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An update from Evaneos
Peru

Solidarity and responsible tourism in the unmissable Sacred Valley.

You'll definitely need a good few days to visit the whole of the Sacred Valley! This destination is overflowing with archaeological Inca sites to be visited and revisited, but here I would like to suggest some lesser-known alternatives to be found along this famous route and which put the emphasis on the well being of the local communities living along the river Urumbamba.

Here are two alternative ideas that will enable you, whilst in Peru, to see another side of the Sacred Valley, by giving you a glimpse of some local traditions, still highly important for the people of the Andes. 

Potatoes, a vital ingredient in the local cuisine, are the subject of a really unusual agro-tourism project in the Pisac area. Learn below about the incredible work of the weaver women from the rural communities around the well-known village of Ollantaytambo.

The Potato Park

First of all, let's talk about potatoes. Did you know that Peru is the land of the potato? It's difficult to believe but 2300 varieties of potatoes are native to the Andes. At the Potato Park, they cultivate over 1000 varieties. Over 6000 people from six villages in the Sacred Valley have worked together to start up and develop this incredible community-based project. In fact all the projects are administered collectively by the non-profit association at the Potato Park.

You can visit the site in a day. The park is only a couple of miles from the historical site of Pisac. You can also eat some of these delicious fresh potatoes in the Papamanka restaurant, without even leaving the park!

The Sacred Valley near to Pisac

Awamaki

The second alternative is in the wonderful village of Ollantaytambo, still in the Sacred Valley. It's a a non-profit organisation called Awamaki. This organisation works directly with the women from outlying communities who still practise the traditional weaving of the Andes. The group has started a programme of visits designed to highlight the traditional knowledge of these women. So you can learn to weave but also and most importantly, buy your souvenirs directly from the craftspeople; a genuine locally-sourced, fair-trade purchase. The women also offer to cook you a delicious pachamanca, a dish that is steamed by burying it under a pile of hot stones!

These are just two examples of alternative tourism where you can get off the beaten track in the Sacred Valley, but be aware there there plenty of others too. It's important to seek out these places, because the benefits for the local communities are huge and they really make a difference to the lives of the people involved. Think about this during your next trip to Peru and when you travel elsewhere too!    

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