Pirwa Travel

White Water Rafting: Thrills in the Sacred Valley of the Incas

September 6, 2012 Pirwa

Many of our backpacking friends who come visit us in Cusco are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and luckily, from extreme sports to high Andean treks and intriguing ruins, Cusco delivers. One thing with which Peru abounds is quality whitewater rafting for all levels. Not only does the Sacred Valley of the Incas just outside of Cusco boast a majestic landscape, but there’s also a range of amazing whitewater rafting options for those of you who want to enjoy the outdoors in a more active way, from popular day trips along the Urubamba River to longer adventures along the Apurimac River rapids.

If you’ve never rafted before but want to give it a try, there are gentle rapids along the Urubamba which are appropriate for beginners, trips begin with an equipment and safety demonstration and include a companion guide in a safety kayak should assistance be necessary. In areas where the rapids are more complicated to navigate, guides scout ahead and provide the necessary directions. With an experienced professional agency like Pirwa Travel Service, you can safely enjoy the adventure whether you’re a novice or a more experienced rafter.

The Talking Apurimac River

It’s a 5 hour drive from Cusco to the Apurimac River Valley and its epic river, which was sacred for the Incas and whose name in Quechua means “Speaking God”. The waters of the Apurimac flow down from the Mt Mismi glacier through and froth into exciting rapids as they navigate through waterfalls and narrow gorges with steep cliffsides twice as deep as the USA’s Grand Canyon. Then the waters calm, passing the scenic countryside of the Sacred Valley on the way to its final destination, the Amazon River in the tropical rainforest.

Those of you who want to tackle the Apurimac River can opt for 4 day trips which advance from Class II and III Rapids on the first day up to some Class V Rapids on the third day, tackling such famed segments as Toothache, You First, and Last Laugh. (At Right: The Devil’s Tooth) After each day’s rafting, you’ll relax in campsites in narrow gorges and sandy beaches, looking up at the stars of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Outside of the adrenaline-pumping segments of the circuit, look around for some of the canyon’s wildlife such as river otters, condors, and foxes.

The Sacred Urubamba

The Sacred Valley of the Incas was formed by the Urubamba River, which is Quechua for Sacred River. It is this river that trekkers along the Inca Trail and visitors to Machu Picchu see snaking down below, wrapping around the high peak topped by the ruins.(Photos Above: The Urubamba coiling around the Machu Picchu, The Sacred Valley of the Incas, and the Urubamba River snaking through the Peruvian Andes.)

Many travelers opt for convenient day trips for rafting the Cusipata section of the upper Urubamba River, which is less crowded and cleaner than some other Sacred Valley rivers. Lasting only a day, they’re a great option for those short on time, experience, or cash. They include a picnic lunch, initial equipment and safety demonstration, and 3 hours of rafting as well as transport to and from Cusco. You can even take advantage of your foray into the Sacred Valley to arrange visits to the Ollantaytambo Fortress of Pisac enroute back to Cusco. Along the Cusipata section, rafters encounter mainly Class II and III Rapids, with perhaps some IV+ depending on the season. For those with more rafting experience, there are other options for day trips along the Urubamba showcasing world-class IV and V rapids, such as Huambutío to Pisco and Ollantaytambo to Chillca.

Your Home-Base Back In Cusco

Upon returning to Cusco, a hot shower and comfortable bed will be waiting for you at any of our four hostel locations in the Imperial City. Relax in the sunshine in the patio at Pirwa Colonial Backpackers, and make yourself at home with the self-serve kitchen. There’s an onsite bar and fast-food stand that make it easy to unwind post-adventure.

If, on the other hand, you want to stay active, stop by the Pirwa Travel Service information counter that’s present in all of our hostels for your convenience- there are lots more adventures to be had, such as trekking, bunjee jumping, ziplining, ATV off-roading, and downhill mountain biking! Calmer, more culturally-themed excursions like guided tours of Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and of course Machu Picchu are available as well, so there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy your stay in Cusco!

+ Read more

Mystical Tourism: Trying Ayahuasca in Peru

March 28, 2012 Pirwa

Ayahuasca is Quechua for spirit vine, or vine of souls; it is a brew which shamans of the Amazon Basin have been preparing for hundreds of years

It is employed throughout the Amazon and Andes for divinatory purposes, as a religious sacrament, and for healing. Popular in Peru’s indigenous communities and among many mestizos, it’s seen throughout the country as an herbal medicine rather than an illicit hallucinogenic drug, and a valued part of Peruvian spiritual and economic life, with government tourist agencies even sponsoring ayahuasca festivals.

Popular Ayahuasca destinations include the Amazonian urban center of Iquitos and the outlying Shipibo town of San Francisco, although you can also experience it in the Andean region, such as in Cusco’s Sacred Valley. You can even take part in ayahuasca healing retreats during which you will take part in multiple ceremonies.

Apprentices spend years under the tutelage of elder shaman getting to know the individual plants used to prepare ayahuasca, learning about their individual healing properties and the spirits associated with each. According the shaman, these spirits teach them icaros, or spirit songs, which they then sing or whistle during ceremonies in order to call forth the plants’ unique assistance.

Preparations vary, but of the basic leaves, seeds, and bark combination which are boiled together to prepare the brew, it is the caapi vine which must be present. The vine is considered to be the gatekeeper and guide to otherworldly realms. Traditional additions of barks and plants are often added on top of the main ingredients for their spiritual properties, from Ayahuma bark which is used to retrieve parts of the soul lost to trauma, Capirona bark for cleansing, Remo Caspi bark to heal dark energy, and much more. Each of the many possible ingredients has a recognizable spirit; the Ayahuma bark, for instance, appears as a headless giant.

CAUTION: If you’re interested in trying Ayahuasca, you must take responsibility yourself for researching possible severe adverse reactions with various prescription medications, as most shamans are unfamiliar with Western pharmaceuticals.

Ceremonies take place as night falls, generally after a brief midday fast. The freshly prepared ayahuasca will be blessed with mapacho, a tobacco whose smoke is believed to ward off negative spirits, as the shamans pay homage to the ayahuasca’s spirits, entreating their assistance. The shamans will serve you the amount which they feel you are in need of. The taste is not pleasant, and vomiting is a normal occurrence, viewed as a purging of dark energy.

Once all have drunk, the lights are put out and the shaman begin to sing their spirit songs to the rhythm of their chakapas, leaf rattles and in somewhere around 20 minutes, the visions will begin to appear. Ideally, during this time practitioners seek a window into themselves, wrestling with their fears and releasing negative spirits. Many feel they are traveling among realities. Sting famously says that during his Ayahuasca ceremony, he chased a bee through a Joshua tree for hours. You can expect the average ceremony lasts about four to five hours.

In each of Pirwa Hostels’ thirteen locations throughout Peru and Bolivia, you’ll find the help desks of our own travel agency and tour operator, Pirwa Travel. If you are interested in trying ayahuasca, you can ask them to help arrange this for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t the time to make it to the jungle, as there are also options throughout the Andean region for mystical tourists looking for a unique experience!

+ Read more