Interview with Mark Green, Aracari Travel Planner Machu Picchu is Peru's most popular tourist attraction, receiving close to 1.6 million visitors in 2018. Hiking to Machu Picchu, either on the Inca Trail or via one of the alternative trails, is a truly awe-inspiring way to journey to one of the 7 recognized new wonders of the world. Furthermore, the Inca Trail affords travelers the unique possibility of visiting 4 significant and beautiful Inca sites along the way. This is a unique feature of the Inca Trail. So, whilst the global pandemic may have put many people’s travel plans for 2020 on hold, it certainly hasn’t diminished their plans and aspirations for one-day visiting the lost city of the Incas. That's why we decided to interview Mark, one of our expert travel designers, who has kindly shared with us an update about hiking to Machu Picchu. Mark moved to Peru from Great Britain over a decade ago. After several years exploring every hidden corner in the southern Andes and a lengthy spell accompanying tour groups along the hiking trails near Machu Picchu, Mark joined the Aracari team in 2013 as one of our expert Travel Designers. As an avid trekker, he has hiked most the trails in Peru. Mark’s unique in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience of the trails make him the ideal person to discuss your plans to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Given The Ongoing Pandemic, Is It Possible To Hike The Inca Trail To Machu Picchu? Pre-COVID, we would expect tickets to Machu Picchu to go on sale in December for travel in the following year. Similarly, Inca Trail permits for both the 4-day and 1-day trails would normally be released for sale in October for travel in the following year. In March 2020, when the pandemic
Interview with Mark Green, Aracari Travel Planner Machu Picchu is Peru’s most popular tourist attraction, receiving close to 1.6 million visitors in 2018. Hiking to Machu Picchu, either on the Inca Trail or via one of the alternative trails, is a truly awe-inspiring way to journey to one of the…
Pandemic Tales from Peru: Penélope Alzamora Whilst international travel remains largely restricted, Aracari is still bringing you inspiring tales of people and culture from Peru, Bolivia, and the Galapagos. This month Aracari spoke with Peruvian Chef, Penélope Alzamora, our close friend and associate who for many years has looked after Aracari’s VIP guests on culinary experiences and cooking classes in Lima. In recent months she has witnessed first-hand how Lima's world-famous food scene has been affected by the global pandemic, whilst simultaneously observing the values that triumph in adversity. Peru's Food Culture "To understand food is to understand culture", declares Penélope. Undoubtedly, Peruvian food reflects the melting pot of cultures that the country is. Before we delve into the effects of the pandemic, it’s important to understand how the gastronomy of Peru came to be; "First there was the Incas, who harvested quinoa, amaranth, cacao ... then the Spanish, who brought with them ingredients like tomato, onion, peppers ... the African population, who cooked with chilies, pulses, offal ... and the Japanese, who fished the ocean and even introduced our modern way of preparing Ceviche." New Andean Cuisine Contemporary Peruvian cuisine, the dishes served up in some of Lima's best restaurants, is a (re)discovery of the native ingredients and exotic flavors found across Peru - an area that features 28 of the UN's 32 recognized climates in the world. This diversity of environments is reflected in the array of cooking ingredients and produce to be found in markets across Peru. It was whilst touring the food markets in Peru for the TV series, Aventura Culinaria, that Penélope’s former business partner, Chef Gastón Acurio (Astrid y Gastón), saw the opportunity to put Peru on the gastronomic map of the world. Penélope says "No person has been more influential in creating this
Pandemic Tales from Peru: Penélope Alzamora Whilst international travel remains largely restricted, Aracari is still bringing you inspiring tales of people and culture from Peru, Bolivia, and the Galapagos. This month Aracari spoke with Peruvian Chef, Penélope Alzamora, our close friend and associate who for many years has looked after…