Sacred Valley Textile Workshop – Dyeing & Weaving in Cusco

5.0 (100 reviews) 8 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

100 reviews

5.0

Sacred Valley Textile Workshop – Dyeing & Weaving in Cusco — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Sacred Valley Textile Workshop – Dyeing & Weaving in Cusco, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

You don't watch. You create.

This isn't a demonstration — it's full immersion. Dye your own yarn using ancestral plant-based techniques. Weave your own textile on a traditional backstrap loom. Leave with something you made, not something you bought.

Learn from the best.

Ruth Pimentel is Peru's only Indigenous master weaver awarded by UNESCO. You'll work alongside her and her family — the real guardians of this living tradition.

The only experience of its kind in Cusco.

No other tour offers this level of hands-on access with an UNESCO-honored weaver. This is as authentic as it gets.

Trusted at the highest level.

We were honored to host Jean-Bernard Münch, President of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO, who experienced this workshop firsthand.

Travel with purpose.

Every visit directly supports local artisans and reinforces the value of their ancestral craft. Your participation helps keep this tradition alive.

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At a glance

Duration: 8 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–12
Guide: English, Spanish
Operated by: Peru Private Tours

Ages: Adults (5–75 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Master artisan instruction in traditional backstrap weaving
Included: Professional bilingual guide (English and Spanish)
Included: Complimentary herbal tea or coffee
Included: Lunch will be served in a family style and we will share it with the artisans in the workshop
Included: Take-home hand-dyed yarn and completed woven creation
Included: All raw workshop materials (wool, botanicals, and tools)

Not included

Not included: Gratuities for weavers, guides, and drivers
Not included: Personal purchases from the artisan workshop shop
Not included: Pickups outside designated Cusco and Sacred Valley zones

Itinerary

A Private Weaving Experience with Ruth Pimentel Peru's Only UNESCO-Awarded Indigenous Master Weaver Begin at our private atelier nestled in the hills near Cusco, where Ruth Pimentel — celebrated guardian of Peru's living textile heritage — welcomes you personally. Over a warm introduction, your host will share Ruth's remarkable lineage, her UNESCO recognition, and the centuries-old Andean traditions her work preserves through our social-impact initiative. Then, the loom is yours. Guided by Ruth and other master weavers from Parobamba, you'll select seasonal botanicals, hand-dye premium baby-alpaca yarn using ancestral techniques, and learn the meditative art of backstrap weaving — the same method passed down through generations of Andean women. Your bespoke creation is finished on-site, presented in elegant packaging with a signed provenance card — a one-of-a-kind piece to carry home.