Sacred Valley
& Beyond
Not a tour. Not a checklist. A journey through the Andes that will stay with you forever.
“Peru changed something in me at 15,200 feet. I knew the moment I left I was coming back — and not alone.”
— Dini Dowd, Your Host
Peru will not just take your breath away.
It will give it back.
In 2025 I walked the Salkantay Trek, stood on Rainbow Mountain, climbed Huayna Picchu on a last-minute impulse, and sat around a table with extraordinary women in Cusco sharing food we had just cooked together. Peru reached inside me and rearranged something — quietly, permanently, beautifully.
I knew before I even boarded the flight home that I was going back. And when I went back, I was taking women with me. This is not a tour. We move slowly. We eat with intention. And we end our days around a table, talking about the women we are becoming.
This trip is for the woman who has been putting herself
last for too long.
She does not have to be an experienced hiker. She does not have to have traveled internationally before. She just has to be ready — ready to step away from the noise of everyday life, ready to move her body through one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth, and ready to sit around a table with women who will feel like lifelong friends by day three. This trip is for the mother who needs to remember who she was before the roles took over. It is for the adventurer who wants real immersion — not a bus tour. If you have ever looked at a photo of Machu Picchu and felt something pull at you, this trip was made for you.
This is not just a trip.
This is a practice.
Hike to Machu Picchu
We reach Machu Picchu the way it deserves — on foot, through the mountains, tired and alive, seeing it open up before you for the first time.
Community & Culture First
A full day and night in a local Andean community — cooking together, learning traditional practices, sleeping in community guesthouses. Travel that gives back.
Rainbow Mountain at Sunrise
We trek to Vinicunca — Rainbow Mountain at 17,000 feet. Colours unlike anything you have seen. We do it together, no woman left behind.
Cooking Class with Dini
A hands-on Peruvian cooking class arranged personally by Dini — ceviche, lomo saltado, and more. The flavours of Peru come home with you.
You Are Safe and Seen
I know what makes women feel safe and free in a foreign country. You will feel both from the moment you land. My personal commitment.
You Leave Different
Every woman who travels with me comes home stronger. Clearer. More herself. You leave different from who arrived.
Ancient Inca trails.
In the wild.
Machu Picchu
One of the Seven Wonders of the World — reached on foot. Your guide, your group, the ruins opening up before you.
Rainbow Mountain
Vinicunca at 17,000 feet — stripes of colour painted across the Andes. An early morning trek you will never forget.
Andean Community Stay
A full day and overnight in a local indigenous community. Share meals, sleep in traditional guesthouses. Travel that means something.
Every woman is welcome here.
I have watched a 72-year-old reach the roof of Africa. Different cultures, different backgrounds — on the trail they all become one thing: women who showed up for themselves. The only requirement is willingness.
Before you go — a personal call with Dini
I do not send forms. I get on a call with you. Before every trip I personally connect with each woman to understand what you need and how I can make this journey exactly right for you.
Your 12 Days in Peru
Arrival in Cusco — Rest & Acclimatize
Arrive at Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport. Transfer to your hotel. Rest, explore Plaza de Armas, begin adjusting to 11,000-foot altitude.
Arrival Day
Cusco City — Markets, Koricancha & San Blas
San Pedro Market with fresh fruit tasting, the Koricancha sun temple, and the artisan neighbourhood of San Blas.
City Exploration
Sacred Valley — Animal Sanctuary
Visit a local animal rescue sanctuary home to rehabilitated condors, pumas, and llamas.
Sacred Valley
Pisac Ruins & Andean Community Stay
Visit Pisac archaeological site, then journey to a local indigenous community. Activities, shared meals, and overnight in the community.
Signature Experience · Community Stay
Moray, Salt Mines & Ollantaytambo
The circular terraces of Moray, the pink salt pans of Maras, and the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo.
Sacred Valley
Journey to Aguas Calientes
Board the scenic expedition train to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu. Settle in and rest up for tomorrow.
Train Day
Machu Picchu — The Moment You Came For
Rise early and board the bus to Machu Picchu. Explore the ruins with your guide. Return to Cusco by train.
Machu Picchu
Rainbow Mountain — Vinicunca at Dawn
Early morning departure for Vinicunca. Hike to 17,000 feet for one of the most breathtaking views on earth.
Rainbow Mountain
Cusco Cooking Class — Peruvian Kitchen
A hands-on Peruvian cooking class with a local chef, arranged personally by Dini. Ceviche, lomo saltado, and more.
Culture & Food
Free Day in Cusco — Rest, Shop & Reflect
Your day. Sleep in, explore the artisan markets, get a massage, or sit in Plaza de Armas with a cup of coca tea.
Rest Day
Final Day & Departure
Spend your last morning in Cusco. Transfer to airport. You fly home carrying the Andes in your bones.
Departure
Everything you need.
Nothing you don’t.
- ✓All ground transfers within itinerary
- ✓9 nights accommodation (3-star hotels + 1 night community guesthouse)
- ✓Professional bilingual guides throughout
- ✓All tourist entrance tickets (Koricancha, Pisac, Moray, Salt Mines, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, animal sanctuary)
- ✓Expedition train round trip (Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes)
- ✓Bus up & down to Machu Picchu
- ✓All meals as specified per day
- ✓Andean community experience with meals and overnight
- ×International airfare to/from Cusco
- ×Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- ×Meals not specified in itinerary
- ×Tips for guides & community hosts (~$100–150 per person)
- ×Personal expenses & souvenirs
- ×Optional upgrades (Huayna Picchu / Machu Picchu Mountain)
Flight tip: Fly into Cusco Airport (CUZ). Many routes connect through Lima (LIM). Book early — July is peak season.
Simple, transparent pricing.
- Deposit — secures your spotDue June 1, 2026
- Final PaymentDue October 1, 2026
- Total Investment$2,500 / person
Deposit deadline is June 1, 2026. Inca Trail permits open in October 2026 — being fully paid by October 1 protects your spot. Only 10–12 spots available.
You have always wanted to do something like this.
This is it.
So many of the women who travel with me are mothers who have spent years pouring themselves into everyone else. This trip is for the woman who has always wanted to stand at Machu Picchu. The version of you who comes home from Peru is stronger, clearer, and more alive.
I have been to Peru.
I know exactly
what you need.
I walked the Salkantay Trek. I stood on Rainbow Mountain. I climbed Huayna Picchu on impulse the same day I visited Machu Picchu. I took a cooking class in Cusco. I came home changed — and I built this trip from that experience.
I am the founder of Wisconsin Adventure Family, a travel writer, adventure host, and creator of Women Hiking Wisconsin. I have hosted three Kilimanjaro expeditions, visited all 50 Wisconsin state parks, and led international group trips for women for years. I know the difference between a trip that exhausts you and one that sends you home reborn.
Before you land in Peru, we talk — one on one.
wiadventurefamily.com · 608-515-6472
Cancellation & Important Notes
Inca Trail permits and Machu Picchu entrance fees are strictly non-refundable once purchased — Peruvian government policy. Deposit deadline: June 1, 2026. Final payment: October 1, 2026. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Tips for guides, porters, and community hosts are not included. Budget approximately $100–150 per person.
Travel insurance is not optional.
It is part of your preparation.
You are flying to Peru and hiking to 17,000 feet. Protect your investment with the option Dini personally recommends.
Global Rescue
Emergency evacuation and 24/7 travel protection. What Dini carries on every expedition including Kilimanjaro.
Your Peru story
starts June 1st.
12 days. Machu Picchu on foot. Rainbow Mountain at dawn. A night with an Andean community. A cooking class. A version of yourself you didn’t know was waiting.
Questions? Email Dini directly — she will personally get back to you.
