Type: Offering • Kallawaya Healing
Activities: Consultation and Divination • Offering to the Spirit of Illimani Mountain
Ecosystems: High Anden Valley • Pond
Culture: Kallawaya
Hike: 280mts
Duration: 5 hours
Season: Availability May Vary According to Date
Guides: Mario Vargas • Julián Katari
Depart from: La Paz
Download: Journey Portfolio»
ROUTE MAP
Consultation and Divination
Previous to your journey, in the city of La Paz, you will visit Kallawaya Mario’s Consultation Room. He will diagnose you by interviewing you and will then ask the solution to the sacred spirits through a coca leaf reading. With this, he will have a good idea how to help you and to do so, a white «mesa» offering will be probably recommended. Knowing about you, will help the Kallawaya diagnose and prepare the correct ingredients for the next day’s offering.
Close & Powerful
You don’t need to go far from the City of La Paz to get to a very special power place where offerings are given to the Illimani Mountain.
Illimani Achachila
The Central Andean Peak System, called in Bolivia “Cordillera Real” surrounds Titicaca Lake with the highest and most sacred glaciated peaks there is. One of the most important is Illimani Mountain, one of the two main “Illa” mountains «Illimani and Illampu». Illimani is known to be the provider of prosperity. Possibly one of the most sacred and prayed to mountains there is in the world. To the Kallawayas, Achachilas are the “spirits of our ancestors that live in the mountains”. For them. the mountains are the main gods and source of life. For this reason, praying and offering to this main god, is beneficial so that he may return blessing and prosperity.
Mesa Offering
This ritual consists of an offering of a series of coloured candies, medicinal plants, alpaca wools, coca, flowers, shiny paper that represents gold and silver, incense, wine, and a “suyu” or llama foetus. Each ingredient is prayed to and has a unique meaning and purpose. This offering liberates any negative energies that may be stuck in your body, mind or soul, and allows your being as a whole to continue into a more prosperous future. Read more about the Mesa Offering»
PHOTO GALLERY
Options and Costs
Guided Offering: With Intercultural Guide Julián Katari
Cost: $200
Includes: Previous Consultation • Transportation • Intercultural Guide • Offering
Note: The ritual is for one person only. Companions may come for free.
Offering: Just you and the Kallawaya Mario.
Cost: $160
Includes: Previous Consultation • Transportation • Offerings
Note: The ritual is for one person only. Companions may come for free.
Additional Details
What to bring: Hat • Sun protection • Water bottle
Departure: We will pick you up at your hotel at 9:00am.
Dates and Availability: Depends on Kallawaya Mario’s Schedule. It’s not possible to do on rainy days.
Download Journey Portfolio PDF»
Native Journey 