The Huacachina Mermaid

HUACACHINA is a natural oasis in the desert of Ica, located at the south of Lima- Perù, famous for dune buggy rides and sandboarding. But did you know that there is a legend surrounding this beautiful oasis? 

The young Inca princess Huacay China, married a young warrior Ajall Krinaand and they were happy together, but Ajall was senT to war and he died during the battle. The princess full of sadness and tears went to the place where they met, she wept constantly, day after day, until her tears formed a small lagoon and she became a mermaid that protects it.

www.legendaryperu.com.pe

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Cruise to the city of Three-Frontiers

CONSTRUCTION of the new La Jangada catamaran began In April 2018. The 12 and 13-day adventure itineraries expect to be operational by April 2019 and will cruise through Brazil, Peru and Colombia. 

 La Jangada, which means The Raft in Portugese will have 12 luxurious and spacious cabins on board, each with a private bathroom and large windows that look out on to the river. This cruise is the only luxury tourist catamaran operating in the Amazon region. 

Cruise from Manaus, Brazil to Tefe, Brazil or from Manaus, Brazil to Leticia, Colombia. Leticia is also known as the city of Three-Frontiers, as it borders Brazil, Peru and Colombia.

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Magical places to retire to

A new report from the editors at Internationalliving.com points to five jaw-droppingly beautiful places to enjoy a magical retirement, for less. In the right places around the world, retirees can combine a fulfilling, affordable lifestyle in stunning surrounds. International Living’s report delves into five beautiful retirement havens—in Portugal, Mexico, Ireland, Peru, and Cambodia—that offer spectacular surroundings, high quality of life, and affordable costs.

A favorite summer retreat of the former royal family, Sintra is full of national treasures. Just a 40-minute train journey from Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, its palaces, mansions, and architectural follies deliver an enchanted setting. 

For those who dream of living a cosmopolitan lifestyle in a gorgeous setting, Cusco—Peru’s most historic city—is a front runner. This 500-year-old colonial gem has ample domed churches and ancient, pedestrian-only cobblestone streets. 

The west coast of Ireland is enormously inviting, with sandy coves tucked away between cliffs and rocky headlands. The difficult thing will be deciding where to settle—from the heathery mountains of Donegal down to the craggy peninsulas of Kerry, the entire western seaboard delivers a bonanza of scenic splendors. Spanned by a cycling or driving route known as the Wild Atlantic Way.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico was officially founded in 1541, getting rich when silver was discovered in the nearby states of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi. Supplying the mines and catering to the workers and travelers passing through brought wealth to the city. Plus many of the newly rich silver barons chose to live there. Today, its historic center is pretty much the same as it was 250 years ago, and in 2008 San Miguel was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City.

Siem Reap, Cambodia, the exotic sights and sounds of the Kingdom of Wonder shoots Cambodia to the top of many peoples’ wish list. The nation’s rich history, traditions and culture; its ancient temples, royal palaces and saffron-robed monks attract visitors and expats both. Known as Cambodia’s “temple town,” Siem Reap, in north-western Cambodia, is surrounded by the ruins of the ancient temple city.

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A challenge but not impossible

SOUTH America may seem like an unconventional choice for disabled travellers, but many countries here, including Peru have made great progress in improving their cities to be more accessible and wheelchair friendly.

Getting to Machu Picchu is difficult to reach, but especially if you need help in walking or use a wheelchair. Amazing Peru and Beyond however is not your ordinary travel company. When they launched "Amazing Peru Disability Travel," a travel program which invites disabled people filled with adrenaline to take part in (sometimes) extreme sports in Latin America, who would have thought that one of the highlights of their numerous operated disability tours would be an amazing Inca Trail Adventure with two wheelchair users and a film crew. 

Steve Gleason a former NFL football player who under the most difficult of circumstances experienced a seemless tour with many stories to tell. This documentary was televised by the NFL and shown on USA TV. With their team of expert assistants who have work experience in the Andean Mountains of Peru and the Himalayas, we made it possible to trek the 2 day Royal Inca Trail for two wheelchair-bound travellers as never before. 

This tour is an upscale adventure allowing for mobility-challenged individuals the chance to access Machu Picchu via the original Inca Trail, a truly unique journey that will empower all those who accomplish it.



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Ananay Hotel Group to open new boutique hotel in Arequipa in 2018

LUXURY hotel group Ananay will be opening its fifth property in Peru in 2018 – a new boutique hotel called Palacio La Merced – built in a stunning historical building in Arequipa. The hotel will have 41 rooms and will also feature one of the most important colonial art collections in the city belonging to one of the owners of the hotel. The hotel will be strategically located near the white city’s Plaza Mayor and main tourist attractions and historical sites. 

www.ananay-hotels.com

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Picture Credit: By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43285415

Panoramic view on the rails

TRAVELLERS venturing to Machu Picchu will have more choice of train travel from December 2017 following the inauguration of a new service by Inca Rail, the #MachuPicchu Train; Peru’s first scenic #train with dome-like panoramic windows. 

The train will boast taller and wider scenic windows stretching up into the dome of each carriage as well as an open-air observation carriage from which passengers can take photos as they pass through the Sacred Valley. Two return tickets in standard economy are priced from £238. 

www.incarail.com

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Kuélap Citadel recognised as 2018 hotspot

PERU's Kuelap Fortress was named as the winner of the ‘far and away overseas attraction’ award by the readers of National Geographic Traveller, whilst the Wall Street Journal recently featured Kuelap as number three in its top 10 'hot destinations'. 

The pre-Inca Kuelap Fortress was built and developed at an altitude of over 3,000 meters between the 6th and 16th centuries by the Chachapoyas people and is the largest stone structure in South America. It was rediscovered in 1843 and declared a cultural heritage site in 2003. 

The ruins of the pre-Inca city of Kuelap became more accessible earlier this year with the opening of a £18.5 million cable car in March 2017. The cable car takes just 20 minutes and is expected to increase tourist numbers significantly in the years to come. 

www.peru.travel

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Over the rainbow

THE Vinicunca Mountain, also known as the Rainbow Mountain, is no longer a secret tucked in the central Andes of #Peru. It has become an alternative attraction to the famed Machu Picchu citadel, and nowadays you can find day tours to visit this geological wonder. In fact, it’s becoming one of the top activities to do while in Cusco.

Locals say that the Rainbow Mountain used to be covered in glaciers that melted due to global warming, thus its late touristic discovery. The minerals in the Rainbow Mountain caused the sandstones to acquire a red rust-like color that contrasts the yellow, maroon and turquoise stripes, caused by the presence of other minerals combined with weathering; truly a geological wonder.

The Rainbow Mountain is now more accessible than ever thanks to http://RainbowMountain.Center, where you can book a day trip that leaves from Cusco early in the morning and arrives four hours later to the towns of Chilca or Japura situated at the bottom of the mountain. From there you’ll hike five miles for about two or three hours until you reach the peak. It sounds easy, but it’s actually challenging due to the elevation (17,000 feet).

Getting to the top of the Rainbow mountain involves a steep hike that could be extremely challenging for individuals who are not fully acclimatized to the altitude. It’s recommended you spend at least a couple of days in Cusco prior to the excursion.

Horse rentals and muleteers are also available for travelers not wanting to hike in high altitude. Locals rent horses to take you and your gear up and down covering 98% of the entire trek. There are 2 very steep sections that everyone has to hike on their own for about 10 minutes each in order to protect the horses from exhaustion.

Once you reach the Rainbow Mountain, the most scenic view is to trek to the top of the opposing mountain in order to take the classic Rainbow Mountain picture that is currently so popular in social media. From this summit, you can see the entire Red Valley below. Venturing into the Red Valley below makes you feel as if you are in a completely different planet as the vibrant red and yellow rocks and multi-color sediments create a truly unique environment unlike any other on planet earth.

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Peru nominated for 29 World Travel Awards

PERU has 29 nominations for the worldwide version of the 2017 World Travel Awards (WTA)–held on December 10 in Phu Quoc, Vietnam–, according to PROMPERÚ.

These nominations bring #Peru international attention and bolster the promotional efforts of the public and private sectors so more Peruvians can reap the benefits, helping improve quality of life in the cities and countryside.

This includes 21 nominations for the private sector – hotels, cruises, airports, and travel agencies – and eight for the country itself. Peru is competing for “Leading Culinary Destination,” a distinction Peru won the past five years in a row; “Leading Green Destination,” which the country won at the South American level this year; “Leading City Break Destination” and “Leading Meetings & Conference Destination” for Lima; “Leading Tourist Attraction” for Machu Picchu and lastly, “Leading Beach Destination” for Máncora.

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Solo travel top 5 destinations from Flash Pack

SOLO travel adventure holiday specialist Flash Pack was founded in 2014 by 30-somethings Radha Vyas and Lee Thompson, who were both frustrated by the lack of appealing group travel tour companies for single travellers their age.

Current bookings and recent search data show that certain destinations are top of the list for single travellers, who seek off the beaten track, small group adventures with like-minded travellers in their 30s and 40s.

1. Vietnam and Cambodia (60% female)

This 14-day adventure was one of the first tours launched in 2014 and continues to be the best seller. Each group has 14 people and a mix of Brits, Americans and Australians. Highlights of this tour include hiking the bamboo forests in Sapa, where few tour companies can go, a Hanoi street food tour, kayaking through limestone caves in Halong Bay, a Vietnamese cooking class and spending the night onboard a traditional junk boat.

2. Stunning Sri Lanka (80% female)

Rapidly catching up with Vietnam and Cambodia, is the popular Stunning Sri Lanka 11-day tour launched in 2015. It is a shorter trip and more appealing to people that haven’t travelled solo before. Flashpackers love the boutique hotels, visiting four UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Galle Fort, the Citadel of Polonnaruwa, Kandy and Sigiriya Rock Fortress), the wildlife safari in Yala National Park, bathing a local elephant in Amaya Lake, releasing baby turtles at a turtle-hatching project, and cycling through the ruins of Polonnaruwa by bike.

3. The Peak of Peru (50% male/50% female)

Since launching late 2016, each new date released of this 12-day tour is sold out within two weeks. The adventure level on his tour is higher as it includes challenges such as climbing the 5000m high Rainbow Mountain. Other highlights include exploring the capital city of Lima, boarding a traditional Amazonian boat into the jungle for a trek, cruising down the Madre de Dios River at night, strolling the charming streets of Cuzco, discovering Machu Pichu, cycling through the highlands of the Sacred Valley, and enjoy delicious Latin American cuisine washed down with potent Pisco sours.

4. Myanmar (40% male)

This unique 12-day tour attracts a different type of solo traveller to the other trips as it takes visitors completely off the beaten path to places where there are no other tourists. As an emerging destination, this tour is popular with well-travelled solo travellers. The best part is travelling down the Inle Lake toward Loikaw and meeting the Kayah’s Long Neck Karen tribe after a jungle picnic. Other highlights include a tour of Bagan’s temples by electric bike, a private cruise on the Ayeyarwady river, exploring Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset, trekking across Green Hill Valley and a visit to a Snake Temple.

5. Spain Vespa (50% male/50% female)

With so many ‘wow’ moments on this long weekend around the Segovia region of Spain, this is definitely the most instagrammed trip. Highlights including learning to ride an iconic vespa and feeling free whilst zooming through rural countryside with magnificent mountain views, visiting the stunning medieval villages of Riaza, Sepulveda and Pedraz, and enjoying local cuisines paired perfectly with local Spanish wines.

www.flashpack.com

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New permit system in operation for Machu Picchu

THE Ministry of Culture of #Peru has announced a new permit system for tourists visiting #MachuPicchu which took effect as of 1st July 2017.

The permit system will require all travellers to makes reservations online from the official Machu Picchu website or via a UK or Peru-based tour operator or agent. Visitors will also be restricted to two entry periods, in the morning from 6.00 – 12.00 or in the afternoon from 12.00 to 17.30. Those wishing to stay for the day will have to purchase two tickets, one for the morning and one for the afternoon.

From 1st July, the use of an official Machu Picchu Tour guide or licensed tour guide when visiting the site will be compulsory and guides will be able to lead groups of a maximum of 16 people.

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The Peak of Peru

FLASH Pack, the solo travel adventure specialist, offers a 12–day tour of #Peru with local Flash Pack guide & driver throughout the tour, two domestic flights to Maldonado & Cuzco, private minibus, Amazonian riverboats, mountain bikes and airport pickup.

The tour starts with exploring the rich culture of Peru’s capital before heading into the jungle on a typical Amazonian boat and trekking the epic habitat bursting with wildlife. 

Cruise down the Madre de Dios river on a night time boat through the jungle. Stroll the charming streets of Cuzco and admire the Inca heritage and artwork. Hike the kaleidoscopic Rainbow Mountain and sleep at a cosy base camp beneath the stars. Discover a lost city at Machu Picchu, a true bucket list destination. Mountain bike through the highlands of Sacred Valley and enjoy tasty Latin American cuisine washed down with potent Pisco sours.

From £2,299 per person: 11 nights’ twin-shared accommodation, including 11 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners.


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Gourmet Experiences in Latin America

LATIN America has continued to grow as a popular tourism destination in the first quarter of 2017. Visitor numbers to the region are looking very promising and the development of new hotels and increased air connectivity are expected to drive visitation further. Here are some offers LATA have recently written about from tour operators in Latin America. 

Luxury Hotel B located in the Lima, Peru’s Barranco district, has launched new culinary experiences touring the gastronomic capital of Latin America. Guests will visit a local coffee shop called Tostaduria Bisetti to taste a variety of coffees made from different Peruvian coffee beans and will take a tour of the Mercado Local de San Isidro, one of the capital’s biggest markets to sample local fruit. The experience also includes a cocktail making course to learn how to make pisco sours. The full day gastronomic experience is priced from £161, a half day from £61 and the cocktail class from £46. 
www.hotelb.pe

South American Tours has unveiled a 20-day gourmet journey in Argentina and Chile. The trip starts in Buenos Aires where visitors will experience a real Argentinean BBQ after a tour of the main highlights of the vibrant city. Guests will then travel to Mendoza to visit the Norton winery and enjoy a locally inspired cooking class, before heading to Bariloche to admire the spectacular landscape of Pucón and relax by the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake with the back drop of the Andes. The holiday continues to Chiloé Island located off the coast of southern Chile to visit a local market and taste cheese and oysters from the region. The price of the tour is available upon request. www.southamericantours.com

Panama Trails is offering guests a new day tour visiting a chocolate farm and botanical garden at Green Acres, an eco-farm nestled on the south shore of Dolphin Bay in Bocas Del Toro. The tour includes an introduction to the history of the property, a hike in the stunning Panamanian rainforest and a visit to a chocolate factory to learn about the different stages of chocolate production. Visitors will also be given time to discover the islands surrounding Bocas Del Toro. The tour is priced from £64 per person. www.panamatrails.com/dailytour/chocolateFarmandAndBotanicalGarden.htm

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An Amazing place to stay

INKATERRA has announced the launch of a new hotel in the heart of the Tampobata National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon called the Inkaterra Guides Field Station. 

Guests will have the option of staying in one of four ‘cabanas’ (small cabins) or, one of two large ‘pavilions’ featuring eight rooms which sleep up to four guests. The Inkaterra Guides Field Station includes a restaurant serving fresh local delicacies and an Eco Centre designed to educate guests on the local flora and fauna. 

Travellers will be offered the opportunity to explore the rainforest and participate in various conservation projects such as trips to the Gamitana Model Farm to work with local communities and the Bio-Orchard to learn about the sustainable techniques used in regional farming. 

www.inkaterra.com/guides-field-station

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Picture Credit: il.sandi 38053299@N08/12270636856 take-off via photopin

Travel by Inca Rail to Machu Picchu

INCA Rail is introducing two new additions as of January 2017. A new, enhanced version of their First Class service, which now features an Observatory- Lounge carriage with a balcony, bar and live music, as well as the launch of a new gourmet menu prepared using Andean ingredients, accompanied by wine. 

Inca Rail is also launching a new combined transfer service (bus and train) in which passengers will be collected from San Pedro Station in Cusco and taken to Inca Rail’s private parking facilities in Ollantaytambo, to then board the train for #Machu Picchu train station. For the return journey, the same sequence applies in reverse. 

www.incarail.com

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Extreme tourism a threat to Machu Picchu?

WITH over 1.3 Million visitors per year, #MachuPicchu is under tremendous environmental pressure. UNESCO had listed Machu Picchu among sites at risk due to extreme tourism along with another 54 sites around the world but after extensive structure work to better protect the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, UNESCO removed Machu Picchu from the endangered heritage list.

To protect the sanctuary, some of the upcoming changes include time limits at specific points, morning and afternoon shifts and certified guides requirement to enter the site. The restructuring looks to restore and integrate long-overlooked Inca trail, terraces and ceremonial ruins.

A new bridge joining the town of Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu Archaeological Park opened December 29th, 2016 for tourist visiting the ruins. The new structured will be named the Ruinas Bridge and expands over 150 feet above the Rio Alcamayo.

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Picture Credit: latindiscoveries 144691019@N08/30777748665 Machu Picchu via photopin

Andes Adventure

SOUTH AMERICA'S first luxury sleeper train, Belmond Andean Explorer is expected to launch May 2017, is set to travel along one of the highest rail routes on earth traversing the Peruvian #Andes from Cusco to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, exploring natural wonders and ancient kingdoms on one and two night journeys travelling through some of the most breathtaking scenery.

A choice of journeys will be available:

‘Peruvian Highlands’, a two night, three day journey departing from Cusco, across the highest plains of the Andes to Puno and Lake Titicaca and then onwards to the city centre of Arequipa.

‘Spirit of the Andes’ journey traverses the Altiplano from Lake Titicaca to Cusco, for an overnight escape.

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