QEROS: LAST INCA COMMUNITY 3D/2N
Description: Trek to the Qeros Nation
The trek to the Qeros Nation is considered by many historians to be a journey to the lastInca community. Anthropologist Oscar Núñez del Prado made the first recorded visit to the Qero Nation in 1955, a date that became synonymous with the discovery of the last hereditary line of the Inkas. In the imperial Inca city of Cusco, being identified as Qero was met with respect, reverence, and even invitations to dine in other people’s homes, due to the community’s important historical status. On this journey, you will experience the Inka way of life and ancestral customs.
These customs and the names of the shamans (Paqos), known as Pampamesayoq and Altomesayoq, have been preserved within a hierarchical structure attributed toPachamama (Mother Earth), as well as in Qero’s agricultural techniques and iconography. In recent decades, historians and anthropologists have visited the Qero Nation, introducing the world to the last known Inca community.
We humbly invite you to follow in their footsteps by adding the QEROS TOUR to yourPeruvian itinerary—a journey that will immerse you in the last vestiges of a 500-year-old culture.
ITINERARY
DAY 1
Pick-up from your hotel in Cusco between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. We’ll head toward Paucartambo, stopping along the way to try pan chuta, a traditional Cusco bread (a quick 10-minute stop).
Our next stop will be in Paucartambo, located at 2,906 meters / 9,534 feet above sea level—a famous and beautiful colonial town. We’ll stop here for about 30 minutes while the guide explains why this place is so magical and well-known.
After photos and some cultural insights, we’ll continue to Charqapata, where our shaman and his family will be waiting with a warm welcome and a freshly prepared lunch. We expect to arrive around 2:00 p.m.
After lunch, you’ll have 30 minutes to rest and settle your things in your tent.
At approximately 4:30 p.m., we’ll begin the coca leaf reading, a ceremony that is sure to fascinate you. The guide will translate, as the shaman and his family speak onlyQuechua (the language of the Incas).
After the reading, we’ll enjoy dinner together.
Then you can relax and rest up for the next day’s adventures.
DAY 2
We’ll wake up at 7:30 a.m., and breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m.
At 8:30 a.m., we begin our hike to Huamanlipa Mountain, located at approximately5,000 meters / 16,404 feet—the main deity of QEROS.
This hike will take about 3 to 3.5 hours. Once there, we’ll participate in a ceremony to honor Mother Earth (Pachamama) with our shaman.
After the offering, you’ll have time to meditate or simply enjoy the stunning scenery.
We’ll return to the Charqapata community for lunch.
In the afternoon, we’ll have a demonstration of wool dyeing and weaving, and you’ll also learn about medicinal plants used in the region.
After the demonstration, the shaman and his family will showcase their handmade crafts, and those interested can make purchases.
We’ll then share our final dinner, where everyone can reflect on and share their experience, followed by a good night’s rest.
DAY 3
Breakfast will be served at 9:00 a.m. After breakfast, we’ll say goodbye to our shaman and his family, and then return to Cusco, arriving around 4:00 p.m.
We’ll drop you off at your hotel, marking the end of our journey.
INCLUDES
NOT INCLUDED
WHAT TO BRING
IMPORTANT
There will be no cell signal after passing Paucartambo.
HIGHLIGHTS