Please review the following information as you begin to prepare for your Yoga Teacher Training Course in Peru.
Location Information
This training will be held at the Sach’a Munay Retreat Center in Arin, a small village in the middle of the Incas Sacred Valley, high in the Peruvian Andes, South America. Here you will see the native cultures (Quechua speaking) working the land as they have for centuries, with love and simplicity. The center is eco-friendly, made from local materials, with attention and love for the natural sacred landscape. The spacious site is designed to provide you with personal privacy and solitude ideal for your own personal growth.
For convenience we will have a meeting time and location in Cusco around noon on the first day of the training (this will be emailed one month prior to the training) From Cusco we will travel together as a group (it is about a 1 hour travel time to the site) to Sacha Munay (SM).
Directions
For those who may be in the valley already or with other plans. SM is located in Arin between Urubamba and Pisaq (shortly after Calca when coming from Pisaq.)
From Cusco you can get a colectivo (from Puputi) that goes to Calca. From Calca arrange a taxi to Sacha Munay (you will pass Urco, 3 little towns and arrive to Arin, just before Huaran). Go up the dirt road and veer left, soon you will see a small yellow church, make a right at the church, then make a left at the next turn, continue till you pass a cemetery on the left, keep going to the end of the road for Sach’a Munay (on the right). PS: A high clearance vehicle is recommended for arriving.
Site contact information Info and Reservations:
Adam Adam@sachamunay.com
Email: info@sachamunay.com
Website: http://sachamunay.com/
Travel to Peru
- We find better deals when you fly to Lima International Airport first.
- From Lima you can book a short flight to Cuzco, Peru. Try www.StarPeru.com.
- Let us know what questions you have about travel
Elevation
Cusco: 11,152 feet
Arin: 9,600 feet
Pisaq: 9,514 feet
*It is recommended that you fly in a few days early if possible to acclimatize, although we will not meet until noon on the first day of the training. The Sacred Valley is a bit lower in elevation than Cusco so it can also be a good idea to fly to Cusco then go directly to Pisaq for a day or two, then arrive to Cusco to meet the group. It can take up to 5 days to start to feel fully acclimatized.
There will be a spreadsheet sent out to you one month prior to your course, where you will enter all flight details, emergency contacts, dietary restrictions, extra nights desired, etc!!
Money/ATMs
You can access ATMs in Cuzco, Calca, Pisaq and Urubamba. If you have American cash (dollars) it is best to exchange in Cuzco at a bank or one of the many currency exchange places near the Plaza de Armas where you will get the best exchange rate. The airport tends to give a bad rate for exchange. Make sure to contact your bank before you leave your country regarding your travel dates so you can access money from your bank. We recommend against travelers checks, as they are not accepted everywhere. Approximate Exchange rates $1 = 3.2 Soles (Peru).
Check In/Departure
You will receive a 30 day welcome letter from your Lead Facilitator team, outlining details of the schedule. Typically, the first day of the training there will be an optional yoga class from 4 to 5:30 pm. We will have dinner at 5:30 followed by our opening ceremony. On the last day of the training we will finish by 10am (an afternoon flight from Cusco on the last day is possible for those with tight travel schedules).
Daily Schedule/Planning
Our daily schedule will generally be:
5:30 Wake up
6:00 Meditation/Asana
8:30 Breakfast
10:00 Special topic/Spiritual lesson
11:30 Yoga Sutras or Anatomy
1:00 Lunch
3:00 Art of Teaching/Art of Alignment/Adjustments
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Evening Gathering
Days Off
Every 5th day is an off day. There will be 3 days off during the training 200 hour training and 3 days off every 6th day during the 300 hour training.
During our 200 hour program (Beginning on the first full day -the 2nd day of the training) we will have four days “on” followed by one day off.
Books
200 hour
Required books to purchase and bring for the 200-hour program
- Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff – purchase at Amazon, ibooks, kindle or your local bookstore.
- Yoga Sutras by Dennis Hill or a version of the Yoga Sutras (we also love the Secret Power of Yoga) that you resonate with purchase at Amazon, ibooks, kindle, or your local bookstore
300 hour
Required books to purchase and bring for the 300-hour program
3. Guiding Yoga Nidra: The Art of Conscious Relaxation (Teaching Maha Yoga) by Maha Devi.
Additional books that you may be interested in can be found on the SYI website here.
What to Pack
- Warm layers: thermals, long sleeve yoga layers, down jacket, a light rain jacket
- Wool socks (light and heavyweight)
- Sun Protection: wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen
- Bathing Suit
- Yoga Mat Tongue Scraper & Neti Pot (optional)
- Journal
- Art Supplies
- Musical instrument (optional)
- Special dietary items: Emergen-C, Protein powder, Green powder, Superfood, trail mix
- Headlight and extra batteries
- Sturdy hiking shoes
- Small sacred items (like crystals, white sage, pictures of guru, etc…)
Laundry
Sacha Munay offers laundry service for around $5 per load.
Food
The delicious food is vegan/vegetarian. If you have certain dietary needs or restrictions, please let us know in the spreadsheet sent out by your lead teacher OR always feel free to contact us and let us know ahead of time (i.e., gluten, dairy, nut preferences sensitivities or allergies.)
Water
We will provide purified water at Sacha Munay. In general, do not drink tap water in South America without first purifying.
Health
We recommend you consult with your doctor prior to your trip to get any questions answered. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/peru. Be sure to fill out the health form we have sent to you.
*For those traveling from or TO Central America a Yellow Fever Vaccination may be in required.
Passport & Visa
All US residents need a valid passport that does not expire for at least 6 months when entering. For other nationalities please check with your consulates as a Visa may be required.
Sick Days/Missed Days
It is very important that you meet the hours required by Yoga Alliance. We will make arrangements to make up missed days during the program. Typically, it is not a problem and you can get everything completed during the course. If you miss more than 8 hours, we may need to schedule makeup hours at an additional cost.
Certification
As long as you have participated fully in the course, at the end of the course, you will receive your 200-hr Yoga Teacher Certification or a 300-hour YTT certification. This course is approved by Yoga Alliance, so as a graduate of this program you will qualify to register as a teacher with the Yoga Alliance organization if you choose to do so.
Machu Picchu
*We strongly suggest going before or after the training so you do not feel rushed. For those planning to go to Machu Picchu (MP) during the training, we suggest that you schedule your trip for our first day off, that way you can go with your yogi friends (otherwise it is good to plan to go to MP either before or after the training).
For example, MP tickets should be purchased as soon as possible! Train tickets (~$70 each way) can be purchased online through Peru Rail here. We recommend leaving Ollantaytambo for MP around 6 or 7 am and returning around 5 or 6 pm.
Here are the steps to do this using Peru Rail here.
- For “where do you want to go?” enter “Machu Picchu”.
- For “Routes” enter “Sacred Valley > M. Picchu”.
- For “DEPARTURE” & “RETURN” choose DATE (formatted like this “day-month-year”)
- For ADULTS enter 1.
SEARCH BY: Departure time.
- Choose departure, 6 or 7 am if available,
- Choose return, 6 pm (1800 hours) would be good
- Make sure to pay with a credit or debit card that you will have with you for your trip,
- Print your Park entrance tickets (~ $44) here. *Purchase the MP plus Huayna Picchu ticket if you would like to take the hike to view MP from above!
There is also a bus ticket that brings you from the train drop off point in Aguas Calientes up to MP (~$17 round trip), but this is purchased onsite the day of your trip.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by phone or email.
We are looking forward to having you here, ready to embark on this life-changing journey, shedding away our layers to become our truest self.
Namaste,
The School Yoga Family
info@schoolyogainstitute.com
(802) 448-2020
(888) 964-2123 (Toll Free)