Synergy Journey to Perú (12th to 20th August)
RETREAT OVERVIEW
Experience the magic of Peru’s Sacred Valley with a wonderful community of wellness practitioners. Our journey begins in the Andean city of Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire. From Cusco we travel to Willka T’ika Wellness Retreat & Boutique Hotel, in the town of Urubamba, surrounded by the splendor of the Andes. During our stay at Willka T’ika guests will experience outdoor herbal baths; therapeutic massage; daily yoga classes; nutritious farm to table vegetarian meals; and the well known chakra gardens which hold a variety of healing herbs. From our Willka T’ika base camp we will explore the Sacred Valley through daily trips including Machu Picchu; Rainbow Mountain; Pisac; and Moray. Our vision for the retreat is to offer guests a range of cultural experiences, deepening their understanding of Inca culture; create an environment in which guests can decompress and relax from their daily routines; and celebrate life through daily yoga practice while absorbing the high energetic frequencies of the Sacred Valley.
Retreat Leaders: Francisco Morales-Bermudez and Salim Rollins
Included:
● Accommodation
● airport transfers
● all entry fees to the Inca sites
● all meals except for three (see details in the itinerary)
● all yoga classes
● all travel expenses
● one herbal bath per guest at Willka T’ika Hotel
Not Included:
Suggested Reading:
● Massages (which may be booked upon request at Willka T’ikka Hotel)
● cocoa leaf readings
● The Last Day of the Incas – by Kim MacQuarrie
● Journey to Machu Picchu by Carol Cumes & Romulo Lizarraga Valencia
Landing Page Copy
PRICING
* for those who are unable to pay the full retreat cost up front, you can make an initial deposit and pay the balance closer to the time of the retreat. Space for the retreat is limited so we
recommend that you register as soon as you can confirm attendance.
To Pay Full Amount
Shared Room: $3,200 (due August 1st) Single Room: $3,900 (due August 1st)
To Pay in Installments
Deposit: $1,000 (due August 1st)
Day 1: Friday, August 12th
Arrivals
Guests will be picked up from Cusco Airport by our driving staff and taken to Willka Tika
Dinner: Willka Tika
Day 2: Saturday, August 13th
Morning Yoga
Breakfast: Willka Tika
Guests will receive herbal baths and massages over the course of the day as well as a tour of the chakra gardens.
* one herbal bath per guest is complementary with registration. We will have a schedule
over the course of our time at Willka T’ika so those who don’t receive an herbal bath on the first day will receive one over the course of the visit. Massages can be booked through the hotel registration there will be a list at the bar in the common area
Lunch: Willka T’ika
Afternoon presentation: Inca agriculture – Mariela & Francisco
Shared Room Balance: $2,200 (due August 15th) Single Room Balance: $2,900 (due August 15th)
Landing Page Copy
Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 3: Sunday, August 14th
Morning Yoga Breakfast: Willka T’ika
Following breakfast, we’ll visit the Urubamba Farmers Market which is a ten minute drive from the hotel. Andean culture holds a deep respect for the earth and its harvest as expressed through the divine feminine energy of Pachamama. At the Urubamba market we will see the local crops including fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, coffee and more.
After our visit to the market, we’ll walk fifteen minutes to the Seminario Ceramics Center. Founders Pablo & Marilu Seminario have been an integral part of preserving & celebrating Inca ceramic artistry.
Lunch: Da Colektor Cafe
Following our visit to Seminario Ceramics Center we’ll cross the street and have lunch at Da Colektor Cafe, known for its lovely modern/rustic design and healthy menu.
Return to Willka T’ika
Workshop: Synergy Partner Yoga Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 4: Monday, August 15th
Having spent a few days acclimating to the Sacred Valley, we set off on a journey to Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain). The Journey to Vinicunca “Rainbow Mountain” will take us through remote Inca Villages where we’ll see packs of wild llamas and alpacas. We’ll rise up at 5am and depart for the two hour journey. * recommended clothing: hat; hiking boots; rain gear; gloves; sweater or light down jacket
Breakfast: packed and eaten during the road trip
Hike Rainbow Mountain: the hike is approximately 2.5 hours to the summit; 1.5 hours descent.
Vinicunca or “Rainbow Mountain” is an incredible mountain of colors that receives its name due to the mineral deposits and the geological formation accumulated over millennia. The mixture of marine, lake and river elements contribute to its extraordinary appearance. Vinicunca represents the Sacred Feminine in the Andean trilogy
Lunch: we’ll have lunch at a lovely restaurant at the base of Rainbow Mountain. After lunch we head back to Willka T’ika
Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 5: Tuesday, August 16th
Morning Yoga Breakfast: Willka T’ika
Following breakfast the group will travel 45 mins to Moray where we will participate in a walking tour of the archeological ruins.
Lunch: Don Angel Inka Casona Restaurant which has a lovely buffet
Following lunch we will visit a workshop of Chinchero weavers. The weavers will give us a presentation sharing their traditional dyeing techniques and the ancient stories that are embedded within their designs. These images pay homage to the natural elements and the universal balance of femine and masculine energies. Chinchero is also notable for having maintained Inca culture in spite of attempts by the Spanish to “civilize” and reform the culture.The residents of Chincero have handed down the ancient textile science of the Inca including traditional looms; the use of various herbs, plants and vegetation for their dyes; and Incan designs which hold cultural values that have a lot to teach us our current time.
Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 6: Wednesday, August 17th
Morning Yoga
Breakfast: Willka T’ika
Following breakfast we will travel to the Huaypo Lagoon. This crystal blue lagoon is an amazing landscape and has several folkloric stories connected to Inca culture. According to legend, the sun god asked Manco Capac that his twin children accompany him in his decline. When they went to look for them, they discovered that the son had become the Huaypo lagoon and the daughter turned into the Piuray lagoon. The lagoon is the manifestation of the son of the Inca.
Lunch: Huaypo Lagoon. We will have a first class catered lunch with several popular Peruvian dishes.
Return to Willka T’ika
Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 7: Thursday, August 18th Early Breakfast: Willka T’ika
Following breakfast we’ll drive for one hour to Ollantaytambo where we’ll board a train to Aguas Calientes, the town that rests at the foot of Machu Picchu! From Aguas Caliente we’ll take a bus ascending the mountain to the sacred site of Machu Picchu. Michu Picchu is the
most widely recognized site of the Inca civilization. We will go on a guided tour of the sacred site and gain a deeper understanding of its function in Inca society and how it was constructed.
Lunch: Aguas Caliente (at the base of Machu Picchu) * guests will pay for lunch themselves Following lunch we will board the train back to Ollantaytambo. A bus will pick us up at the train
station and take us back to Willka Tika for dinner. Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 8: Friday, August 19th
Morning Yoga
Breakfast: Willka T’ika
This will be a day for massages, herbal baths, cocoa readings for those who reserve a session and rest. Guests are also welcome to visit the town of Urubamba (10 minute moto taxi drive from the hotel).
Lunch: Willka T’ika
Dinner: Willka T’ika
Day 9: Saturday, August 20th
Morning Yoga
Breakfast: Willka T’ika
We will depart to the Cusco Airport after breakfast. If some of our guests have an earlier flight we will arrange for a private ride.
PLANNING FOR THE RETREAT
Purchasing your ticket:
we suggest buying your flight from your home city to Cusco. There will be a layover at the Lima Airport. Hopefully your layover is not too long. But if it is or if it’s overnight, Lima has a nice airport hotel. Here is the link: https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham/lima-peru/wyndham-costa-del-sol-lima-airport/overvi ew
Once you connect to your domestic flight from Lima to Cusco, we will be at the Cusco Airport to pick you up.
If you’d like to arrive a couple of days early and spend time in Lima, the coastal capital of Perú, please let us know and we will arrange transportation for you and will connect you with our favorite spots in the city.
We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance in case there are unforeseen travel challenges with respect to COVID regulations. We will update guests as to the current travel requirements to enter and leave Peru closer to the time of the retreat.
What to pack:
Temperatures in Cusco typically fluctuate daily. Evening time is chilly and daytime is usually sunny and warm. Layering is the key. Here’s what we recommend you bring:● A light down vest or jacket
● Long undershirts
● At least one heavy sweater but remember, Peru has some of the best and coziest sweaters in the world made from alpaca wool!
● Hiking boots for the Rainbow Mountain hike
● A daypack for all of the day trips
● A rain shell just in case
● A water bottle
● An empty duffle bag to carry all of your beautiful garments and artwork back home!
CANCELLATION POLICY
If a participant needs to cancel prior to the retreat we offer partial refunds according to the following schedule:
4 weeks before the event: 75% refund
3 weeks before the event: 50% refund
2 week before the event: 25% refund
1 week: no refund