The best way to visit the Peruvian Amazon in style is by luxury Amazon Cruise. Aqua Expeditions and Delfin are the two top cruise companies, with different size vessels than undertake cruises of differing durations. Aracari's team member Giovanna recently tested out one of the top luxury amazon river cruise options in Peru, the Delfin II. Here Giovanna shares her first hand review and impressions of the luxury Amazon river cruise aboard the Delfin II. Luxury Amazon River Cruise - Delfin II Day 1 - Arrival in Iquitos When the day finally arrived for me to go on my first Amazon river cruise, I excitedly headed to the airport in Lima for my flight to Iquitos. I took the earliest flight available so that I could get to know the city of Iquitos prior to boarding the cruise. In particular, I was interested in visiting the Quistococha Zoo, which I had heard a lot about. Upon arrival, one of the guides from the Delfin II cruise was waiting for me and accompanied me to the zoo. During the visit, I saw and learned about local flora and fauna, which made it a worthwhile visit, even though the zoo looked as if it could use some renovations. In the afternoon I headed back to the airport to wait for the rest of the guests that would be joining me on the cruise. Together we continued to the private dock in Iquitos from where Delfin’s cruise ships embark and we took a boat to the main ship. The sun was already setting as we arrived and saw the silhouette of the cruise ship floating in the distance. Once I was all settled on the Delfin II, I met some of the other guests and we talked about how we were looking forward to our four-day Amazon adventure. Day
The best way to visit the Peruvian Amazon in style is by luxury Amazon Cruise. Aqua Expeditions and Delfin are the two top cruise companies, with different size vessels than undertake cruises of differing durations. Aracari’s team member Giovanna recently tested out one of the top luxury amazon river cruise options…
This year the capital of Peru, Lima, will see hotel blackout dates from the 5th-12th October 2015 in Lima, Peru when there is currently no hotel availability. This blackout period is due to Peru hosting the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), taking place in Lima this year. The event takes place on the 9-11th October, impacting hotel availability on dates either side of the meetings. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to travel to Peru during these dates as this blackout applies to Lima only. Furthermore, we will be able to check the latest availability in Lima at the time of your request in case the situation changes.
This year the capital of Peru, Lima, will see hotel blackout dates from the 5th-12th October 2015 in Lima, Peru when there is currently no hotel availability. This blackout period is due to Peru hosting the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the…
Tierra de Los Yachaqs is a rural community based tourism initiative that welcome visitors to their villages to learn about traditional life in the Andes. From learning to weave in the village of Amaru, to hiking in the Sacred Valley, this is an authentic way to understand rural lifestyles first-hand. Aracari's Founder Marisol Mosquera shares her experience walking the Route of the Achupalla and escaping mass tourism entirely. Traditional life with Tierra de los Yachaqs Everybody who heads to Machu Picchu visits the Sacred Valley and Cusco which sees crowds sticking to the main and more popular sights. While “ticking off” the major sights is must for most visitors, to get you closer to the real Andean Peru it is well worth getting off the gringo trail for a more authentic and tourist-free experience. Community-based tourism initiative Tierra de los Yachaqs achieves just that. Getting away from the crowds It takes relatively little effort to reach areas where traditional life is the norm, and where very few visitors go, by simply driving uphill a bit towards the majestic mountains that line the Urubamba valley. Despite being close to the 'core' Sacred Valley circuit - known for Incan ruins like Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero, it is a world away. I recently visited with some friends and the result was a day full of the joy of true discovery. It was a close approach, which felt very and refreshingly authentic, to traditional rural life in the Andes. Andean Village Life Approximately 60 families live in the community of Janac Chuquibamba, near the village of Lamay, half an hour away on an unpaved road off of the main road from Cusco to Urubamba. These families, whose livelihood consists mainly of animal husbandry, subsistence agriculture and horticulture, have formed an association to run a community based tourism project in order to receive
Tierra de Los Yachaqs is a rural community based tourism initiative that welcome visitors to their villages to learn about traditional life in the Andes. From learning to weave in the village of Amaru, to hiking in the Sacred Valley, this is an authentic way to understand rural lifestyles first-hand….
Welcome to Hacienda Urubamba After a strenuous morning trek up Machu Picchu Montaña and a day exploring the famous ruins, I was ready for an evening of relaxation. A 45-minute drive from Ollantaytambo lies Hacienda Urubamba, the newest addition to Inkaterra hotels, at the end of a long dirt road, tucked into the foot of the towering mountains of the Sacred Valley. The view of the property from the road alone is impressive: a large hacienda-style building with bright lights streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the night. But it is the view from inside that is truly amazing. No matter where you are in the building you have a view of the valley, whether it is a mountaintop view from the courtyard or the expanse of green farmland stretching out into the distance as you sit in a cozy armchair in the lounge. The decor is tasteful and authentic, with colorful Andean textiles adorning the sofas and chairs in the lounge and bar area. The restaurant includes a fireplace and boasts the same panoramic views as the lounge. The menu included their take on traditional dishes and many of the ingredients are sourced directly from their farm, or chacra. Depending on the season, different dishes will be added or taken from the menu according to the seasonal fruits, vegetables and spices grown in the garden. All the choices on the menu looked fantastic which made it difficult for me to decide. I chose the pastel de choclo con cuy (corn pie layered with guinea pig ragu) as my entrada (starter) and the smoked paiche with baby carrots and eggplant puree in an Andean mint sauce as the main course. For dessert, I had the chocolate mousse with lúcuma. All three choices were delicious. Breakfast is available starting from 5am
Welcome to Hacienda Urubamba After a strenuous morning trek up Machu Picchu Montaña and a day exploring the famous ruins, I was ready for an evening of relaxation. A 45-minute drive from Ollantaytambo lies Hacienda Urubamba, the newest addition to Inkaterra hotels, at the end of a long dirt road,…
Corpus Christi Festival in Cusco The Corpus Christi Festival is Cusco's most important religious procession. The oldest religious festival in the Americas, it is a majestic display of vibrant costumes and passionate ritual. Read more about Peru's most important festival and events. The religious significance of the festival During this colorful and lively celebration, “Cuzequeñans” of all social and economic groups and classes flood the streets, carrying flowers and other offerings in their hands. Central to the celebration are the 15 adorned statues representing saints and religious figures perched atop litters for all to see. Members of each parish, from which the life-size figures are sourced, spend a full year planning the procession and raising funds for the sumptuous attire that embellishes each statue. The processions begin at the home Parish church, and with bands, dancers and other faithful members at their side, each litter proceeds to the Main Square, where a statue of Christ awaits and joins them to become a unified, glorious celebration. The religious statues remain in the Main Cathedral overnight, and the following day, the paramount celebration begins, with six hours of joyous dancing, music, and feasting perfectly complementing the religious festivities. Though the event is predominantly religious, fancy garb, choreographed dances, and troupes of musicians create a truly cultural experience. Read our top tips for enjoying Corpus Christi Festival Celebrating with food And no Peruvian festival is complete without food. In the evening, everyone enjoys a traditional meal known as Chiriuchu. Much how the festival brings together several of the nearby parishes and thousands of people from all over, the signature dish combines elements from different nearby regions. With corn as a base, a variety of meats including chicken, a type of jerky, sausage, and guinea pig are blended with cheese, a type of omelette, seaweed and
Corpus Christi Festival in Cusco The Corpus Christi Festival is Cusco’s most important religious procession. The oldest religious festival in the Americas, it is a majestic display of vibrant costumes and passionate ritual. Read more about Peru’s most important festival and events. The religious significance of the festival During this colorful and…
A few days ago I returned, renewed and exhilarated, from trekking the Ausangate Lodge Trek route along the southern face of Apu Ausangate in the Southern Andes of Peru--two hours from Cusco, as the Condor flies, and four hours driving distance. This is a fantastic trek in Peru for adventurous travellers. Ausangate Lodge Trek Apu Ausangate is the most sacred mountain deity in the Cusco region, deserving much respect and reverence, as well as pilgrimages and offerings. It stands majestically at 6,372 meters (20,905 ft), and is Peru's second highest peak. We stayed at Machuraccay Lodge right at the foot of this towering mountain on the second night of our trek. As is the custom, we made our respective offering the morning of our departure so Apu would grant us, and the llamas traveling with us, his blessing. Ausangate Eco-Lodges The 5 day/4 night Ausangate Lodge trek stretches along and between the four eco-lodges which constituted our home every night. This trek is not as well-known as the more popular and therefore more crowded treks in the Cusco region. In fact, the route is carefully designed to showcase distinct landscapes in the area and to avoid other hikers--not that there are many in the area--who hike while camping around the Ausangate peak. It would be fair to say that the route is exclusive to trekkers that stay in the lodges. The paths we used have been utilized for centuries and continue to be by local sheep and llama herders and by the locals who use their llamas for transport. The Social Project Due to the isolation in this region, the livelihood of the local people, even today, is very limited and provides them little income. It is based on weaving, sheep and llama herding and subsistence agriculture. The traditional value of
A few days ago I returned, renewed and exhilarated, from trekking the Ausangate Lodge Trek route along the southern face of Apu Ausangate in the Southern Andes of Peru–two hours from Cusco, as the Condor flies, and four hours driving distance. This is a fantastic trek in Peru for adventurous travellers….
