by around 6.30pm, so we tend to focus our daily excursions during daylight hours – unless we are stargazing! After our evening meal, which will either be in smaller ad hoc groups or together at the hotel, depending where we are, there will either be ceremony, the chance to receive a healing session with our shamans, or simply taking time to rest, journal and integrate the day’s experiences. 

We have planned our journey so that we make the adjustment to the highest altitude (Lake Titicaca is almost 4,000m above sea level), as smoothly as possible. There will be lots of coca leaves on offer (you can buy your own supply too), coca tea, coca sweets, etc (just make sure you don’t have any in your luggage when you travel home), and stay well hydrated especially as the altitude increases. Our shaman Chino will be on hand to advise should you need assistance with the altitude, and the hotels often have oxygen if you feel you need it. But the most important thing of all is to prepare your body well in advance, eat lightly, stay hydrated but of course avoid alcohol, and come prepared to have an amazing journey!

The small print

We have made every effort to create the most beautiful journey for you. We have been doing this for many years, and this is territory that we know well, both literally and energetically. Once again this year, our friends and colleagues in Peru have worked hard to book the hotels, bus journeys, train tickets, and entrance tickets that you’ll need.

And also, things can change at the drop of a hat, and the more able we are to be open and flexible, the better the experience we have, so that we don’t simply cope with the unexpected, but we thrive on any new opportunities this presents. Sudden changes to the itinerary in the past have proved to be some of the most extraordinary additions to our journeys.

Please see the paragraph above about cancellations, and also the details about health and medical issues. If you have an existing medical condition, it is your responsibility to make sure that you have everything you need to be certain that you will be safe and well on this trip, and will not impact the group. We take no responsibility for any health issues. By signing up for this journey, you are agreeing to these terms.

All payments, once made, are non-refundable.

This information is correct as of 9 July 2025. The current version of this page supersedes any previous versions, including costs, dates, and special offers.

Local details

Altitude

Sacred Valley: 9,000 Ft. (approx. 2,750m)
Machu Picchu: 7,975 Ft. (approx. 2,450m)
Cusco: 11,100 Ft. (approx 3,380m)
Lake Titicaca: 12,500ft. (approx. 3,800m)

Ready to take this journey of a lifetime?

YES!

In their words, not ours

Hear What Others Have Experienced

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chris@spiritoftheinca.com
+44 7765 258614

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