PERUVIAN WEAVING & MACHU PICCHU TOUR 6D/5N

Explore the rich world of Andean Textiles in this Peruvian Weaving & Machu Picchu Tour

Peruvian Weaving & Machu Picchu Tour is one of our most popular packages. Planning a trip to Peru allows you to dive into ancient Inca history and witness Andean cultural traditions in Cusco and the Sacred Valley as you make your way to Machu Picchu.

Explore the rich world of Andean Textiles in this Peruvian Weaving & Machu Picchu Tour. You will start with a visit to an ancient textile fabric in the Southern Valley, the first in the region to industrialize the weaving process with wool and alpaca. This factory was operated for more than 300 years until the late XX century. Today it is a museum with sophisticated French and English engineering, a place for sustainable tourism.

With responsible travel, you will visit a local community in the Sacred Valley. Your guide will help translate as the community members show you the organic materials used in the dying process. You will learn what plants they come from, their traditional uses, and more. After sheering the animals of their sacred wool, you will watch the wool as it is dyed to the perfect color for the craftsman’s piece. Also, you will have the chance to weave with the community. Your guide will explain the frequent symbols you’ll find in Andean artwork and what they mean to the local people.

We’ve put together a comprehensive itinerary, to help you get started planning your vacation of places to go in Peru. Below you’ll find a day-by-day outline of your trip, as well as a quoted price for you as you are planning a trip to Peru. We fit all the pieces together in just the right way and handle the logistics of your trip, so all you have to do is focus on enjoying your vacation with responsible travel..

ITINERARY AT A GLANCE

Day 1	Arrival in Cusco and Cusco City Tour.
Day 2	Southern Valley & Weaving Factory Museum.
Day 3	Maras, Moray & Chinchero Weaving Demonstration.
Day 4	Ollantaytambo Ruins & Llama Blessing in Local Community.
Day 5	Machu Picchu Tour.
Day 6	Departure from Cusco.

Day 1: Arrival in Cusco and Cusco City Tour

Welcome to your tour of Cusco! Once you arrive, we will have a representative meet you and show you to your hotel. Here you will relax as you begin to acclimatize to the high altitude of the sacred Andean mountain city.

Situated at 3,400 m (11,150 ft), the beautiful city of Cusco is a “must-see” for places to go in Peru. This sacred city boasts beautiful whitewashed walls, red-tiled roofs, and soaring churches nestled in a fertile mountain basin, and is necessary to visit when planning your trip to Peru.

In the afternoon, as you tour Cusco, your tour guide will introduce you to all that this ancient city has to offer. Cusco is well known for its remarkable history visible in its monumental architecture, richly ornamented churches, and present-day Andean cultural practices.

You will meet your guide and begin in the UNESCO-recognized historic center, Plaza De Armas. Here you visit the majestic Cusco Cathedrals and Qoricancha (the Temple of the Sun). Then your group will take a scenic drive into the countryside to see the impressive archeological sites of Sacsayhuaman that overlook the city, as well as the ruins of Q’enko.

Once the tour concludes, we will bring you back to Cusco city where you will stay overnight at your hotel.

Day 2: Southern Valley & Weaving Factory Museum

This day of sustainable tourism is filled with the gems of the “Southern Valley” of Cusco on a guided tour to Tipon, Piquillacta, and Andahuayillas. The adventure begins at Tipon, an impressive site well-known for its intricate fountain systems.

Next on your list of places to go in Peru is the ancient ruins of Piquillacta, which date back to the first century AD. Piquillacta marks an imperial outpost of the Wari Empire.

The last stop on this day of responsible travel is the small village of Andahuaylillas. It is home to a dazzling 17th-century church which is covered in 24-carat gold leaf and known worldwide as the “Andean Sistine Chapel.”

Afterward, your group will return to Cusco city to enjoy the rest of the day at their leisure.

Day 3: Maras, Moray & Chinchero Weaving Demonstration

On this day, we will leave the lively streets of Cusco’s Plaza de Armas behind. You will set out to discover some of the cultural highlights and Inca masterpieces of The Sacred Valley. With your guide and fellow travelers, the group will depart from Cusco in the morning.

This tour begins with a panoramic drive to the town of Chinchero. Here, we will visit the locally run Textile Center to learn about the region’s longstanding Peruvian weaving traditions. Your group will also have time to shop for souvenirs.

The next stop on this day is the remarkable Moray archaeological complex. You will learn how the circular farming terraces served the Incas as their enormous agricultural laboratory.

The final stop on tour this day is a visit to the renowned salt mines of Maras. The 3,000-plus shallow pools constructed along a hillside are fed by a saltwater stream. It is a sight to behold and is located in the region of Urubamba Valle Sagrado de Los Incas.

At the end of this day’s tour, you will return and be dropped off back in Cusco.

Day 4: Ollantaytambo Ruins & Llama Blessing in Local Community

To learn more about Quechua culture and Peruvian textile weaving traditions, we will visit an indigenous community in The Sacred Valley of The Incans. With your guide, you’ll take a picturesque drive to Patacancha, located a short distance from Ollantaytambo town.

Upon arrival, you will learn about weaving and its significance in the Andean culture at a cooperative weaving center. The pilgrimage includes a demonstration of the entire process of Peruvian Weaving, starting with how alpaca and sheep wool is hand spun into yarn, as well as how local plants are utilized as natural dyes, and finally how the yarn is woven into the completed product. After the demonstration, your group will have the opportunity to attempt weaving yourself!

You will enjoy a home-cooked meal in a weaver’s home including soup and a main course, before being transferred back to your hotel in Ollantaytambo.

Day 5: Machu Picchu Tour

This day begins with an early morning train, followed by a 20-minute bus transfer up to the ruins for your Machu Picchu Tour. The tour guide will usher you on an unforgettable walk through Machu Picchu’s stone-lined paths, along the terrace edges, to the base of structures that testify to the extraordinary skill of its ancient builders.

Board the shuttle bus back to town, and after capturing some final memories, you will make your way to the train station for your return to Cusco city. On arrival back to Ollantaytambo, you meet your driver for a transport to your hotel.

Once you arrive back in Cusco you will have your last night in the city.

Day 6: Departure from Cusco.

Enjoy your last day in Cusco with unrestricted time to explore on your own. You can visit places to go in Peru included in your package with the tours Cusco Tourist Ticket (ask me for more info).

The grand and bustling San Pedro Market is highly suggested to pick up souvenirs for friends and family back home.

It is always a sight to see when you spend part of your day people-watching at a restaurant overlooking the magnificent Plaza de Armas.

In the afternoon, your shuttle will pick you up from your Cusco hotel to take you to the airport for your voyage to your next destination.

Included:

Professional English Spanish – Quechua speaking guide
Briefing before the start of photography tour in Cusco
Private transport for your excursion in Cusco and Lima +
7 Nights in the best hotels in Peru of your choice
All meals on the itinerary (B= Breakfast L= Lunch, D= Dinner). Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free meals on request at no extra cost. (Home cooked meals during the homestay using organic fresh ingredients from the region)
All admissions as per itinerary to include Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu
Train of your choice round trip
Round Trip Shuttle Bus at Machu Picchu
First-aid kit and oxygen