Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about
Release & Renew in Peru 2023
1. How’s this 10-day retreat different from other group trips to Machu Picchu, Cusco and Sacred Valley?
Release & Renew in Peru is a mindfulness and yoga retreat that focuses on ways to consciously let go of patterns in mind, body and spirit that inhibit presence and full enjoyment of life. We will draw from ancestral wisdom shared by indigenous Andean healers, guided mindfulness practices to intimately connect with nature, daily breathwork and meditation yoga, the renowned high-energy charge of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, energizing and grounding physical yoga, intention-setting and purification rituals, reside in a wellness sanctuary, nourish our bodies with organic healthy meals from the local land and surround ourselves with world travelers who also value whole-being wellness and are ready to release stagnancy in some area of their life to renew personal vibrancy and outer harmony.
2. Who is guiding this retreat, and what is her experience?
Michelle Chua has been creating, organizing and facilitating yoga retreats since 2012 in California and since 2014 internationally—from Costa Rica to Bali. Find a list of her past retreats here. Since 2010, she has been guiding yoga classes full-time for diverse abilities and settings and founded Root 2 Rise Yoga community inspired by a mission: (1) Share yoga with people of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds; (2) Facilitate soulful community and nature connection; and (3) Share wellness resources that empower inner and outer peace, vitality and harmony. She believes that as we root into the deep love that is our essence, we can all rise together in whole wellbeing and consciousness. Read Michelle’s bio here.
3. Is it safe to travel to Peru?
We will be traveling to areas commonly visited and protected for tourism under the guidance of a reputable local Peruvian guide that works regularly with the luxury wellness retreat center we’ll be staying at. Your yoga retreat facilitator, Michelle, traveled safely to Peru in June through July 2022 exploring safety and authentically connecting with the land and culture prior to organizing this retreat. While we will be traveling in a group, it is always important to practice “street smarts,” research the areas you’ll be visiting and be mindful of current safety and health practices in the areas. When accepted to join the retreat, you’ll receive detailed information to help you prepare for a healthy adventure in Peru.
4. What’s the background on the luxury eco-sustainable yoga retreat center where we’ll be mostly staying during this retreat?
It was founded in 1994, by a world traveler who visited the Sacred Valley in the 1980s, was captivated by the powerful healing energy of the area and returned year after year. As a longtime yoga practitioner, she wanted to create a retreat center synergizing Andean culture and cosmology with yoga philosophy and lifestyle. Over the next two decades, she cultivated long-term relationships with authentic native healers and knowledgeable local guides. (The itinerary for Release and Renew in Peru integrates their authentic expertise.) It is the first yoga retreat center in the Sacred Valley and was constructed through land revitalization, using local materials and giving back to nature through the many gardens planted on site. A Quechua family warmly manages the wellness center, with over 20 local people on the hospitality staff. The center also has a charity that funds children’s education in the nearby Andes mountains, at a school we’ll visit during the retreat. Proceeds from the center’s artisanal shop support the charity.
5. What’s the weather when this retreat happens in June?
June through August (the winter months) are sunny and dry. After sunset, it gets cold enough for a sweater or jacket. Frost occurs only rarely.
6. What’s the elevation where this retreat takes place?
Approximate elevations above sea-level: Retreat Center in Sacred Valley 9,420 feet, Cusco 11,150 feet, Machu Picchu 7,800 feet
7. What are the Andean spa treatments and add-on activities I can choose from?
Upon acceptance of your retreat application, you’ll receive a welcome email with a menu of additional services and experiences you can book and pay for upon arrival at the retreat center.
8. When should I book my flights to arrive and depart for this retreat?
Upon acceptance of your welcome email with details for travel, you’ll be prompted to book your flight into Cusco airport to arrive before 11am on June 8, 2023. Plan your departure flight from Cusco between 2-5pm on June 17, 2023. Airport transfers are included in your retreat within these times.
Release & Renew in Peru is a mindfulness and yoga retreat that focuses on ways to consciously let go of patterns in mind, body and spirit that inhibit presence and full enjoyment of life. We will draw from ancestral wisdom shared by indigenous Andean healers, guided mindfulness practices to intimately connect with nature, daily breathwork and meditation yoga, the renowned high-energy charge of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, energizing and grounding physical yoga, intention-setting and purification rituals, reside in a wellness sanctuary, nourish our bodies with organic healthy meals from the local land and surround ourselves with world travelers who also value whole-being wellness and are ready to release stagnancy in some area of their life to renew personal vibrancy and outer harmony.
2. Who is guiding this retreat, and what is her experience?
Michelle Chua has been creating, organizing and facilitating yoga retreats since 2012 in California and since 2014 internationally—from Costa Rica to Bali. Find a list of her past retreats here. Since 2010, she has been guiding yoga classes full-time for diverse abilities and settings and founded Root 2 Rise Yoga community inspired by a mission: (1) Share yoga with people of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds; (2) Facilitate soulful community and nature connection; and (3) Share wellness resources that empower inner and outer peace, vitality and harmony. She believes that as we root into the deep love that is our essence, we can all rise together in whole wellbeing and consciousness. Read Michelle’s bio here.
3. Is it safe to travel to Peru?
We will be traveling to areas commonly visited and protected for tourism under the guidance of a reputable local Peruvian guide that works regularly with the luxury wellness retreat center we’ll be staying at. Your yoga retreat facilitator, Michelle, traveled safely to Peru in June through July 2022 exploring safety and authentically connecting with the land and culture prior to organizing this retreat. While we will be traveling in a group, it is always important to practice “street smarts,” research the areas you’ll be visiting and be mindful of current safety and health practices in the areas. When accepted to join the retreat, you’ll receive detailed information to help you prepare for a healthy adventure in Peru.
4. What’s the background on the luxury eco-sustainable yoga retreat center where we’ll be mostly staying during this retreat?
It was founded in 1994, by a world traveler who visited the Sacred Valley in the 1980s, was captivated by the powerful healing energy of the area and returned year after year. As a longtime yoga practitioner, she wanted to create a retreat center synergizing Andean culture and cosmology with yoga philosophy and lifestyle. Over the next two decades, she cultivated long-term relationships with authentic native healers and knowledgeable local guides. (The itinerary for Release and Renew in Peru integrates their authentic expertise.) It is the first yoga retreat center in the Sacred Valley and was constructed through land revitalization, using local materials and giving back to nature through the many gardens planted on site. A Quechua family warmly manages the wellness center, with over 20 local people on the hospitality staff. The center also has a charity that funds children’s education in the nearby Andes mountains, at a school we’ll visit during the retreat. Proceeds from the center’s artisanal shop support the charity.
5. What’s the weather when this retreat happens in June?
June through August (the winter months) are sunny and dry. After sunset, it gets cold enough for a sweater or jacket. Frost occurs only rarely.
6. What’s the elevation where this retreat takes place?
Approximate elevations above sea-level: Retreat Center in Sacred Valley 9,420 feet, Cusco 11,150 feet, Machu Picchu 7,800 feet
7. What are the Andean spa treatments and add-on activities I can choose from?
Upon acceptance of your retreat application, you’ll receive a welcome email with a menu of additional services and experiences you can book and pay for upon arrival at the retreat center.
8. When should I book my flights to arrive and depart for this retreat?
Upon acceptance of your welcome email with details for travel, you’ll be prompted to book your flight into Cusco airport to arrive before 11am on June 8, 2023. Plan your departure flight from Cusco between 2-5pm on June 17, 2023. Airport transfers are included in your retreat within these times.