El Albergue
Ollantaytambo has been an agricultural area since pre-Inca times and farming continues to be the main source of income for a large majority of the area’s population. Travelers in this area will notice the amazing terraced fields, water canals and granaries that were built over 500 years ago and continue to be used to date. El Albergue is nestled within the terracing of Ollantaytambo, and as of 2010 we have started a small farming project of our own. We are currently producing many of our own vegetables, corn, quinoa and potatoes on our adjacent farm, our guests are invited to visit the farm and even give farm work a dig if so inclined. Our farm is worked without the use of agrochemicals or synthetic fertilizers, and using many of the traditional techniques that have been around for centuries: plowing with oxen, rotating crops and using biological controllers to regulate pests and disease.
For a complete Ollantaytambo farm experience reach us at reservations@elalbergue.com or send a message +51 954 151 823 for a Pachamanca lunch on our farm.
Pachamanca Lunch and Farm Tour
The Pachamanca, which translates to "earth oven" in the Quechua language, is a traditional Inca meal cooked on hot rocks. The Pachamanca Farm Lunch includes a tour of our hotel and organic farm as well as a visit to our Cañazo (sugar cane liquor) distillery and coffee roasting facility. The lunch includes "grilled" chicken, pork, and lamb (alpaca, rabbit and cuy (guinea pig) available upon request), Andean potatoes and camote (sweet potato), organic vegetables, a house-made salad, traditional sauces and chicha morada (a local purple corn beverage). We can accommodate most dietary restrictions with advance notice, and wine and beer are available for purchase. The lunch is served at covered picnic tables located on our farm with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, glaciers and Inca archaeological sites. Contact us for rates and availability reservations@elalbergue.com, or send a message +51 954151823
We offer the Pachamanca daily at 12 PM and 2:30 PM. These are the times when you will meet our farm manager at the front desk of the hotel. After the tour of the property and watching the cooking process, you will sit down for your meal approximately one hour after the meeting time. The total duration of the lunch is approximately 2 hours. You are welcome to explore the hotel and farm more at your leisure after completing your lunch.
To book the Pachamanca Experience please write to reservations@elalbergue.com or send a message +51 954151823. Be sure to include any allergies or dietary restrictions.
The Andean Distillery
The Destilería Andina is the Sacred Valleys first distillery. Experience handcrafted small batch spirits from a copper alembic still. The spirits are aged using our own organic herbs from the organic farm also on the grounds of the hotel. Guests are welcome to come a visit the tasting room distillery.
As this is a working distillery, frequently you will find us distilling Caña Alta or preparing Matacuy macerations. Spirits have great religious, cultural and economic significance in the Andes. We work within this tradition, with small producers in the Apurimac and Cusco regions, who have grown sugar cane in these high valleys for generations.
Torrefacción
In this activity, we start by providing a detailed explanation of the coffee production, processing, and roasting processes. After the explanation, the participants go on to prepare their own bag of roasted coffee. In this process they select the best quality green grains; Then they will accompany our expert roasters in the roasting of their coffee beans, participating and learning from the entire process. At the end of the roasting process, they are bagged and sealed.
Kuska School
Kuska School is Ollantaytambo’s first alternative school. In Quechua, the language of the Andes, Kuska means “together” or “union,” and it is with this concept in mind that we have created this educational initiative.
In an Andean village amongst Quechua people, mestizos and international travelers, Kuska has evolved in a multicultural context. While respecting and valuing the diverse experiences and backgrounds of the students, we look to guide the students in the development of their intellectual, physical and emotional potentials.
Kuska School’s experiential approach nurtures individual creativity and spiritual strength, with a focus on environmental and social responsibility. Throughout the course of their education, students will attain the knowledge, compassion and leadership skills necessary to build peaceful and prosperous communities.
Visit us at www.kuskaschool.org