CulTour Mapuche "Ruka"
| In our CulTour “Ruka”, you have the opportunity to meet Chile’s largest indigenous group, the Mapuche (in the native Mapuche language, Mapudungun "people of the earth"). Three hours of exuberant culture are awaiting you, meeting the original people who still preserve their ancestors´ cultural heritage. Always respecting their traditions and our "ñuke mapu" (Mapudungun "mother earth"/ nature), we will head towards the indigenous reserve Quelhue (Mapudungun "swampy area"). On the way, we will cross the Trancura river over a bridge, where we can observe the three strato volcanoes of Villarrica National Park: Lanín, Quetrupillan and Villarrica. We will then visit the land of a local Mapuche family, who proudly share their culture and demonstrate their traditions in their "ruka" (Mapudungun "house"), made of wood and straw. We will get to know typical artifacts of daily use, musical instruments, try on their traditional clothing and learn about their belief system. Whether you want to help toast grain over the fire, learn how to play the Mapuche hockey game ‘Palín’ or learn to dance respectfully around the "rewe" (Mapudungun "totem"), you will get a flavor of what life for these nature loving people has been and is like today. While enjoying a typical contemporary Mapuche dinner, you will have the opportunity to hear more tales from your hosts, sitting next to the open fire. A typical Mapuche asado includes vegetables from their own gardens and meat from their farms, but there is also a vegetarian option. A shared "mate" (traditional tea) at the cooking fire will be the close to this excursion into a different and almost unknown world. With our CulTour Mapuche, we help constructing markets with identity and collaborate with the development of the economies of the indigenous towns within the Araucanía Region. |
Contact with the Culture and People:
| Departures | Duration | Minimum Passengers |
|---|---|---|
| every day; 11:30, 15:30 and 18:00 hours |
3 hours in total (2 hours of activity) |
two people * |
*All the activities are also available as private service as long as your group includes the minimum passengers. Please consult for the private fares.
