Western New Mexico University Museum and the Mimbres Region Arts Council have added a 9-day/8-night tour to Lima, Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, Peru to their Arts & Culture Tour offerings. The Arts & Culture Tour of Peru, lead by Dr. Cynthia Ann Bettison, WNMU Museum director and archaeologist, and Faye McCalmont, executive director of MRAC, is scheduled for Jan. 10 through 18, 2005.

Like other WNMUM/MRAC Arts & Culture Tours, this tour is designed to balance exploration of past and present cultures with, of course, shopping for native arts and crafts. Participants will spend 2 days in Lima, 2 days in Cuzco, and 1 day traveling the Sacred Valley exploring ancient ruins, museums, colonial churches, local markets, and arts and crafts districts.

The highlight of the tour is the 2 day/overnight trip to the World Heritage site of Machu Picchu. Perched on a ridge more than 2,000 feet above the Urubamba River and not visible from lower elevations, Hiram Bingham stumbled upon this ancient ceremonial center of the royal Incas in 1911. Tour participants can spend a day discovering this ancient city and have the option of capping their memorable visit to Machu Picchu with an optional sunrise tour the following morning.

The tour is of the highest quality with superior first-class accommodations from beginning to end, English-speaking tour guides, and private deluxe motor coaches. The $2999 per person double-occupancy fee ($949 single room supplement fee) is inclusive of roundtrip airfare from Dallas, flights and ground transportation within Peru, entrance fees, and most meals at quality Peruvian restaurants. Tour brochures are available at WNMU Museum (538-6386) and MRAC (538-2505).

Peru Night, featuring samples of typical Peruvian cuisine and a slideshow of tour highlights, will be held for those interested in joining the tour at the MRAC Gallery at Wells Fargo Bank on Wednesday, August 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. If you are interested in attending please RSVP to the Arts Council at 505-538-2505 by Tuesday, August 24.

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