By creating a Peru travel itinerary surrounding the many Peru sacred sites, you’re securing yourself an immersive experience in a culture rich with healing arts.
When describing the importance of pilgrimage to Peru’s sacred sites such as the Sacred Valley Peru, our journey leader Puma Quispe Singona says: “There is so much that is constantly affecting us. So we need to take care of our heart. We need to take care of our mind. . .We have ceremonies. We have rituals. We have ways of being and thinking. . .so we can be healthier. So we can be happier and in inner peace.”
Puma is an Andean medicine man and wisdom keeper who leads our Heart of the Pachamama journeys through the sacred lands of Peru.
In this article, we serve as your guide to forming a Peru travel itinerary to discover Peru sacred sites based on our own time in Peru with Puma. You’ll learn where to go and what to do during your time among the traditions of the Andes in Peru.
Peru Travel Itinerary: Where to Go
You’re thinking about visiting Peru, and perhaps you’ve heard it’s chalked full of sacred sites and spiritual landmarks. Maybe you’ve read about the Inca Trail, the colorful town of Cusco, and the Sacred Valley. These among others are key components of an insightful, healing journey through Peru.
Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
The Inca Trail features a strenuous trek through the countryside, jungles, and mountains of Peru. The trail is thought to be the route of pilgrimage used by the Inca in the 15th century AD. The trail is extremely strenuous and at a high altitude.
It’s recommended that any traveler wishing to experience this 4-day hike spend a few, calm days in the heights of the Andes to acclimate to the altitude.
You may wish to experience Machu Picchu without the multiple-day strain of uphill hiking. In this case, consider some Machu Picchu Peru tours. On such a journey, choosing the correct guide is of the utmost importance. For instance, our journey leader Puma is equipped with over 20 years of training in the tradition of his Quechua grandfather from Chinchero. He’s a prime example of someone you’d want leading you through this wonder of the world.
Summit Huayna Picchu to see the Temple of the Moon
Among the many people to visit Machu Picchu, few make the steep ascent up Huayna Picchu, and fewer still venture to the hidden Temple of the Moon.
The Temple of the Moon is an ancient Inca temple used by adepts in the final phase of initiation at Machu Picchu. It is built into the mountainside and features and features some of the finest stonework of all of Machu Picchu. The trail to the top of Huayna Picchu is not an easy climb—a primary reason many choose to pass. Also, visitors need to reserve a permit in advance to be admitted to climb Huayna Picchu! This is one of the many Peru secrets to plan for in advance.
Visit Cusco Peru
At the beginning of your journey, spend a few days in Cusco to acclimate to the altitude of the Andes.
There are good reasons we visit Cusco during our sacred pilgrimage in Peru. For example, on the outskirts of Cusco is the citadel called Sacsayhuamán. It is considered an architectural wonder. People travel from all over the world to learn the mystery and legends of how this stone-walled complex was constructed.
Among other sacred sites in and around Cusco, a general walk around the city is very rewarding. The city was the capital of the Inca empire until Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Today it is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for providing a “unique testimony of the ancient Inca civilization, heart of Tawantinsuyu imperial government, which exercised political, religious and administrative control over much of the South American Andes between the 15th and 16th centuries. The city represents the sum of 3,000 years of indigenous and autonomous cultural development in the Peruvian southern Andes.”
Peru Travel Itinerary: What to Do
Aside from where to go to experience the best of sacred Peru, the “what” as in “what to do” in Peru is essential for a well-rounded Peru travel itinerary.
Experience Healing with Wachuma
Wachuma (San Pedro) is a psychedelic plant medicine that has been used in ceremony for thousands of years by indigenous peoples in Peru.
The compounds in San Pedro, a cactus, work to neutralize mental chatter and “teach us” how to live more meditatively. San Pedro harnesses self-awareness to clear past wounds and enable a more heart-centered way of being. It can bring limiting thoughts and beliefs to the surface of one’s consciousness; what no longer serves our highest good has the opportunity to be released and purged away.
On our previously-mentioned journey with Puma Quispe Singona, pilgrims have the option to work with Wachuma.
Experience Energy Work and Other Ceremonial Practices
If experiencing Wachuma is out of your ceremonial scope, there are still plenty of ways to experience ceremony as part of your Peru travel itinerary.
From rebirthing ceremonies to ceremonies surrounding astrological/seasonal events—there’s plenty on offer for reaping the benefits of experiencing Peru in this sacred way.
Puma’s website, noqankani.com is an excellent resource for learning about specific ceremonies such as despacho offerings (gratitude ceremony) and coca leaf readings (clarity, peace, wisdom ceremony).
How Will You Travel Peru?
Many visit Peru as tourists keen on eating the food (important nonetheless), staying in comfortable hotels, and experiencing the culture as outsiders. While these travelers are sure to learn something, will the medicinal qualities of Peru become imprinted on their souls?
Sacred Earth Journeys values immersive experience. We view pilgrimage as true travel, a way by which we become one with the sacred within cultures rather than mere observers.
So how will you travel Peru?
~Jacob Lopez, staff writer
