the call

In the Q’ero tradition, there are twelve sacred mountains, or Apus, said to sustain life on the planet. Each has a different role, and together they work in service of humanity.

Pachatusan, whose name means the mountain that holds up the world, is known as the Great Doctor. Each year, we make a pilgrimage to meet Pachatusan: to ask not only for our own health, but for the possibility of becoming safer spaces for those around us.

For ten days, we will walk through the Andes, visiting places that have been considered sacred for thousands of years. Accompanied by members of the Q’ero people, we will prepare ourselves for our encounter with Pachatusan.

It is not simply about reaching the mountain.
It is about learning to listen to what the mountain has to teach us.