OCTOBER PERU ITINERARY UK PARTICIPANTS

THE ARTHURIAN SCHOOL 2008
www.arthurianschool.co.uk
SACRED EARTH RETREATS
Visiting Sacred Sites, Beautiful Lands and Mystical Places
For Spiritual Evolution and Greater Self-Awareness

OCTOBER 2008 PERU RETREAT TRIP

‘FOLLOWING THE FLIGHT OF
THE INCA CONDOR’
mysticism - nature – energy - Condor initiation

1-12 OCTOBER

"The Inca prophecies say that now, in this age, when the Eagle of the North and the Condor of the South fly together, the Earth will awaken. The Eagles of the North cannot be free without the Condors of the South. Now it's happening, now is the time. We are Children of the Sun." - Willaru

There is incredible wonder in watching a soaring Condor fly.

As the largest flying bird in the world, with a wingspan of 3.5m (11.5 feet), it is impossible for this immense and heavy bird of prey to simply lift off from the ground as other birds do. And so it takes flight from cliff perches - gliding and climbing with the air currents first, before it finally heads off in search of its prey.

To witness the majestic flight of a Condor is a memorable and mesmerizing sight that is capable of producing goose bumps on even the most jaded traveller.

The October 2008 retreat In Peru follows the theme of the mystical fight of the Condor with a special ceremony at the Temple of the Condor of Machu Picchu. The Temple has the image of a Condor created in rock on the floor of the temple with the wings (also in rock) hanging over the body of the Condor. It is an incredible place that reminds one of soaring off into space and a dimension that can only be accessed from within the confines of Machu Picchu and its very special energies.

Being able to connect with the Andean Condor (the mystical ruler of the Third or Upper Inca World called Hanaq Pacha) during this trip, will be an incredible privilege with many, many empowering and positive effects on your life as a participant. You will be able to view your life and your world from a totally new - and more evolved - point of view!

The trip format allows you to explore two of the most scenic regions in Peru that are specifically connected to the Condor - to make this a trip of a lifetime:

LAKE TITICACA
To visit and witness the world’s highest navigable lake at an elevation of 3,800 m (12 460 feet) that is 176 km (109 miles) long and 50 km (31 miles) wide and where the sun is extraordinarily intense.

THE SACRED VALLEY OF MACHU PICCHU
A fertile valley considered to be one of the most important tourist destinations in the world with magnificent ruins and terracing and the revered Urubamba River whose flow the Incas believed was tied to the star constellations and the mountain peaks, and to be the earthbound counterpart of the MILKY WAY.

And so you will be able to experience:
Access to one of the most powerful energy vortexes on the planet
Participate in Inca meditations
Meet like minded people
Safely experience a part of the world that few ever get a chance to see
Rapid personal and spiritual growth


CONTACT DETAILS:
http://www.arthurianschool.co.uk/
info@arthurianschool.co.uk or elizabethbardin@yahoo.co.uk
telephone: (0027) 28 273 8277 international 028 273 8277 local
mobile: (0027) 783716343 international 0783716343 local

SACRED EARTH ITINERARY

1 October (Wed) ARRIVAL LIMA
Late evening arrival Lima (capital of Peru)
Transfer hotel
Overnight in Lima

2 October (Thurs) PUNO DAY 01
Breakfast
Group meeting and free morning to get over jet lag
Afternoon flight to Juliaca airport
Transfer to hotel in Puno
Arrival at Lake Titicaca
Dinner
Overnight in Puno

3 October (Fri) PUNO DAY 02
Breakfast
Pick up guided tour to the floating Uros Islands made since Inca times by hand from totora reed that grow in abundance in the shallow waters of Lake Titicaca.
Guided tour to Taquile Island, a stunningly beautiful and natural island in Lake Titicaca that still remains starkly traditional with no electricity and vehicles. Their unique dress code is equally famous with some of the finest embroidery in Peru.
Return to hotel
Dinner
Overnight in Puno

4 October (Sat) CUSCO DAY 03
Early breakfast
Breakfast
Pick up to catch tourist bus from Puno to Cusco (traditional Peruvian lunch included)
Guided visits to cathedral and various Inca ruins on the way
Arrive Cusco and transfer to hotel
Dinner
Overnight in Cusco

5 October (Sun) PISAQ MARKET DAY 04
Breakfast
Transfer to hotel in Pisaq, a small village in the Sacred Valley
Visiting famous Pisaq Sunday artisan market for local produce and some of the finest crafts in Peru
Dinner
Overnight in Pisaq

6 October (Mon) OLLANTAYTAMBO FORTRESS DAY 05
Breakfast
Transfer to Ollantaytambo
Visit to Ollantaytambo Fortress and meditation
Free afternoon to explore village and resting
Dinner
Overnight in Ollantaytambo

7 October (Tues) AGUAS CALIENTES DAY 06
Breakfast
Transfer to train station
Train through Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, the village below Machu Picchu where we stay for 3 days
Exploring Aguas Calientes, its markets and beautiful landscape
Resting and visiting the hot springs of Aguas Calientes
Dinner
Overnight in Aguas Calientes

8 October (Wed) MACHU PICCHU DAY 07
Early rise to catch bus to Machu Picchu
Meditation and Condor Initiations at the Temple of the Condor
Visit and meditation at famous energetic star portal, the INTIHUANTANA Stone
Visit to the Sun Temple, Temple of the Wind and other main sites
Return to hotel to rest
Early dinner
Overnight in Aguas Calientes

9 October (Thurs) MACHU PICCHU DAY 08
Early rise to catch bus to Machu Picchu
Climbing Huayna Picchu (Sacred Mountain of the Divine Feminine Trilogy: Mother Nature, Mother Earth and Mother Moon) for meditation, AND/OR
Visit to the Main Temple and Temple of the Three Windows, OR
Visit to the Mandor Waterfall and Machu Picchu Museum
Resting
Dinner
Overnight in Aguas Calientes

10 October (Fri) CUSCO DAY 09
Breakfast
Resting and visiting the hot springs of Aguas Calientes
Transfer to train station
Train back to Cusco, capital of the INCAS
Dinner
Overnight in Cusco

11 October (Sat) CUSCO/RETURN DEPARTURE LIMA DAY 10
Breakfast
Transfer to Cusco airport for flight back to LIMA airport (to catch connecting international flight on the early Sunday morning)
Transfer to hotel in Lima
Overnight in LIMA
Early transfer to Lima airport on Sunday morning

12 October (Sun) LIMA
Early transfer LIMA airport to catch connecting international flight

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON RETREAT: 6 people
Please note the Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather, festivities, etc.

GENERAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The meditations during this retreat trip require no previous experience, but please note that although the trip is aimed at giving you the experience of visiting interesting tourist places, the focus is on the inner effect that Peru and its historical heritage can have on you personally, and for you to use it for self awareness and inner growth. It is therefore not the ordinary tourist trip that you could do just as well (and with much less hassle and cost!) by watching it on the travel channel. Please refer to the School’s literature on how the trips are meant to help you become an explorer and adventurer of ancient places, and if you have any more questions about this aspect, email or phone me to explain the fundamental difference in approach to you in greater detail.

The trips to Peru started because I was very strongly moved to share my incredible positive and unique experiences there with others, so that they can also benefit and grow from it. These trips are not created by me, they often seem to create themselves with me helping them to unfold. I strive to keep the groups small to make sure that it is a unique personal experience, and that each person receive very close personal attention and support so as to get the maximum benefit from visiting Peru.

As a further note, I have decided to start all future Peru trips from Lima (the capital of Peru where all the international flights come in) and not from Cusco (that is about an hour and a half inland from Lima) as I normally do, because flying in South America can be tricky and it is much easier for everyone to fly together and for me to arrange the internal flight to Cusco. I am able to get the better flight prices via my contacts in Peru.

We will therefore all meet in Lima, the capital of Peru. As to dates we can make the necessary adjustments for you. Please let me know so that we can discuss your requirements in detail.

Please also note that although we will not be camping or trekking as they do on the Inca Trail, the high altitude and also steep gradient of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley require you to be reasonably fit. Often we will also be getting up early to catch the special atmosphere of a site, or to get an early plane/bus/taxi so as to fit in with the travelling schedules of Peru. It is therefore advisable for you to focus on acquiring a reasonable level of physical fitness before the retreat. The energies of Peru are incredibly powerful and the more fit and healthy you are in your body, the easier it will be to adjust and integrate the changes that will be happening to you. If you are a smoker, please consider cutting down or if you possibly can, giving up (hypnotherapy can be very effective) before the trip as in my experience smoking makes it more difficult for the body to adjust. Don’t feel discouraged if you are a smoker, just bear this advice in mind. Many smokers have successfully done the trip, but forewarned is fore-armed!

Please also note that the way that the Incas worked with the concept of energy and nature will also be the fundamental way in which I approach the sites and places we visit. Therefore be open to work with your more intuitive and less rational self on the trip, and to become more aware of energy!

Many people that visit Peru become ill because of the altitude and also different sanitary and water conditions. This does not necessarily need to happen, and there are certain easy safeguards that can be put in place to ensure that it is an enjoyable and productive journey. More information on this will follow closer to the time of the retreat.

The hotels in Peru are of a much lower standard than in the UK, but all places on the retreat where we will stay are clean, have hot water (often quite rare in Peru!) and comfortable. Do remember that Peru is a third world country and that some of its public amenities are not the same as you would have in your home- however, its people are friendly, kind and very warm hearted and will offer you one of the most unique, interesting and enjoyable experiences that you will ever have in your life!
Finally, this is a trip where there will be a conscious exchange and connection with Machu Picchu and Peru on a physical and also energetic level. When you speak to previous participants of the School, you will hear that they all left with more than they came with, having gained some sort of personal gift by being able to make contact with the mystic beauty and magic of the land of Peru.
It is therefore designed to provide a deep and meaningful experience of mystical Peru and especially Machu Picchu, having the benefit of individual support and personal attention of a facilitator -
“A facilitator is not just a "tour guide". A facilitator must perform all the functions of a "tour guide", (from making sure everyone's luggage is ready to making sure no one is missing when the taxi or bus or train leaves) plus he/she needs to have specialized training or skills. These skills and training include being adept at sensing and directing the energy of the group, years of studying a specific practice such as psychic ability, teaching various spiritual practices or being available to journeyers when "things come up" (as they frequently do during a visit to a powerful place). A good facilitator will play the energy of the group dynamic like a conductor leads an orchestra, and this adds to an individual journeyer's experience immensely. A good and experienced facilitator is a big part of what makes a successful retreat and journey.”
Most trips to Peru including the Inca Trail are focused on spending only half a day or at the most overnight at Machu Picchu with local tourist guides providing limited factual information about the site. The School’s aim is quite different, and you will have the rare opportunity of experiencing Machu Picchu’s mystical heritage over a proper period of time. That is quite a unique thing to find if you look at tours offered to Peru.

Here are some comments about the inspiration of PERU:

“After years of being stuck in old habits along
came Peru! I had not left the country since 1962.
Thanks to many revelations during my visit I no
longer view the world in the same old way. I
gained an appreciation for the richness of another
culture. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity.
Peru gave me a gift I will never forget.” Alice N.

“I journeyed to Peru last year. It was
not only a life changing experience—it was life
saving! Truly transformation of the physical,
mental and most importantly, the spiritual self.” I. Rae

COSTS
An all-inclusive cost of £626 (this price is based on 6 people sharing). This includes: all hotel accommodation for 11 nights, 10 breakfasts and 9 dinners, as stated, all bus, taxi and train transportation, all transfers, all entry and excursion fees to all the ruins including at Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, guides, retreat fees.

ADD Lima/Juliaca FLIGHT – LAN PERU Airline- approx $105 depending on availability and airport tax $6
ADD Cusco/Lima FLIGHT – LAN PERU Airline- approx $105 depending on availability and airport tax $6

ADD international air travel of approx £650 -700 (see below) plus departure airport tax of $30.25 at Lima airport, lunches, tipping of guides and porters, any personal expenditure, miscellaneous expenses. Please note that the local Peruvian airfares to Juliaca and from Cusco are subject to price fluctuation until paid.
You will receive a packing list and pre-departure information upon receipt of your registration and payment. Please make sure that your passport is up-to-date and valid for at least 6 months after your trip. If it is not, or you don't have one I suggest that you get it updated or apply for one now. Please note you do not need a visa if you are a British national, please consider whatever yellow fever or other inoculations you may need even though it may not be legally required.
FLIGHT INFORMATION

The cheapest way normally to get to Lima Peru from the United Kingdom is to fly from Gatwick via New York and then on to Lima. If you are not keen on flying via America then go via Spain.

The flights are relatively easy but you need to be very early at the South American check in desks because of long lines and having to pay airport taxes etc and security checks. It is very easy to miss flights believe me. Come with us...Explore the World. Explore your Self…




CONTACT DETAILS:
http://www.arthurianschool.co.uk/
info@arthurianschool.co.uk or elizabethbardin@yahoo.co.uk
telephone: (0027) 28 273 8277 international 028 273 8277 local
mobile: (0027) 783716343 international 0783716343 local