APU CIRCLE
BEYOND MACHU PICCHU: UNVEILING THE SOUL OF PERU
Meet Your Hosts
APU TEAM
JUAN CARLOS & JESSY
Partners in life, travel, and adventure
At the heart of Apu Retreats are Juan Carlos and Jessy, partners in life, travel, and adventure. Together, they share a genuine passion for discovering new places, experiencing different cultures, and exploring hidden corners of Peru.
JUAN CARLOS & JESSY
At the heart of Apu Retreats are Juan Carlos and Jessy, partners in life, travel, and adventure. Together, they share a genuine passion for discovering new places, experiencing different cultures, exploring hidden corners of Peru, and, whenever possible, finding a memorable restaurant along the way. Their curiosity has led them across mountains, valleys, cities, and remote communities, always seeking meaningful connections with people, traditions, and the stories that make each destination unique. They believe that travel is about much more than visiting a place—it is about understanding it, respecting it, and allowing it to leave a lasting impression on your life.
When they are not designing transformative experiences for guests, you'll likely find them planning their next road trip, exploring a new hiking trail, or debating where to eat next. Their shared love of discovery continues to inspire every journey they create through Apu Retreats.
Of course, there is one subject on which they rarely agree: the weather. Jessy is known for being prepared for every possible climate scenario, often traveling with enough layers to survive an unexpected ice age. Juan Carlos, on the other hand, is usually perfectly comfortable in a tank top and shorts, convinced that almost any day is warm enough to enjoy the outdoors.
Together, they bring a balance of curiosity, warmth, humor, and authenticity to every experience, welcoming guests not simply as travelers, but as companions on a journey of discovery.
Fiore
Kanaj Pacha, “The Flower That Always Blooms in the Light”
Fiorella Origgi is an Andean ceremonial guide whose path is rooted in deep reverence for Pachamama, balancing both solar and lunar energies through a life devoted to healing, harmony, and spiritual coherence.
Fiore
Fiorella Origgi is an Andean ceremonial guide whose path is rooted in deep reverence for Pachamama, balancing both solar and lunar energies through a life devoted to healing, harmony, and spiritual coherence. For over 18 years, she has guided retreats, sacred ceremonies, and transformational circles, helping individuals reconnect with themselves through ancestral wisdom and intentional healing practices.
Her work includes Andean healing lodges (traditional temazcales), rites of passage, energetic harmonizations, ceremonies with the four elements, plant baths, energetic cleansing rituals, seed activations, cacao ceremonies, and sacred plant work. Guided by gratitude and alignment with nature, Fiorella integrates ancestral Andean traditions with herbalism, Ayurveda, and flower essences to create deeply grounding and transformative experiences.
At APU RETREATS, Fiorella holds space for inner reconnection, honoring the sacred relationship between spirit, body, nature, and the wisdom carried through generations.
ISME
Guiding travelers to discover the cultural and spiritual essence of Cusco
Ismenia was born in the heart of Cusco and has spent more than 23 years dedicated to tourism alongside her family, guiding travelers to discover the cultural and spiritual essence of the region.
ISME
Ismenia was born in the heart of Cusco and has spent more than 23 years dedicated to tourism alongside her family, guiding travelers to discover the cultural and spiritual essence of the region.
Her experience, warmth, and deep knowledge of the land have made her a fundamental part of the APU RETREATS experience. Recognized for her dedication and impeccable attention to detail, Ismenia brings trust, care, and authenticity to every moment. At APU RETREATS, we hold a very special appreciation for the way she makes every guest feel truly at home.
Outside of her professional life, she enjoys watching Korean dramas and cherishes quiet moments that balance her warm, caring, and supportive energy.
JULITO
Preserving and sharing the ancestral spiritual legacy of the Q'ero community
Julio was born in the Q'ero community, high in the Andes mountains of Cusco, one of the communities that most authentically preserves the spiritual and cultural legacy of the ancient Incas.
JULITO
Julio was born in the Q'ero community, high in the Andes mountains of Cusco, one of the communities that most authentically preserves the spiritual and cultural legacy of the ancient Incas.
From a very young age, around 12 years old, he developed a deep connection with nature and his surroundings. Faced with limited access to conventional medicine, he learned to observe and understand the properties of plants, ecosystems, and the natural resources around him.
This necessity awakened a curiosity that over time transformed into a vocation: to preserve, practice, and share the ancestral knowledge of the Andes.
In addition to his bond with Andean traditions, Julio finds another form of expression and connection through music.
He enjoys playing the guitar and various traditional instruments, integrating sound and harmony as part of his spiritual and cultural path.
Among the most important ceremonies he shares is the Haywarikuy (also known as Jaiguarisca), a sacred ceremony of offering and reciprocity to Pachamama, Mother Earth.
Through this ancestral practice, gratitude is expressed for the abundance received, strengthening the relationship of respect, balance, and harmony between people, nature, and the spiritual world.
YAKANA
Our feline companion, accompanying every step of the Apu Retreats journey
While you'll never find Yakana leading a retreat in the Andes or accompanying our guests to Cusco, she has been part of Apu Retreats since long before the first journey ever took shape.
YAKANA
While you'll never find Yakana leading a retreat in the Andes or accompanying our guests to Cusco, she has been part of Apu Retreats since long before the first journey ever took shape.
Named after the celestial Yakana of Andean cosmology, our feline companion has been with us since the very beginning, when Apu Retreats was little more than an idea, a dream, and countless conversations about what it could become.
Over the months, she has accompanied every step of the journey in her own unique way. She has supervised meetings, claimed ownership of our laptops, and interrupted more important messages than we can count by deciding that our keyboards were the perfect place for a nap.
Her special talent is appearing precisely when we're trying to work—walking across laptop keyboards, blocking phone screens, and reminding us that perhaps it's time to take a break and enjoy the present moment.
After months of participating in the daily life of Apu Retreats—whether invited or not—we have come to accept that Yakana has officially earned her place as an honorary member of the team. After all, very few can say they have been part of the journey since day one.