We care about your experience. We have an infectious love for what we do, and an appreciation for our environment and the privilege of sharing it with other travelers. We seek to exemplify the deep change that travel can ignite, and to be genuine people who respect and appreciate the value and uniqueness of the people we serve.
We hope, in some way, to affect the intercultural relationship between indigenous people and travelers by promoting interaction and appreciation.
As avid travelers, we see things from your perspective. It is our sincere desire to exceed the expectations of everyone who gives us the privilege of sharing their travels with us. With us, you are never just another tourist, but a person who has decided to share in our love to experience other places and cultures.
We started our company with the goal of introducing our friends across the globe to all of the illustrious beauty and ancient wisdom that Peru has to offer. We strive to achieve this each day by offering a range of exciting, educational, and well-organized retreats designed to meet your travel needs and desires.
Laura
An avid traveler, I usually try to avoid touristy places. But I went to Cusco to source Alpaca products. The number of tour companies reminded me of the number of souvenir shops in Orlando. Eeew. My interpreter insisted I go to Machu Picchu by way of the Inca trail. After a few experiences with less than reputable tour guides, I was skeptical, but decided to go. It was an amazing experience. I felt completely safe with my guide and was impressed by the depth of his knowledge. Along the four day trek, I asked him what he normally earns on such a trek. I was appalled at his answer.
When I think about the hours I spent dreaming about travel in my younger days and the second jobs I worked to save up money in hopes of making those dreams come true, I was saddened and angered by the situation in Cusco, where so many companies only see foreigners as dollar signs.
I started my retreat company with the goal of introducing friends across the globe to all of the illustrious beauty and ancient wisdom that Peru has to offer. I strive to achieve this each day by offering a range of exciting, educational, and well organized retreats designed to meet your travel needs and desires. But more importantly, to treat travelers as I would have liked to have been treated and to pay reputable guides a fair wage for their knowledge and skills.
With Retreats and Tours Peru, you are never just another tourist.
Carlos
Carlos was born and raised in Cusco. As a boy, Carlos hiked through the jungles near Cusco with his mother, a traveling teacher to the isolated Quechua children. This foundation inspired his love for the area and the rich history of the Inca people. It is not just his great knowledge that has earned him his impeccable reputation as a tour guide, but his excitement to share what he knows and make his tour experiences valuable to each of his guests.
Carlos has a passion for culture and history. Machu Picchu comes alive as Carlos describes the community that once lived there. Along the trail, he points out medicinal plants the Andean people use. You imagine yourself being part of a ceremony at the temple of the moon. Intrigue draws you in as he explains the myths surrounding ancient archeological sites. Every question receives a knowledgeable and passionate answer. Your stay in Cusco will be enriched by his understanding of the local traditions and the evolution of Peruvian society long after your tour ends.
Though Carlos is well educated, he spent four years in the US and studied tourism in Peru, it is his endless love for people, his kind and caring manner, and his quick humor that earns him good reviews.
THEO PAREDES
Favorite Wisdom
“Ayni is the law of origin, the flowing interconnectedness of all creation. If there is no ‘ayni’ (reciprocity, harmony) in an organization, the life force is diminished and the organism withers. Think beautifully.”
The universe mirrors back to us our actions, beliefs, and words.
A native of Cusco, Peru, and Director of Poqen Kanchay Foundation, Dr. Paredes works to preserve the culture of ancient Andean peoples. An Anthropologist, Archeologist, and Shaman – at age eleven he was struck by lightning, which in the Andes is a calling to the work in the Spirit World.
He teaches “The Art of Living” series around the world as well as an apprenticeship series. Expert in working with plant medicines, managing energy, and the realm of the spirits, Theo brings wisdom, balance, and a sense of deep contentedness to all he touches.
Shaman
Edwin Monzon Huayllapuma, known in the artistic world as Raoni Piatan.
I have been inspired from a very young age by the great legacy left to me by my ancestors. I learned Quechua from my grandparents. My grandmother only spoke pure Quechua, no Spanish. It was the language that helped me understand the Andean world. Love for my roots increased constantly.
As time went by I finished my studies in Cusco and my higher studies in the Diego Quispe Ttito Higher School of Fine Arts in Cusco. I graduated as a conservator and restorer of works of art. I was painting and making sculptures. Later, to further deepen my artistic spirit, I picked up a quena and played until I mastered it.
I had the great opportunity to be chosen to represent my culture twice in the US of North America (Utah). I feel very grateful for that opportunity. I have a great commitment to the sacred spirituality of my ancestors and my culture. I must continue working to be the light that they would like to radiate. I also work with the sacred plant ayahuasca and the wachuma (Sanpedro) because they are also a legacy of my ancestors and because I have great respect for nature. Everything I tell you here is a summary of who I am and how I feel about this life.
