Community Immersion
1 Day / 1 Night
We are proud to work directly with 2 communities near Cusco, Peru to connect travelers with the best community-based tourism experiences: Amaru & Paru Paru.
“Ayni” in the Quechua language is a fundamental concept among the Andean people meaning mutual help or reciprocity. Ayni is not just about to being compensated for a task – it’s about the exchange of energy between human beings, the natural world, and the universe. At Deep House Cusco Tour Operator, we believe that community-based tourism embodies the ancient Incan concept of “ayni”, where travelers experience a genuine and rich cultural exchange and communities enjoy social and economic empowerment.
History
The indigenous community of Amaru snuggles into the mountainside at about 3,800 meters of altitude. It is about 5 kilometers from Pisaq, a one hour and fifteen minute drive from Cusco via the Sacred Valley highway.
During the day, most of the men are away working in their fields or with their
animals, returning only in the evening. The Community-based Tourism Association was founded by
the women of Amaru to share their delicious traditional cuisine and ancient weaving and dyeing techniques with visitors.
Programs & Activities
When you visit the Amaru community, you will be instantly captivated by the warm welcome of native “k’antu” and “mithuy” flower petals and greetings of
“Ñañay”/”Turay”, which mean “sister”/”brother” in Quechua.
As part of its community-based tourism program, Amaru shares with its foreign visitors many of its traditional activities, such as:
- Demonstration and participation in Andean agricultural techniques using ancestral tools.
Homemade organic meals exemplifying the biodiversity of the Andean crops.- Demonstration and participation in the ancestral dyeing process, starting with the shearing of the llama or sheep, wool spooling, the use of native plants and minerals to dye the yarns, and finally the weaving of ancient intricate patterns with secret local meaning.
- Guided hiking to explore the nearby valleys and mountains.
- Evening bonfire with traditional Andean dances, costumes, and music.
- Overnight home stays with shared modern bathrooms and warm water showers.
Duration: 1 day / 1 night
Activity level: Level 1 – Easy- Average daily walking time: 1-2 hours intermittent
- Departures: 7:00 am pick up at hotel (can be modified for private tours)
- Altitude: 8,829 – 11,800 ft / 2,700 – 3,600 m
- Availability: Daily, year-round
History
The indigenous community of Paru Paru nestles snugly between lush valleys of quinoa, a spring-fed lake, and 4,000-meter high mountains. It is about 11 kilometers from Pisaq in the province of Calca, a one hour and thirty minute drive from Cusco via the Sacred Valley highway.
Steeped in ancient traditions, Paru Paru cultivates over 100 native varieties of potato, corn, and quinoa as well as a few foreign crops they have adapted to the region, such as barley, wheat, fava beans, carrots, radishes, cilantro and parsley.
Paru Paru’s community is self-sufficient. They grow or raise nearly everything they need, so they travel to the city only occasionally to trade their products for salt and sugar.
Paru Paru has a kinder garden, elementary, and middle school system, though some families opt to send their children to school in nearby Pisaq.
What do the villagers love about their community? The fresh, crisp air; the breathtaking landscapes; the tranquil vibe of the mountains; their traditional ceremonies, dress, and rituals; and the warmth of community life.
Programs and Activities
Paru Paru greet their visitors warmly with local flowers, traditional clothing of the region, and special greetings in Quechua. As part of its community-based tourism, Paru Paru shares with its foreign visitors many of its traditional activities, such as:
- Demonstration of and participation in Andean agricultural techniques using ancestral tools.
- Homemade organic meals exemplifying the biodiversity of the Andean crops.
- Presentation of the 180 native potato varieties by season.
- Guided hiking to explore the spectacular views of the nearby valley filled with its harvest of purple, orange, yellow, and red quinoa, the vast fields of barley, and the ever-present local “mithuy” and “k’antu” flowers.
Trout fishing in the natural spring-fed mountain lake Kinsacocha.- Animal husbandry demonstrations and participation with llamas, alpacas, sheep, guinea pigs, donkeys, hens, and ducks.
- Seasonal Llama and Alpaca festival.
- Regional medicinal herbs demonstration.
- Ceramic handicrafts with natural pigments exposition and participation.
- Evening bonfire with traditional Andean dances, costumes, and music.
- Overnight home stays with shared modern bathrooms and warm water showers.
Duration: 1 day / 1 night
Activity level: Level 1 – Easy- Average daily walking time: 1-2 hours intermittent
- Departures: 7:00 am pick up at hotel (can be modified for private tours)
- Altitude: 8,829 – 11,800 ft / 2,700 – 3,600 m
- Availability: Daily, year-round