DAY 7 Cusco: A Melding of Cultures

After a sumptuous breakfast and group discussion in the Palacio del Inka Hotel, we will set out on a grand tour of Cusco, the former capital of the once-vast Inca Empire. The city’s Spanish Colonial architecture both overlays and is interlaced with the earlier Incan architecture, making the streets themselves a wonder to behold. Ornate cathedrals, adobe walls, carved balconies, hidden courtyards, and cobblestone streets add to the historic richness of the ancient Incan capital. We will walk Cusco’s impressive Plaza de Armas, tour its cathedral, and make our way to the Qoricancha, the Inca temple of the sun. Viewed by the Incas as the center point of their universe, the Qoricancha was the most revered of all Incan temples, and its walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold. Here we'll wander the courtyard which once housed the legendary Golden Disc of the sun, and gain new insights into the Inca worldview and into ourselves. Afternoon free for visiting museums and exploring the city.    

Overnight: Palacio del Inka Hotel, Cusco

DAY 8 Cusco: Sacsayhuaman and Beyond - The Final Ascent

On our final full day in Cusco, we set out to visit the ruins above the city that were considered an essential part of the ancient capital. We start with one of the most impressive of them all, Sacsayhuaman. This is where Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, is held during the Summer Solstice. Some of the stones used to build the site weigh over 70 tons yet are fitted so precisely–without the use of mortar–that one cannot slide even the thinnest object between them. Some believe that the site forms the head of a puma or jaguar and that the huge triangulated walls form its teeth, or symbolize lightning.  Here we will reconnect with the "Sacred Trilogy of the Puma, Serpent, and Condor".  As we explore the temple of Sacsayhuamán, known to some as the womb of Pachamama, we will discuss the process of rebirth, and how we might continue to expand on our newfound levels of growing awareness, embrace the Inca tenets of Love, Service, and Wisdom, and go on to live more inspired, purposeful lives. After visiting other sacred sites around the mountain, we return to the city of Cusco and immerse ourselves in the smiles and laughter of the local people. We may also have some free time to visit the colonial cathedrals, archaeology or art museums, or explore the traditional Andean marketplace before celebrating our final night together.

Overnight: Palacio del Inka Hotel, Cusco

DAY 9 Return From the Journey: New Perspectives

This morning, after breakfast in the hotel, we transfer to the Cusco airport to catch our flights back home, feeling alive and energized with newfound wisdom and insights and a keen understanding that our adventure is just the beginning...