Take a beautiful drive ascending nearly 1,000m from Ollantaytombo to the upper Andean community of Patacancha or Huilloc. Learn about weaving and its significance in Andean culture, see a demonstration of the entire process, then learn to weave for yourself!
Your visit will directly support the non-profit organization Awamaki in its mission to empower local Andean women to improve the lives of their families and communities.
Right for You?
Starts at:
$75/person
Speaks: Spanish, Other Local Language and English
Details
Itinerary
- Picturesque drive from Ollantaytambo to a rural Quechua community (Patacancha or Huilloc)
- Discussion of Andean backstrap weaving as it relates to Andean culture and history
- Demonstration and explanation of the traditional weaving process by female weavers in the Awamaki Weaving Cooperative
- One-on-one weaving lesson
- Visit to a traditional Quechua home
- Home-cooked local lunch
- Opportunity to buy our weavers' hand-made textiles
- Return to Ollantaytambo
What's Included
Your Local Host
Awamaki
Local/Foreign Owned Social Enterprise
Explore Ollantaytambo and its surrounding villages and get to know the people that live there with authentic cultural experiences you can’t find anywhere else. You can take a variety of cultural tours and artisan workshops that will bring you off the beaten track to experience Andean culture; try spinning on the ancient Andean drop spindle, learn to cook local specialties, visit a local "Ollantino” family, or improve your Spanish in a language class. Awamki works directly with rural Adean women to provide them with a reliable source of income to increase their families’ quality of life and well-being. The opportunites are endless with this powerful collective community.
Getting There
