South America Transformational Journey

15 days / 15 nights

with
Willaru Sun Messenger of the Incas,

Disciple of the Ancient Mystery School of Sunturwasi
&

Dr. June d'Estelle

Payment: Non-refundable deposit of $275.00 assures your place for the pilgrimage.  Fees according to room occupancy are listed at the bottom of both the 15-day and 6-day itinerary.

Send half of the cost for your entire trip to Louise Burgan by May 13, 2008.  Please add $25 for the bank transfer fee.  Louise will be doing bank transfer in groups of 5 to 7 people, to keep the transfer fee down.  We can't know how much the exact fee will be ahead of time.  Louise will let each of us know if we have a credit or debit toward the second payment when she sends the receipt of payment.  Those who want to do their own bank transfer; it must be to Willaru no later than May 15, 2008.  Contact Louise for information on how.)

Itinerary Proposed by Willaru,
Inca Shaman who has agreed to make all

arrangements, accompany us and be our guide.

Willaru is an Inca Shaman and Master.  He will share most important topics related to Self Realization throughout the journey.  Time for Meditation will be included regularly.  Opportunities for Initiations at sacred sites are also included.

 

Oct 30, Thursday

Night 1

We will have a briefing about the pilgrimage in Peru and give you more details about our trip.

Day 1, Oct 31, Friday

Night 2 in Cusco (elevation 11,300 ft)

Day 2, Nov 1, Saturday

Night 3 in Cusco

Day 3, Nov 2, Sunday

Night 4 in Pisac (elevation 9,160 ft)

Day 4, Nov 3, Monday

 

Night 5 in Urubamba

Day 5, Nov 4, Tuesday

Night 6 in Urubamba (elevation 11,106 ft)

Day 6, Nov 5, Wednesday

 

Night 7 in MAPI Hotel

Day 7, Nov 6, Thursday

Night 8 in Cusco

Day 8, Nov 7, Friday

Night 9 in Cusco

Day 9, Nov 8, Saturday

 

Night 10 Overnight in Puno (elevation 12,000 ft)

Day 10, Nov 9, Sunday

Night 11 Overnight in La Paz, Bolivia (11,000 to 12,000 ft)

Day 11, Nov 10, Monday

 

Night 12 in Cococabana, Bolivia

Day 12, Nov 11, Tuesday

Night 13 in Puno (elevation 12,000 ft)

 

Day 13, Nov 12, Wednesday

Day 14, Nov 13, Thursday

Night 15 in Lima (sea level)

Day 15, Nov 14, Friday

ALL transfer to the Hotel in Miraflores to get ready for the trip south for those staying for the sea level portion of the Transformational Journey.

COST:

For those who have already made their deposit of $275.00 the BALANCE of the 15 days and 15 nights

Peruvian Transformational Journey Package is $2,300.00 per person in double occupancy room or $2,700.00 for single occupancy.

Price Includes:
ALL hotels, with breakfast, ALL entrance fees to sites, private tourist buses, boats, train to Machu Picchu, transfer in and out of Lima and Cusco.  Peruvian taxes with the country, domestic flight Lima to Cusco, and Juliaca to Lima, border crossing and entrance fee to Bolivia, salary of the tour guides and Willaru the Inca shaman. 

 

Not included:

International flight,
All lunch and dinners,

Peruvian Airport Departure Tax you pay before departing from Peru (approx. $31.00),

At hotels: Tips for the bell boys and waiters,

At airport Tips for porters and guides.

<Michael, please link>return to top ↑

Optional & Additional 6 Days/ 5 Nights Peruvian
sea level Transformational Journey (Including Ica and Nazca)

 

Day 1, Nov 15, Saturday

Night 1 in hotel by Huacachina Lagoon, Ica

Day 2, Nov 16, Sunday

Night 2 in Huacachina Lagoon, Ica

Day 3, Nov 17, Monday

Night 3 in Ica

Day 4, Nov 18, Tuesday

Night 4 in Lima.

 

Day 5, Nov 19, Wednesday

Night 5 in Lima

Day 6, Nov 20, Thursday

COST:

For those who have already made a deposit for the 15 days and 15 nights of $275.00 there is no additional deposit for this portion of the Trip.

The Total BALANCE due for This Optional Portion of the Transformational Journey to Ica, Nazca, Paracas/Ballestas and Lima for the 6 days and 5 nights is $950 per person in double occupancy rooms of the hotels and $1450 for single occupancy, private rooms.

Please add this amount to the cost of the 15-day portion of the journey.

Price includes;

all hotels with breakfast, private tourist buses, all entrance fees to the sites, boats to Ballestas, the flight and guide over the Nazca Lines, a tour guide and also Willaru's salary, Peruvian taxes and transfer to the Airport.

Not included:

International flight,
All lunch and dinners,

Peruvian Airport Departure Tax you pay before departing from Peru (approx. $31.00),

At hotels: Tips for the bell boys and waiters,

At airport Tips for porters and guides.

Pyramid Tours guarantees all services.

<Michael, please link>return to top ↑

 

 

Letter from Willaru

 

Dear Alohem friends,

 

Your trip to Peru is in a higher purpose.

 

I am happy to hear from all of you, for me it is a great honor that soon we will have the pleasure to meet in Peru.

 

By ‘The Law of Return' you need to return to the ancient Initiation College of Tiawanaku and Machu Picchu.  Probably the Ica masters are calling to all of you to give you more sacred knowledge, which happens when we look for truth.

 

It is good to obey the call, God has something good in store for you.

 

Your trip to Peru is in harmony with a higher purpose.

 

I am more than happy to accompany you as you go along on your pilgrimage in Peru.

 

With light for your journey,

 

Willaru

<Michael, please link>return to top ↑

Q & A - South America Transformational Journey

 

Fellow Peruvian Pilgrims:

Most of our original questions were about itinerary and have been addressed by the finalized Itinerary (above).

Here are a few more questions that came up while we were planning the Pilgrimage.  Some of you received some of this information before; many of you didn't receive it all, so here it is.

Q1.  What kind of refund will be given in case of natural catastrophe mid trip?

A1.  Depending how many days we have used the hotels and other services, then a partial refund will paid by Pyramid Tours.

Q2.  Would it be good to have each person get his or her own travel insurance?

A2.  Yes, everyone can get their own travel insurance for health, hospital or clinics, also left behind or lost luggage which should cover everything just in case of a problem.  THOUGH USUALLY TRAVELING IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES WITH TOURIST BUSES AND TRAINS IS SAFE.

Q3.  About adjusting to the elevation, strenuous walking and enough time to rest for those who need more.

A3.  The Flight from Lima to Cusco is 10 minutes.  In the debriefing before the flight Soroche pills will be taken against altitude sickness.  Upon our arrival to Cusco we help you with luggage and there is private car to take us to hotel.  Then we will relax with coca tea.

The first day in the Andes upon our arrival to the Cusco hotel, we usually take a rest all morning and afternoon, the next day we take easy touring.  On these first days, usually everybody helps each other along.

There is a light lunch at a restaurant near by,

In the afternoon we return to the hotel to drink coca tea to continue adapting to the altitude and get acclimated.

Willaru says: "ALL TOURS ARE WITH SOFT WALKING."  We have a private bus to take you very near to the holy sites, so it is slow, soft walking for everybody.  We have extra tour guides who usually help those need it, walking (and carrying).

At any time people who need more time to rest, can stay in the hotel while the group continue their morning touring of various sites and await the others return to the hotel in the afternoon.

Everywhere we go, the car is left very near to the site,
SO DON'T WORRY. WE CAN MAKE IT EASY FOR EVERYONE.

After the morning touring, in the afternoons Willaru often offers a lecture about different (local) topics or spiritual subjects. There can also be time for meditations led by June if we want them. 

On these first days, usually everybody helps each other along the trip. Later, if people need more time to rest, they can stay at the hotel while the group continues their touring of various sites during the day and await the others return to the hotel.

At the end, after the Lake Titicaca when we return to Lima, we stay one night. The next morning leave for the Ica, Nazca trip.

Q4.  Some wonder also about accommodations, heating etc.

A4.  The hotels are nice, warm, and comfortable.

Q5.  The Ica/Nazca Section of the Trip

A5.  Now about this part of the trip, the stones of Peru have much to tell us.  Around Ica we also have the Lemurian museum's ancient stone books.  We are scheduling a flight to see the ley lines and Nazca symbols from the air.  At Nazca we can visit Pyramid of Cahuachi and museums.  Then we'll return to Ica.

Q6.  What Passport and Visas are required?

A6.  American citizens do not need a visa of entrance to Peru, only a valid passport, but Bolivia Ecuador asks for entrance visas.  A few of you are planning to accompany me to Ecuador after Peru.  We all need to arrange for the Visas before leaving home.  Vaccinations are recommended in Peru and Required in Bolivia and Ecuador.  Here are some excerpts from US State Department Web site;

A PEACE TREATY ending the Peru/Ecuador border conflict was signed on October 26, 1998. 

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR Bolivian VISA

1. Complete the sworn statement for visa application*.  You must also paste a full color passport size picture; 80% of the image must be of the face, no glasses.  Further information in the WEB page of the Ministry www.rree.gov.bo ; link ‘Servicios Consulares'.

2. Current American passport.  Please note that it must be valid for at least 6 more months as per the Instructive 02/2007 of the Ministry.

3. Copy of the hotel reservation or invitation letter from Bolivian friends or relatives indicating the host address.  Letter where applicable.  For more information please refer to the WEB site of Ministry of Foreign Affaires and Worships www.rree.gov.bo ; link ‘Servicios Consulares', or within the website of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism.

4. Round trip ticket or copy of travel itinerary.

5. Bank statement or equivalent that shows economic solvency.  A copy of Credit Card - front side- will also be accepted.  Please note that the validity of the document should be for at least the travel period.  Parent's or Legal Guardian's Economic Solvency documents are accepted for underage applicants.

6. Copy of yellow fever vaccination certificate.  Any person older than twelve (12) month travelling to Bolivia must bear the International Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.  If a pediatrician or primary physician decides that for health reasons a person cannot receive a Yellow Fever vaccine, they may issue corresponding certification.  This certification must be translated into Spanish and the passenger must hold a copy of both Certificate and translation, to be submitted before Bolivian Immigration Authorities.

7. Visa fee: US $100.  - One hundred dollars.  Cash, direct deposit, or money order.  This amount is not reimbursable.  This fee is included in the price for the Pilgrimage.  It is the reason that price went up from $2200.00 double occupancy to $2300.00.

 

Details on the Ecuadaorian Visa will be sent to you as soon as I have the time to get the information.

 

PERU ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: 

A valid passport is required to enter and depart Peru.  Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel.  U.S. citizens may enter Peru for short-term tourist- or business-related visits of up to 90 days; however, the actual period authorized is determined by the Peruvian immigration officer at the time of entry into Peru.  After admission, travelers may apply to extend their visa for an additional three months.  Persons who remain beyond their period of authorized stay without obtaining a visa extension or a residence visa will have to pay a fine to depart Peru.

 Peru does not require any immunizations for entry, although it recommends vaccination against Yellow Fever.

Taxes: An international flight airport fee, payable in U.S. or local currency and assessed on a per-person basis, must be paid when departing Peru.  There are also separate airport taxes for domestic flights charged at most domestic airports that must be paid before embarking.  U.S. citizens whose passports are lost or stolen in Peru must obtain a new passport from the U.S. Embassy and present it, together with a police report on the loss or theft, to the main immigration office in downtown Lima, located at Prolongacion Espana 734, Brena, to obtain permission to depart. 

An immigration office is located within Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport international departure terminal. 
For further information regarding entry requirements, travelers should contact the Peruvian Embassy at 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone (202) 833-9860; web http://www.peruvianembassy.us.

Cuzco Area

Permitted: Everywhere else including Machu Picchu area and city of Cuzco.

Restrictions & Regulations: 
Restricted: 20-kilometer swath of territory contiguous to the Apurimac River and Ayacucho Department.

Inca Trail hikers are significantly safer if they are part of a guided group trail hike.  To protect natural resources along the Inca Trail, the Peruvian government charges fees for hiking the trail and instituted limits on the numbers of hikers permitted on the trail.  Visitors should always register when entering national parks.  Hikers should exercise extreme caution in steep or slippery areas, which are neither fenced nor marked.  Several climbers have died or suffered serious injuries after falling while climbing Huayna Picchu, a peak near Machu Picchu.  Only very basic medical assistance is available at Machu Picchu.

Swimmers, surfers, rafters, and boaters should be aware of strong currents in the Pacific Ocean and fast-moving rivers.  Seasonal rains can exacerbate the already dangerous conditions in Peru.  Those considering white-water rafting should consult local authorities about recent weather and the impact on white-water rafting conditions.  Be cautious, Companies offering white-water rafting in Peru, their guides, and their equipment may not be held to the same standards as similar companies in the United States.

Travelers are advised to seek advice from local residents before swimming in jungle lakes or rivers, where large reptiles or other dangerous creatures may live; caimans, resembling alligators, are found in most jungle areas of Peru.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, including the Worldwide Caution Travel Alert, can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.  For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

CRIME:  Of the approximately 260,000 Americans who visit Peru each year, a small but growing number have been victims of serious crimes.  The information below is intended to raise awareness of the potential for crime and suggest measures visitors can take to avoid becoming a victim.

Travelers should guard against the theft of luggage and other belongings, particularly U.S. passports, at the Lima airport.  Passengers arriving at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport should be cautious in making arrangements for ground transportation.  Upon exiting the airport, travelers may be approached by persons seeming to know them, or who claim that a pre-arranged taxi has been sent to take them to their hotel.  Some travelers have been charged exorbitant rates or taken to marginal hotels in unsafe parts of town.  Travelers who are not being met by a known party or by a reputable travel agent or hotel shuttle are advised to arrange for a taxi inside the airport.  At least two taxi companies maintain counters inside the international arrival area (between immigration clearance and baggage claim).  An additional two companies have agents at the information kiosk just before the exit from the passenger arrival area.

The threat of street crime is greatest in areas that attract large crowds, particularly crowds of tourists or wealthy Peruvians.  Visitors should be especially careful when visiting tourist areas in Lima such as the Plaza de Armas (Government Square), the Plaza San Martin, Acho Bullring, Pachacamac, and any location in downtown Lima, including areas immediately surrounding the Sheraton Hotel.  Additionally, visitors to municipal markets as well as the Gamarra textile district of La Victoria should be extremely cautions.  Street crime is also prevalent in cities in Peru's interior, including Cusco, Arequipa, Puno, and Juliaca.  American citizens traveling alone or in unescorted groups are more vulnerable to street crime.

Visitors are advised to only carry what they need on their person and to keep cash and identification in their front pockets.  Visitors are advised to not carry credit cards or other items that they do not need or intend to use as replacing items such as credit cards, U.S. driver's licenses, and other identification while in Peru can be difficult and time-consuming.  Handbags should not be carried, but if they are, they should be tucked into the crook of an arm or, if carrying a bag with shoulder strap, do not allow the bag to hang freely, but keep a hand over the clasp.  It is generally recommended that all jewelry be removed prior to going to a market or other crowded areas. 

Theft of U.S. passports is quite common in Peru.  Visitors are advised not to carry their U.S. passports if they are not needed.  If the police request identification a copy of the passport is acceptable.  A copy of the data page, the page with the Peruvian visa and a copy of the page with the Peruvian entry stamp should be carried. 

Counterfeit U.S. currency is a growing and serious problem in Peru.  In many areas of the city, moneychangers openly change money on the street.  These individuals should be avoided as they are a conduit for counterfeit currency and in many cases, work in league with pickpockets by pointing out potential victims.  In addition, these individuals have frequently been the victims of violent robberies in which bystanders have been injured.  There have also been several reported incidents of counterfeit currency being paid out as winnings by casinos, though the Embassy has not received reports of this happening at larger, well-known casinos.

Street crime is also prevalent in cities in Peru's interior, including Cusco, Arequipa, Puno, and Juliaca, and pickpockets frequent the market areas in these cities.  In the recent past, there have been a number of cases of armed robberies, rapes, other sexual assaults, and attempted rapes of U.S. citizens and other foreign tourists in Arequipa and in Cusco city, as well as in the outlying areas near various Incan ruins.  These assaults have occurred during both daylight hours and at night.

Travelers should use only licensed, registered taxis such as those available from taxi stands in Cusco displaying a blue decal issued by the municipal government on the windshield of the vehicle Tourists should be particularly cautious when visiting the Sacsahuayman ruins outside of Cuzco.  They should not travel alone, but do so in as large a group as possible.  Visitors should also avoid these areas at dawn, dusk or night, since roving gangs are known to frequent these areas and prey on unsuspecting tourists.  U.S. citizen backpackers have also been victims of armed robbery while hiking on trails other than the Inca Trail.

Peruvian law enforcement authorities have responded to rising crime by increasing the number of tourist police officers patrolling Cusco and its outskirts on horseback and motorcycles.  The officers have been dispatched to bus and train terminals, taxi stands, automatic teller machine locations, and other sites frequented by tourists, such as discotheques, restaurants, and craft fairs and shops.

U.S. citizen visitors to Peru should immediately report any criminal activity perpetrated against them to the nearest police station or tourist police ("POLTUR") office.  Immediate action may result in the capture of the thieves and the recovery of stolen property.  U.S. citizens should also report crimes to the U.S. Embassy in Lima (telephone 434-3000 during business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 434-3032 for after-hours emergencies if calling from within Lima; add the prefix 01 if calling from the provinces).  Victims of crime in Cusco should contact the Consular Agent there (while in Cusco, telephone 231-474; from Lima, callers must dial the prefix 084 for Cusco).

The telephone number for the tourist police in Lima is 51-1-424-2053 (Lima north) or
51-1-460-4525 (Lima south).  There are also tourist police offices in 15 other cities, including all major tourist destinations, such as Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno.  Tourists may register complaints on a 24-hour hotline provided by INDECOPI (National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property) by calling 51-1-224-7800 or 51-1-224-7777.  Outside of Lima, callers should dial the prefix (01), then the aforementioned numbers, or call the toll-free number 0-800-44040 from any private telephone (the 800 number is not available from public payphones).  The INDECOPI hotline will assist the caller in contacting the police to report a crime, but it is intended primarily to deal with non-emergency situations such as poor service from a travel agency or guide, lost property, or unfair charges.

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available.  Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law.  In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.  More information on this serious problem is available at http://www.cybercrime.gov/18usc2320.htm.

I hope this was helpful.

Sincerely,

Louise