In 2014, I put together a group of 10 friends to visit southern and central Peru.
In 2014, I put together a group of 10 friends to visit southern and central Peru. Washi’s services had been recommended to us by friends who had taken a similar trip with him. I provided a list of things that we wanted to see and Washi made sure that we did those things and a whole lot more. He was with us from morning til night, with information about what we were going to see, food and restaurant stops, photo ops, explanations about the land and the culture over time, meeting native peoples, providing opportunities for shopping and investigating the markets.
We learned about agriculture in the dry coastal plains, in the steep valleys of the Andes, and on the reed islands of Lake Titicaca. We learned about the importance of the road system which rivaled that of the Romans, their earthquake proof construction methods, the beliefs of the native peoples and their respect for nature, their study of astronomy and its influence on their lives, particularly their worship, building and agriculture. We saw many Inca and pre-Inca sites and learned about the importance and control that they had over water which enabled their civilizations to flourish.
Washi was always ready to accept any suggestions or offer a better alternative. We had a memorable day hiking from KM 48 on the rail line to Machu Picchu in a single day. We hiked a whole mountain side of salt ponds. We took boats out on Lake Titicaca and met native peoples there who explained how they live on the reed islands.
We met wonderful native peoples everywhere we went and they all knew Washi on a first name basis. We learned about their techniques for spinning, dying and weaving various wools into clothing and household goods. We had a wonderful gastronomic tour of Peru in Lima after seeing and eating the many varieties of corn and potatoes cultivated there. We visited the local markets with a guide to learn about the produce.
Don’t expect to learn anything about Peru’s colonial times, because that is not his focus.
The drivers were excellent. There was never a time where we felt unsafe.
Washi is a native shaman. You will come away with a good understanding of and respect for the belief system of the native peoples. He lives what he teaches. He is the very definition of a “Good Man,” generous, humble, compassionate,
informed and always looking for ways to improve the lives of the people around him.
The best testimonial about his services is that we are going back in May with another group of friends for a different trip that will encompass Northern Peru and the Galapagos.
LYN KAGEY
San Diego, California
