Awamaki Earth-Oven Lunchpaket

Very good experience from beginning to end, our guide Mia was very enthusiastic at all times, the transportation was all correct, on the way you see beautiful landscapes passing through towns, sharing with the women of the community was an enriching experience to share and learn about the culture and their textile tradition, we loved the food, I definitely recommend this experience.

We absolutely loved this experience! Transportation to and from the Quechua community was straightforward, the earth oven lunch was amazing, and the women artisans were very knowledgeable and generous. This experience was hands on and we learned so much about the weaving process. Highly recommend!

We left with tears in our eyes when leaving the community. The women welcomed us very warmly and showed us their weaving work with patience and lots of smiles. The guide was very friendly and enthusiastic about the project. The Pachamanca (Earth oven) was a cool experience and the food very tasty and satisfying! We are very grateful to the community for sharing their time. We left with a deeper appreciation for the craft and the knowledge of the artisan women. Also for the work Awamaki does to support this and other communities in the sacred valley.

We were able to experience community life in a very meaningful way- the ladies who prepare the pachamenka and their weaving is so amazing. It was really one of the best experience we have had in Peru!

We spent half a day with the community of talented and welcoming ladies at Huilloc Alto. We were picked up from and dropped off back in the main town square by the driver, Alan. The compañeras first introduced us to the traditional yarn spinning and dyeing techniques. They prepared a delicious meal in the earth oven (pachamanca) whilst we watched some of the ladies start preparing for our weaving workshop. Each visitor was allocated a teacher who helped each of us weave a bracelet (pulsera). We were then given the opportunity to see the beautiful items which these skillful ladies had made (from small bracelets or keyrings to cushion covers and table runners) and we were able to purchase some of these hand-made treasures. The whole tour was facilitated by a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable guide called Célestine, who translated everything for us. She and the compañeras seemed to share a lovely relationship based on trust and mutual respect. It was one of the best experiences we had during our trip in Peru. It felt like a really genuine experience.

+4

Eleanor was fantastic! Right from the start she engaged our group and provided in-depth information on what to expect. She was so helpful every step of the way and our “bridge” to this beautiful experience! I cannot wait to return. Thank you again Eleanor, I will never forget this adventure!!

Nice experience, the community is really open to share their knowledge, they are empowering women and you can feel it. Plus Huilloc has a very beautiful and soothing scenery, very connected to nature.

+1

If you are visiting Peru and are planning a trip to the Sacred Valley, visit these ladies. We had a beautiful day visiting a small town high in the mountains and learning about their culture and how they weave these beautiful textiles.

This was the highlight of our trip to learn about authentic Andean culture in the local community setting. We met with Awamaki’s guide in Ollantaytambo and a nice bus took us to the community where we spent a few ours in a local woman’s house. We met with 6 other women, dressed up in their outfit, learned a little Quechua, weaving, had lunch together (one of the best meal we had) and were given a chance to purchase their handmade goods with very reasonable prices. We were promptly brought back to Ollantaytambo when the tour ends. This is highly recommended!

Do not miss this opportunity to learn about this amazing pre-Incan weaving tradition and meet the wonderful Andean women. High in the Andes in the Quechua village of Huilloc, we were guests at the home of a cooperative of alpaca wool weavers. Through our translator and guide, we saw and learned all about the weaving tradition. It is really amazing to watch them in this very complex process from spinning, dying to the actual weaving. Each piece tells their stories through sacred animals and art. I was delighted to buy some pieces directly from the weaver. The prices were great and we knew the money would make a big difference in their lives. Thank you Awamaki for supporting these women and teaching them the skills needed to be successful in their weaving business!!