Slow Travel Cusco can transform an altitude-savvy transitional stopover into a place where physiological balancing, somatic well-being, and cultural enlightenment take place. At 3,399 meters (11,151 feet) high, Cusco is a stopover that tourists race through en route to ancient ruins. Slowing down your body while traveling through Cusco will afford you sufficient time for natural adaptation and adherence to current longevity techniques and ancestral wisdom. This is how a Cusco trip aligned with holistic health should be done:
Resetting One’s Circadian Rhythm under the Starry Mountains
The geographic elevation of Cusco allows for stellar wellness experiences and nighttime stargazing. Take a step out onto the private terrace of your accommodations in more peaceful locations such as San Blas and Lucrepata, where observing the Southern Cross will have a positive effect on your cortisol levels and sleeping patterns.
Exploring the Body Through San Blas Art Workshops
Instead of ticketing the local monuments, take a break from fast-paced sightseeing and devote a morning to exploring the serene and sun-filled stone workshops of San Blas. Noting woodcarvers and luthiers creating their masterpieces without rushing will get your mind away from “fight or flight” into relaxed meditation mode.
Mindful Wanderings in Secret Western Barrios
Leaving behind the crowded area of the Plaza de Armas gives you access to the barrios of Belen. Walking along these functional side streets in the quietest parts of the city will offer you a chance to experience real provincial Peru without any tourist distractions.
Hikes to Under-the-Radar Inca Sites
Rather than going through difficult hikes at such high altitudes, you embark on “soft adventures” through walking down slopes of places such as the Templo de la Luna (Temple of the Moon).
Interacting with Real Andean Spiritual Healers
Enough time is available for a more profound interaction with the local shamanic masters and energy workers. Joining in a small-group, private ceremony known as the Payment to the Earth/Pachamama ceremony will ground you spiritually as it allows you to acknowledge the centuries-long relationship that exists between the locals and their sacred mountains (Apus).
Slowing Down on Weekday Market-Free Days
The traditional tourist would make sure he reaches the Sacred Valley for the much-hyped Pisac Market on Sundays, but slow travel lets you have an easy drive down into the valley during midweek, when you can enjoy the tranquility of visiting terraced ruins alone except for the silent majesty around you.
Fueling Your Body with Andean Micro-Grains
Your food philosophy changes completely to one that embraces local food science and its benefits. Slow lunches allow for easily digested anti-inflammatory food with ingredients such as native Andean grains, such as red quinoa, kiwicha, and multiple native varieties of potatoes.
Slow Train Ride Amidst Holy Landscapes
When not rushed, even travel becomes a therapeutic act. Riding in an observation train along the winding valleys of the Urubamba River up into the cloud forests gives one the chance to rest in comfortable seats and meditate through the dynamic ecosystems passing by.
