Mapacho River Valley - Southern Peru
Expedition to the Mapacho River valley. The Mapacho river valley is the last valley before the Andes begin their descent into the Amazon. This is a remote and beautiful area, from the jungle-like valley floor to snowcapped mountains. The culture of the Andean people here is incredibly intact, almost none of the people speak any Spanish only the pre-Colombian language of Quechua, the tongue of the Incas. These communities herd alpaca and farm potatoes. They are known to produce some of the finest textiles in the world, all by hand, all with natural dyes. We will have a chance for trekking, experiencing Quechua culture, Andean cuisine and of course plant dyes, textiles and enjoying the beauty of this area. In the evening we will have a chance to bath in the pristine waters of the Chimur hot springs, followed by a traditional meal and a warm bed. We will visit the towns of Parobamba, Pitukiska, Chimur and Bon-Bon!
Join the EthnoCO to this remote and magical place!
Check out the video below of our 2018 expedition to the Mapacho River Valley made by our friends at Language Heritage!
~General Itinerary~
>Leave from Cusco around 7am for the small town of Amparaes, around a 3 hour ride in our private van.
>Visit the village of Amparaes for brunch and a brief textile show/sale
>Take the van from Amparaes to the small Quechua village of Pitukiska
>Visit Pitukiska, an extremely remote village with some of the best weavers in the world. Demonstration on dye plants and weaving techniques.
>Hike to the Sacred Lagoon above Pitukiska (Optional)
>Leave Pitukiska and journey to Parobamba to see more Master Weavers.
>Return to the cozy hostel in Amparaes for dinner and rest.
>Take the car from Amparaes to Bon-Bon
Textile/Dye Presentation, Quechua Culture, Traditional Lunch, Textile Sale/Show
>Snacks, Quechua culture/language discussion, more textiles in Bon-Bon
>Take car from Bon-Bon to the Chimur hotsprings
>Enjoy the natural hot springs of Chimur
>Take the car back to Amparaes
>Return to Cusco or the Sacred Valley in Car.
People often ask us "What is is the best place to buy textiles in the Cusco region? We always give them the same answer- "The REAL textiles come from the Mapacho River Valley!"