5 day/4 night
Choquequirao Trek

Traditional Herbal Medicine of the Peruvian Andes and Amazon

In the land of many cultures and ancient traditions, the shamanic healing arts are thriving in Peru. Today, Curanderos (Spanish for "curers") can be found in almost every small mountain or jungle community, practicing physical and spiritual healing based on knowledge which has been passed down from master to apprentice over millennia.

Highlights
This extraordinary 12 day journey will take you to the stunning mountain village of Chinchero, as well as the bountiful green jungles of the Southern Amazon. Homestays with families who keep traditional medicine alive will augment the hands-on education facilitated by this trip. Local shamans will serve as daily instructors, teaching the language of health in Peruvian terms. Unlike Western medicine, traditional healers seek to cure the source of illness, not merely the symptoms, requiring a much more intimate and spiritual relation between healer and patient. The five senses guide a Shaman's intuition into diagnosis, then into choosing a manner of treatment. Observations of the daily workings of the Shaman with his patients will enlighten the mind and inspire the senses.

Herb walks will teach you the names and uses of native plants, and how to utilize them as effective treatments. You will have the opportunity to create your own tinctures, potions and serums as the shamans reveal their ancient healing properties.

What to Expect
After a day of acclimatizing to the altitude of the Andes in the town of Cusco, we will travel to the home of a local "Curandera" in the weavers’ village of Chinchero. Vilma and her husband Paulino are wonderful individuals who warmly welcome visitors into their lives and home, and proudly share their traditions. Vilma will be the guide of afternoon herb walks through the remote area of the Sacred Valley, where locals have been cultivating plants and flowers for centuries. Informal classes in the home of Vilma will give the opportunity to ask questions and take notes about the herbs and plants gathered. A local Shaman will accompany the group to a Pachamama (Earth) Giving ceremony at the Moon Temple in Saqsayhuman. In addition, we will be meeting with local weavers, carvers, beekeepers, farmers and other families who wish to share stories about their culture. Evenings will be spent learning Quechua language, music, dancing and story time around the fire. We will eat and live in the local way. The accommodations are brand new and comfortable and the food is nourishing and grown locally.

After four days with the traditional healers of the Andes, we will fly to the Amazon where we will canoe our way through the verdant forest to the meet members of the Ese'ja Tribe. Our days in the jungle will be spent hiking with locals through the rainforest learning about the amazing diversity of the Amazon jungle. We will be staying in beautiful and comfortable jungle lodges that are in harmony with the surroundings. We will be visiting the local community of herbalists and Amazonian Shamans who will guide us through the richness of the Amazon's flora and fauna.

During our home stay experiences, we will explore the magnificent ancient capitol of Cuzco with its narrow streets and rich history followed by several days in the Sacred Valley of the Inca exploring ruins and visiting colorful markets. This trip includes a visit to Lima, Puerto Maldonado, Cuzco, Agua Calientes, and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. A three-day Machu-Picchu extension is optional at the end of the trip.

Who We Are
Crooked Trails is a non-profit community-based travel organization helping people broaden their understanding of the planet and its diverse cultures through education, community development and responsible travel.

Crooked Trails is a 501(C) 3 non-profit organization and a portion of your program fees goes to help the villages that you are visiting.

Costs
The cost of the Peru Program is $2750

Includes: all in country transportation (including 3 flights), private vans and train to MP, all meals where listed in itinerary, all accommodations in 3 star guesthouses and homestays, all activities listed in the itinerary, all local guides and translators, one Crooked Trails facilitator to accompany the group.

Does not include: international flights, international departure taxes, some meals ($32.25 per person), and personal items such as internet, laundry and phone calls.

Machu Picchu Extension: $435 pp

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