Are you ready to uncover the mysteries of the Inca civilization!
To be transported into their Royal dynasties, temples and forts,
exploring and uncovering hidden gems and Secret portals?

 

Join Anita Sundaram and Joan Ngo for 10 magical & mystical days
to a land that is steeped in a deep rich heritage.

A Journey into the Lost Arts – Peru Edition

Welcome to Peru, the Sacred Valley!

Our pilgrimage takes us to the Land of the Inca warriors. The Sacred Valley was the center of the vast Incan Empire. The extensive ruins stretch from the villages of Pisac to Ollantaytambo before you eventually arrive at the citadel of Machu Picchu!

Each day is curated and themed to give you a taste and flavor into an incredible rich tapestry of Incan history, culture, ritual and beauty.

We begin our Journey into the Lost Arts Retreat with a prayerful ritual, honoring the Elements. A purposeful ritual to return to Mother Earth what she has given us and to aspire to our deepest desires about life. Our teachers have been initiated by the Queros, said to be the last descendants of the Incas, asking for healing and protection from the Sacred mountains. They safeguard a culture deeply intertwined with the rhythms of nature and serve as a living bridge to this ancient wisdom.
With every ritual and prayer these wisdom keepers teach us to honor and keep alive the heartbeat of Mother Nature, reminding us of our connection with the earth and the Universe. This IS AYURVEDA!

Get ready for a remarkable experience!
Meet your Alpaca!

Our next portal takes us on a memorable journey hiking with Alpacas through the Sacred Valley, collecting medicinal plants, herbs and leaves to be used to dye alpaca wool. The yarn process dyeing just as they have been doing since time of the Incas.
Your experience will be with great Master weavers recognized by Unesco. The backstrap waist loom is the ancient technique that their ancestors used to make their garments. Each thread tells a story, each pattern a legacy passed down through generations.
Immerse in the vibrant world of traditional weaving and dyeing, following a delicious traditional Andean lunch, a feast that has been prepared unground, cooking for hours! We will spend the afternoon dying alpaca wool and your own cotton t-shirts (which we recommend bringing with you) with the leaves we collected during the Alpaca hike. At the end of the workshop, we say goodbye to our new family with a alpaca ceremony, a pre-Inca tradition that adds a special touch to this unique experience.

Our next Sacred Site, behold the wonder of Salt!

Lying in the middle of the Sacred valley mountain ranges, is the small Pervuian village of Maras. This canyon is filled with geometric salt pools that have been harvesting salt since the Incan empire! 

These salt pans are cascading down a hillside valley, the Salinas de Maras ( as they are known in the local tongue ) were first created sometime in the 1400’s by the Incas. 

The salt is still bagged by hand, packaged and sold at the markets. Today there are about 3000 pools that are still harvested by community of local families who take care of the salt pans. The whole production remains much the same as it was when the Incas discovered it 1000 years ago. 

You will have the opportunity to purchase salt directly from this village. Each time you shake some of Maras salt on your food, it will take you back here… to the Sacred Valley. 

Inca Temple : Sacred Valley

Giving gratitude to this Sacred site we make our way to our next portal. Oh and it is indeed a Portal!

The site of the mysterious Inca temple in the Sacred Valley. One of the most mystical and special hidden gems is the impressive carved stone temple known as Naupa Iglesia.

As in most Inca archaeological sites one has to climb up to “arrive”. At the top, a large cave has been transformed into a temple. Windows and door niches, none of which lead anywhere. This has led to speculation that the site was meant to symbolize a sort of portal to a different realm in Inca cosmology.

Another relection, is a trilogy of 3 niches in the center of the cave. It is carved out of a “pizeo-electric”, bluish caste stone. Why? No other site in the area is made of this type of stone. An electric current for what? For who? If the stone could talk, or if you are transported to another realm, would they divulge the secret.

A true Journey into the Lost Arts.

Sacred Beauty, Peruvian Style

Our journey will not be complete without an Ayurveda Immersion into Sacred Beauty, Peruvian style. You will be soaked in the beauty of the Life force of these sacred plants. This day will be filled with all things that speak to the heart.
Munay Sonquo, our Retreat center is filled with Sacred medicinal plants. We will learn about these magical plants, make your own botanical tincture/medicine and teas.

One of the most magical experiences is making our own plant bath brew. A huge cauldron filled with medical plants we have collected and allowed to steep for a few hours. We will learn Ayurvedic Self Care rituals by the Sacred fire, cleanse our face & body with herbs and medicinal oils, learn head and face marmas. With prayerful intentions we make our way to the plant brew, and cleanse our mind, body and soul with the pranified plant bath.

No words, just a REBIRTH, a Rememberance, a Connection back to Source, the Self.

Machu Picchu, the Lost city of the Incas!

Finally, what we are all waiting for, a Journey to one of the most awe inspiring, jaw dropping sites in the Sacred Valley.

Hidden among the soaring peaks of the Andes mountains, plunging valleys, near the border of the Amazon rainforest, in a uniquely stunning  cloud forest ecosystem lies the mysterious Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven wonders of the world. 

 It was built around 1450 and abandoned around 1530. The sacred citadel was ordered and built by Pachacuti ( the Inca emperor ) as a royal estate, though the exact purpose and usage of Machu Picchu remain unknown. 

This amazing wonder was discovered by a history professor, Hiram Bingham in 1911. 

The ruins at Machu Picchu, notable for some of the finest stonework in the Inca Empire, have been largely undisturbed since their abandonment, in part thanks to the Inca’s ingenious “earthquake-proof” architecture. 

We depart from Munay Sonqo early in the morning in our private transport and travel to Ollantaytambo, known as “the living Inca town” because it preserves the layout of the original Inca city. The town is like a museum with its cobblestone streets, ancient Incan walls and aqueducts. Here we will experience yet another grand archeological site, have lunch and embark on the majestic scenic train journey to Aguas Calientes town – the gateway to Machu Picchu. 

The next morning get ready to be captivated as you enter Machu Picchu sacred and enigmatic grounds. Before entering, our spiritual guide asks permission from the Spirit of the mountains to begin our discovery of this Lost City.