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 known for its colonial-era architecture constructed primarily from sillar, a white volcanic stone. Arequipa has been the center of commercial alpaca manufacturing in Peru for a century.
Highlights include:
In Arequipa, visit the Mundo Alpaca Arequipa and the studio of a contemporary alpaca designer
Visit a high-altitude alpaca research center
Drive through magnificent scenery including high-altitude plains where alpaca, llama and vicuña roam
Visit the extraordinary pre-Incan Sillustani funerary towers
A private boat journey on Lake Titicaca to visit a renowned knitter on Taquile Island
In Colca Canyon, enjoy a river-side hotel with geothermal hot springs; see pre-Incan agricultural terraces; witness majestic condors flying from deep in the canyon
Learn about the textile traditions of people in Colca Canyon who are the descendants of the pre-Inca Collagua and Cabana civilizations
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:
Drive through stunning Tinajani Canyon on our way from the Puno region to the Sacred Valley
Visit several accomplished and award-winning weavers in their villages
Visit archeological sites including Racchi, Sacsaywaman, Ollantaytambo
Explore vibrant Cusco,
OPTIONAL MACCHU PICCHU EXTENSION
May 7 - 8
This extension includes round-trip rail from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Town; Machu Picchu entrance ticket; guided visit of the ruins; time to explore independently as permitted by the current circuit system; lunch at Inka Terra in Aguascalientes, one night hotel accommodation at El Albergue hotel in Ollantaytambo and breakfast following morning; transport
“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!”