Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley | A Private Andean Culinary Ritual
The Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley is where fire meets earth, and strangers become family. It’s not dinner — it’s an ancient Peruvian spell disguised as a meal, cooked underground, shared under open sky, and remembered for a lifetime.
Discover the Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley — a soulful, earth-cooked meal shared in an intimate garden in Urubamba, Peru.
Rooted in ancestral tradition, this private culinary ritual brings fire, stones, native herbs and local warmth together in one unforgettable moment.
Guests help prepare the food, bury it in a sacred oven, and share stories while it cooks beneath the earth.
Hosted by Katherine and Isabela, this is no tourist show — it’s a slow, emotional journey into the heart of Andean food culture.
Ideal for travelers seeking authenticity near Machu Picchu or Ollantaytambo.
Reserve your Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley and taste Peru like never before.
🌟 Highlights – Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley
Cook with Fire and Earth-Bury your meal in an ancient underground oven with white-hot stones, fresh herbs, and patience. It’s more than cooking—it’s a ritual.
Dine in Nature’s Cathedral-Surrounded by flowers, alpacas, and the sacred silence of the Andes, you’ll share this meal in a private garden that feels like a hidden temple.
More Than Just a Meal- Weave bracelets with Doña Brígida, learn Quechua phrases, laugh with Katherine and Isabela, and break bread with wandering souls who feel like family.
Cook with the Living Spirit of the Andes– This Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley is led by the direct descendants of the Inca—guardians of ancestral knowledge who keep the fire alive.
Tour Description – Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley
Join us for a soulful culinary ritual in the heart of the Andes—where fire, earth, and ancestral knowledge come together in a private garden surrounded by mountains and magic. The Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley isn’t just a meal; it’s a slow, grounding journey into the flavors, stories, and spirit of Peru.
The experience begins with your pickup, which we coordinate according to your location:
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🕦 From Cusco: Pickup is at 9:30 am from any hotel in the historic center. (not included)
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🕧 From the Sacred Valley: Pickup is at 10:30 am from any hotel in Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, or surrounding areas.
This will be arranged after booking, so don’t worry—we’ll take care of the logistics so you can simply show up and enjoy.
Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed into our home by Katherine, Isabela, and whoever else the day brings—a visiting artist, a healer, a curious traveler. You’ll help prepare the pachamanca by placing marinated chicken, native potatoes, corn, and herbs into a traditional earth oven. While it cooks beneath the ground, you’ll share stories, weave a bracelet with Doña Brígida, and sip a local drink in good company.
When the time is right, we unearth the feast and share it together under the open sky.
This is not a show. This is real food, real people, real Peru.
Once the Pachamanca oven is sealed, time slows down. You’ll feel it: the shift from traveler to guest, from observer to participant.
We’ll gather around a small garden altar or fire circle, depending on the energy of the day. There may be music, silence, or spontaneous conversation. We might share coca tea, or you’ll simply sit in the shade while the mountain watches. If the moment feels right, we’ll offer a small thank-you to Pachamama, as it’s tradition here when food comes from the earth.
Next, Doña Brígida will invite you into a simple but meaningful weaving session, where you’ll learn to create a handmade Andean bracelet. As your hands move, the stories flow—about the herbs we used, the childhood memories tied to pachamanca, and the Quechua words that hold whole worlds in a syllable.
As the scent of roasting huacatay and potatoes begins to rise, the earth will call us back to the pit. Uncovering the pachamanca is a communal moment—one that often brings laughter, awe, and hungry applause.
By 1:00 p.m., we feast.
You’ll sit at a long wooden table (or maybe on woven blankets beneath a tree, depending on the weather), and share a lunch prepared with intention, earth, and soul. There’s no rush. You’ll have time to savor every bite, to talk, to reflect, or just to listen to the birds and the breeze.
At 3:00 p.m., your driver will be ready to take you back, but something will feel different. You’ll feel rooted. Nourished. Lighter, somehow.
And that, more than anything, is what we want you to take home.
✨Ready to Experience Pachamanca in the Sacred Valley?
Book now to secure your place in this rare, soul-fed ritual. Bury your meal in the earth, laugh with locals under hummingbird-filled skies, and share a table with people who feel like old friends—though you met them hours ago.
Read our article about this experience
This isn’t just lunch.
It’s a return to fire, patience, and the magic of sharing.
🔥 Reserve now and let the Andes do the rest.
Important Booking Notice
We recommend you book this tour at least 3 days in advance. If you have any extra questions about this tour please contact us or chat with us via +00 51 971 186 418
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🌿 Enhance Your Experience in the Sacred Valley
Want to make your Sacred Valley journey even more meaningful and unforgettable?
While enjoying your Pachamanca Experience, you have the unique opportunity to add an energy cleansing ceremony led by a traditional Q’ero Andean shaman with a Pachamama Ceremony , or immerse yourself in a transformative Andean sound healing session with Vicente, a master of ancestral vibrations.
And for those seeking even greater blessings…
You are warmly invited to be part of our Andean wedding ceremony — an extraordinary and symbolic ritual deeply rooted in Inca traditions and the connection to Pachamama (Mother Earth).
👉 Ask us about these optional spiritual experiences when booking your tour!
Our Impact on This Experience 🌿
When you join the Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley, you’re doing more than sharing a meal—you’re helping preserve an ancient Andean culinary tradition that could easily fade in the rush of modern tourism.
Local Wisdom
Keepers like Doña Brígida, whose knowledge has been passed down through generations but rarely finds space in modern travel.
Cultural Crafts
By contributing to fair compensation for traditional artisanship—like the bracelet you’ll make by hand.
Women-led, family-centered tourism
Offering economic autonomy, creativity, and purpose to hosts like Katherine and Isabela.
A more conscious kind of travel
One that slows down, respects the land, and values depth over speed.Your guides speak Quechua, Spanish, and English, ensuring an authentic experience where you connect with the land and its people — not just through translation, but through meaning.
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Risk-Free Booking
Book with confidence.Enjoy free cancellation within 48 hours of making your reservation,giving you peace of mind as you plan your trip.For tours including Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, please check our booking and cancellation policies for specific terms.
Travel with confidence knowing that if your plans change, we’re here to make things right. With us, there’s nothing to lose – just incredible adventures to gain.
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Simply pay an initial deposit per person and pay the rest later.
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Frequently Asked Questions — Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley
What is the Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley?
It’s an intimate slow food ritual in the Sacred Valley, where you’ll help prepare and share a traditional Andean pachamanca cooked underground with hot stones, featuring chicken, cuy (guinea pig), native potatoes, and fresh herbs like huacatay.
Where does the experience take place?
At our private home garden in Urubamba, nestled between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. It’s not a venue—it’s where we actually live, cook, and share our culture with travelers like you.
How long does it last?
The entire experience lasts around 3 hours, from your arrival to the last bite and goodbye hug.
What time is pick-up?
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From Cusco: 9:30 a.m.-Pickup coordination happens during the booking process.
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From Sacred Valley hotels: 10:30 am
Pickup coordination happens during the booking process.
Can I book the Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley as a solo traveler?
Yes! Whether you’re traveling alone or in a group, we host 1 to 6 guests max per experience. You’ll feel like family from the first minute.
Is this suitable for kids or older adults?
Absolutely. The experience is calm, joyful, and engaging for all ages. Kids especially enjoy helping with the preparation and bracelet-making.
Is cuy included in the menu?
Yes. You’ll enjoy cuy (Andean guinea pig) and chicken, both marinated in local herbs and cooked the ancestral way. Vegetarian options are available with prior notice.
Is this an authentic Andean experience or something staged?
This is the real deal. We are a local family sharing our tradition, not actors. You’ll be cooking with descendants of the Inca, on sacred land, using techniques passed down for generations.
How does this support the local community?
By booking the Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley, you’re doing more than enjoying a traditional meal—you’re directly supporting women-led tourism and cultural preservation in the Andes. Your visit helps sustain the education of the daughters of Doña Brígida—a proud Inca descendant—and other single mothers of the Sacred Valley who contribute their knowledge, stories, and strength to this experience.
This is slow food with real impact. Every bite you take helps protect ancestral wisdom and uplift the women who carry it forward.
Is the Pachamanca Experience Sacred Valley near Machu Picchu?
Yes. The experience takes place in Urubamba, a peaceful town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, located between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. Many travelers add this cultural food ritual to their Machu Picchu itinerary for a deeper connection with Andean traditions.
What makes this different from other food experiences in the Sacred Valley?
Unlike staged tourist shows, this is an authentic, private Pachamanca experience hosted by a local family in their home. You’ll cook and eat in the garden with descendants of the Inca, surrounded by mountain views and real Andean hospitality.
Can I include this in my Sacred Valley tour?
Absolutely. We coordinate with local tour operators and offer pick-up from any hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley. Many guests choose to include this as part of their Sacred Valley day trip or on their way to/from Machu Picchu.
What if I have dietary restrictions or food allergies?
Let us know during booking! We happily accommodate vegetarian diets, gluten-free requests, and other needs while maintaining the integrity of the traditional Pachamanca cooking ritual.
Is this a good alternative to a cooking class in Cusco?
Yes! If you’re looking for something more immersive and cultural than a standard Cusco cooking class, this is it. Here, you’re cooking in the ground, learning from locals, and participating in a spiritual Andean ritual—not just chopping vegetables indoors.
Do you offer Pachamanca cooking experiences in other parts of Peru?
Yes. While our most intimate and private experience takes place in Urubamba, we also offer a beautiful Pachamanca experience in Patabamba, a traditional Andean community located above Cusco. That version includes a gentle, scenic walk through the highlands, with breathtaking views and a deep cultural connection to the land.
Both are rooted in authenticity, ancestral cooking, and warm, real people—not tourist shows or restaurants.
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DepartureCusco or Sacred Valley
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IncludedPachamanca full experienceWelcome drink ( juice)Glass of WineA host who speak spanish, french and englishPrivate Andean Chef ( Mrs Brigida from Willoc community )
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Not IncludedTipsTransport
2 Reviews
We came as a family from the U.S. — my husband, our two kids and I — not really knowing what a Pachamanca was… and left completely in awe. Brígida is the kindest woman you’ll ever meet, and watching her guide the whole process — heating the stones, layering the ingredients, covering it all with herbs and earth — was something magical.
*The food? Incredible. Tender meats, native potatoes, fresh salad, and that smoky flavor only the earth can give. But what made it unforgettable was the view — eating on the mountainside, overlooking the Sacred Valley, at Katy’s beautiful home.
Thank you for such a warm, powerful, and delicious experience.”
Wonderful atmosphere, amazing food and super sweetly people. Katherine is a super host; we loved to get in touch with Katherine family and we enjoyed so much to make pachamanca with Brigida, our andina chef for one day! We do suggest this experience for an authentic moment of your life.
Maurizio and Caterina