The Andean culture has a lot of amazing traditions and techniques that involve weaving, farming, cooking, and building. There is nothing better than learning these traditions firsthand from the comuneros (community members) who are still using them in their daily life. In this post we will introduce you to 2 outdoor centers that offer amazing cultural and experience-based activities.
By participating in any of the following activities, you will be directly helping the communities we work with.
Piuray Outdoor Center:
Piuray Outdoor Center is surrounded by four very old communities that have maintained and preserved their ancestors´ knowledge and daily practices. There are a great variety of adventure based activities to try during your visit, like stand-up paddle boarding on the lake, practicing Yoga, learning how to prepare a Pachamanca, mountain biking, etc.
If you are looking for cultural immersion, Piuray Outdoor Center offers some amazing activities for those who always want to leave a positive impact on the places they visit:
Agricultural Days: You will start your day with a walk with your guides from the local communities to the terraces near the Piuray Outdoor Center. Once at the terraces, you will get to try your hand at some agricultural work that, depending on the season, could include: sowing, harvesting or plowing.
Textile Demonstrations: Guided by comuneras, you will learn the different stages of the textile process and the details that go into this incredible tradition. You will see and learn from the thousand-year-old textile culture of the community of Pongobamba.
Production of Adobe Bricks: Guided by comuneros, you will witness a technique that has been used for thousands of years to make adobe, the material used to build their houses.
La Base Lamay:
Lamay is a small village located in the province of Calca, in the sacred valley of the Incas, Cusco. Lamay is a paradise of nature, outdoor activities and friendly people who have a beautiful culture and traditions that they will share with you.
This new project was developed by Franco Negri, the president of Explorandes. Franco and his partners have a clear mission for what they want to do with La Base Lamay, use responsible tourism to contribute to the conservation and sustainable development of the Lamay community.
Here are the following cultural activities that La Base offers:
Farm and Food Experience in Lamay: This is a special day to learn about the gastronomy of Cusco and the Sacred Valley and to discover the amazing variety of local agricultural resources and biodiversity. You later put into practice what you have learnt with a cooking lesson at La Base Lamay. You will leave Lamay to head to the community of Huayllafara. The locals will take you to visit their farms with traditional crops (like potatoes, oca, anu, tarwi, quinuas and beans among others) and will teach you about their traditional farming techniques, while you taste their local produce.. You will learn about the local culture and the daily activities of the community, according to the time of year and the agricultural calendar. The tour will be focused on the agricultural and food processing techniques that the community uses, such as the preparation of chuño and moraya, the washing and uses of quinoa, the brewing of Chicha de Jora and other interesting Andean activities. Finally, you will return to La Base Lamay for the cooking lessons. The idea is to prepare Peruvian classic recipes and use native products in the cooking process. To encourage the spirit, you will also prepare a pisco sour or enjoy a Pisco tasting session.
Lamay Community Day: For the Lamay Community Day you will visit one of the mountain communities of the project ¨La Base Lamay¨, learn about their life, traditions and contribute to the sustainable development of the community. The community will welcome you and teach you their traditions and customs. You will participate in a community labour day and recognize the different varieties of local crops and plants, as well as learn about their traditional farming tools and techniques. After the activity, you will have a typical lunch, made from the food produced by the community. In the afternoon, the women will share with you their art and process of weaving, which is very important in their family dynamics, and you will have the opportunity to talk with them about their customs and their role in the field.
Huayllafara Community Hike
Enjoy walking the trails of Lamay and meeting with the community of Huayllafara. You
will walk uphill from La Base Lamay along a single track to the community of Huayllafara. The track follows the Carmen river until we take a turn up through a forested and biodiverse creek with native trees and plenty of birds. From the community, you will have great views of the local farms and the typical houses. You will see women and men doing their traditional agricultural work as well as livestock, traditional crafts, and family life.
Enjoy a nutritious snack and return to Lamay by walking with amazing views of the village and its surrounding mountains. This short trek will show you the essence of Lamay and the Sacred Valley of the Inkas. Lunch on your own or at La Base Lamay.
For a full listing of the activities that you can participate in in Piuray or La Base Lamay outdoor centers, write to us and we will prepare the perfect itinerary for what you are looking for.
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