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Deepen your yoga practice while immersing yourself in the myths, legends and history of the Incas on our 10 day “Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu” trip. We begin in Cusco, the southern capital of the Inca empire and without a doubt the most beautiful town in Peru. Here we embrace the local culture as we tour local cathedrals, ruins, marketplaces and marvel at the intricate Incan stonemasonry. Our next stop is in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a lovely fertile valley north of Cusco, lined with picturesque Andean markets, impressive churches and remarkable Inca ruins. Here, we will bargain with local craftsmen in the Andean textile markets of Pisaq and visit the archaeological complexes of Moray and Ollantaytambo. We will then embark upon our 4 day pilgrimage trek along the Inca Trail to the “Lost City of the Incas”. We will walk in the footsteps of the Incas as we hike across high mountain passes, descend through verdant valleys and explore Inca ruins along the way. Nothing we will have seen on our journey will prepare us for our arrival at the perfectly preserved Inca citadel of Machu Picchu that was lost in the dense jungle for hundreds of years. Don’t miss this chance to visit the magical country of Peru, full of mystery, intrigue and the rich, ancient culture of the Incas.
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| Group at the ruins. (Machu Picchu, Peru) |
Our journey will be led by Mark Stephens, Director of L.A. Yoga Center and one of Los Angeles’ most popular yoga teachers. From daily sunrise meditation to pranayama and asana practice, Mark will guide us as we draw on the energy of the Andes. We will have ample time and space to practice yoga while staying in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, but it will be the opportunity to practice yoga in the fresh air amongst Incan ruins that will set this trip apart. All levels are welcome. Yoga classes will be specially designed to support the physical challenges of practicing yoga at high altitudes while encouraging a more conscious connection with the deep spiritual power of these sacred Incan sites.
“Then up the ladder of the earth I climbed through the barbed jungle’s thickets until I reached you, Machu Picchu”
from, The Heights of Machu Picchu, by Pablo Neruda
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| Mark Stephens |
After dabbling in yoga in his teens, Mark Stephens began a daily yoga practice twelve years ago, studying Classical Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Viniyoga. As the founder of Yoga on the Inside Foundation, Mark has led teacher training programs for over 250 teachers across the United States. He has created yoga sequences for a variety of yoga videos and books, including for Kathy Smith, Mariel Hemingway, Ursula Karven and New York-based Sports School. He is the founder and director of L.A. Yoga Center. His yoga teaching offers a conscious blend of heart-centered vinyasa flow with attention to alignment, energetic actions, mindfulness and playfulness within the practice. Mark has taught scores of workshops on meditation, pranayama, different aspects of asana practice, and has led yoga retreats at Esalen (Big Sur), White Lotus Foundation, Maya Tulum (Mexico), Zaca Lake and Joshua Tree National Park.
Mark has been an avid rock climber for the past 20 years and has been involved with various outdoor adventure sports since his teens. When not practicing or teaching yoga, Mark is most likely to be found rock climbing, riding his mountain bike, surf kayaking, playing basketball or listening to alternative music.
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| Cusco at night. (Cusco, Peru) |
This is a challenging trek across high altitude passes in the Peruvian Andes. While no previous trekking experience is required, we do suggest that all trip participants be reasonably fit and prepared for a few long days of rigorous hiking. All camping equipment except sleeping bags will be provided: Therm-A-Rest pads, tents, chairs, tables, kitchen supplies, first-aid kit, toilet tent, etc. Furthermore, top quality staff will accompany our group along the trail including guides, cooks, assistants, porters to ensure the most pleasant trekking experience possible. Porters will carry your bags and each trip participant is only responsible for carrying a “day pack” to carry water, a camera and any extra clothing. For non-trekkers, alternative train travel to Machu Picchu can be arranged.
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Space is limited. A deposit of $500 will guarantee your reservation. Full payment is due by July 3, 2004, two months prior to departure. For more information or to register for this trip, please contact:
Andrea Gappell Global Adrenaline, Inc.
1-310-993-9382
layogcenter@globaladrenaline.com
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September 3-12, 2004
$2,550 double occupancy rooms
$3,050 single occupancy rooms
- Yoga leader – Mark Stephens
- Global Adrenaline tour leader – Andrea Gappell
- Local Peruvian guides
- Internal Lima – Cusco – Lima flight
- 6 nights in comfortable hotels, 3 nights camping
- Meals as indicated in the day to day itinerary
- Airport transfers
- Local porters for transportation of camping gear and packs
- International flights (approximately $600 to $800 for USA – Lima, Peru – USA flights
- International airport departure tax ($28)
- Local airport departure tax ($10)
- Meals not included in itinerary ($150)
- Beverages (discretionary)
- Optional excursions on day 9 – whitewater rafting, horseback riding, mountain biking
- Tips and gratuities (discretionary)
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance (discretionary)
- Travel insurance for baggage loss, accidents or trip cancellation (discretionary)
- Laundry, phone calls and other items of a purely personal nature (discretionary)
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A driver will be waiting for you at the Lima Airport (elevation, 150 meters, 500 feet) when you arrive holding a sign with “Global Adrenaline” and your name on it. Upon arrival, we will transfer into town and spend the night at the Sonesta Posada del Inca El Olivar.
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| Local girl. (Sacred Valley, Peru) |
In the morning, we will transfer to the Lima Airport to catch our flight to Cusco (elevation, 3,400 meters, 11,150 feet). Upon arrival, we will be met by our Cusco guide and transferred to our hotel. Cusco is without a doubt the most beautiful town in Peru. It was considered the navel of the earth, the southern capital of the Inca Empire, an empire that at its peak stretched north to the south of Colombia, South to northern Chile and Argentina, and West across the Andes to the Amazon basin. The Incas were outstanding stonemasons and town planners. In Cusco we will be able to observe the skill and exquisiteness of this work on the many walls that serve as foundations to colonial buildings. The colonial buildings themselves are among the finest in the Americas. The thin air, the surrounding mountains and the Andean sky provide the perfect backdrop to Cusco’s cobbled narrow streets, its lovely buildings and plazas, its many hidden treasures and churches. It is not only culturally fascinating and beautiful to look at, but also extremely pleasant to wander around and enjoy the city itself. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a guided visit to the main sites of the city. We will meet in our hotel in the evening to share our intentions for the coming journey and begin our asana practice. Overnight at the Cusco Libertador Hotel. (B)
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This church is built over what once was the most magnificent temple in the Americas, Coricancha or Temple of the Sun. Its courtyards were filled with life-sized gold and silver representations of all the flora and fauna of the empire. Pizarro's men looted the temple as part of the royal ransom of Inca Atahualpa, who was held prisoner in Cajamarca by the Spaniards and later killed. An earthquake destroyed the Santo Domingo church in 1950 revealing the Inca walls that were hidden or plastered over. These walls of the Temple of the Sun are the finest example of Inca stonework in existence.
The cathedral, built in 1550 and located in the northeast side of the Plaza de Armas contains over 400 12th century paintings done by the members of the renowned Cusco School. The "Lord of the Earthquakes" altar weights over 52 pounds and is made of solid gold and studded with precious stones. The main altar is covered with sheets of silver.
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| Corn, the local diet staple. (Peru) |
The Plaza de Armas is called Huacaypata by the Quechuas, which means cry or moan. This name originated in the expressions of reverence and submission with which the religious or military ceremonies were carried out here. Colonial arcades and the remains of ancient Inca temples and churches surround the plaza.
Located two kilometers from the city of Cusco, the immense walls of the Sacsayhuaman archaeological complex are made up of huge stones distributed in a zigzag pattern in three platforms with an average of 1,181ft in length. These platforms are connected by flights of stairs and doorways made of stone. One of these is 29 feet tall and 15 feet wide and weighs more than 100 tons. The largest stone block found in Sacsayhuaman stands 27.88 feet high and weighs 361 tons. Inca Pachacuti employed 20,000 men for the construction of this complex and it took approximately 50 years to complete.
Other nearby ruins we may visit include: Qenko, Tambo Machay and Puca Pucara. Qenko is a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is a monolithic altar representing a puma. Tambo Machay is a small ruin comprised of a beautifully wrought ceremonial stone bath and is therefore popularly called "El Baño del Inca". Puca Pucara is a red fort.
Sunrise meditation at the hotel with Mark. Today we will spend a full day visiting the Sacred Valley of the Incas (2,900 meters or 9,500 feet), a lovely fertile valley that lies north of Cusco on the way to Machu Picchu. The Sacred Valley, which owes its name to the beauty and fertility of its land, is lined with picturesque Andean markets, impressive churches and remarkable Inca ruins.
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| Agricultural terraces. (Moray, Peru) |
Today we will start with a visit to the bustling marketplace of Pisaq, shopping in one of the best textile markets in the Andes. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit the agricultural terraces of Moray that were used by the Incas as open-air crop laboratories or greenhouses. Each terrace level is believed to have a different microclimate, enabling the growth of a wide variety of plants in the same area. Moray is considered to be one of the most important energy centers of the Andes. We’ll spread our yoga mats in the center of this site, practicing yoga with a renewed awareness of the energy that surrounds us.
We will finish our tour with a visit the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo. Here there are several structures of importance to the Inca. At the top of the sixteen massive terraces are the ever impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo Fortress where the Inca fought some of their strongest battles. Huge and precisely carved stones were transported somehow by hundreds of men down one mountain range to Ollantaytambo and fitted perfectly to support this strategic fortress that has bared the test of time. There are “silos” or grain mills directly across from the fortress that housed thousands of pounds of grain for the Incas. The village of Ollantaytambo retains the same street plan of the original Inca town, making it the only surviving example of Inca urban planning. We will also marvel at the clever irrigation system devised by the Incas as well. We will spend the evening at our Ollantaytambo hotel, set right at the foot of the ruins. (B, L)
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| Inca ruins on the trail to Machu Pichu. (Peru) |
This morning we begin the famous 4 day pilgrimage trek to Machu Picchu. We will hike 6-8 hours each day across mountain passes and through verdant valleys. In the early morning, we will be picked up from our hotel and transferred to Km. 82. Once we arrive, we will meet our porters and begin our trek. After a couple hours of gentle hiking we visit the Inca ruins of Llactapata beside the Urubamba River. Later, we will continue to our lunch spot at a small set of Inca ruins near the trail where we will have a picnic lunch. After lunch, we will hike towards the village of Huayllabamba, a small agricultural settlement were traditional people live. At this point we will make a detour from the original trail and hike for about 40 minutes to our campsite at Paucarcancha, a small but well-preserved set of Inca ruins located in the junction of two small rivers that eventually flow into the Urubamba and the Amazon rivers. We will visit this interesting site and set camp at Paucarcancha. Before dinner we will practice yoga, adjusting our practice according to how our bodies feel after our first day of hiking at high altitude. (10,500 feet, 3,200 meters). (B, L, D)
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| Overlooking the ruins. (Machu Picchu, Peru) |
Each day on the trail, early risers can join Mark for sunrise meditation and yoga. An early nourishing breakfast bolsters our energy for a short, but fairly strenuous hike towards the first pass. We will return to the main trail, past the village of Huayllabamba and check in with authorities at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Park Station. After registration we will continue on an ascending trail and enjoy the changes of vegetation while we enter the protected area. We will have a picnic lunch at a small clearing named “3 white stones” before we enter a forest of rare natives trees. After the tree line, we will reach our campsite at Llullucchapampa (3,700 meters 12,150 feet), right below the first pass. (B, L, D)
Today is our most difficult day with a tough ascent to Warmiwañusqa or “Dead Woman’s Pass” (4,200 meters, 13,800 feet). Our efforts are rewarded with unparalleled views of the snow covered peaks of the Cordillera Urubamba and the lush valley vegetation. From here we will begin to encounter Inca pavement. The trail descends to the Pacamayo River and then climbs slowly over the second pass of Runkuraqay and over the Sayacmarca ruins until reaching a dry lake at Phuyupatamarca (3,650 meters, 12,000 feet) also known as “The Place Among the Clouds” where we will camp overnight. We will camp overnight here while soaking up some of the magical charm of this marvelous site. Our evening yoga practice amongst the clouds will focus on pranayama and restorative poses. We will even have a chance to take a cold shower in an original Inca bath before settling down for the night. Today we will walk approximately 22 kilometers or 8 hours. (B, L, D)
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| Alpaca. (Machu Picchu, Peru) |
We will greet the rising sun with morning meditation and open our eyes to one of the loveliest views along the Inca Trail. After continuing along a buttress and passing Phuyupatamarca ruins, the flagstone trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. In a short time we will arrive into Machu Picchu through the Inti Punku (“Gate of the Sun”), a perfect spot to do some sun salutations before following the trail downhill to the lost citadel located right above the Urubamba River. When we arrive, we will stare in amazement, mouths agape, at this wonder of the ancient world. Our leisurely walk into Machu Picchu (2,400 meters, 8,000 feet) is 8 kilometers and will take approximately 5 hours.
"I suddenly found myself in a maze of beautiful granite houses! They were covered with trees and mosses and the growth of centuries, but in the dense shadow, hiding in bamboo thickets and tangled vines, could be seen, here and there, walls of white granite ashlars most carefully cut and exquisitely fitted together."
Hiram Bingham, upon his discovery of Machu Picchu, 24 July 1911
Machu Picchu is a perfectly preserved Inca city that was lost in the dense jungle for hundreds of years. Machu Picchu, whose name means "ancient peak," is perhaps the most famous and awe-inspiring of all of the ruins discovered during the 20th century. Machu Picchu was so well-hidden by the towering jungle-covered ramparts of the Cordillera Vilcabamba that it was never discovered by the Spaniards. Constructed on a high mountain overlooking the Urubamba river, Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu were lost in time and the dense forest until they were brought to the attention of the outside world in July 1911 by the American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham. There are many speculations, but its origins and purpose remain lost in time. After a brief visit to the ruins, we will transfer to the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel in the village of Aguas Calientes, carefully set in a high, tropical cloud forest. We will gather to practice yoga together in our hotel, before setting off for dinner on our own in Aguas Calientes. (B, L)
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| Deep inside the ruins of Machu Picchu. (Machu
Picchu Trek, Peru) |
Today, we will start early and watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu. If we are able to, we will practice yoga within this sacred site, before the crowds arrive, drawing on the palpable energy of these ancient ruins. Our guide will escort us through the ruins, discussing the construction and probable usage of the buildings, reflecting on life in this spectacular setting. Later, we can hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, walk through the lush cloud forest to the Temple of the Moon or take more photographs of the area. After lunch, we will spend the afternoon on our own at Machu Picchu before transferring by bus to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu. Our evening asana practice will tap into an awareness and connection to our own individual interpretations of Machu Picchu. Overnight at the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. (B)
In the morning, we will retrace our route through the Urubamba Valley and return to Cusco on the 6:00am train. Upon arrival back in Cusco, we will check into our hotel before spending one last free day exploring the delights of Cusco life. If we are still energized we might decide to spend the day whitewater rafting, horseback riding or mountain biking. Or, then again we might just decide to wander the busy streets and shop for a last few items in the bustling marketplaces. In the evening, we’ll gather for our last group asana practice, reflecting on the intentions we set at the start of our journey. Overnight at the Cusco Libertador Hotel. (B)
Join Mark for our final sunrise meditation within the ancient stone walls of our hotel, before enjoying one last, steaming cup of mate de coca. In the morning, we will transfer from our hotel to the Cusco airport and fly back to Lima. We will have the afternoon free to explore colonial Lima on our own. We may choose to visit a few of the following Lima highlights before boarding our flights home that evening. (B)
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The main square is the site of Spanish foundation by Francisco Pizarro.
The Cathedral was built in 1625 in the Spanish baroque style.
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| La Catedral in the Plaza de Armas. (Cusco, Peru) |
The Government Palace has a traditional and colorful changing of the presidential guard, not to be missed.
San Francisco Church and Catacombs is Lima’s largest religious complex with a convent, museum of colonial art, cloisters and catacombs.
Once the best collection tracing the prehistory of Peru chronology, the museum highlights examples from the earliest archaeological sites to the arrival of the Spaniards. Here you can see original pieces from and scale models of Machu Picchu and Chavin.
This private museum has one of the most incredible ceramic collections in the world. It is said to include 55,000 pots.
We can also arrange a special visit to the Private Collection Polli for those who may be interested.
The residential areas of San Isidro and Miraflores are worth exploring to admire the colonial architecture that pervades Lima’s urban living.
Enjoy a magnificent view of the Pacific from the coast.
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Round-trip airfare from the U.S. to Lima, Peru is not included in the program cost. Please schedule your flights to arrive in Lima (LIM) anytime on Friday, September 3, 2004 and fly out of Lima Airport (LIM) in the evening on Sunday, September 12, 2004, unless you are planning to spend time on your own in Peru before or after the trip. Please send us your international flight itinerary once you have booked it so we can make sure there is someone to meet you at the airport when you arrive.
If you would like assistance in making your air arrangements, we recommend you call Dee Dee McGowan at Big Sky Uniglobe Travel at 1-406-777-6934 or 1-800-284-9809 or by email at deedee@bigskytvl.com.
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