Expedition

Book a flight ticket with Flyscanner to Lima – Cusco. It’s important you have a valid passport, travel insurance, and return ticket for the immigration. Check out the blog post about how to Pack to Machu Picchu.

Acclimatization

Welcome to Peru! If you go first to Lima you need to take a transit flight to Cusco or go with the bus. We will pick you up with a taxi from Cusco Airport and bring you to the Inca Village Ollantaytambo. There will be waiting a hot cup of Coca Tea and you will feel like in a fairy tale. In the town you can find many restaurants to try the mouthwatering Peruvian cuisine, and capture your first pictures.

Inca Village Ollantaytambo

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn how to structure a travel article, write a lead, and the art of sensory travel writing using 5 senses while story hunting in the field.

Challenge: Go in the Inca village to find your first story using the 5 senses!

You will acclimatize, relax, and discover the culture of the Inca Village. We will take you to explore some nearby ruins and a local artesenal market. Take it easy, buy all the things you need for your hiking trips, and taste the Peruvian culture. You get the chance to try out your camera gear, and write down your first story.

Cinematic train & Machu Picchu

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn the skill of travel reporting, and documenting your surroundings in an objective way. Think about colors, shapes, characters, experiences, and relevant information for travel guides or travel blogs.

Challenge: Travel reportage of your experience at Machu Picchu!

Your adventure to get closer to Machu Picchu starts! You will take a cinematic train ride to Aguas Calientes surrounded by green mountains. From there we will hike to visit the famous World Wonder of the Inca Empire. In the evening we will go back to Ollantaytambo so you can relax after all the emotions.

Quechua community

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn how to introduce characters in your story. Think about interviews, quotes, and connecting with your subject in the field. You learn how to prepare, take, and write an interview in an ethical way.

Challenge: Interview a person with Quechua roots about the Inca culture!

We will visit one of the Quechua Communities in the mountains so you can learn more about their local lifestyle and try Pachamanca (earth-cooked feast) of the Inca’s. In the area you can enjoy the pure nature of the Andes Mountains, explore the high altitude lakes, and spot alpaca’s in the Sacred Valley.

Maras & Moray

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn how to do pre-trip research, and investigative travel writing using sources, talking with people, and deep research to craft a unique story about a place or community.

Challenge: Find unique facts, mysteries, and history about Maras & Moray for a feature story!

We go to visit the colorful Maras salt mines. It’s a bit more relaxed tour so you can rest from the Machu Picchu adventure. There is also a local village where you can explore the Inca culture, and handmade art. You get the chance to have a tranquilo picnic with local food and tea to take your Instagram pictures.

Humantay Lake

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn adventure travel writing using the technique: the middle of action for the lead, and triggering your readers with the right ‘hook’ to be engaged in your story by adding elements of curiosity, thrill, mystery, and adventure.

Challenge: Capture moments of goosebumps, adrenaline, and curiosity for an adventure story!

We will depart early in the morning to explore one of the highest lakes (4100 m) in the world. You will be surprised by the sky blue color of the water and surrounding mountains. Use good hiking shoes, and prepare for the high altitude.

Spiritual Pisac

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn immersive travel writing by understanding the place, and world of local people. You will practise with describing emotions based on your culture shock experiences.

Challenge: Make a cultural travel story using immersive travel writing!

A relaxed day after our Humantay Lake hike. We will explore Pisac, and you will learn more about Quechua culture. You can try some local rituals like Rapé, explore spiritual shops of Inca medicine and have a Chicha (alcohol from mais) degustation. It’s a cool opportunity to learn more about the culture and history while enjoying local cuisine.

Rainbow Mountain

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn how to write a personal travelogue based on your own experiences. Try to use quotes of people, sensory travel writing, details, immersive emotions, observations, and triggers to keep the attention of the reader.

Challenge: Write a travelogue about the high altitude experience

Today it’s a big day! You thought that Machu Picchu is high. You haven’t seen the Rain Bow Mountain. We wake up early and go to catch the sun rise at the Mountain of the Seven Colors. If you are lucky you can spot some wild alpaca’s and condors.

Cusco & Sacsayhuamán

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During the workshop you learn the art of writing reviews in a critical & polite way like Gordon Ramsay or Mark Wiens using yout taste palete or experience.

Challenge: Write a review of a Peruvian dish!

We will go for a Cusco city tour. You can explore the local cuisine, try artesenal beer, pisco sour, and take pictures with the traditional dressed women with alpaca’s. You get also the chance to see Sacsayhuamán, a fort in Cusco where there was a battle.

Flight back

Travel writing workshop & breakfast (8:00 am)

During our last workshop you learn how to publish your story, and write a pitch for a travel magazine, newspaper, online travel media, or for commercial tourism companies to get collabs & press-trips.

Challenge: Write a pitch so you can get your story published!

We will have together a delicious breakfast, you get some chance to buy souvenirs and we will bring you with a taxi to the airport so you can catch your flight or you can decide to stay longer in Cusco or the Sacred Valley.