Aracari launches new Peru Family Itineraries 18 April 2013, Immediate Release Aracari Travel, an award winning travel agency based in Lima, Peru, has announced a range of new family-friendly tour itineraries for summer 2013. Family Travel Peru Responding to increasing demand for family-oriented experiences in Peru, Aracari Travel has developed two itineraries that incorporate the destinations, accommodations and activities that are most suited to younger families with children aged up to 12 years old as well as families with children aged 13 years and older. Both itineraries include a broad range of adventure activities, educational visits and opportunities to meet and interact with local people and communities. Activities for the younger itinerary include a trip to the Amazon rainforest, treasure hunts, interactive weaving lessons, a chocolate workshop and fishing excursions. The tour also includes a visit to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and Cusco. The older itinerary includes more adventurous activities such as surfing, mountain biking, hiking and driving sand buggies. In addition to visiting Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and Cusco, the older itinerary adds the Nazca Lines, Lima and Paracas National Reserve. Interest in family travel to Peru has grown rapidly in recent years with Aracari Travel noting a substantial increase in family requests since 2010. The Lima-based company attributes this to improvements in travel infrastructure and hotel accommodations as well as a growth in the number of destinations and activities suitable for younger travellers. This is particularly the case in the Amazon rainforest where a number of lodges have developed activities specifically for children, such as interactive rainforest trails and child-friendly field guides that are designed to teach youngsters the value of the natural environment. Other family-friendly activities have become widespread throughout the country over recent years such as horseback riding, quad biking, hot air ballooning and
Aracari launches new Peru Family Itineraries 18 April 2013, Immediate Release Aracari Travel, an award winning travel agency based in Lima, Peru, has announced a range of new family-friendly tour itineraries for summer 2013. Family Travel Peru Responding to increasing demand for family-oriented experiences in Peru, Aracari Travel has developed…
The best travel experiences are always well-balanced, multi-sensory and leave you with a positive lasting impression. During a recent visit to the humble abode of Aracari’s longtime friend Charo Leon, Simon, James and I had the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating life and selfless work of this Peruvian entrepreneur. Oh, and she just happens to be a master of jams, jellies, chutneys and marmalades as well :). I came to be acquainted with Charo when she came into the Aracari office one day to showcase the most recent collection of textiles and crafts produced by the hands of women from Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Chincha, Apurimac, Puno, Shipibo, and other locations across Peru. Her business is quite multifaceted, as she travels to various locations throughout the country, seeking out and working with under-educated women of all ages and teaching them how to produce a variety of traditional Peruvian handicrafts. She then helps to promote their work to vendors, acting as a facilitator between the two parties. Yet her goal is simple and pure: provide women with varied opportunities to become educated. Through the reintroduction of traditional textile- and craft-making techniques, Charo provides local woman with an opportunity to preserve their identities and to improve the quality of their lives. Each woman dedicates a countless number of hours to technical training to master their skills, to produce high-quality goods, and to take pride in their work. Once these skills have been mastered, she helps her artisans to understand modern business models in which trends in fashion become a guideline for creating profitable yet authentic products. Beyond the skills necessary for creating beautiful handicrafts, Charo teaches practical, lifelong lessons and encourages them to reach their long-term goals by furthering their education. Knowledge, she noted, is a catalyst for positive change, and by
The best travel experiences are always well-balanced, multi-sensory and leave you with a positive lasting impression. During a recent visit to the humble abode of Aracari’s longtime friend Charo Leon, Simon, James and I had the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating life and selfless work of this Peruvian…
Peru’s premiere fashion event kicks off this week with Lima Fashion Week (LIF Week) taking place at the Jockey Club between April 8th and 12th. Setting the stage for the country’s best designers, the shows allows them to showcase their latest collections and to give attendees, and the world for that matter, a chance to see some of the creativity that has been brewing here in Peru. With amazingly talented designers and a wide variety of local fabrics and raw materials, Lima Fashion Week is sure to be a treat and is deserving of the world’s attention. In the past, Peru has never been a country particularly known for its fashion, and the industry here is still in its infancy compared to the Paris’ and Milan’s of the world. However, it is going through a period of rapid expansion and initiatives such as this week’s events aim to be the platform that helps to continue to expose Peruvian talent and thus, contribute to the development of the industry as a whole. This years LIF Week, the fourth edition of the event, is set to feature 15 designers, including several who have already achieved international acclaim such as Ani Alvarez Calderón, Ana María Giulfo, and Claudia Jimenez as well three young, up-and-coming designers (Alessandra Petersen, Itala Testino and Yirko Sivirich) who are participating for the first time. Support for the show includes prominent national brands Illaria, Basement, and Kuna, and LIF features fashion icon and special guest Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, the infamously bold and eclectic Spanish designer. Get ready fashionistas, its about to get haute.
Peru’s premiere fashion event kicks off this week with Lima Fashion Week (LIF Week) taking place at the Jockey Club between April 8th and 12th. Setting the stage for the country’s best designers, the shows allows them to showcase their latest collections and to give attendees, and the world for…
When I popped by the exhibition of the parents of one of Aracari's specialist guides in Lima yesterday evening, I was delighted to find a cornucopia of vibrant paintings, elegant sculptures and a treasure trove of detailed sketches, drawings, watercolours and prints. The exhibition, currently being shown at the ICPNA, documents the life and work of Peruvian sculptor Isabel Benavides and her husband, American painter John H. Davis. It is a celebration of their invaluable efforts in promoting traditional, popular and modern art in Peru, supporting young artists in the country and diffusing the work of Peruvian artists overseas. The story of this couple is as enthralling as the work on display. After having met at school in the States they moved to Peru, where in 1954 they set up the Art Center in Miraflores. As was common in the USA at the time, but still relatively unheard of in Peru, they offered classes and workshops in contemporary art in various medium, while also giving artists a space to exhibit their work and to discuss ideas through conferences. By 1962 it had become an institution dedicated to "increasing the artistic knowledge and skills of children, young people and adults and to investigate and disseminate popular art." Due to their indefatigable efforts in teaching and promoting Peruvian artwork as well as various activities being developed at the Art Center between 1954 and 1973, the couple found little time to promote their own work. This current exhibition aims to redress that, and it is indeed the first time that their own work has been exhibited together, John Davis only having exhibited once previously in Lima. The work on display is a delight. As well as a series of colourful paintings of Ayacucho, watercolours and prints, I was particularly captivated by John Davis'
When I popped by the exhibition of the parents of one of Aracari’s specialist guides in Lima yesterday evening, I was delighted to find a cornucopia of vibrant paintings, elegant sculptures and a treasure trove of detailed sketches, drawings, watercolours and prints. The exhibition, currently being shown at the ICPNA,…
Following our visit to Tacama, we were wondering what to expect from Santiago Queirolo, another widely popular Peruvian wine and pisco producer. This would be the final stop of our weekend tour of some of Ica’s distilleries and vineyards and where we would be spending the night. Las Viñas Queirolo, a boutique hotel and small onsite production facility, is located in the heart of Queirolo's Ica vineyards through the large gates and at the end of a long dirt driveway, completely surrounded by that year’s Merlots, Cab Sauvs, and other grapes waiting to be harvested, in a beautiful white colonial-style hacienda, a brick courtyard with a terraced gazebo, and fountain surrounded by green grass and colorful flowers. Was this, too, merely a facade for another disappointing visit? Fortunately, it proved to be quite the opposite. Open the door of Las Viñas Queirolo Hotel in Ica We were greeted by a hotel employee, Claudia, who told us a bit about the property and assisted us in checking-in. After quickly dropping our bags off, we sat down on one of the many outdoor terraces tucked away among the vines for a bite to eat, enjoying the magnificent view of the surrounding grapes. The onsite restaurant “Las Viñas” offers tasty food and filling portions incorporating some local ingredients such as pallares, a type of bean, and pecans, grown on the vineyard’s grounds. The hotel’s sommelier conveniently lists suggested wine pairings for most dishes on the menu, an excellent opportunity to try out their offerings including their relatively new line Intipalka - but more about the wine later. My only complaint about the restaurant and food was the lack of variety between the lunch and dinner menus, but with several different options, it is still possible enjoy an assortment of dishes and flavors over the course
Following our visit to Tacama, we were wondering what to expect from Santiago Queirolo, another widely popular Peruvian wine and pisco producer. This would be the final stop of our weekend tour of some of Ica’s distilleries and vineyards and where we would be spending the night. Las Viñas Queirolo, a…
Easter Week, or Semana Santa as it is known in Latin America, is one of the most anticipated and celebrated times of the entire year. Throughout Peru, a variety of captivating events, processions, and celebrations mark the start of Holy Week. Visitors spending Easter in Peru can expect opportunities to see colorful local festivities played out. Traditional Festivities - Easter In Peru Perhaps the most famous of all Easter celebrations takes place in Ayacucho, Peru. Attracting thousands of visitors from all over, Semana Santa in Ayacucho has long been considered Peru’s most spectacular religious festival, transforming this otherwise small Andean city into the host of a beautiful and intense ten-day celebration. Beginning on the Friday before Palm Sunday, the events commence with a procession honoring “Our Lady of Sorrows” during which visitors should watch out for customary pebbles launched from slingshots meant to share the “sorrows” of the Virgin. The following Sunday celebrates the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem, recreating this scene with a statue of Christ arriving to the city’s main plaza on a mule greeted by thousands of devout Christians waving blessed palm leaves (hence the name “Palm Sunday”) before eventually concluding at the Cathedral. Each day that follows features its own colorful procession or religious event giving participants a chance to demonstrate their devotion. One of the most significant of these occurs on Holy Wednesday in the Plaza de Armas, a symbolic reenactment of the meeting between Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Images of the two are carried on thrones with candles through the streets as onlookers, many emotionally moved, watch carefully in an expression of their faith. Good Friday, a day of mourning for Christ’s death, during which all the city’s lights are turned off and the streets are illuminated by a beautifully solemn candlelight procession.
Easter Week, or Semana Santa as it is known in Latin America, is one of the most anticipated and celebrated times of the entire year. Throughout Peru, a variety of captivating events, processions, and celebrations mark the start of Holy Week. Visitors spending Easter in Peru can expect opportunities to…
