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Offered languages
- English
- Spanish
Discover the hidden mysteries of Andean culture by participating in an ancestral offering ritual to Pachamama. This ritual has been passed down through generations and has remained a living tradition to this day.
First, you will visit the Witches' Market, where you will purchase the ingredients for the ritual. There, you will meet the "chifleras," wise women and healers who prepare the offerings for Pachamama.
Afterward, you will dine on a traditional "Apthapi" banquet of meat (charque) and different types of potatoes, a tradition in the Andes region.
Finally, you will participate in the ceremony in which you will prepare a "mesa" (sweet offering) for Pachamama and place it on the fire for the ritual. You will pray for health and fortune until the flames of the fire turn the offering to ashes. To close the ritual, you will receive the smudging of incense.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
The guide will be waiting for you at the only statue next to the El Prado Fountain, and will be holding a sign with the words ANDEAN RITUAL.
Itinerary
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1Mercado de Las Brujas
The guide will accompany you on a tour of the Witches' Market. He will tell you about Andean traditions and explain how to purchase a traditional "mesa" (offering) for the Andean ritual to Pachamama. The guide will show you the shop of a renowned "chiflera" (Andean healer) where you can purchase the "mesa" for the ritual. At the Witches' Market, you can also purchase handicrafts if you wish.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
2
The guide will take you by shuttle to the southern part of the city, where you will dine an Apthapi (a traditional feast from the Andes region) at the guide's home. Apthapi is prepared with charque (dried beef), a variety of potatoes, cheeses, corn, and llajua (hot sauce). The guide will also serve you a hot drink called Té con Té. This is a sweet drink containing a distilled Bolivian liquor known as Singani. The guide will tell you all about this traditional feast and its importance as part of the Andean ritual of offering to Pachamama.
2 hours • Admission ticket free -
3
The guide will lead you to the patio of the house in Los Rosales neighborhood to perform the ceremony of offering the table to Pachamama. The guide will explain all the steps to follow to prepare the table, from selecting sacred leaves and placing sugar and cinnamon on top to pouring alcohol over the table. Once it's ready, with the help of the guide, you can place the table on firewood to light the fire. As the fire consumes the offering, the guide will tell you stories of how his mother and grandmother passed on their ritual knowledge to him and will explain the importance of each new generation preserving and passing on this ancestral knowledge. You will conclude the ceremony by receiving a smudging of incense from the guide.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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