The latest insights, reviews and travel stories from locally-based Peru travel agency Aracari, the destination specialists in luxury travel Peru, Bolivia and Galapagos.
As a budding new travel trend, group trips to South America are becoming increasingly popular. Over the last year, we’ve seen a steady climb in those choosing to visit our region as a group of more than four. A shift that shows group trips to South America becoming a means of spending time together with people outside of our immediate familial circle. Providing the grounds to reconnect in a different environment, enjoying shared moments that foster togetherness and build bonds that activate core memories, perhaps with people we aren’t often afforded the luxury of spending more than a day with. Group Trips to South America with Aracari Travel At Aracari Travel, group trips to South America are about far more than plane tickets and hotel suites. Every one of our bespoke vacations is delivered in detail for individual travelers. And that’s what makes this growing travel trend really exciting for us. Within our portfolio of remarkable experiences, there are a handful that are even more special when enjoyed as a group. Whether that’s because you can make them entirely private – such as chartering your own cruise down the Amazon River – or because they take place in a scenery so sublime, that the involuntary effect is a feeling of humble appreciation, a gratefulness to find yourself in that very spot with those you love. Travel for the purpose of connection. As luck would have it, we also have some exclusive intel. You may remember our friend Mirjam Peternek-McCartney who has spent the last seven months in South America on a family sabbatical. As has been the case throughout Mirjam’s journey, we have kept in touch – sharing mutual travel tips and tricks as she zigzags through our region. Given a sabbatical is perhaps the ultimate of group trips to
As a budding new travel trend, group trips to South America are becoming increasingly popular. Over the last year, we’ve seen a steady climb in those choosing to visit our region as a group of more than four. A shift that shows group trips to South America becoming a means…
As top Peru specialists, we have spent almost three decades honing our craft. Today, our luxury travel takes in some of the country’s most tremendous wonders and hidden treasures, but place alone is not enough. Our longevity derives not from our ‘where’ and ‘what’ but rather our ‘who’ and ‘how’. Who are the faces of Aracari? As many know, Aracari is the brainchild of Marisol Mosquera, who, after becoming disillusioned with the corporate world of investment banking, founded Aracari in 1997 on a quest to share the brilliance of her birth country with likeminded, astute travelers. Marisol remains at the helm of our business, steering our ship – but there are many other faces who without, Aracari would not be nearing its 30th birthday. The Aracari family is made up of scholars, artists, historians, architects, designers, well-connected locals, chefs, conservationists, and many more. They are first and foremost subject specialists, and as a by-product of their respect for our business and founder, have become Aracari guides. Their unrivaled knowledge and expertise open doors to our travelers. It is the luxury of access to places and experiences understood in human stories – and not just recited facts. So who are these people? And how do we tell you the stories of our trailblazing family? Paint a picture of those you will meet during your time in South America before you get there. Because whilst the bespoke itinerary might be pure magic, on paper it is only half the story – brought into vibrant color by the faces of Aracari. Introducing the people who make us top Peru specialists Meet Raul Varela: Our wonderful Lima-based Concierge Raul has been with Aracari since day dot. He is the welcoming smile that greets each of our clients in Lima, escorting them to their private
As top Peru specialists, we have spent almost three decades honing our craft. Today, our luxury travel takes in some of the country’s most tremendous wonders and hidden treasures, but place alone is not enough. Our longevity derives not from our ‘where’ and ‘what’ but rather our ‘who’ and ‘how’….
At Aracari, many of our private vacations to Peru begin with a luxury city break in Lima. The country’s enchanting capital is often the gateway to discovering Peru’s most popular travel experiences, whether a luxury train ride to Machu Picchu or guided wildlife walks in the Amazon Rainforest. Yet as Peru travel specialists, we are privy to the secrets of this age-old city, guiding our guests on how to ensure this cosmopolitan metropolis is so much more than a layover. Peru’s coastal capital is brimming with unforgettable experiences if only you know where to look. Since 1996, Aracari has pioneered personalized travel to the region, bringing clients closer to the essence of this eclectic city, even if travel time is limited to 48 hours in Lima. So as we clock through two days' worth of hours spent in the coastal capital, gain a glimpse into a luxury vacation to Peru with Aracari. From securing reservations in Peru’s acclaimed restaurants such as Central - to unearthing its pre-Columbian past, and from the world-famous surf scene to private gallery visits, and a stay in one of the best luxury hotels in Peru – welcome to 48 hours in Lima, Aracari style. Explore our luxury Peru vacations beginning in Lima Friday: 48 hours in Lima Head from the airport to Atemporal Hotel | 2 pm Tucked away in a 1940s Peruvian mansion, Atemporal is one of the best luxury hotels in Lima for those looking for serenity in the city. Recently refurbished by the awarding-winning team behind some of the top hotels in Peru, the timeless aesthetic offers a tranquil retreat in the heart of Lima’s Miraflores district, the perfect base from which to explore the wonders of Lima. There are just 6 guest suites at Atemporal, making it ideal for those
At Aracari, many of our private vacations to Peru begin with a luxury city break in Lima. The country’s enchanting capital is often the gateway to discovering Peru’s most popular travel experiences, whether a luxury train ride to Machu Picchu or guided wildlife walks in the Amazon Rainforest. Yet as…
As ever, our travel specialists have scoured the continent in search of ten of the best places in South America to visit in the year ahead. Our team zigzags across our region in search of entries robust enough to land a place on our yearly hotlist. Approving in person, whether these places adhere to stringent values of sustainability, authenticity, and purposeful travel to South America. So, what does it take to catch our eye in 2024? Our top ten places to visit in South America aren’t those that shout the loudest. They often aren’t there to outdo the competition or pull in the most tourists, they are often on the periphery – in remote, rarely visited pockets of our continent; quietly, diligently, achieving true wonder. 10 of the Best Places to Visit in South America: Our 2024 Hotlist Beginning with an incredibly remote lodging in Patagonia, one only reachable via boat crossing on the northern tip of Lago Argentino to a vibrant Chilean port often forgotten by tourist maps, where neighborhoods are connected by a labyrinth of ladders, to some of the most precious and rarely-visited regions of Peru this is your exclusive guide to ten best places in South America. 1. Estancia Cristina: The heart of untamed Patagonia There is only one way to reach the remote lodgings of Estancia Cristina. To get here you must sail across the north side of Lago Argentino – found within the bounds of the national park established to protect the Campo de Hielo Patagonico Sur. It is a majestic valley surrounded by natural wonders and steeped in the history of explorers who have come before. As you’d expect from our guide to ten of the best places in South America in 2024, Estancia Cristina is a property in its own league –
As ever, our travel specialists have scoured the continent in search of ten of the best places in South America to visit in the year ahead. Our team zigzags across our region in search of entries robust enough to land a place on our yearly hotlist. Approving in person, whether…
Within our expertly curated Andean luxury gift guide discover some of South America’s most revered artisans, alongside new and emerging innovators. Our ever-expanding collection of Andean luxury spans award-winning photography to handwoven pillowcases, from revered textile art to Peru’s finest jewelry craftsmanship. We have handpicked pieces from across Aracari Shop so that whether you’re buying for a magpie-eyed loved one – a doter on all things shiny – a tiny new Christmas arrival, or an art-appreciating parent, let us be the only gift shop you need for the festive season of 2023. So, stop your soul-searching, and welcome to the presence of the Andes. Andean Luxury Gifts for Her From handcrafted necklaces threaded with stones from the Saldana River in the Tolima region of Colombia to beautiful capes handmade with the ancestral technique of the waist loom, by weavers from the High Andean communities of Cusco, discover our collection of luxury Andean gifts for her. L River Rock Necklace by Claudia Vallejo: $383 Designed by Claudia Vallejo, these beautiful necklaces are made using Sterling Silver and cut River Rocks from the Saldana River in the Tolima region of Colombia. The pieces are handcrafted in collaboration with a community of craftsmen living in Ataco, Tolima, who are survivors of decades of violence in their region. Blue Cape by Pallay: $390 These exquisite, one-of-a-kind Pallay capes are made 100% by hand with the ancestral technique of the waist loom, by weavers from the High Andean communities of Cusco. The material is fine sheep and alpaca yarn dyed with natural dyes. Fetishized Andean Clouds Textile Art by Kristie Arias: $666.00 The Fetishized Andean Clouds were born from the artist’s passion for fiber and textiles and from the search for an aesthetic coexistence with them beyond the utilitarian. “I want to take
Within our expertly curated Andean luxury gift guide discover some of South America’s most revered artisans, alongside new and emerging innovators. Our ever-expanding collection of Andean luxury spans award-winning photography to handwoven pillowcases, from revered textile art to Peru’s finest jewelry craftsmanship. We have handpicked pieces from across Aracari Shop…
The Juanita mummy is a must while exploring Arequipa, Peru’s second-largest city. A statement that has rung true for decades but one that has recently become more widely known, as Juniata was thrust back into the public eye in October of last year when archaeologists revealed a model showing what Peru’s most famous mummy would have looked like. At the end of 2023, team Aracari visited the Juanita mummy. The experience was so impactful, that it made it onto our list of ten of the best places to see in South America for 2024. But as the site becomes ever more popular how do you get a visit to the Andean Sanctuaries Museum (where Juanita is displayed), just right? Arequipa: Home of the Juanita Mummy Since Aracari’s inception in 1996, the city of Arequipa in southern Peru has held a special place in our hearts. Found in the shadow of the mighty Mista volcano – Arequipa is dubbed “the white city” because of its iconic cityscape. Many of the colonial-style buildings here are made from sillar, a kind of chalky volcanic stone – a unique aesthetic that formed part of the case for Arequipa to become a World Heritage City, a status awarded by UNESCO in 2000. There's also a budding foodie scene, fantastic bars – and of course, plenty of culture. Tailormade itineraries such as Travel with Taste: Peru’s Spellbinding South include plenty of time to discover the aforementioned sites of Arequipa, as well as luxury lodgings at our favorite Cirqa Hotel, and a trip to the volcanic landscape of the Colca Canyon. Who is the Juanita Mummy, Arequipa? Discovered atop Ampato Mountain in 1995, in the Andes of Southern Peru, Juanita is not a mummy but a frozen 12-year-old Inca girl who was sacrificed to the gods in
The Juanita mummy is a must while exploring Arequipa, Peru’s second-largest city. A statement that has rung true for decades but one that has recently become more widely known, as Juniata was thrust back into the public eye in October of last year when archaeologists revealed a model showing what…
