The Peru SST group spent two days exploring Peru’s Sacred Valley with help from Oswaldo Palomino Alvarado, an experienced guide proud of his indigenous heritage.
Oswaldo Palomino provides an overview to students at Chinchero.
We began our tour at Chinchero, where Inca royalty once sat on stone thrones to observe festivals and gazed upon terraced hillsides. Framed by the lush Vilcanota Mountains, Chincero retains the charm of a small village and features both Inca ruins and colonial structures. Students learned how artisans dye yarn for alpaca weavings, enjoyed a lunch of Peruvian specialties and visited a colorful Sunday market.
Students examine wool and dyes.
Afterward, students visited Moray, an ancient agricultural laboratory with stunning circular designs. The circular faming terraces varied in depth and circumference, which allowed Inca farmers to test a variety of crops in distinct micro-climates. Late in the day we arrived in the town of Ollantaytambo, where people still live in stone houses built centuries ago by their Inca ancestors and walk on cobblestone streets with water flowing in canals along the side, just as in Inca times.
The circular agricultural terraces of Moray.
The next day, we explored Ollantaytambo, climbing to Inca storehouses on a steep mountainside and then to the great Inca fortress, religious, farming and administrative complex. Ollantaytambo also was the site of great battle between Inca warriors and Spanish conquistadors. We enjoyed spectacular views throughout the day.
A group photo high above Ollantaytambo.
Late in the afternoon, we took a PeruRail train through the Urubamba River valley, dropping in altitude and watching a roaring river and beautiful scenery as mountain terrain give way to high jungle. By early evening, we arrived in the bustling town of Aguas Calientes – our jumping off point for our visit to Machu Picchu the next day.
Earth and sky seem to blend at Chinchero.Oswaldo Palomino provides an overview to students at Chinchero.Oswaldo Palomino at Chinchero.Thomas and Derek take in the scene at Chinchero.Chinchero.Students explore Chinchero.Chinchero.Jonathan at Chinchero.Inca stones, which still have ancient markings, were used to construct colonial buildings at Chinchero.Students pause before entering the church in Chinchero.Chinchero.A textile workshop in Chinchero.A demonstration of how alpaca wool is cleaned.The textile dye area.Natural substances used to dye textiles.Students examine wool and dyes.A demonstration of natural dyes.A demonstration of natural dyes.Maria, Gretchen and Natalie examine textiles.Caleb and Dean enjoy almuerzo after the textile workshop.Neal tries on a wool cap.Textile artists say farewell by singing for students.Students sing for the textile artists.A smile of friendship.The Sunday market at Chinchero.Gretchen tries to negotiate a fair price.Items for sale at the Sunday market in Chinchero.Scarves for sale at the Sunday market in Chinchero.Fish for sale in Chinchero.Fruit for sale at Chinchero.Vegetables for sale in Chinchero.Aimee strolls through the market in Chinchero.Spoons for sale in Chinchero.Masks for sale in Chinchero.The circular agricultural terraces of Moray.The circular agricultural terraces of Moray.The circular agricultural terraces of Moray.Students marvel a the circular terraces of Moray.Jake, Neal. Thomas and Dean at Moray.Aimee at Moray.Jackson at Moray.A group photo at Moray.Malaina at Moray.Caleb at Moray.Hiking at Moray.Gina and Natalie enjoy their visit to Moray.Inca storehouses at Ollantaytambo.Students gaze out at Ollantaytambo.Students play a coin toss game at the hotel in Ollantaytambo.Gretchen takes a turn.Derek tosses a coin toward his target.Eating dessert in Ollantaytambo.Students pause on a street in Ollantaytambo.Gazing out toward the plaza in Ollantaytambo.Hiking to the Inca storehouses in Ollantaytambo.A spectacular view of Ollantaytambo.Approaching the Inca storehouses.Examining the Inca storehouses.A stunning view of Ollantaytambo.The main plaza of Ollantaytambo.Jonathan at Ollantaytambo.Aimee, Neal and Natalie – three Goshen College students who also are proud graduates of Hesston College.A group photo high above Ollantaytambo.April at Ollantaytambo.Jake at Ollantaytambo.Maria at Ollantaytambo.A visit to a traditional home in Ollantaytambo.Corn drying inside a home in Ollantaytambo.Guinea pigs gather for warmth around an oven.Agricultural products of Ollantaytambo.A mother duck protects her flock.Students stride toward the military fortress of Ollantaytambo.The main complex at Ollantaytambo.Structures at the main complex of Ollantaytambo.Structures at the main complex of Ollantaytambo.Structures at the main complex of Ollantaytambo.A water channel at the main complex of Ollantaytambo.A beautifully carved fountain.Looking down at the ruins.Neal and Jonathan lead students to the heights of Ollantaytambo.A group photo at Ollantaytambo.Amazing stonework at Ollantaytambo.Another scenic view of the ruins.A final group photo at Ollantaytambo.Students visit the market outside the main complex at Ollantaytambo.Enjoying almuerzo.The train station at Ollantaytambo.Jackson, Neal, Thomas and Caleb enjoy a card game on the train.Gretchen and Natalie.Gina and Aimee catch up on some homework.Maria and Jake.Dean and Jonathan.Malaina and April share a laugh on the train.
