As part of the Re-Imagining process, Ten Thousand Cranes also serves as a travel consultancy and trip organizer, offering off-the-beaten-path travel experiences. 

Ten Thousand Cranes has opened a partner company in India that specializes in custom, authentic travel.  Please visit this link to Authentic Journeys India … and Beyond.  Cristine recently designed and led a trip for a small group of travelers to India.

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For many years, Cristine designed and led many trips to places around the world, especially South America.  She is leading a private, custom trip to Peru this summer.

Here are some snippets of what some of the Peru trips are about …

Pilgrimage, Photo Odyssey, Re-Imagination

We will wander off the beaten path into the arms of the people who shape and are shaped by the beautiful landscapes and terrain.  This culturally and environmentally sensitive journey will take us from desert coasts, to mountains, to rainforests, where we will gently weave ourselves into the tapestries of life, hopefully establishing connections that can be nurtured from afar. 

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Spontaneity:  Allowing for the Unscheduled Magic

This is not your usual journey.  While we certainly visit sites long recognized for their beauty and impact, this odyssey is also an immersion into village and farm life, squatters settlements and street children, ecotourism and microcredit.  We will stay in people’s homes to learn how they have embraced “home stay” tourism, understand how small loans and land entitlement have helped people redefine their lives, and watch people at their traditional craft.  We will build bonds with several communities as part of an ongoing program of support.   

Cloud Forests and More

In the Valle Sagrado (Sacred Valley) of Peru, we will walk, hike, and/or bike our way through ruins and bustling market places.  In the rainforest, we will let our eyes be trained by the indigenous community hosting us as we take in the constant chatter and hum of the birds and monkeys, and on Lake Titicaca we will let the spirit of the Lake and the Incas speak to us while we bask in the vibrant blue waters.

Our Goal

The purpose of the trip is to step into the cultural and physical landscapes of part of Andean South America, giving travelers the opportunity to “see” the dynamics of high mountain indigenous life and walk away with a living sense of the beauty and hardship those people face.  We will step into another dimension, exploring the spirit of those commonly labeled “impoverished.”  We will be experiencing the heart and soul of those in the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, and other places, understanding their gifts, their needs, and their self-initiative.

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American Southwest   (I should find some photos from here)

Ten Thousand Cranes will be leading a journey into the American Southwest this June, seeking ways to experience the past and present of the many land forms and cultures that have shared this magical area and re-imagine the future.