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….
Lima is home to a range of exclusive private homes. Casa García Alvarado is a Republican home in the heart of Miraflores that welcomes visitors behind closed doors to visit the grounds and enjoy a meal with the owners for an exclusive insight into Lima's history. Casa Garcia Alvarado in Lima At the beginning of the twentieth century, Lima’s upper class started to move from the center of Lima towards the coast. Miraflores became one of the first residential districts where Limeños purchased land and built vacation-style homes. One of these houses, Casa García Alvarado, not only still stands in very good condition, but is open to visitors interested in learning about the history of Lima from the perspective of a Peruvian family. It is also available for private lunches and dinners as well as private functions such as wedding receptions. Meeting the owners Aracari visited recently and was welcomed by the owner Mrs. Ana Maria García Alvarado de Astudillo for a tour and to enjoy this special insider experience in Peru. We were greeted at the door and lead into the drawing room and offered a pisco sour each or a non-alcoholic refreshment and the rounds of hors d’oeuvres began. Ana Maria soon joined us and greeted us in perfect English, explaining that she went to an American school in Lima run by nuns from Philadelphia when she was young. She is now so accustomed to conversing in English with the guests she shows her house to that giving descriptions and telling stories often comes out automatically in English instead of her native Spanish. She also speaks basic Italian and German. Life growing up in Lima As we spoke with Ana Maria and enjoyed our hors d’oeuvres she told us about her childhood growing up in the house, how her
Lima is home to a range of exclusive private homes. Casa García Alvarado is a Republican home in the heart of Miraflores that welcomes visitors behind closed doors to visit the grounds and enjoy a meal with the owners for an exclusive insight into Lima’s history. Casa Garcia Alvarado in…
La Paz from the air Sitting at an altitude of 3,650m (almost 12,000 ft), the cable cars in La Paz offer an unbelievable view of the city spreading as far as the eye can see, including the historic center, neighborhoods built into the mountains, and the snow-capped Andes. Cable cars are gaining popularity in Latin America as a way to escape vehicular congestion while traveling in the city. La Paz is the latest South American city to implement a cable car system. Rush hour traffic can be especially frustrating for those with long commutes to and from work, or just anyone trying to get somewhere! When some think of cable cars, they may think of the classic trolleys like those in San Francisco. The La Paz cable cars, called Mi Teleférico, are gondola lifts, and are actually similar to ski lifts in that they are suspended high above the city and move along a cable to transfer passengers from one location to another. Last week, April 23rd, was the first anniversary of the inauguration of cable cars in La Paz, Bolivia. It also happened to be the day when the twenty millionth passenger rode on Mi Teleférico. Construction of the first part of the cable car system started in July, 2012. There are currently three lines operating, the red, yellow, and green lines representing the colors of the Bolivian flag. There are 11 stations including a double station that serves as the end of the yellow and the green lines. Six more lines have been approved and are in the planning stages. The red and yellow lines connect La Paz with El Alto, a neighboring city and home of the international airport that serves La Paz. Because of the large Aymara population living in and around La Paz and El
La Paz from the air Sitting at an altitude of 3,650m (almost 12,000 ft), the cable cars in La Paz offer an unbelievable view of the city spreading as far as the eye can see, including the historic center, neighborhoods built into the mountains, and the snow-capped Andes. Cable cars…
The third edition of Art Lima, Peru’s most important international contemporary art event, opened for the public on Thursday, April 23rd and runs until Sunday, April 26th. The event is being held in the Escuela Superior de Guerra del Ejército, a former military building in the Chorrillos district of Lima. Aracari was invited to the inauguration on Wednesday evening. Once inside the large white building, a wide open space opens up in front of you--a combination between a patio and a garden filled with exhibition booths in tidy rows. Around the perimeter, there are two floors housing various exhibition booths for each gallery. A large black awning covers the open air center of the building, giving the impression that you are indoors even as you feel the slight breeze and cool humidity in the air. A small version of the San Antonio cafe is set up in the center of the space and sells empanadas, sandwiches, pastries, and hot and cold beverages. People sat near the cafe and meandered around taking in the fascinating artwork and installations. There was a mixed crowd ranging from young to old and many well-dressed members of the Lima art world. There are so many things to see, you could easily spend hours perusing the galleries. There are 58 art galleries from 16 countries and covering 22 cities and showcasing works of art from over 300 artists. There is a variety of contemporary art on display including photographs, sculptures, videos, and paintings from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Spain, France, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, and the United States. Something a little different from other art shows, especially of this size, is that many of the artists were present and engaging the audience, explaining their pieces. We had the opportunity to
The third edition of Art Lima, Peru’s most important international contemporary art event, opened for the public on Thursday, April 23rd and runs until Sunday, April 26th. The event is being held in the Escuela Superior de Guerra del Ejército, a former military building in the Chorrillos district of Lima….
