Peru to Chile under the night sky

Travelling alongside Andres Adasme, a Chilean born, Peruvian resident you will explore a fascinating cultural link to the night sky found in the ancient stone ruins and petroglyphs scattered throughout the Andes Mountains. The journey will take you to some of the most remote and beautiful corners of the Andes Mountains from the Sacred Valley in Peru to the heart of the Atacama Desert in Chile.

We will arrange a private charter flight from Cusco to San Pedro de Atacama to avoid any unnecessary travelling time and airport connections. From the desert there is the option to explore more of Chile, perhaps contrast fire with snow with a visit to Patagonia or the Lake District. As this is a private journey, we will work with you to deliver the adventure of a lifetime.

PERU

The journey begins in Cusco, where you will explore the city’s ancient past as well as the beauty of the surrounding landscape peppered with Inca sites such as Sacsayhuaman and Koricancha. Cusco has a wonderful food scene with an excellent selection of restaurants serving world-class Peruvian food. After a couple of nights’ acclimatising to the altitude and exploring the cobbled streets of this buzzy town, you will be ready to begin your journey into the mountains. We usually recommend a five to six night lodge-to-lodge trek to give you the opportunity to access truly remote corners of the Andes.

HIGHLIGHTS include:

• Watch the sunrise over the pyramid of Pakaritampu, arguably the most significant Inca structure related to the equinoxes and solstices.
• Visit the Ancasmarca in the Calca region, once the most important grainery and storage site for food and other goods on the Antisuyu Trail from Cusco to the jungle. Learn how the Incas used the stars to enhance their agricultural productivity.
• Participate in a traditional Pachamama ceremony alongside members of the remote Marcacocha community who are personal friends of Andres.
• Explore Machu Picchu and learn why this ‘jewel of the Inca Empire’ is the basis for the Andean people’s profound connection to the cosmos.

CHILE

The Atacama Desert is known to be one of the best places on earth for stargazing. The dry desert means there is almost always a clear, cloudless sky and very little artificial light. Some of the world’s largest telescopes are also based here and, with enough advance planning, we can give you access to highly professional machinery that will give you a glimpse into the depths of our galaxy.

Highlights Include:

• Join our indigenous Atacamanian friends at the Alarkapin observatory to learn more about how Andeans use the movement of the Milky Way to determine the right time in the year to sow and harvest crops as well as cultural festivities.
• Visit pre-Columbian petroglyphs some of which date back 1,500 years.
• Explore lunar valleys, some with flamingo-filled lakes and others pierced by geysers shooting volcanic water and steam into the cloudless sky.

Accommodation

To ensure the best level of comfort without losing an ounce of adventure, we have teamed up with our favourite hiking specialists in Peru. At the end of every day a warm and cosy lodge will be waiting to welcome you with extraordinary mountain views and peaceful solitude. Each lodge will be hired for exclusive use so that we can fine-tune every detail of the experience.

In Chile we have chosen Tierra Atacama for its exceptional service and wonderful location. With unbound views of the Licancabur volcano from the gardens and swimming pool, you never lose a sense of place and escape. Situated on the edge of town, the property also has clear views of the star-lit sky and all excursions will be done on a private basis with your own vehicle and guide.

About Andres Adasme

Chilean by birth and Cusco resident for 17 years, Andres began his professional career as a highly skilled architect. His love of design led him to study ancient cultures and how their archaeological sites linked to their astronomical understanding. An explorer and researcher by nature, Andres is most at home hiking in the mountains between secluded archaeological sites and connecting with indigenous people in remote, traditional Andean communities in an effort to understand and preserve for the future our knowledge of a culture that still maintains many of the traditions of their ancestors.