Description
The peasant community of Japu, of the Q’ero Nation, is located in the province of Paucartambo of the Cusco region. 6 hours trip southbound. It is recognized, along with 4 communities, as the nation’s cultural heritage, for practicing knowledge to this day since the Inca era.
The Q’eros base their origins on mythological facts, where the relationship of respect and cooperation between men and the Pachamama (Mother Earth) is expressed. They still have a different way of relating to their surroundings, where the spiritual is more important.
It is the objective of our program, that the visitor can share unforgettable moments with the Q’eros, creating spaces for the exchange of knowledge between the Q’ero villagers and the visitors.
Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Cusco to the Peasant Community of Japu
We will depart in a van at 7:00 am from the city of Cusco, our trip will last approximately 5 hours. We will head south on an asphalted road to the town of Mallma, from where we will continue along an affirmed road to the community.
On our way, we will appreciate the towns of Saylla and Tipon recognized as gastronomic destinations for the variety and quality of the dishes made with pork and guinea pig, then we will pass through Oropesa, the national capital of Pan, we will make a short stop for stock up on the delicious “pan chuta” that we can share with our hosts. Two hours away we will arrive at the town of Ocongate, here we stop for a brief moment to buy coca leaves, important to start our communication with the Q’ero.
We still have 2 hours of travel, in this section we will already feel the remoteness of the city and we will be entering beautiful high Andean landscapes, we will appreciate lagoons, rivers, glaciers and grazing places of South American camelids such as llamas and alpacas, and if we have Luckily we can see the vicuñas in the wild. At 5200 meters above sea level it is in the Huañunakasa pass, the highest point of our trip, here begins the territory of the Japu.
After 10 minutes of descent, we will be able to appreciate the first mountain houses, where the Q’eros inhabit the care of llamas and alpacas. Then we will arrive at the Raqch’i hamlet, where we will find a grade number of families.
Upon arrival, we will have a welcome by the host family, who will accommodate us in the resting places. At 12:30 pm we will have lunch made with organic inputs produced in the community, after lunch we will have a short break.
In the afternoon, we will have a small meeting, where our hosts will indicate the activities we will carry out in the coming days. At night we can sit around a campfire to listen to the stories and the music that is.
Day 2: Mama Rosa
We will make a walk in the direction of Apu Mama Rosa, sacred mountain for the Q’ero and the only glacier in the area. During our tour our hosts will tell us about the cultural importance of livestock in the Japu community and the ancient knowledge about the domestication of llamas and alpacas. We can learn about the medicinal plants that grow at this height, the importance of lagoons for trout farming, the meaning of mountain ranges and high Andean wetlands or wetlands. Upon returning, our hosts will perform the Andean ceremony to ask the pachamama (mother earth) and the apus (mountain spirits) for the well-being of the residents and visitors.
Day 3: Q’ero
We have to descend to the growing areas, here we can participate in the cultivation of native products such as potatoes, olluco, occa, the year, among others. Our hosts will show us the stages of the production of each food and the tools they use at work, we can also learn about the temporality of each product and how the seasons influence the production. In the afternoon we will have a meeting with the Q’ero women, who will give us an exhibition on the elaboration of the precious Q’eros fabrics, unique in their symbology, techniques and finishes, at the end of the session we will be lucky to acquire the blankets, ponchos, scarves, bags; If we wish so. To end our day, if the weather is right, we will observe the constellations, from the knowledge that.
Day 4: Q’uero – Cusco
After breakfast we will say goodbye to our hosts, thanking them for their hospitality and returning to Cusco.
Includes / Does not include
It includes
- Transport
- Feeding
- Overnight Equipment
- Quechua language translator
Not include
- Acquisition of Q’ero fabrics
- Personal walking equipment
