Behind the Scenes Tour

Descripción en español abajo

Join Awamaki team members to learn how our programs work to create and sustain economic opportunities for rural and indigenous women artisans in the Peruvian Andes, supporting them on their path to financial independence and success.

Beginning at our central office in the historic and charming town of Ollantaytambo, Awamaki staff and volunteers will offer you a behind the scenes look at our organization’s impact-driven operations. Your tour leader will introduce you to our staff members and current volunteers, giving you the opportunity to learn more about our distinct programs and projects and how they all come together to support and grow women-led cooperatives in rural Andean villages near Ollantaytambo. 

At our office, you will not only meet the people who run and support our initiatives, but you will see first hand how we respectfully and ethically design and produce our products for retail and wholesale and you will learn about our program in sustainable tourism that works in collaboration with artisan collectives to co-create tangible benefits for our local host partners. 

After meeting our team, composed also of talented volunteers who are motivated to support our mission and are essential to our progress, you will walk the colorful, cobblestoned streets of Ollantaytambo enroute to Awamaki’s fair trade store. As you walk through town, your tour leader will offer a brief explanation of the rich history and vibrant present that, together, create a local charm and a special intrigue appreciated by national and foreign visitors alike.   

Upon arrival at our fair trade store, located beside the base of the Ollantaytambo temple, you will see how Awamaki’s work with grassroot artisans cooperatives and its emphasis on ethical design and production methods result in the unique retail products on our display shelves. Your tour leader will explain how our products not only respect the significance and artistry of heritage textiles, but also embrace contemporary fashion trends. The production and sale of Awamaki’s handmade goods help connect rural women artisans to a broader market, encouraging their economic freedom and enhancing their prospect for starting and running their own small businesses.

Itinerary

• 12:50pm - Meet Awamaki tour leader in front of La Esquina Cafe in the Ollantaytambo plaza.

• 1pm - A warm welcome from Awamaki team members & current volunteers at our office.

• A tour of the office, production workshops and volunteer house.

• Discussion and Q & A held by our team on their their roles at Awamaki was well as the overall work and mission of the organization.

• 2pm - A guided walk through Ollantaytambo with a brief explanation of the local history and contemporary culture and social factors.

• 2:15pm - Arrival at the Awamaki fair trade store where you will learn about the final stages of our product development process, interact with our sustainable tourism initiatives and offerings and learn about ways to continue your journey with Awamaki. 

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

• Sunscreen

• Comfortable shoes

• Warm layer

• Rain jacket (just in case!)

• A small snack, optional 

Descripción en Español:

Los miembros del equipo de Awamaki te invitarán a una visita que te llevará al corazón de nuestras operaciones: a nuestra oficina, los talleres de producción y la casa de voluntarios. Después de hacer un recorrido por nuestro sitio central de administración y producción, te guiaremos por el encantador pueblo de Ollantaytambo en camino hacia la tienda de comercio justo de Awamaki en la base del sitio arqueológico principal del pueblo. En la tienda, nuestro equipo te explicará aún más sobre nuestros programas de impacto social que incluyen cooperativas artesanales y turismo sostenible.

Itinerario:

• 12:50pm - Presentarte frente de La Esquina Cafe en la plaza de Ollantaytambo para encontrarte con la/el guía del tour.  

• 1pm: Una cálida bienvenida del equipo de Awamaki y los voluntarios actuales en nuestra oficina.

• Un recorrido por nuestra oficina, los talleres de producción y la casa de voluntarios. 

• Una discusión con los miembros del equipo de Awamaki sobre sus trabajos y responsabilidades y también sobre la misión de la organización.   

• 2pm: Un recorrido por Ollantaytambo que incluye una explicación breve de la historia local del pueblo y las características culturales y sociales de hoy en día.  

• 2:15pm: Llegada a la tienda de comercio justo. Aquí aprenderás sobre los pasos finales del proceso de la producción de nuestros productos, nuestras iniciativas y trabajos en turismo sostenible y puedes informarte de maneras para continuar tu viaje con Awamaki!