Rural Tourism Package

From USD $108.00
  • Duration: 6 Hours (approx.)
  • Location: Ollantaytambo, Peru
  • Product code: RTP
Your trip begins in Ollantaytambo. From there you will enjoy a beautiful drive 
ascending nearly 1000 meters up the Patacancha Valley. Following the 
Patacancha River, you will pass small farms, Incan agricultural terraces, 
little-visited ruins, the oldest colonial church in the Sacred Valley, and stunning 
mountain views. Upon arrival in one of the upper Andean villages of Patacancha 
or Huilloc, Awamaki’s partner artisans will meet you and welcome you to their 
cooperative’s weaving center.

Descripción en Español abajo


The artisans will lead you in a sharing of Quechua culture and traditions, 
and a demonstration of the entire weaving process. They will show you how 
alpaca or sheep wool is spun into yarn by hand on the pushka, the traditional 
Andean drop spindle, and you can give it a try. They will explain how different local
plants and materials are used in the dyeing process, and show you how they dye
the yarn. They will demonstrate the warping of the traditional backstrap loom
and the weaving process, including a discussion of the traditional pallay designs
used in their villages. Finally, the artisans will teach you to weave a small
bracelet on the backstrap loom in a one-on-one lesson.

 

After the demonstration and lesson, enjoy a traditional, nourishing and plant-based
home-cooked meal including soup and a main course. The village visit will end
with the opportunity to purchase textiles directly from the women who hosted
you for your tour.

 

After the private market, we will head back down the mountain to Ollantaytambo and make
one final stop at the Awamaki store, where you can see the work of all
Awamaki’s partner womens’ cooperatives, including the artisan’s textiles made
into contemporary accessories.

 

Itinerary

  • Picturesque drive from Ollantaytambo to a rural Quechua community in the Patacancha Valley
    (Patacancha or Huilloc)
  • A warm welcome from members of our women’s artisan cooperative upon arrival at their weaving center
  • Demonstration and discussion of Andean backstrap weaving as it relates to Andean culture and history
  • Demonstration andexplanation of the traditional weaving process, led by the artisans
  • One-on-one weaving lesson taught by the artisans
  • Typical local lunch with traditional soup and entree
  • Opportunity to buy the artisans’ handmade textiles
  • Return to Ollantaytambo

Sustainable and respectful tourism

We created our sustainable tourism program in partnership with
our partner Quechua women’s cooperatives. We aim to allow women artisans to host
tourism on their own terms, in a way that is beneficial and sustainable for
their village. We will ask you to respect guidelines around photography that we
have created together with the artisans. Included in your tour price is fair
and generous compensation for your hosts, regardless of whether they sell a
weaving during your tour. Thank you for being part of this work!

 

Logistical Information

Because we are a small non-profit, we are not able to guarantee a private tour. 
There may be other visitors in your tour group. However, most of our tours are 
very small, between 2 and 6 people.


Things to Bring

  • Water and refillable water bottle
  • Sunscreen
  • Comfortable shoes
  • Warm layer
  • Rain jacket (just in case!)
  • A small snack, optional
  • Bills in soles if you plan to purchase from the artisans. Please note: This will be one of the best shopping opportunities of your trip. Most of the markets just do not offer the variety and quality of weavings that you will see on this visit. The artisans are not able to accept credit cards. The main feedback we get from our travelers is that they wish they had brought more cash to shop from the artisans. Typical spending per traveler ranges from 100 to 1000+ soles. 


Special requests:

We can accommodate most special
requests. We can accommodate all dietary restrictions. Please note
special requests or dietary restrictions in the “special instructions” section
when you book. We will contact you if we are unable to accommodate your
request.


If you need transportation from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, please book this 
separately on our main reservations page. We can also bring your luggage 
on the tour if you are in transit, or store it securely at our office.


Solo travellers:

If you are traveling alone and would like to book a tour, book for two people and then at check-out use discount code: SoloTravelerDT for 10% off. 


Descripción en Español

Viaje a uno de los pueblos quechuas rurales en las altas montañas de los Andes sobre Ollantaytambo y conéctese con los líderes artesanos . Las mujeres compartirán su herencia en textil, una lección de tejido personalizada, un almuerzo tradicional y un mercado privado.

Itinerario

  • Viaje pintoresco desde Ollantaytambo a una comunidad rural quechua en el valle de Patacancha (Patacancha o Huilloc)
  • Una cálida bienvenida de los miembros de nuestra cooperativa de mujeres artesanas al llegar a su centro de tejido.
  • Demostración y presentacion sobre el tejido de cintura andino en relación con la cultura y la historia andinas
  • Demostración y explicación del proceso de tejido tradicional, a cargo de las artesanas.
  • Lección de tejido uno a uno impartida por las artesanas.
  • Almuerzo Pachamanca en horno de tierra
  • Oportunidad de comprar los textiles hechos a mano de las artesanas.
  • Regreso a Ollantaytambo