Peru & Bolivia in 2012

January 7, 2013

Marking the 21.12.12 solstice on Lake Titicaca, this sacred journey traces two weeks through Peru and Bolivia: Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Copacabana and Tiwanaku. Thoughtfully guided, it weaves indigenous wisdom, meditation and awe-filled landscapes into a life-changing pilgrimage.

In 2021 I magnetised a redundancy and began what would end up being several years of world travel. After 6 months of prayer and meditation in Brasil, I was compelled to visit Peru and Bolivia with my friend Jo Hutchinson of Great Spirit Journeys to mark the 21 December 2012 solstice and reconnect with the ancient wisdoms of the indigenous people of Peru and Bolivia.

For 2 weeks we visited various sacred sites across both countries, culminating in a life-changing experience on Lake Titicaca on the solstice.

This tour was very well organised and well paced. The program was diverse and each day involved new experiences, great joy and awe. The local guides arranged by Great Spirit Journeys were excellent and ensured real engagement with indigenous culture and history. There were ample opportunities for meditation and inner work and the group was lovingly supported by Jo and all practical matters were perfectly attended to.

Peru

Peru is a fantastic holiday destination offering a rich culture, with people proud of their heritage and businesses which are responsive to the expectations of western tourists.

The cities and towns are very clean and fresh, healthy food is abundant. The natural environment is awesome and dominated by the Andes Mountains.

There is ready access to indigenous culture and Incan sacred sites such as Machu Picchu, as well as stunning colonial architecture in Cusco and Lima.

Peru, and particularly Lima, has developed dramatically over the last 20 years and the results are very impressive. This population is intelligent and agile and they have created a place I would like to do business.

Peru is a very easy destination for tourists but the offering is so diverse and widespread that one needs a guide to make the most of a short stay.

Our trip commenced in Lima, Peru where a diverse range of sites provided background to indigenous and colonial history.

Next, during two days in the Sacred Valley we aclimatised to the altitude and visited the sacred site at Ollantaytambo, as well as Pisac markets and the salt pools at Maras.

A highlight of our trip to Peru was spending two days at Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, reached by a 1.5 hour vistadome train ride.

Cusco, the ancient Incan capital provided a further two days of access to indigenous and colonial sacred sites, including churches built by the Spanish over Incan and pre-Incan holy places, such as the Koricancha at the Monastery of San Domingo. Important Incan sites in Cusco, including Sacsayhuaman and Tambomachay, were also visited.

The tour of Peru concluded with a day long drive across the stunning altiplano to Puno. The trip also included a visit to the ancient site of Raqchi and the floating reed islands on Lake Titicaca.

Bolivia

The sacred sites on Lake Titicaca were the main focus of the four days spent in Bolivia, with accommodation in Copacabana and on the Island of the Sun. The most important solstice in our planet’s history was experienced on the Island of the Sun. The tour of Bolivia concluded with a scenic drive to La Paz and a comprehensive tour of the ancient site of Tiwanaku.

Everyone should experience the energies of Lake Titicaca and the surrounding islands and towns at least once. The high altitude and quiet makes this area a great place for meditation and inner work, but the awesome natural environment also provides lots of opportunities for hiking and exploring.

Copacabana, our base on Lake Titicaca, gave us access to great food and accommodation, as well as historical sites and markets selling beautiful handicrafts.

Indigenous culture is largely pre-Incan and very rich and accessible through our guide.

I hope these pictures give you a nudge to visit Peru and Bolivia on a sacred journey. If you would like to be connected with Great Spirit Journeys please reach out via 8 Pilgrims.

Namaste.