I see no point in exploring areas that have already been thoroughly surveyed. ~ William S. Burroughs
Rafting & camping on the Apurimac River
Expedition Route & Itinerary
This adventure philanthropy expedition began in Cusco, a picturesque city 11,150 feet (4,300m) into the southern Andean highlands. We explored and slept in Cusco on Saturday, May 8, and prepared to launch our guided rafting expedition down the Apurímac River - which cuts nearly a mile into one of the world’s deepest canyons - on Sunday, May 9. We were on the river, camping on its sandy shores, eating nutritious & filling local cuisine cooking over a campfire, for three and a half days. After a good night’s rest back in Cusco, we traveled overland, northwest to Ollantaytambo, on the banks of the Urubamba River along the Inca Trail.
We experienced a South American wilderness at its most wild and pristine.
Lodging & Food
During our two (separate) days in Cusco, we stayed in private rooms in a superior hotel. While whitewater rafting, we slept in tents at river’s edge, and ate camp style, from a plentiful menu of local Andean staples. There was a vegetarian option while rafting. While completing our three-day restoration of the weavers’ home in Patacancha, high into the Andean foothills, we stayed in homes of local families who have both the proper accommodations and training to lodge foreign visitors (two guests per participating family). We experienced, as closely as an honored guest can, the timelessness of indigenous village life in Peru - at 12,000 feet.
Our meals in Patacancha consisted of traditional Andean fare. Vegetarian options existed, including plenty of rice and potatoes, but more elaborate vegetable dishes were planned in advance. Those of us, however, that had an alpaca steak craving, took the chance to indulge it.
Want to Learn More?
Want more information about upcoming adventure philanthropy expeditions? Contact Paul, Roadmonkey’s founder, by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or phone: +1-917-319-8070. He will respond personally.
To reserve your place on future expeditions, please visit the Kilimanjaro and Vietnam 2010 web pages. Then, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Paul to arrange a phone conversation to answer any & all questions. All down payments are fully refundable until a week after that follow-up conversation, so feel free to reserve your place first and make a final decision thereafter.
Peru Expedition
Whitewater Rafting & Refurbishing a Home for Indigenous Women Weavers
May 8-16, 2010
This expedition tested our physical endurance and rewarded it with authentic Andean culture and some of the most spectacular scenery in South America. For four days, under expert care & guidance from our rafting outfitter, we took a river journey of a lifetime down the Apurímac River in southern Peru. The Apurímac, the source of the Amazon, is considered one of world’s top 10 rafting rivers, featuring Class II, III & IV rapids at the bottom of a gorge that cuts twice as deep as the American Grand Canyon. After rafting, we headed high into the Andean foothills to rebuild a home for indigenous weavers in Ollantaytambo, near the Inca Trail that leads to the fabled lost city, Machu Picchu.
Our Volunteer Project
In Ollantaytambo (elev. 9,000 feet), a small, pretty town built on Inca ruins, we met representatives of Awamaki, Roadmonkey’s locally based non-profit partner in Peru. From there, we headed 3,000 higher into the Andean foothills, to Patacancha, a rural indigenous community of roughly 250 families living traditional lives, among domesticated llamas and alpacas, in the heart of the Patacancha Valley. For three days we worked with Quechuan women weavers and rebuilt and reburbished the community house they use to produce their colorful textiles, which they sell at Ollantaytambo’s market to sustain their families.
Expedition Cost & Timeframe
The Peru adventure philanthropy expedition cost $2,700, which included the four-day guided whitewater rafting adventure; expert river guides from Amazonas Explorer, camping gear, tents and all meals on the river; transportation from Cusco to the river and to our volunteer project; and our lodging and meals in Cusco and in Patacancha. The price did not include airfare to Peru or Cusco or airport arrival or departure taxes.
