Lunch, Lama's & textielervaring (Cusco-regio): ANDESKLEUREN

My daughter and I visited Andean Colors as part of an excursion with Peru Summit Adventures. It was a truly wonderful experience. Marco and Paulita took great care of us that day. The day started with feeding the llamas and alpacas, learning about the sheering, cleaning and spinning process of the wool. We also learned about the various plants used in dyeing and were able to dye our own yarn. We made beautiful weaved bracelets and enjoyed a delicious home cooked lunch. This is all set amidst the most beautiful scenery! The mission of Andean Colors is an important one. They are focused on helping single mothers who have faced great adversity leverage their weaving skills and expertise to support their families. I highly recommend a visit to this important organization.

Without a doubt, it was the most complete experience we had in the Sacred Valley. More than observing — we participated in everything. From the beginning of the dying process to the final embroidery. It's a living lesson of the Andean textile culture, of those you really feel. We also fed the animals, which made the day even more special, and ended with a lunch there—all very authentic, simple and meaningful. The extra that marked us very much was the purpose of the couple owner of the Andes Colors. They have a project to support women in vulnerable situations and the farm is just the tip of that mission. We got out really happy. With the feeling that we've lived something real — and somehow made a part of it with them.

Where do I even start. This was such a magical experience. Maybe it's because I'm Peruvian and love the culture, but my kids (boys 9&12) also said they had so much fun. Which is rare since they would rather be playing video games. My American husband loved it as well. It was easy to communicate English. I might be Peruvian, but I don't speak Spanish 🫠 We got the Cuy and boy that was an experience for my son and husband. Although I don't think they will ever eat it again, they have checked that off their bucket list (Guinea pigs are pets where we are and our kids play with our friends....). We had a soup and dish and both were super yummy. 👌 they had 2 little-ish boys there that my kids loved playing with. They ran around outside and I think that was the best part. The alpacas and lamas to them are just like dogs to us. Except I was hoping I could hug and kiss them, but I was dreaming! Lol they are not the cuddling type 🤣😭 For me, just the view, the feeling that came over me and my kids being put there is a memory I'll carry in my heart forever. There is a store to purchase items at the end and we did buy a pillow case, we had to support them. I hope if you are looking for something to do for a few hours you consider visiting them. Last thing to mention. We paid $80USD for a round trip from our hotel to the location. We stayed at Union Hotel. Each way was an hour.

This was such an amazing experience and a highlight in my Cusco visit. I was the only one at the event and still received the best hospitality. Feeding the animals and making the bracelet was great! Everyone should do this experience.

What an amazing 5 hours at this very special co-op supporting single mothers and women who have experienced domestic violence. We learnt the whole alpaca wool textile process from mixing dyes, washing the wool, dyeing the wool and weaving all with some very cute alpacas, llamas and a delicious lunch thrown in. Not just a tour to fill in a spare half day, make it a priority, it’s one of the best things I’ve done!

We spent a wonderfully special afternoon with Marco and Patricia at Andean Colores. The lunch was delicious and the scenery breathtaking, but what made it extra special was Marco's company and hospitality. We loved feeding the llamas and alpacas and enjoyed learning about how they create the beautiful textiles at Andean Colores. They even taught us how to weave our own bracelets. But the true highlight was learning about the founding of Andean Colores and their mission to support single mothers in the area. The overall experience was wonderul- delicious food, gorgeous scenery, fun activities and truly special people. Highly recommend!

I think everyone who spends a day in Sacred Valley should do this event - it truly has everything we were looking for, all packaged in one easy place. We spent our first day acclimating to altitude here, and learned so much culture and had so much fun without having to worry about exertion. Marco, was the most organized tour operator of all of the companies we used throughout Peru. His English was impeccable (thank you), his responses to my questions were quick, thorough, and he sent us complete summaries of the tour plan, timing, various personalized options and prices in local and our currency without any prompting. Andean Colors was the only tour I was totally confident would run exactly as promised, so using them was good value, and great peace of mind. Marco also offered to arrange transportation for our group of 10 so that was totally looked after as well. His driver was super professional, punctual and the van was spotless. What an incredible afternoon - I think we would have gotten good value from doing any one of the activities in the tour, combined with the breathtaking photos we got, but to get all of them was remarkable. Truly, I think this place is an undiscovered gold mine. We started by meeting and feeding the whole herd of alpacas by hand and learning about them. By feeding them we were able to spend much more time with them, build rapport and be in close quarters with them without the animals being nervous. After lunch, we took them (although, truly they were the ones who knew the way and were leading us) down a path that was a part of the Inca Trail network to a jawdropping view and then the staff took pictures of all of us with our animals. These have been some of my favourite photos of our trip. As an animal lover, this is truly the way to have an alpaca or llama experience in Peru. They served a delicious, filling lunch, made fresh with local ingredients and told us about the food and why it is unique to the region. They showed us the ponchos they make, how to tie them and we wore them for the afternoon. They taught us about how to identify real alpaca products in the market and at the end of the afternoon, we were able to browse through their extensive store of both their own and other local weavers products. The prices were reasonable and it was great to know that the things were were buying were authentic and were supporting such a great cause (they support local single mothers). The afternoon was spent in a really entertaining series of activities - we dyed our own wool, ground our own moss to make the colors, ground the plant used to wash the wool, spun the wool (arguably the most aggravating part of the day, but that is just because I do not have good hand eye coordination) and then finally we were taught to weave our own bracelets using the local loom technique and took them home - it is the souvenir I feel most proud of! They had a whole team of staff helping our group of 10 - taking pictures, answering questions and helping out - and best of all, seemed to really understand the art of how to keep a group of kids and adults, competitive types and people who want to ask lots of questions all happy - there were games, jokes, competitions, bathroom breaks, water available - it just was all run so smoothly. I was super impressed. Our many thanks to Marco and family and staff, who made us feel a part of their family.

We are learning a lot about the basics of color and how... The people are very friendly and the food is top quality!

Visiting Andean Colors was one of the most meaningful experiences of my trip. This beautiful project empowers local women through a cooperative where they spin, dye, and weave by hand, using ancient Andean techniques. Many of these women have gained financial independence, helping them leave abusive relationships and build better lives. I spent hours immersed in their world—playing with the llamas, weaving my own bracelet, and learning about their vibrant traditions. The lunch was homemade and delicious, and the warmth and generosity of everyone made me feel truly at home. More than just a visit, it was a deep exchange of culture, strength, and resilience. I left feeling inspired and incredibly grateful.

This is such a cool spot. We learned a lot about the textiles and how to curate the alpaca wool. Everyone was very nice and we enjoyed seeing the llamas and alpacas. They have a very affordable shop with a lot of options to choose from. They also had a guinea pig lunch that was delicious.