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SACRED SITES JOURNEYS

Since 1994...Spiritual Pilgrimages
to the world's most important Sacred Sites
to enliven your Body, Mind and Spirit


PERU


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A Spiritual Journey and Shamanic Retreat at Machu Picchu, Cusco
& The Sacred Valley of the Incas
June 26 - July 7, 2022

Post-Tour Extension to Lake Titicaca
  July 7 - 10, 2022


Due to the pandemic, we're in the process of rescheduling the 2022 PERU departure to 2023.
Dates to be posted here soon!





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TOUR DESCRIPTION

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During this important transformative period on Earth certain areas on our planet
are now being given prominence because of their intense vortexual power
and the life-changing initiations they can provide to serious spiritual seekers.
One of these special regions is the Andes of Peru.

Since 1992, when Andean Shamans claim Peru fully recovered the spiritual power
it possessed during the time of the early Incas
, people from all over the world
have flocked to the Andes to receive its prodigious gifts.
These include the awakening of a seeker's intuition,
opening to the profound mysteries of the universe and human existence,
and the full opening of the Heart Chakra.

In order for sincere seekers to fully receive these gifts
we have called upon our 25 years of training and intensive experience in the Andes
to design a spiritual pilgrimage/retreat that will provide
the optimum environment and assistance for you for this to occur!


Throughout our 12-day Andean journey we will travel in and around Cusco,
as well as to and from our retreat center in the Sacred Valley of the Incas
to many of the high-powered vortexes of Peru.
In these places,like Machu Picchu, we will experience amazing megalithic temples
and carved stone altars where important Andean initiations were anciently observed.

In order to fully receive the Andean energies, we will also daily observe shamanic ceremony,
as well as optional yoga and meditation sessions.
And we will also provide you with training in certain facets
of Andean Shamanism
so you can learn how to
harness the Earth's power for healing, spiritual awakening and deep transformation.

twinkle.gif (912 bytes) Here's some of the amazing ancient sacred megalithic sites we'll visit:
- World-famous Machu Picchu, the Crown Jewel of the Andes
and a SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT of our Sacred Sites Journey!
- The Inca Temple of the Sun (the Coricancha) in Cusco
- Sacsayhuaman, Q'enko, Tambo Machay in and around Cusco
- Ollantaytambo, Moray and the Inca Misana in the Sacred Valley of the Incas
- Quillarumiyoc in the Anta Valley near Cusco

You'll have the opportunity to experience traditional Andean rituals
from the Inca Spiritual Tradition to connect with
1) The Pachamama (Mother Earth) in all Her forms
2) The Three Worlds of the Incan Cosmology: the Lower (Ucu Pacha),
Middle (Kay Pacha) & Upper (Hanan Pacha) Worlds,
3) Their Totem Animals - the Serpent, Puma and Condor
4) The sacred elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water
5) The sacred Apus, the revered mountain spirits of the Andes.

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Three Worlds of the Incan Cosmology are depicted in the three photos above:
The Lower (Ucu Pacha), Middle (Kay Pacha) & Upper (Hanan Pacha) World,
and their Totem Animals - the Serpent, Puma and Condor.


TOUR PERSONNEL


Featured Speaker, Shamanic Teacher: Author Mark Amaru Pinkham



Andean Ritual Specialist & Mesa Carrier in the Inca Spiritual Tradition
Founder/Director of The Order and Mystery School of the Seven Rays
Co-Founder of Sacred Sites Journeys


Mark Amaru Pinkham
is a trained Andean ritual specialist who has been traveling
throughout the Andes since 1993 in order to unlock more and more of their enigmatic mysteries.
Mark has been initiated into two Andean esoteric societies and apprenticed
with an Andean shaman for three years in order to acquire the secret and hidden information
 about Peru that has been passed down through the ages, and to directly experience its mysteries first-hand.
Mark's desire is to share his accumulated wisdom with all sincere seekers of truth.

Throughout our Andean pilgrimage Mark Amaru will lead the group in ancient Andean shamanic rites,
as well as share his in-depth knowledge of Andean esoteric history of the Incas and the Viracochas.
He will assist you to connect with the energies of the
Three Worlds of the Incan Cosmology - the Lower (Ucu Pacha),
Middle (Kay Pacha) & Upper (Hanan Pacha) World, and their Totem Animals - Serpent, Puma & Condor

Mark is the Founder, Director and Teacher of The Order and Mystery School of the Seven Rays.

Mark Amaru is the author of seven books about the the secret mysteries
of many ancient civilizations, including that of the Andes.
His well-known popular classic The Return of the Serpents of Wisdom
has recently been revised and expanded.
It contains information about many of the ancient Andean wisdom teachings.
For more information about Mark Amaru's books and research, visit Books by Mark Amaru Pinkham.



Speaker & Tour Director: Andrea Mikana-Pinkham

Andean Ritual Specialist & Mesa Carrier in the Inca Spiritual Tradition
Co-Founder & Director of Sacred Sites Journeys
Co-Director of The Order & Mystery School of the Seven Rays
Andrea has led over 30 groups to PERU since 1994.


Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
is a trained Andean Ritual Specialist and Mesa Carrier
 
in the Inca Spiritual Tradition, having received shamanic training from Elders in Peru since 1994.
She has also been initiated into two Andean esoteric societies.
In addition to her ongoing research in Peru and elsehwere,
Andrea is a teacher in the The Seven Rays Order and Mystery School.

A Message from Andrea:
During the past 25+ years that I've been traveling and taking groups to Peru
I've explored and studied the ancient sites with an eye to their megalithic construction.
I've come to the conclusion that the sites in and around Cusco, in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
were not built by the Incas, but by an ancient worldwide pre-flood civilization
that possessed an advanced stonework technology.
We'll visit these sites and examine them regarding this theory.
I'll also support you to take time there to explore on your own,
as well as to reflect among these ancient ruins to connect with their powerful palpable energies.

I've worked with quite a few different tour guides over the many years I've been working in Peru.
For this journey I've chosen Oscar Atayupanqui Gaona as our guide.
See below for more information about him.

Also, during my time in Peru I've developed an extensive network of hotel and restaurant owners,
artisans and craftspeople who will help me to make your journey
one that you will treasure for the rest of your life!

Here's a short article that I wrote about one of the shamanic ceremonies
that I participated in with one of our groups in the Temple of the Moon cave, near Cusco.
I hope you enjoy it!
In the Arms of the Pachamama



Tour Guide: Oscar Andy Atayupanqui Gaona




MA, Anthropology - National University of Villarreal, Lima
BA, Anthropology - National University of San Antonio Abad, Cusco
Andean Ritual Specialist & Mesa Carrier in the Inca Spiritual Tradition
Initiate of The Order & Mystery School of the Seven Rays


Oscar is a Licensed Tour Guide and has worked with
Andrea and Mark Amaru on past Sacred Sites Journeys.
He has a Masters Degree in Anthropology and is pursuing his Doctorate Degree in Archaeology.
Our group members have found him to not only be extremely knowledgeable about all the sites we'll visit,
but also very warm-hearted and supportive of our unique approach to our research and spiritual approach to life.






TOUR ITINERARY
MAIN TOUR - A Spiritual Journey and Shamanic Retreat
at Machu Picchu, Cusco & The Sacred Valley of the Incas


With Author Mark Amaru Pinkham, SSJ's Director Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
and Tour Guide Oscar Atayupanqui Gaona


Due to the pandemic we're, we're in the process of rescheduling the 2022 departure to 2023.
Dates to be posted here soon!


Day 1. Sunday, June 26. Flight Lima/Cusco; Group Meeting and Welcome Dinner (D)



Main Plaza in Cusco


Please book your international flight to Lima to arrive by 7:00AM local time this morning,
in order to connect with your 11:00AM flight to Cusco booked by Sacred Sites Journeys.

(NOTE: Once you register, Sacred Sites Journeys can refer you to the local family-owned airport hotel in Lima
that we've used with our groups in Peru since 1994. You will be able to book pre-tour services
with them directly (in English) in case you need to arrive in Lima before Sunday, June 26th.
Services include: meeting at the airport by an English-speaking representative from the hotel,
private transfer to the hotel for overnight (includes breakfast),
and transfer back to the airport on Sunday, with assistance checking in for the flight to Cusco.)


11:00AM Depart Lima on your flight to Cusco.
Noon Arrive Cusco. Pick up your checked luggage.
Exit the terminal. Andrea and Mark will meet you outside the terminal.
Transfer to the hotel.
Check in. You have free time to rest and relax
to adjust to the change in altitude from sea level to over 11,000 ft.

6:00PM Group Welcome Meeting at the hotel with Mark Amaru, Andrea and Oscar.
7:00PM Welcome Dinner with the group at the hotel.

Overnight Cusco. Hotel Ruinas. www.hotelruinas.com/


Day 2. Monday, June 27. Group Meeting; Coricancha; Arte Mercedes;
Sacsayhuaman (B/L)


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Temple of the Sun, Replica of the Solar Disc

   

Ancient precision-engineered pre-Inca stonework at the Coricancha!

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Sacsayhuaman


Breakfast at your leisure; begins at 6:00AM

9:00AM Group Meeting
Presentation by Mark Amaru: Ancient Mysteries of the Andes - Part 1

10:30AM Visit the Coricancha ("corral of gold), the Inca Temple of the Sun.
Though it was primarily dedicated to the Inca Creator God Viracocha and their Sun God Inti,
the Coricancha also had other shrines to the Moon,
Venus, the Pleiades, and various weather deities such as lightning and the rainbow.

12:30PM Lunch at Inka Mixtura restaurant, in the hills overlooking Cusco! Excellent food and views!

1:30PM Visit Arte Mercedes, the next-door shop/gallery of Mercedes and Luis,
Andrea and Mark's longtime family; we're godparents to their daughter Emeralda.
Here you'll be able to choose your power animal amulet.
There are also offerings of amazing visionary art, as well as shamanic power tools
and many crystals and other gemstones...and much, much more!

3:00PM Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sacsayhuaman
Here we'll see some of the most amazing megalithic architecture - walls made of giant stones,
fitted together perfectly without any mortar! Some researchers believe that Cusco was originally laid out
in the shape of a puma, the totem animal of the Kay Pacha, the middle world in the Incan cosmology.
The hill of Sacsayhuaman was the head. The zigzag walls here represent the teeth,
as well as the path of the lightning, Illapa, a revered earth elemental for the Incas.
There are three parallel walls built in different levels. The limestone boulders used for the
lower levels are the largest, with one about 28 ft. tall, weighing ) and weighing over 150 tons.
They are megalithic architecture supreme!
Many researchers believe they were built long before the Incas, during the time of a world-wide civilization
that was highly-advanced technologically.

Includes a Meditation with Andrea and Mark Amaru
to assist you to connect with Taytay Inti, Father Sun,
as well as to claim your birthright as a Son or Daughter of the Sun!

5:30PM Return to hotel. You have free time. Dinner is on your own.

Overnight Cusco. Hotel Ruinas.



Day 3. Tuesday, June 28. Tambo Machay; To Sacred Valley: Moray; Group Meeting (B/Box Lunch/D)

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Tambo Machay

Breakfast at your leisure; begins at 6:00AM
8:30AM Check out of the hotel and depart to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
9:00AM Visit Tambo Machay as we leave Cusco.
This site was reported by the Incas to the Spanish chroniclers to have been used
by the nobles and priests as their private fountains and baths.
The spring that supplies the water has flowed here for hundreds of years,
from a source deep inside the Pachamama that has never been identified.
Here we'll see more pre-Inca megalithic construction, as well as evidence of Inca occupation and use.

Includes a Meditation with Andrea and Mark Amaru to honor Unu, the Water Element.

Continue to the Sacred Valley and the ancient Inca site of Moray.
Noon Box Lunch at Moray

1:00PM Visit Moray
The site is a series of concentric circles on plateaus 11,000 ft and more above the valley floor.
The site was designed by the Incas to take advantage of natural depressions below the level plain
and model Andean, jungle and semi-tropical environments for the growth of different plant varieties.

Includes a Meditation with Andrea and Mark Amaru to connect with the Pachamama.

3:00PM Continue through the Sacred Valley to our Retreat Center, located on sacred land near Urubamba,
our home for four nights. Check in.
You have free time to rest, relax and integrate.

5:30PM Group Meeting
Presentation by Mark Amaru: Ancient Mysteries of the Andes - Part 2

7:30PM Dinner with the group at retreat center.

Overnight Urubamba/Yanahuara. Intiterra Apartment Hotel Villas.
https://intiterra-boutique.cuzco-hotels.com/


Day 4. Wednesday, June 29. Sacred Valley: Group Meeting;
Visit the ancient site of the Inca Misana;
Q'ero Blessing, with Optional Coca Leaf Readings from a Q'ero Elder(B/BoxL/D)



The Inca Misana; a Despacho Offering

7:00AM Optional Morning Stretching and Meditation Class with Mark Amaru

8:00AM Breakfast

9:00AM Group Meeting
Presentation by Mark Amaru - Andean Shamanism - Part 1

10:30AM Visit the ancient site of the Inca Misana or "Inca Altar" (Includes Box Lunch)
It's most likely that the Incas found this ancient site hidden away in the mountains and adapted it for their use.
There is an an aqueduct carved in the mountain rock face,
small stairways and double jamb niches or false openings.
The top of the main stonework used to have a carved conical bulge
that could have been an Intihuatana (Hitching Post of the Sun),
possibly making its later use by the Incas a complex solar observatory used
to measure the sun variations during the year
as well as for fixing solstices and equinoxes.
Or was this the purpose for which the original builders constructed it,
and the Incas just inherited it?

Includes a Meditation/Ritual with Mark Amaru, Andrea and Oscar
to connect with the amazing energies of this ancient sacred site.

2:00PM Return to the retreat center.

3:00PM Blessing/Despacho with Q'ero Elder Don Francisco at the retreat center.
These ritual specialists are among some of the last remaining descendents of the Incas.
Don Francisco will perform a despacho, a traditional ceremonial offering to the Mother Earth, the Pachamama,
during which you will be invited to focus your intentions for your time here in Peru.
He will also pray to the Apus (sacred mountains) to bless each person on the journey.

5:30PM Optional Coca Leaf Readings with Don Francisco at the retreat center

7:30PM Dinner with the group at retreat center.

Overnight Urubamba/Yanahuara. Intiterra Apartment Hotel Villas.


Day 5. Thursday, June 30. Sacred Valley: Olantaytambo; Group Meeting (B/D)




7:00AM Optional Morning Stretching and Meditation Class with Mark Amaru

8:00AM Breakfast

9:00AM Visit to Ollantaytambo
Also known as the Sanctuary of the Wind, the site was found by the Incas and used as a fortress/temple.
It's one of the most impressive in Peru, both for its unique history as one of the only places where
the Incas defeated the Spanish, but also as for the great mysteries of its pre-Inca megalithic construction!

Includes Condor Meditation/Initiation with Andrea & Mark Amaru
We'll walk beside the gurgling stream to a peaceful out-of-the-way area of the site
- the Temple of the Condor, where we have time to connect with the Condor,
the powerful Totem of the Hanan Pacha, the Upper World, which symbolizes our own Higher Wisdom.

Noon Return to the retreat center.
Lunch is on your own.
Free time to rest, relax and integrate the energies.

3:30PM Group Meeting
Presentation by Mark Amaru - Andean Shamanism - Part 2

Free time to rest, relax and integrate the energies.
7:30PM Dinner with the group at retreat center.

Overnight Urubamba/Yanahuara. Intiterra Apartment Hotel Villas.



Day 6. Friday, July 1. Sacred Valley: Optional Seven Rays Seminar & Initiation; Optional Plant Medicine Ceremony OR Optional Visit to Pisac Site & Market
(Lunch Incl) OR Free Day (B/D)



7:00AM Optional Morning Stretching and Meditation Class with Mark Amaru

8:00AM Breakfast


9:00AM Optional Seminar & Initiation into The Order and Mystery School of the Seven Rays  
with Mark Amaru, Andrea and Oscar (Pricing not included in the tour package; additional $25.00)

Lunch is on your own.
Free time to rest, relax and integrate the energies.

3:00PM Optional Plant Medicine Ceremony with Mark Amaru.



Mark Amaru Pinkham formally trained in San Pedro Shamanism for over three years
and has led ceremonies using the sacred plant medicine for the last 18 years.
Here's a link to one of Mark's experiences:
The Andes Opened My Heart - By Mark Amaru Pinkham 


Here's a link to an article about Shamanic Healing in general:
Shamanic Healing - Why It Works

If you're interested in participating, please email Mark Amaru at markapinkham@gmail.com
to inquire and discuss your possible participation, as well as learn the pricing.

OR For those not participating in the Seven Ray Order Initiation and/or the Plant Medicine Ceremony,
you have the Option to visit the ancient site of Pisac and the local marketplace with Andrea and Oscar, lunch included.
(Pricing not included in the tour package; to be announced once people have expressed interest in this option.)

7:30PM Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight Urubamba/Yanahuara. Intiterra Apartment Hotel Villas.


Day 7. Saturday, July 2. To Machu Picchu; Entrance to Machu Picchu (B/L)

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6:00AM Breakfast
7:00AM Depart to the train station in nearby Ollantaytambo
8:00AM Depart on the Vista Dome train to Machu Picchu
10:00AM Arrive at Aguas Calientes, the small village at the base of Machu Picchu.
11:00 Check in at the hotel.
12:00 Board the bus up to Machu Picchu
12:45PM Lunch at the onsite Sanctuary Lodge

2:00PM Entrance into Machu Picchu!
You've finally arrived at this ancient place of your dreams!
At 8,000 ft. you're at one of the most mysterious ancient places on our planet!
During our guided tour with Oscar we'll visit the Temples of the Sun & Moon, the Temple of the Condor,
the Temple of the Three Windows, the world-famous center of the site -
the Intihuatana, or the Hitching Post of the Sun, and the Pachamama Rock.

Includes a Puma Meditation/Initiation with Andrea & Mark Amaru
At an out of the way place Andrea & Mark Amaru will facilitate a short optional ritual to assist you to connect
with the energies of the Puma, the totem animal of the Third World in the Inca Spiritual Tradition.
This powerful animal teaches us how to live in the physical plane, our 3-D world.


5:00PM Return on the bus to Aguas Calientes.

Return to the hotel. Free time. Dinner is on your own.

Overnight Aguas Calientes. Hotel Terazza de Luna.
https://hotelterrazadeluna.wixsite.com/machupicchu



Day 8. Sunday, July 3. Machu Picchu: AM - Free Time;
PM - 2nd Entrance to Machu Picchu (B/D
)


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Breakfast at your leisure; begins at 6:00AM
You have free time this morning.
Enjoy a massage. Visit the local hot springs for a good long soak.
Shop in the tourist market. OR, just chill!
Lunch is on your own
12:00PM Board the bus to return to Machu Picchu

1:00PM We enter the ancient sanctuary of Machu Picchu for a second time.
Includes an Amaru/Serpent Meditation/Initiation with Andrea and Mark Amaru.
Away from the crowds of tourists, Andrea will faciliate an optional short rtual to connect with the energies of the Amaru or Serpent, the Totem of the Uku Pacha, the Lower World.
In our own consciousness this energy represents our unconscious, our dreams, our meditative states.
Open yourself to receive the gifts of this powerful energy!

5:00PM Return on bus to Aguas Calientes and our hotel.
7:30PM Group "Farewell to Machu Picchu" dinner with the group tonight.

Overnight Aguas Calientes. Hotel Terazza de Luna.



Day 9. Monday, July 4. Depart Machu Picchu; Visit Chinchero; Return to Cusco (B/L)




Breakfast at your leisure; begins at 6:00AM
9:00AM Check out of hotel.
9:30AM Depart walking to the train station
10:55AM Board the Vista Dome train to return to Ollantaytambo
12:30PM Arrive Ollantaytambo. Transfer to our bus and drive to Urubamba.
1:00PM Buffet Lunch in Urubamba

2:30PM Visit Chinchero
This small village is renowne for its weavers and for its impressive pre-Incan and Incan architectural complex,
located along the ceques, or ley lines that radiate from the Coricancha in Cusco.
One of the local myths says that Chinchero is the birthplace of Kuichy, the rainbow.

Includes a Meditation with Andrea and Mark Amaru.


4:30PM Continue to Cusco.
5:30PM Arrive Cusco. Check into the hotel.

Free time. Dinner is on your own.
Overnight Cusco. Hotel Ruinas.


Day 10. Tuesday, July 5. Cusco: Quillarumiyoc (B/BoxL)



Moon Stone at Quillarumiyoc

Breakfast at your leisure; begins at 6:00AM
9:00AM Depart to Quillarumiyoc

11:00AM Arrive and visit Quillarumiyoc
We visit this little-known ancient site that contains walls, buildings, fountains,
a cave and its centerpiece, the Moonstone.
This is a large limestone boulder bearing a half moon carving with seven indentations.
Some local researchers believe these were carved to show the phases of the moon,
thus the Quechua name Quillarumiyoc, "moon stone".
Others say that it was an Inca ceremonial site dedicated to the worship of water and,
more importantly, to the moon goddess Quilla.
The Moonstone is still used by the local ritual specialists in the Inca Spiritual Tradition to honor the moon.
Nothing like this, carved with such an amazing degree of precision, is found anywhere else in Peru!
It's possible that it's from pre-Inca times.
This is considered by some researchers to be a molded stone formation
which is estrmated to be over 100,000 years old!

Includes a Meditation/Ritual with Mark Amaru, Andrea & Oscar.

Afterwards we depart to Cusco.
Arrive back at our hotel in Cusco.
Free time. Dinner is on your own.

Overnight Cusco. Hotel Ruinas.


Day 11. Wednesday, July 6. Cusco: Free Day; Farewell Dinner (B/D)



Breakfast at your leisure; begins at 6:00AM
You have free time today to explore Cusco on your own.
Lunch is on your own.

5:00PM Group Meeting at the hotel for those who will be continuing on to Lake Titicaca with Mark Amaru and Andrea


7:00PM Farewell Dinner with the group at the hotel.

Overnight Cusco. Hotel Ruinas.


Day 12. Thursday, July 7. Depart Cusco; Return Flight to Lima (B)
Time to be announced Depart from the hotel to the airport.
Time to be announced Arrive at the airport; assistance checking in for your return flight to Lima.
1:55PM Depart to Lima.
3:20PM Arrive Lima.
Sacred Sites Journeys service ends on arrival in Lima.


This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.








Post-Tour Extension to LAKE TITICACA: July 7 - 10, 2022
Escorted by Oscar and local Puno Tour Guides;
Andrea and Mark will not be on this extension.



Day 12. Thursday, July 7. Depart Cusco to Puno; Enroute Visit Andahuaylillas, Rachqi and Pukara; Arrive Puno (B/L/D)



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L to R: Map Cusco to Puno, Andahuaylillas - Possible ET Mummy in museum,
Rachqi - Temple of Wiracocha, Statue in Pukara Museum


5:30AM Breakfast
6:00AM Be in the lobby with your luggage, ready to depart
6:10AM Depart to the local bus station
7:00AM Depart Cusco via First Class tourist bus to Puno.
Buffet Lunch Included

During this day-long journey you'll visit the following sites with a guide:
1) At Andahuaylillas you'll visit the colonial cathedral located in the main plaza of the small town.
You'll also have an optional opportunity to visit the small local museum (entrance fee an additional cost)
 that houses artifacts from the colonial era, plus a mummifiled skeleton
that was found in the nearby hills that some researchers believe might not be all human!
2) The Temple of Wiracocha at Rachqi
 The most prominent structure at the site is the Temple of Wiracocha, an enormous rectangular
two-story roofed structure  that consists of a central adobe wall with an andesite base.
You'll learn the legend of the creator god Wiracocha who came to the region and ordered the construction of the temple.
3) Museum in Pukara, with displays of anthropomorphic monoliths, zoomorphic sculptures, ceramics,
and other objects from the Pucara pre-Inca Culture (original and replica pieces).

5:30PM Arrive at the bus station late afternoon in Puno. Transfer to the hotel and check in.
7:30PM Group dinner at a local restaurant.

Overrnight Puno/Lake Titicaca. Hotel Casona Plaza.


Day 13. Friday, July 8. Lake Titicaca: Uros Islands; Cotimbo (B/D)

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L to R: Reed boat at Uros Islands, Handmade tapestry on Uros Islands, Megalithic Tower at Cotimbo

7:30AM Breakfast
8:30AM Depart to the Uros Islands.
The Uros Floating Islands are made entirely of the totora reed that grows in the Lake
and named after the Uros people who inhabit them.
You'll receive a warm welcome from these friendly island dwellers.
After a short demonstration about how their islands are built
and about their local economy and culture, you have an opportunity to visit their homes
and get to know the people a bit.
You can support their meager existence by purchasing some of their richly colored
hand embroidered tapestries, pillow covers, and other handicrafts.

And you'll be able to take a short optional reed boat ride out on the Lake,

a peaceful time to relax an>and take in the powerful energies of the MamaCocha, the Mother Lake.
(Small additional donation to the islanders.)

Return to the hotel. Lunch on your own.

2:00PM Depart to Cotimbo.
This ancient site is dramatically situated atop a table-topped volcanic hill surrounded by a fertile plain.
The main attraction is the well-preserved circular and square burial towers or chullpas,
some of the most ancient architecture in all of the Andes.
There are carvings on the chullpas of serpents and pumas,
guardians of the lower and middle worlds that were worshipped by the Inca and pre-Inca inhabitants.
Take some time for individual meditation among the ancient energies!


Return to the hotel. Free time.

7:30PM Group dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight Puno/Lake Titicaca. Hotel Casona Plaza.


Day 14. Saturday, July 9. Aramu Muru's Doorway; Free Time;
Farewell Dinner (B/Box L/Dinner)

 Peru-LakeTiticaca-AramuMuruDoorway-1.jpg (10244 bytes)     Peru-LakeTiticaca-AramuMuruDoorway-4.jpg (14201 bytes)    AramuMuru-AramaMara.jpg (11420 bytes)     Peru-Cusco-Coricancha-SolarDisc.jpg (14805 bytes)
L to R: Aramu Muru's Doorway, Meditation at Aramu Muru's Doorway, Aramu Muru & Arama Mara,
the Solar Disc Disc


7:30AM Breakfast

8:30AM Depart to Aramu Muru's Doorway, with Box Lunch
Aramu Muru's Doorway is one of the most rarely-visited mysterious destinations in the world!
Ancient Andean legend says that it was here that the Lemurian sage Aramu Muru, who brought the ancient teachings from the island homeland to the Andes, left the third dimension
as he walked through the Doorway, never to return in physical body.
His consort Arama Mara, carved in stone over the Doorway, lies forever guarding this sacred site
and inviting seekers to come and experience the palpable energies.

Who Built the Doorway?
This approximately 22 ft. "gate" is literally carved into the solid rock,
cutting through peculiar diagonal lines.
The sheer size of it is mind-boggling for most researchers,
as is the origins of its construction. Who built it? And for what purpose?
That's the mystery! The construction is older than what is found from the Inca civilization.
It could have been constructed by a pre-Inca civilization which is very ancient and of uncertain origin.
The Incas themselves were evidently aware of the carving, but they didn't claim that they built it.

For your individual meditation time, first stand in the "tubes" on either side of the Doorway,
energy vortexes with one spinning clockwise and the other counterclockwise,
to balance your male and female energies.
Then enter the main portal where there is a a small, round indentation resembling a key hole,
where you can place your forehead / Third Eye to absorb the psychic energies that are very palpable here.
Perhaps this could have been the place where Aramu Muru placed
the Solar Disc to “open” the door, allowing him to pass through?


Return to Puno and the hotel. You have free time to rest, relax and integrate the energies.

7:30PM Group Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight Puno/Lake Titicaca. Hotel Casona Plaza.



Day 15. Sunday, July 10. To Lima (B)

5:30AM Breakfast
6:00AM Check out of hotel and transfer to the airport in Juliaca.
8:30AM Arrive and check for your return flight to Lima.
10:20AM Depart Juliaca
12:15PM Arrive Lima.
Sacred Sites Journeys service ends on arrival in Lima


This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.



 


A Few Words from Sacred Sites Journeys Travelers to PERU

The tour of Peru that I took with Mark and Andrea Pinkham was a special event in my life. The experience opened a world of Andean culture and beliefs for me that was at the same time new and uncannily familiar…like finding an old friend you forgot you had. Mark and Andrea were always available, unfailingly supportive, and open to suggestions from the group. They have developed a rich network of support people over many years whose knowledge greatly enhanced our travels. Accommodations were first-class, and the food was always terrific. I would highly recommend their tours for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of sacred sites. - P. Morse, NH

I enjoyed meeting everyone and sharing the incredible Peru sacred sites journey. The memories will last a lifetime, and I don't think I will ever forget the Andes. My heart is still in Peru too. Its nice to know that Pachamama is still blessing us with her energies. - W. Dougall, Australia

Peru-Ollantaytambo-Group-Aug2015.jpg (26351 bytes) Thanks again Andrea, Mark and the wonderful Peru local team!!! A trip of a lifetime and beyond!!! Thank you all for your generosity in sharing your knowledge and wisdom on the trip. It was indeed a privilege and wonderful to have met you all….such a special group of common soul!!! Sincerely hope that our path will cross again in the future. - T. Frichittavong, Australia

I really enjoyed myself on our Peru adventure. So many wonderful experiences and beautiful people. It will be a lifetime memory for me. Thank you for your personal insights which helped bring things to life. Look forward to seeing you at some other time and place. - W. Davidson, FL

This was such an amazing trip that words can not express what I felt and still feel. I enjoyed the company of all of the group. It was you guys that made this trip so spectacular! Thank you so very much Mark and Andrea! I can not express my gratitude enough. Words fall all too short! - J. Kimble, FL

The Sacred Journey to Peru with Mark Amaru Pinkham was above and beyond what I expected. The re-connection with home and Mark's teachings were very beneficial & insightful. I came on this trip with the expectation of spiritual growth. I had no idea how my life would be changed by the profound beauty, history & energy of this place! The accommodations and the people associated with the tour were all wonderful. - J. Noto, Seattle, WA

MarkAmaruPinkham-3-sm.jpg (17614 bytes) The shamanic pilgrimage to Peru was a success from all points of view. Our group leader & speaker Mark Amaru Pinkham was outstanding in his relationship to the individual members of the group and in his choice of shamen and healers. The sites we visited, the rites we participated in, and the results were extraordinary and personally tremendously meaningful. Mark has superb gifts as a spiritual adept and a communicator of essential truths. He is exceedingly generous with his care and attention for every member of the group. - H. Senn, CA

How do I condense such life-enhancing transformation as the journey to Peru with Mark Amaru Pinkham into a few sentences? I was led to wonderful experiences and cared for and supported at all times. I had the good fortune to encounter a shaman who helped me open my heart to myself. As a natural consequence, I have opened my heart to others.  My friends and business acquaintances have commented on my "aura" of peacefulness and joy. I am so happy that I overcame my fear of spending the money for these journeys because my experiences in Peru are priceless. I encourage everyone who is looking to deepen their spiritual connection to themselves, to the earth and /or to other people, to sign up for a Sacred Journey to Peru!  - P. Caldwell, IL

Pepe and Andrea were a phenomenal team! They took excellent care of each group member, as well as the group in general. AndPeruMachuPicchuAndreaPepe.jpg (19862 bytes) they were most helpful at explaining the historical and sacred significance of the sites we visited. They helped us to connect with the powerful energies at each of them. - D. Parker, AZ

The connection that I made to the Pachamama, the Mother Earth, was the most profound experience of my life! Everything in Peru is alive with energy! And offers it so willingly and lovingly to those who take the time to connect and honor it. I have never felt so loved or nurtured. During our journey Pepe and Andrea assisted us to make our connections with these palpable energies through the offering of Andean rituals and meditations at the sacred temples. And we had time to just sit and "tune in" and receive. - Anonymous by request

Everything about the Sacred Journey to Peru was wonderful. Pepe was so full of wisdom and charisma. Andrea was organized, thoughtful, and inspiring. It is true...Peru changed me forever...and for the better! - C. Silard, AZ

Pepe was totally perfect as our Guide. Andrea's enthusiasm and understanding of the places we visited really made the trip. - C. Stephens, CA

Peru and her sacred sites are one of the places all serious spiritual seekers should experience in this lifetime! Machu Picchu called me home and I'm glad I heeded that call. The ancient energies of the site had much to share with me, on so many levels. I was able to get away from my everyday life and let go of all my concerns about it.. And therefore was able to open up to profound levels of healing. I'll never be the same, and am very thankful for that. And to Andrea and Pepe for facilitating my sacred journey so lovingly and competently. - Anonymous by request

AndreaMarkPinkham-MachuPicchu.jpg (25772 bytes)Our trip was amazing!. Thank you for all the planning, preparation and execution that went into it. We felt very taken care of - no details to worry about. It all went smoothly, or what changed on the fly worked out just the way it needed to. I found Peru to be a deeply loving, simple, yet powerful place. - J. Elk,CA

I admired Andrea's ability to make things work so well during our Peru journey. Anyone who attempts to accommodate the needs of 28 people, for two weeks, in a third-world country has to be talented, patient, and extremely well-prepared.  - D. Cook, OH




TOUR INCLUSIONS

Your Sacred Sites Journey to PERU (Main Tour) Includes:
- Two domestic flights: 1) Lima/Cusco/Lima
OR 2) Cusco/Lima/ and Juliaca/Lima if you take the Lake Titicaca extension)
- Other tour-related transportation in Peru, including bus and rail
- Roundtrip airport/hotel/airport transfers
- Luggage handling at hotels
- All site entrance fees
- First-class hotels, including taxes, service charges & daily buffet breakfast
- Other meals: 3 lunches; 3 box lunches; 7 dinners
- Pre-paid Gratuities
- Free Peruvian Tourist Visa upon your arrival in Lima
- Fully escorted from Cusco by SSJ's Tour Director Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
- Featured Speaker author Mark Amaru Pinkham
- Excellent bilingual Tour Guide Oscar Atayupanqui Gaona

Special Highlights (Main Tour):
- Travel with other like-minded people
- Presentations on the Ancient Mysteries of Peru and Andean Shamanism
by Featured Speaker author Mark Amaru Pinkham
- Traditional Andean rituals with the Q'ero Elders, Mark Amaru Pinkham, Andrea Mikana-Pinkham and Oscar Atayupanqui Gaona
- Cusco Area: Sacsayhuaman, Qenko, Coricancha, Tambo Machay
- Anta Province, near Cusco: Quillarumiyoc
- Sacred Valley of the Incas: Ollantaytambo
- Machu Picchu: 2 days, with rituals and some time to explore on your own!
- Special Welcome and Farewell Dinners

NOT INCLUDED - Main Tour:
- Roundtrip international air to Lima, Peru
- Pre and post tour services in Lima
- Meals not included, as indicated in the itinerary
- Cost to obtain valid passport
- Any items of a personal nature such as CoVid-19 testing (and transportation to and from the test site),
laundry, drinks, internet service, telephone calls.
- Any item that is not specifically detailed on the SSJ website or final trip itinerary as being part of the Land Package.

Your Sacred Sites Journeys Extension to Lake Titicaca Includes:
- Travel with other like-minded people
- Fully escorted by local excellent bilingual Tour Guides
- Transportation by First Class Tourist bus to Puno; other tour-related transportation by private vehicle and boat
- Transfers: Bus station in Puno to hotel/ Hotel to airport in Juliaca
- Luggage handling at hotel
- All site entrance fees
- First-class hotel, including taxes, service charges & daily buffet breakfast
- Other meals: 1 buffet lunch, 1 box lunch, 3 dinners
- Pre-paid Gratuities





TWO IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS!
1) Those who travel with us in 2022 to PERU will need to show valid proof of a CoVid-19 vaccination
when you register, as well as within 30 days before the tour departure date.
This includes the required number of shots, plus any required booster shot.
The current requirements to enter Peru will be provided to you upon registration.
Any updates will also be provided up to 72 hours before the tour begins.
After that time it will be your responsibility to obtain any changes.
Thank you for your cooperation!

2) Our Sacred Sites Journeys are smoke-free sacred travel experiences.
All forms of tobacco, as well as e-cigarettes are not allowed at any time.
Thanks for your cooperation.






TOUR PRICING
All pricing listed is in U.S. Dollars.

Due to the pandemic we're, we're in the process of rescheduling the 2022 departure to 2023.
The pricing listed below is for the 2022 departure and may change for the one in 2023.
Dates & pricing for 2023 to be posted here soon!

This Sacred Sites Journey to PERU is a LAND ONLY Sacred Travel Package.
You are responsible to book your international flights to and from Lima, Peru.
Please make your airline arrangements according to the information in the itinerary posted above here on this webpage.
NOTE:
1) After you register, we will be happy to refer you to our business associates who can assist you to book your airline ticket.
2) Once you register, we can refer you to the local family-owned airport hotel in Lima that we've used with our groups in Peru since 1994. You will be able to book pre-tour services with them directly (in English) in case you need to arrive in Lima before Sunday, June 26th. Services include: meeting on arrival at the airport by an English-speaking representative from the hotel, private transfer to the hotel for overnight (includes breakfast), and transfer back to the airport on Sunday, June 26th, to check in for your flight to Cusco.


MAIN TOUR: June 26 - July 7, 2022: Per Person, double occupancy, land only
$3,499.00 - via check, bank wire or Zelle (US residents only can use Zelle)

For those who live outside the USA, you also have the option to send the funds from your bank account or using a credit card via websites such as www.TransferWise or www.xe.com or others you may choose.
Any fees that are applied for using these websites are your responsibility.

Single Room Supplement: $225.00 - via check, bank wire or Zelle (US residents only can use Zelle)

NOTE: The Single Room Supplement applies ONLY for those who would like to secure a private room throughout the tour.

ROOMMATES: We will be happy to try to find a suitable roommate for those
who are traveling alone and would like to share a twin-bedded room.
Per our Terms and Conditions provided with our Registration Form, registration for the tour will be held open
until approximately 30 days before the departure date in order to try to match everyone with a roommate.
If by that date we have not been able to match you with a suitable roommate,
you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement.
An early registration will facilitate the possibility of your being matched with a roommate.

LAKE TITICACA: July 7 - 10, 2022: Person, double occupancy, land only
$919.00 - via check, bank wire or Zelle (US residents only can use Zelle)

Single Room Supplement: $159.00 - via check, bank wire or Zelle (US residents only can use Zelle)


NOTE: The pricing is current and correct at the time of postings here on our website.
Should any increases occur due to suppliers and/or airlines in Peru increasing their prices,
the amount of the increase will be passed on to the client,
with no added commission added for Sacred Sites Journeys.





TOUR REGISTRATION


Due to the pandemic we're, we're in the process of rescheduling the 2022 departure to 2023.
The pricing listed above is for the 2022 departure and may change for the one in 2023.
Dates & pricing for 2023 to be posted here soon!


If you haven't traveled with us, or haven't done so within the last 5 years, please request a Pre-Trip Questionnaire.
OR if you have traveled with us during the last 5 years, please request a Registration Form.
Please email Andrea Mikana-Pinkham at sacredsitesjourneys@gmail.com
OR call our office at 928 284-1429 and leave a message with your email address so we can get back to you. Thank you!




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NOTE: All photos and text on this webpage are the Copyright of Sacred Sites Journeys.
Sacred Sites Journeys is NOT affiliated with any other sacred travel company.
Other sacred travel companies offering spiritual pilgrimages similar to ours
are using our text, photos and some of our testimonials.
We did not give them permission to do so.
We believe that karma is very efficient, and that those who are not in integrity
will swiftly reap the negative benefits of such actions.
 

Updated 5/14/2022
Copyright Sacred Sites Journeys 2003 - 2022