Description
This activity is designed to be taken on your spare day in the Sacred Valley.
We'll pick you up from your hotel and drive up into the mountains behind Ollantaytambo. Patacancha is a rural indigenous community located at 12,600 ft, high in the mountains above Ollantaytambo, in the heart of the Patacancha Valley. Patacancha is a village of approximately 250 families, spread over many small hamlets scattered up and down the valley.
For centuries the Quechua communities of the Patacancha Valley have lived in relative isolation from the outside world. However, in the last 10 to 15 years, with the arrival of roads, electricity and schools, the modern economy has begun to penetrate these communities. Formerly subsistence farmers and weavers, Quechua families are now becoming more dependent on and marginalized by the monetary economy. Our visit is not only a chance to experience this traditional Andean village culture but also to contribute to its survival.
A local NGO set up the visits here to improve the well-being of rural indigenous women and their families. They won a Global Vision Award in 2009 for their efforts and we work closely with them to take you up to Patacancha.
The visit includes a demonstration of ancient techniques of weaving, spinning and dying with natural pigments. You'll visit a traditional Quechua home and have the opportunity to buy textiles directly from the weavers - great to take back from your trip and as pressies for the folk back home!
