Cusco: Sacred Valley Textile Workshop with UNESCO Weaver

Weave your own textile in Cusco guided by Ruth Pimentel and her family

You’ll join Ruth Pimentel and her family near Cusco for a full day learning ancestral dyeing and weaving techniques in their private atelier. You’ll hand-dye baby alpaca yarn with local botanicals, weave your own textile on a traditional loom, share a homemade lunch with the artisans, and leave with your finished creation—a piece you’ll remember every time you touch it.

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation from Cusco to Ruth’s atelier in the hills, all materials needed for dyeing and weaving your own textile creation (which you’ll take home), herbal teas throughout the experience, plus a homemade family-style lunch shared with Ruth’s family before returning comfortably in the afternoon.

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Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hands-on Textile Workshop in Cusco

• Meet Ruth Pimentel at atelier
• Learn about Ruth's lineage and UNESCO award
• Select seasonal botanicals for dyeing
• Hand-dye baby-alpaca yarn
• Weave textile on backstrap loom
• Finish and package your creation

The Experience

We pulled up to Ruth’s place just outside Cusco — honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. The hills were still misty and there was this faint herbal smell in the air, like eucalyptus and something sweeter I couldn’t name. Ruth greeted us herself, which felt a bit surreal after hearing she’s Peru’s only UNESCO-honored Indigenous master weaver. She smiled and said something soft in Quechua before switching to Spanish for us, and right away it felt less like a tour and more like being invited into someone’s home.

After tea (herbal, warm, tasted almost grassy), Ruth and her daughter laid out baskets of yarn and these bundles of fresh plants from their garden. We got to choose our own botanicals for dyeing — mine turned my fingers yellow for the rest of the day. The whole process was slower than I expected; you have to wait for the colors to set, so there’s time to just listen to the chatter between the women or watch the clouds roll over the hills. My Spanish is shaky but Ruth’s sister kept nudging me to try new words anyway (lots of laughter at my pronunciation). It was messy and kind of perfect.

The weaving part… wow. They strapped these backstrap looms around our waists — not exactly comfortable at first, but after a while you get into this rhythm with your hands. There was this moment where everything went quiet except for the clack of wood on wool. I kept messing up my pattern but Ruth would just gently fix it without making me feel dumb. Lunch came out family-style — potatoes, cheese, some kind of stew — and we all ate together at this long wooden table, passing plates back and forth.

I left with a little woven band that looked nothing like Ruth’s masterpieces but still felt weirdly precious because I made it myself. The whole day was slower than anything else I’ve done in Peru — not rushed or staged, just real people doing what they’ve always done. I still think about that silence when everyone was weaving side by side. Hard to explain why that sticks with me.

Top questions

Is hotel pickup included in this Cusco textile workshop?

Yes, private transportation is included for pickup and drop-off.

Who leads the weaving experience near Cusco?

The workshop is led by Ruth Pimentel, Peru's only UNESCO-awarded Indigenous master weaver.

Do I get to keep what I make during the workshop?

Yes, you take home whatever textile you create during the experience.

Is lunch included in this Sacred Valley textile tour?

Yes, lunch is served family-style with the artisans during the workshop.

Are materials provided for dyeing & weaving?

All materials needed for dyeing and weaving are included in the price.

Is this workshop accessible for wheelchairs or strollers?

Yes, all areas are wheelchair accessible and suitable for strollers.

How long does the Sacred Valley textile workshop last?

The activity takes most of a day including transport, introductions, dyeing, weaving, and lunch.