FIBER OF THE GODS
Andean Culture, Artisans and Alpaca in Souther Peru

April 23 - May 7, 2027 (SOLD OUT!))

Optional post-tour Machu Picchu extension May 7 - 8

Alpaca wool has long been revered as the "fiber of the gods," prized by Incan royalty and woven into the very fabric of Andean culture. Inspired by this legendary fleece, our journey travels through southern Peru — from Arequipa and the Colca Valley to Lake Titicaca, Checacupe, Cusco, and Ollantaytambo. Along the way, we'll immerse ourselves in centuries-old textile traditions and the artisan communities, landscapes, and historic sites that shape them, meeting textile experts, designers, cooperative members, alpaca researchers, knitters, weavers, and community hosts. The program weaves together museum and site visits, private artisan encounters, village stays, guided archaeological tours, and time spent in some of Peru's most culturally significant regions.

This tour is spent at high altitudes, mostly between 7,000 - 12,500 feet.

DATES:

April 23 - May 7, 2027 (14 nights) SOLD OUT!

COST & DETAILS:

$6,000 per person based on double occupancy / + $1,600 single supplement

Limited to 15 participants

$1,500 deposit due upon registration / Final payment due September 21, 2026

Tour begins and ends in Oaxaca City

Please request full itinerary for more detailed information about cancellation policy, insurance, etc

OPTIONAL POST-TOUR EXTENSION:

Optional post-tour Machu Picchu extenshion

May 7 - 8

$1,195 per person, shared room / + $175 single supplement

This price includes:

  • An expert bilingual guide plus a tour host

  • Accommodation

  • Transfers to and from airport

  • Workshop, studio-tour, artisan, and entry fees

  • Most meals, including tips

  • Local transport in a private van

  • All tips excluding a tip for our main guide

Does not include:

  • International airfare

  • Travel/medical insurance

  • Personal shopping, laundry etc

  • Alcoholic drinks

  • Some meals (as detailed on itinerary)

  • Optional tips for our main guide

AREQUIPA, COLCA VALLEY, LAKE TITICACA

Arequipa, known as the “white city”, is renowned for its colonial-era architecture constructed primarily from sillar, a white volcanic stone. Arequipa is the center of commercial alpaca manufacturing in Peru. bla bla

Highlights include:

  • Visit

INTRODUCING OUR GUIDE

This is a special opportunity to explore Peru with an exceptional guide. Andrés Cordero is passionate about Peruvian arts, culture, politics and history and he’s a natural at connecting people. A Lima native, Andrés is a seasoned tour leader with more than 20 years of experience leading tours in Peru and South America. In parallel, he has worked over the years as an intercultural research consultant and cultural manager, while also pursuing a career as visual artist. He is an avid researcherof Peruvian history and politics, combining a comprehensive approach to his country with a fun, high-quality customer service style.

CHECACUPE, CUSCO AND OLLANTAYTAMBO

Leaving behind the high-altitude plains of the Puno region, we enter the Cusco region where the landscape becomes more lush and mountainous..

Highlights include:

  • Enjoy home-cooked lunches at the homes of the artisans we’ll visit

Touring the creative heart of Mexico, our amiable small group was introduced not only to immense visual beauty but also the welcoming makers of such splendid objects. Always well organized but not too exhausting, the tour exposed us to the delicious regional cuisine and an overview of the history of the area. I personally feel this tour was life changing. I have fallen in love with Mexico, an unexpected but wonderful outcome. It is a unique tour that can have that effect on a seasoned traveler!
— Kathryn Harris