Chichubamba is a community, at 2,687 meters above sea level, that houses around 180 families in the heart of the Sacred Valley, specifically Urubamba. The community is dedicated to activities such as agriculture and livestock, but also highlights raising guinea pigs, making ceramics, among other traditional activities that they like to share with visitors. In Chichubamba you will experience up close what families do in their daily lives surrounded by a beautiful green countryside.
Objective of the workshops: Show the cultural wealth transmitted from generation to generation jealously guarded by the residents, share the work techniques that are part of their ancestral knowledge and familiarize through their lived experience in each of the processes during the development of the workshop.
Duration: the workshops last from 45 minutes to one hour and can be extended depending on the degree of interest and participation of the visitors. On a tour of the different houses and in each of them with different activities such as: raising guinea pigs, agriculture, beekeeping, making Chicha de Jora. chocolate, coffee and ceramics. Afterwards you can enjoy a delicious Andean lunch surrounded by nature.
They are received with a welcome greeting by the members of the family of the community member in charge of giving the workshop, then we proceed to show them the workshop and the different accesses they have, then we can go to the clay kneading and molding area. where you can observe the preparation of the clay paste that will serve as a base for the elaboration of the diversity of ceramics and utilities, then the molding of the clay on the wheel is shown with the participation of the guests, once the piece is finished. It goes to the burning phase in the ovens.
Then we move on to the final phase where you yourself can paint your ceramics with the different designs that they show you and at the end we can take a piece of art made with our own hands as a souvenir.
In this workshop they are taught about raising the guinea pig, they are given a brief explanation about the origin of the guinea pig and what its meaning is for the community and the different benefits it has.
Next, they go on to see the different breeds of guinea pig they have, the particular characteristics, the breeding techniques, their mating time and the selection by age and sex. Finally, they are taught how to prepare their food and feed them, and then feed them and take photos.
With this workshop we will be able to learn how to make chicha. In Inca times it was used as a sacred drink with which to thank Pachamama (mother earth) and to this day it is consumed by the inhabitants in the traditional Chicherias after a job, they are shown how this activity is carried out and how long it takes to finish the process, we can see the grinding of the corn and then they will see the cooking of the guiñapo invited with various typical herbs, then the guests participate in the filtering in sifters made of straw We will also be able to observe the different corns that are used to make Chicha and you will finally be able to taste a delicious glass of Chicha or Frutillada.
In this workshop we will live one of the sweetest and most dangerous experiences of the tour, where you will face your own fears, you will teach us about bee breeding and you will have a brief explanation about the history of bees, they are smoked, then we invite you to come closer to the place where the boxes with the honeycombs are located, they will also be taught the care and how to extract honey from the honeycombs. At the end we can taste the nectar of fresh honey.
In this workshop we will be able to observe the process and management of natural, ancestral and medicinal plants, we will proceed to show them and give them a brief explanation of the climatic behavior in relation to the seasons and how different types of products such as vegetables, tubers and vegetables.
They are shown the different tools that are used in farm work, such as chaquitaclla to plow by a team of cattle. The guest participates in the plowing of the land, sowing, weeding or harvesting depending on the season, each person will be able to collect plants. medicines in a basket and then be able to consume each one of them in mates and be able to taste the different flavors and properties of each one.
We proceed to show them the workshop and give them a brief explanation and show them the coffee in its different varieties, then with the participation of the guests we go on to show them the roasting process and its different techniques, then we participate in the grinding process in which shows the different grinding points depending on the passing or filtering system that is subsequently used.
Finally, drip coffee and pot coffee sweetened with panela or chancaca from Quillabamba will be carried out, guests will be invited to taste.
We will learn where the seed comes from and how homemade chocolate is made with select cocoa beans, then we will show you the process of roasting, grinding and kneading it to transform it into pure paste chocolate and its various variants. You will be taught chocolate molding. and each participant will be able to make a chocolate mold, and finally we will be able to enjoy a delicious cup of chocolate.
A group tour means that it is open for other hikers to join.
2 Travelers: $ 0 per person
3 Travelers: $ 0 per person
4 Travelers: $ 0 per person
5 Travelers: $ 0 per person
6 Travelers: $ 0 per person
7 Travelers: $ 0 per person
8 more Travelers: $ 0 per person
Private tours are available and the price depends on the size of the group.
The tour includes ceramics workshops, guinea pig breeding, chicha making, beekeeping, agriculture, coffee and chocolate.
The tour lasts 1 day and three workshops are held: chicha, guinea pig and ceramics.
Visitors will be able to experience up close the daily activities of the community, such as the preparation of traditional foods, animal husbandry and artisanal production.
A community-prepared lunch is offered, including traditional Andean dishes.
Biosafety protocols are applied to ensure the health and well-being of visitors and community members.
Available spaces are limited per day. There are 500 spaces available per day and this covers 250 spaces for tourists and 250 spaces for the agency’s staff such as: Cooks, guides, assistants, muleteers, etc.
Cusco, the imperial city is at an altitude of 3350 meters above sea level. so if you come from a much lower place or at sea level. The best and most recommended thing is to spend at least 2 to 3 days in Cusco before doing the Inca Trail, this is because on the route you will ascend to 4,223 meters above sea level. If you want to have an unforgettable experience, the most recommended thing is proper acclimatization so you can do the hike without any problems or altitude sickness.
The Inca Trail 4 days has a distance of 40 km which is divided day by day. The most complicated day is the second day as you ascend to the highest pass of the walk, this pass is called Warmiwañusca (dead woman’s pass) and is at 4223 meters above sea level.
Because it is a journey that requires a lot of maintenance and constant care as it is a historical legacy that is more than 500 years old, it is necessary, important and mandatory to hire an authorized travel agency to carry out this adventure. Keep in mind that not all agencies can operate it directly if they do not have the corresponding authorization. Currently, there are only 230 travel agencies that meet all the requirements, among them is the Inca Perú Travel team.
The Inca Trail is open 11 months a year, except for the month of February, which is closed for maintenance and because it is the month with the most rain in Cusco. Please note that December to March is the rainy season and this can sometimes close some days during this time, due to inconveniences, landslides, natural problems. It is important that after booking you are always in contact with your agency salesperson to be constantly updated.
The most recommended is from April to November. At this time it is the dry season, so you will not find much rain and you will fully enjoy the mountainous landscapes of the route.
For being an authorized local direct operator. We ask for 50% of the total amount of the tour, this can be done with a credit card, bank deposit or Western Union. Please note that for a prior reservation, our sellers will ask you for basic and important information such as: Copy of Passport or Identity Document (your identification must be valid and if it is expired, you can make the reservation but you must bring the two original passports to the control at the beginning of the walk), another document will also be the Student Card (if you have it), this so that the corresponding discounts can be applied.
No, unfortunately it is not possible to change the dates, it is important that when booking, you are very sure.
As a recommendation, we inform you that you only bring what is necessary, for example light clothing for the day since when doing the walk you will become warm and warm clothing for the higher altitude areas and at night. A 45 Liter backpack can be good, so you can comfortably carry your belongings. Of course you have the option of renting an extra porter for your own belongings. We have porters who carry 15Kg and it costs US$170 American Dollars for the entire trip and porters who carry up to 7Kg which costs US$85 American Dollars for the entire trip. Additionally, do not forget to bring your daily backpack, with everything you need such as: sweets, snacks, rain poncho, jacket, water, etc. You can also review the recommendations section.
The kitchen will be in charge of an expert chef who will prepare meals based on fish, meat, chicken, salads and other Andean products. While breakfast is prepared based on hot drinks (coffee, mates, chocolate, tea), milk, breads, pancakes, jams, eggs, among others. All products are select of good quality and purchased directly from local farmers or markets.
If you have any allergies, dietary restrictions be sure to inform us by email or other means once you have completed your reservation so we can take all necessary precautions. If you are vegetarian/vegan you must also let us know and we can adapt the meals.
Walking poles are really important for this hike since they will help you a lot to avoid problems with your knees and to have a little more strength when ascending or descending. Please note that there are stair ascents and also stair descents so we recommend that you bring a pair of walking sticks.
Yes, you will need to bring your own sleeping bag, the most recommended are -10°c bags. Regarding the mat, it is in the price of the tour, however, at the beginning of the walk the guide will give you one and you have to carry it throughout the journey.
Our guides have been trained to respond to emergencies and use first aid equipment appropriately. And above all to manage the group in difficult situations. Therefore, in the event of an accident, you will be attended to by the guide and a member of the team will see the safest and fastest way to leave the Inca trail to transfer you to a medical center. We will be with you at all times of your recovery.
We will travel on the Inca Trail with the first aid kit and oxygen.
No, it is advisable to be in good physical condition to carry out the walk since you will climb maximum heights of 4000 meters above sea level. Before taking the service you must be honest about your health condition or concern. You are responsible for thinking and deciding whether or not a tour is right for you.
We are Inca Perú Travel certified tour operator, we offer tours to different destinations in Peru, as well as cultural experiences, adventure tours, gastronomic tourism and our most recent experiential and community tourism tours.
