Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, & Cusco, Center of the Incan World
May 7-18, 2008
12 Days, $2250
Led by Kirsten Hardenbrook and Keith Knadler

• Stay in the old Inca village of Ollantaytambo, with stone streets and buildings reminicent of the past.
• Hike the ancient pilgrimage trail to Machu Picchu, 3 days of amazing views and a full day at Machu Picchu! Yes, porters will carry most of your gear, and prepare your camp and meals!
• Explore numerous other ruins along the way... stone trails winding through the cloud forest, beautiful orchids, incredible photography opportunities.
• Return to Cusco enjoying the spectacular beauty of the Urabamba river valley by Vistadome train.
• Visit a Quechua family of Master weavers for a weaving demonstration and an opportunity to buy beautiful weavings directly from  them.
• Spend two days exploring beautiful Cusco, the center of the Incan Empire... many ruins, museums, sacred sites, restaurants, and of course, massages for those tired hiking muscles! Cusco is a shoppers paradise, so you can buy gifts here for all your friends at home!

This trek includes going over high passes and many stone steps. To thoroughly enjoy it you will want to be in good physical condition!

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Trekking Peru’s Cloud Forest: Seldom Visited Sites in Amazonas
July 1-12, 2008
12 days, $2040

Not many tourists get to the border of Amazonas in northern Peru, home to the ancient and extinct Chachapoyas culture. This area contains a variety of amazing ecosystems in high altitude jungle mountains on the east side of the Andes on the edge of the Amazon Basin, and innumerable mountain top archeological sites. The bus ride to the village of Chachapoyas is an adventure in itself!

From there we’ll spend 6 days into the cloud forest, hiking, riding mules, and following a section of Inca trail. Burial sarcophagi, mummies, unexcavated ancient cities, the fortress of Kuelap, huge hummingbirds, waterfalls, butterflies… Join us!

Essential for this trip: A spirit of adventure, physical fitness, enthusiasm.

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Explore Amazonas: Northern Peru's Wonders -An All Woman Adventure

October 16 - 28, 2008
13 Days, $2250

Bus to Chachapoyas, capital of Amazonas, in the cloud forest region of northern Peru, a beautiful ride across the northern Andes. Enjoy traditional dances including dances of northern Peru's African culture- this is music and dance that might surprise you! Hike to La Cataracta Gocta, the world's 3rd longest waterfall!  It's an amazing sight and you may see monkeys, parrots, and toucans as you walk! Explore a silent canyon where the ancient sarcophagi of Karagi still stand: described in National Geographic Adventure Magazine. Visit the impressive and beautiful pre-Incan walled city of Kuelap, high on a mountain top. Hike an old trade route from mountain villages to the tropical river, and discover ancient pictographs along the way! Look for the rare and beautiful marvelous spatuletail hummingbird, we'll be in its habitat!

I love the country and the people around Chachapoyas and am really excited to take you there! Chachapoyas was founded in the early 1500's when Pissaro began his conquest of Peru. They say if you drink from the town's ancient pozo, or well, you will marry one of the beautiful inhabitants and never leave! This trip will be hotel based and we will make day hikes and excursions from the villages where we'll be staying. Because it's a very different culture than southern Peru, it feels almost like we're in another country! The ruins here are thousands of years more ancient than Machu Picchu, and the land exudes the energy of ancient wisdom. People are open hearted and aspects of the rainforest cultures are interwoven with the Spanish farming heritage.

Essential for this trip: We won't be at high elevations but we will be active and hiking, so be in shape and ready to walk! It is rare to encounter other tourists in this area, so don't expect crowds or highly developed tourist infrastructure! 

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Lake Titicaca, Peru. Off the Beaten Track and "Puno Week" the Festival of Manco Capac, the First Inca!
October 28 - November 1, 2008
14 Days, $2500

Visit Arequipa, Peru, known as "The White City" situated next to the volcano "El Misti".Enjoy the street celebrations and parades of a festival in Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Explore Lake Titicaca by boat, visit overnight with the islanders of Taquile where the men are amazing knitters! Visit the floating reed islands and fantastical reed boats shaped like animals of the Uros people. Enjoy a home stay on the Island of Anapia and travel by sailboat to another island, Yuspique, where you can see elusive vicunas, a shy relative of the llama and alpaca. Hike an old trade route from mountain villages to the tropical river, and discover ancient pictographs along the way. Visit ancient pre-Incan sacred sites and our friends in the Aymara village of Huarijuyo, where you will have the opportunity to buy textiles directly from the villagers.

This trip is a great opportunity to experience one of the most magical areas of Peru, from reed boats shaped like fantasy animals to the unbelievable costumes of festival dancers on the streets of Puno, as well as bustling markets, ancient stone sacred sites, and very different ancient cultures living close together. Plus, we'll be visiting with friends, so you'll be welcomed along the way, such as in Huarijuyo,  a small Aymara village we have come to love . The people there will offer their weavings for us to buy directly from them, and you'll get an idea of the peaceful friendliness of remote village life. 

Essential for this trip:  A fun and adventurous spirit! After acclimatizing in Arequipa we'll be at very high elevations (12,500 +) so be in good physical shape and preferably do some hiking at elevations before your trip to be most comfortable.

Starbrook Adventures
PO Box 728
Silver City, New Mexico 88062 USA
Call (575) 534-0221 for information
Email

Visa and MasterCard accepted