Inner alchemy:

Plants + WISDOM of peru

sacred valley, peru

June 15 - 24, 2024

Join Anna Claire Lotti of Dancing Sage Wellness and Sondra Hamilton of Osha Maize Herbal on the journey of a lifetime in the beautiful Sacred Valley of Peru!

Is Peru calling you?

Are you ready to deepen your connection with nature?

Our retreat will have a primary focus on healing plants, remembering the medicine of Pachamama (mother earth), and receiving indigenous wisdom teachings from the Andean Q’ero tradition. This wisdom can be taken back to your own home and integrated into a daily practice.

PERU Trip Highlights:

• Journey to ancient sacred sites

• Authentic earth offerings + Andean wisdom teachings with a Q’ero wisdomkeeper

• Hands-on herbal workshops

• Sacred Plant ceremonies

• Delicious, nutritious Peruvian food

• Learn about the Andean cosmovision

• Optional Machu Picchu day trip before retreat dates {extra cost}

• Optional pilgrimage to the sacred mountain, Apu Ausangate, after retreat dates {extra cost- learn more HERE}

We will spend 9 full days and nights learning together in the Sacred Valley of Peru. To ensure a sacred container, we will have an intimate gathering, with space for up to 10 participants.

your investment:

$3050

E-MAIL US FOR details + PAYMENT plan Options

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WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Private ground transportation during program

• 7 nights eco-luxe accommodations in the last living Incan village of Ollantaytambo

• 2 nights eco-luxe accommodations in the ancient puma city of Cusco

• All entrance fees to applicable sites + temples

• Authentic indigenous Q’ero teachings and ceremonies

• Hands-on Herbal Medicine Workshops

• Local Plant Walk with indigenous guide

• Wachuma Cactus Ceremony at local sacred site

• Sacred Mapacho {Tobacco} Ceremony in nature

• Tea + Integration circle

• Pachamanca “earth oven” traditional lunch on organic farm

• Nourishing, organic meals**

• Translation from Quechua-Spanish-English during Q’ero transmissions

• Support with travel plans + additional tours before or after retreat

  **Most meals provided, 19 in total

  ***Accommodations are shared/double occupancy with en-suite bath; private rooms may be available by request at an extra cost

  ~ A percentage of all retreat proceeds is donated to support the needs of local Andean communities ~

bonuses!

• 30-minute, one-on-one discovery call to determine whether this trip is in alignment for you

• Group Virtual Meet + Greet before the retreat, plus Q+A with Anna Claire + Sondra

• FREE access to Herbal Altitude Preparation class with Anna Claire

• Private WhatsApp group to connect with other participants + share resources

• Private Participant Portal webpage w/ all trip details, printable packing list + itinerary, and more!

• 45-minute Post-Retreat Group Integration Call- To support you + your processes upon your return home

*Ready to reserve your space? Click below to fill out the retreat application, and we will be in touch with the next steps!

what’s not included

• International + Domestic Flights

• Travel Insurance {required}

• Return transportation to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco

This trip is for you if:

• You’re new to herbalism and want to learn more about the healing properties of plants

• You’ve been working with plants/herbs for awhile and want to deepen your connection in a new + meaningful way

• You’re interested in connecting with plants on an intuitive + energetic level

• You’re drawn to the mystical, magical qualities of the Peruvian Andes mountains + culture

• You’re open to expanding your heart + mind and welcoming new means of perception and connection into your life

• You’re willing to step outside of your comfort zone to experience life and live it to the fullest

• You want to reconnect with nature and with your truest self in order to claim your innate power + authenticity and create your best life

What you’ll receive:

• Ancient + applicable wisdom teachings from indigenous elders of the Q’ero tradition

• Knowledge of how to work with multiple plants for wellness + healing purposes

• Hands-on herbal workshops led by two certified herbalists

• An awe-inspiring journey through the Peruvian Andes mountains with knowledgeable guides

• Authentic cultural experiences + memories to last a lifetime

• A sense of community + connection to guide you into the next phase of your life

• Practices + rituals to incorporate into your daily life for balance, peace, and well-being

Interested in learning more? Click below to sign up for a FREE bonus discovery call to see if this trip aligns for you!

accommodations

double occupancy, unless otherwise agreed upon

OLLANTAYTAMBO

El albergue

El Albergue is a historic hotel located by the train station of Ollantaytambo, the last living Inca village of Peru. Nestled away from the tracks, close to the ancient terraced archeological site + fortress, and set among their beautiful organic gardens, El Albergue is a peaceful refuge offering newly updated eco-luxe rooms with private bath, heaters, garden or mountain views, and fresh filtered water for drinking. All guests have access to the old-fashioned wood-fired steam sauna, set for you by appointment, with fresh local eucalyptus leaves to enhance your breathing, awareness, and relaxation. This quaint hotel also offers a relaxed, yet upscale restaurant with fresh offerings from their organic gardens and a separate all-day cafe/coffee bar, as well as a distillery and coffee roasting production, which we will have the opportunity to tour and explore during our time in this enchanting village.

CUSCO

antigua casona san blas

We will spend the final nights of our voyage in the beautiful San Blas district of the ancient, puma-shaped city of Cusco. San Blas is an artsy, bohemian-type area with plentiful delicious restaurants, coffee shops, markets, and boutiques. Just a short walk to the main Plaza de Armas, San Blas provides a charming respite away from the hustle and bustle of central Cusco. Antigua Casona is a beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of the oldest neighborhood in Cusco, just down the street from the San Blas Plaza. These cozy eco-luxe rooms are equipped with private bath, in-room heating, hot-water bottle turn-down service, and your very own herbal tea station. Offering an on-site restaurant with delicious food, a yoga studio, and an exquisite spa experience, this will be a lovely space to conclude our time together!

meals

We’ve included most meals during our retreat, while also leaving a few open for you to explore the delightful culinary prowess of Peru on your own. All provided meals will be focused on local, sustainable, and organic foods whenever possible…and of course, we’ll have endless herbal teas! Many of our meals in Ollantaytambo will come straight from the gardens where we’re staying, including our special private Pachamanca earth-oven lunch and our {casual} banquet dinner our last night in this pueblo, with tapas-style offerings conjured from age-old recipes + traditions of the locals.

During our final days together in Cusco, you will be treated to delectable made-to-order breakfast options in the hotel restaurant, and have some time to try a few of the various tasty restaurants in the area. We will close our time together with a special group dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants.

about your guides

anna claire lotti

Anna Claire is a clinical herbalist, holistic wellness coach, and avid nature-lover residing in the ancient Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. Throughout her childhood, she spent countless days exploring the wonders + depths of the Carolina coastal waters, eventually following that passion and earning her collegiate degree in Marine Biology. After learning more about the human body and how it interacts with the world around us, she pursued graduate studies in nutrition, and was finally led by the plants to study the art + science of herbalism. She is a graduate of the Holistic Herbalism and Advanced Clinical Herbalism programs of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville, NC. In her practice, Anna Claire channels a unique combination of Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and plant spirit medicine to help others achieve a sense of empowerment + vitality in their wellness journeys.

Since her first travels to Peru in 2016, Anna Claire has studied the path of Andean wisdom under the wise tutelage of P’aqo Victor Chura Quispe of the Q’ero nation. She works with the Peruvian medicine bundle {quipu}, and offers sacred mapacho tobacco ceremony + clearings in the tradition of Peru’s northern coast. Over the years, Peru has become a “soul home” of sorts, and a place of deep transformation + healing. It is part of Anna Claire’s mission and life work to share this special place with others, introducing them to new perspectives + experiences, cultivating connections with her teachers and other locals, and sharing in the Peruvian wisdom teachings and the art of sacred reciprocity. She is a certified Level 2 Shamanic Reiki practitioner and a forever devout student of the sentient natural world.

sondra hamilton

Sondra is a mystic herbalist, Ayurvedic health counselor, and postpartum caregiver who works with the wisdom + elements of Mother Nature including: plants, stones, sacred mountains, air, ether, fire, water and earth.

In 2012 Sondra heard the calling from the plants and enrolled in a Plant Spirit Herbalism program in Denver, CO. She started to have a remembering process of healing others with plants and stones in previous lifetimes. This process led her to Peru numerous times to study with master plants, the Apus (Mountains) and the elements. The energy of Peru guided Sondra to continue her plant journey at Herb Pharm and The Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville, NC.  In 2015 Sondra immersed herself on the island of Kauai, Hawaii at Hale Pule where she completed a 200 hour Yoga and Ayurvedic teacher training. Sondra continued her studies at Hale Pule completing a 600-hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor Program. Her knowledge of health + healing has provided a deeper wisdom for integrating Eastern and Western healing modalities. In 2021 Sondra completed an Ayurvedic Conscious Postpartum Caregiver Program through the Sacred Window Studies. Sondra continues to study with the P'aqos, wisdomkeepers of the Andes of Peru, and maestra Estela Roman learning Curanderismo from Aztec and Mexican Ancestral traditions. 

victor chura quispe

Victor is an Andean wisdomkeeper, also known as a P’aqo, born in the remote mountains of Q’eros, southeast of Cusco. Raised in a community where the traditions + customs of their Incan ancestors are still practiced, Victor was exposed to many healing methods and ceremonies from a young age. He lived and studied with his grandfather, a wisdomkeeper himself, and cultivated close relationships with the Apus {mountain spirits} and Pachamama {mother earth}. As his studies + experience deepened, he trained with others and came to bear the title of Pampamisayoc, a highly regarded yet humble position that he carries with pride + integrity.

His wife Celia, pictured here with Victor, is also from the same community in the Q’eros nation. Celia is the granddaughter of the oldest living female altomisayoc in Peru, Mama Maria Apaza, essentially the highest level of Andean priest/ess that exists - though really there is no hierarchy. Celia carries this lineage, as does Victor, since he too has trained with Mama María. Together, they are passing on these important traditions through their youngest daughter, Angelica, who is eager to learn the ways of her ancestors.

Victor is a powerful + potent being, but one of his most admirable qualities is his playfulness + childlike innocence. People always find themselves smiling and laughing in his presence, and he helps to remind us that even though this work can be quite serious, we don’t always have to take ourselves too seriously!

julian sasari

Julian is from the high-mountain Andean community of Q’quea south of Cusco, where his ancestral language of Quechua is still widely used. Spending his youth in this mountainous farming community rooted him in Animism and inspired a deep respect for Pachamama and the Apus. Julian is a kind + gentle soul who has spent his life connecting with the spiritual wisdom of his ancestors, the coca plant, and the sacred Huachuma cactus.

Julian is a spiritual tour guide who guides people to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Ausangate, and many other sites of interest. His deep respect for the sacred cactus medicine lives in his spirit, as he leads each ceremony with grace and the protection of the divine masculine. Julian shares his medicine to help abused women in his community and surrounding communities by taking them to the sacred mountain of Ausangate, where they partake in ceremony + deep healing. Julian has the capacity to hold a safe + sacred container for anyone who has experienced trauma, guiding them and allowing them to feel safe in expressing what needs to be healed. Julian has traveled internationally sharing his wisdom in many global circles!

dora fronek

Dora Fronek has a life-long career in the healing arts, natural herbal medicine, education, eco-spirituality, and has a passion for nature. She holds a masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a former Program Director and Instructor of Therapeutic Massage, and has facilitated countless workshops,private, and public retreats while maintaining a private clinical practice.

Dora moved to Peru and is the former president and founder of Sacred Wisdom Discovery, a Peruvian foundation dedicated to the preservation of ancestral traditions, culture, and ceremonies. Dora answered the call to move to Peru to apprentice directly with the Andean Masters. At their request, she translated the first three original books written by Andean wisdom keepers with whom she currently co-facilitates healing trips for private and group sessions in the Andes. She is also a trained ceremonial leader, pipe-carrier, vision quest facilitator, translator, and writer. She is a graceful, courageous advocate who inspires, teaches, and empowers people in the way of practical, dedicated,compassionate service.

We are so grateful for her presence, experience, and the embodied translation skills she channels during our Andean wisdom teachings with Victor.

*A non-refundable deposit of $600 is required to reserve your spot.

Already on board?? Click HERE to access our Participant Private Portal.

Cancellation policy

• Deposit of $600 is non-refundable at all times.

• For all other costs paid: Cancellations made before March 15, 2024 will receive 100% refund {excluding deposit}. Cancellations made between March 15 and April 15 will receive a 50% refund {excluding deposit}, while those made after April 15, 2024 will not be eligible for any refund.