An Artist's Journey to Peru

Day 1 : Your flight from home will land in Lima, on Peru's Pacific Coast, where El Nino is born. Due to prevailing Andean winds, flights to Cuzco take off in the morning, so after an evenings rest, you'll head back to the Lima airport to catch your early flight to Cuzco, the center of Inca culture. Your Lima guides will escort you to your hotel in Lima, and bring you back to catch your plane in the morning.

Day 2: You'll arrive in the charming city of Cuzco at 3350 meters (11,000 ft.) above sea level. We'll walk slowly and take it easy while enjoying lunch, the architecture, cobblestones, native finery and vistas. Every minute in Cuzco is a visual feast.

The name "Cuzco" comes from the native Quechua word Qosqo which means "navel." The city is the belly button - the center, of Inca life. It connects the Inca people to Mother Earth, or Pachamama. Our first visit to Cuzco will give you a passing sense of the possibilites as we will soon depart Cuzco for the fascinating village of Pisaq (9650 ft.) to acclimatize and begin our immersion into the culture and sights of the Sacred Valley.

Day 3: Modern Pisaq, on the banks of the Urubamba River is best known for its picturesque and richly textured Sunday Market - an experience not to be missed. Villagers converge from miles around to barter and sell an unimaginable array of hand made arts and crafts, the quality and variety of which will delight and astonish you.

High above modern Pisaq, footpaths and stone stairs traverse along ancient terraces offering incomparable vistas for painting, pondering, sketching, journaling and endless photo-ops.

As Liza was painting, just below the ruins, a luminous double rainbow emerged; grew more radiant, then gradually faded. Transitory light - the perennial challenge of plein air painters.

Day 4 : We depart Pisaq and travel a short distance downriver to the village and ruins of Ollantaytambo. The town is located at the foot of spectacular Inca ruins which protected the strategic entrance to the lower Urubamba Valley. A temple area sits high atop steep terraces - the better to repel invaders. Stone used here was brought from a quarry high on a hillside across the river - an incredible feat involving the efforts of thousands of workers. The afternoon will be available for touring the ruins, or artful activities.

Day 5: After a morning of exploring Ollantayambo we'll leave on the last afternoon train for Aguas Calientes. This village, nestled into the narrow valley at the foot of Machu Picchu, is full of fascinating shops, comfortable hotels and restaurants offering a variety of cuisine. Aguas Calientes means "hot waters." A natural hot springs is open to the public for a modest fee.

Day 6 : As early as possible we will gather together for the ride up to Machu Picchu. We'll plan on spending the entire day in or around the expansive ruins. A guided tour is available and/or you can spend the day making your own art.

The sheer splendour of the landscape; the breathtaking Andes; the astonishing stonework and engineering; the details; the color; the flora and fauna; the mystery... will amaze you. Liza has been there in rain, mist and brilliant sunshine. The wonder of it never ceases to astonish and replenish her.

Day 7 : Painting in Aguas Calientes. or re-visiting the ruins are both possibilities. In the afternoon we will catch the last train to Cuzco arriving into the bowl of the Cuzco valley under the luminous light of the full moon.

Day 8 : Visit, paint, draw and photograph the marketplaces, plazas, cathedrals, parks and museums of Cuzco. A special tour of the Escuela de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts) is also an option.

Day 9 : Morning Flight to Lima and home.

Page: <<Prev 1 2 3 Cost Info & Travel Notes>>