When you’ve had your fill of Inca sights in and around Cusco, there is no better way to relax and enjoy Peruvian culture than taking Marcelo Batata's interactive Peruvian Cusco Cooking Class. This culinary experience proved to be much more than just a cooking class: it was a real window into Peru's history and society through food. It was a great way to get a hands-on understanding on why Peru is now firmly on the world's culinary map as one of the best food destinations on the planet. Having tried and tested culinary experiences across the country, this Cusco Cooking Class is definitively a must-try for foodies looking to enjoty the best a culinary tour Peru can offer. Interactive Cusco Cooking Class Dining at Lima's top gourmet restaurants is one important facet of Peruvian cuisine today, but with this educational and fun cooking class you get an in-depth appreciation for what makes Peruvian ingredients so extraordinary, for a better understanding of why the country's food scene has flourished. In the cooking class you learn to prepare two traditional Peruvian dishes with expert tuition: causa and lomo saltado. And vegetarians, vegans or anyone with allergies or sensitivities need not worry: the class accommodates any dietary restrictions. Background: The Expert Chef The chef behind the restaurants Marcelo Batata, Uchu and Blue Puppy is Erick Paz Gallegos, a Cusco native, who is currently embarking on several projects that include restaurant openings in international locations and the development of a culinary school—in addition to his professional rally racing. Friends from America begged him to teach them how to cook—after which the flow of people asking him to teach them continued until he finally opened the classes to the public at Marcelo Batata. His focus is on the fusion of culinary traditions from the diverse cultures that coexist in
When you’ve had your fill of Inca sights in and around Cusco, there is no better way to relax and enjoy Peruvian culture than taking Marcelo Batata’s interactive Peruvian Cusco Cooking Class. This culinary experience proved to be much more than just a cooking class: it was a real window…
In addition to the eclectic collection of folk art that Las Pallas offers to visitors with an eye for quality, the shop has once again set up an impressive display of Christmas and holiday crafts and art collected from all over Peru. We listed Las Pallas in our holiday shopping guide last year and have profiled the shop in two previous blogs, which you can check out: 25 Years of Las Pallas, Arts and Crafts in Barranco Bird Watching in Barranco: Las Pallas features Peruvian artisans avian artwork Shop owner Mari Solari has an eye for folk art and decades of experience seeking out and extracting quality artisanal works from a myriad of Peruvian cultures. In keeping with the Las Pallas tradition, she has transformed what is usually her living room into a public Christmas exhibit, featuring an ornamented cactus as well as a mountain of nativity scenes and colorful crafts in honor of the “Apus” (mountain deities) of Peru. Everything on the ‘Christmas Cactus’ and mountain display is for sale, except for the cactus itself, which will return to Mari’s personal garden at the end of the season. The decorations are a mix of carved, hand painted angels, woven pieces like llamas and wooden ornaments of little animals of Peru like the famous cuy (or guinea pigs). Most notably, the Christmas exhibit displays handmade nativity scenes from all different regions and cultures in Peru, from the coast to the sierra and the selva (rainforest). Each set is completely unique and representative of the region. Even for those who do not celebrate Christmas, the artistry is something to marvel at; the various different scenes and religious figures are all distinct and crafted with care. There are also several intricate retablos of the nativity scene that are a typical adornment in
In addition to the eclectic collection of folk art that Las Pallas offers to visitors with an eye for quality, the shop has once again set up an impressive display of Christmas and holiday crafts and art collected from all over Peru. We listed Las Pallas in our holiday shopping…
Luxury hotel in Peru Beach bliss in Peru is an increasingly tempting prospect with a number of new properties opening on the country’s northern shores. We recently had the opportunity to preview the latest beachfront venue in Mancora, KiChic, before its public debut. Mancora already counts with several beachfront resorts, a handful of which have surpassed our expectations for example the recently revamped Arennas Mancora, so the bar for accommodations has been set pretty high in the area. KiChic certainly does not disappoint, targeting visitors who are looking for relaxation and bliss with a “Zen” atmosphere exemplified by ample space for yoga and a vegan kitchen. It is a property for adults because of its menu and focus on meditation and relaxation. When I visited, I was immediately struck by the tranquility of KiChic that can be felt just as you enter the reception area. The decorations are tasteful and understated with many original sculptures and pottery and a neutral, earthy color palette that soothes the eyes. What especially impressed me was the incorporation of nature into the property, which has created many open air spaces, including open air showers/bathtubs in the suites. This way, you can fully immerse in the beautiful landscape of the Mancora beaches and the lush gardens of KiChic. There are six suites in total, each one has a unique name as well as distinct features and personality. There is one spacious master suite (Suite), which is the only room on the second floor with incredible ocean views; two junior suites (Ki and Elephante), also with ocean views and two terraces, one open air, the other covered with netting; and three superior rooms (Barro, Piedra and Hualtaco) that are smaller but also lovely. All of the rooms have ceiling fans but only the Suite currently has air conditioning,
Luxury hotel in Peru Beach bliss in Peru is an increasingly tempting prospect with a number of new properties opening on the country’s northern shores. We recently had the opportunity to preview the latest beachfront venue in Mancora, KiChic, before its public debut. Mancora already counts with several beachfront resorts,…
Machu Picchu Luxury trips During my tour of Machu Picchu, our guide pointed to Huayna Picchu, the mountain that overlooks the citadel, and said, “Do you see those, little dots on the side of the mountain? Those are people climbing to the top. Not a hike for people with vertigo.” I squinted to see them from where I stood and suddenly felt nervous about my climb scheduled for the following morning. It didn’t help when the guide mentioned the cords attached to the mountain walls for the parts that were nearly vertical or the uneven boulders at the peak that you had to balance atop to look over the edge. Coming from the city, I’m not much of a hiker and certainly not a mountain climber, so I knew that the following day would definitely be an adventure for me. The next morning I woke up before the sun rose, ate a protein-packed breakfast and got one of the buses up to Machu Picchu. I was one of the 200 who would enter in the first time slot, between seven and eight in the morning. The second entry hour was at ten. There are a couple of ways to get to the entrance of Huayna Picchu, and all involve crossing Machu Picchu, rewarding early risers with a privileged view of a largely empty citadel outlined by the sharp shadows of the new sun. As I waited in line, I studied the sign that showed the different paths to take. There was one that lead up to Huchuy Picchu, a smaller mountain beside Huayna Picchu, there was the path up to the summit of Huayna Picchu and another, called La Gran Caverna (The Great Cavern), which was about a four hour trek that would take you all the way around the
Machu Picchu Luxury trips During my tour of Machu Picchu, our guide pointed to Huayna Picchu, the mountain that overlooks the citadel, and said, “Do you see those, little dots on the side of the mountain? Those are people climbing to the top. Not a hike for people with vertigo.”…
Highlights of Northern Peru: The Moche Route & Chicama Resort This guest blog article was written by Liam Browne and Piotr Piecha, who travelled with Aracari along the Moche Route on Peru's north coast in April 2013. The Moche Route: More than Machu Picchu The Moche Route: To drive north of Trujillo into the desert valleys once ruled for centuries by the Mochica people is to enter a world of lost treasure boxes only re-opened in our lifetime – and the tremendous joy was in exploring it with the people who had discovered it! When one thinks of ancient Mexican great civilisations, the Aztecs and the Maya immediately come to mind. However, when Peru is mentioned, generally one only thinks of the Inca – perhaps in a decade or so, the Moche, who were contemporaneous with the Maya, will be just as widely known. Being introduced to the wondrous excavations of Huacas del Moche and the unforgettable museum recently completed with the aid of the Ford Foundation was like exploring Machu Picchu with Hiram Bingham. It was here that Aracari hit another home run! (this was our second trip to Peru with Aracari). In the Temple of the Moon (Huaca de la Luna), they somehow managed to allow us to get our noses right up to the most magnificent multi-story frieze – “The Order of the World” by the Moche People of Northern Peru. This mystical moment alone made this long voyage worth it and unforgettable! Archaelogical Highlights At Huacas del Moche, El Brujo and Sipan, we were awed by the sophisticated murals, gold artefacts and ceremonial architecture. Also, looking across at so many pyramid mounds still covered with earth overgrown by vegetation, it seems there is much still to be unearthed. For intrepid travellers who have visited more than 100 countries, this
Highlights of Northern Peru: The Moche Route & Chicama Resort This guest blog article was written by Liam Browne and Piotr Piecha, who travelled with Aracari along the Moche Route on Peru’s north coast in April 2013. The Moche Route: More than Machu Picchu The Moche Route: To drive north…
Vendors at the Pisac Market were just setting up their stalls when I arrived at the main plaza this past Saturday morning ahead of a visit to the community of Amaru. Currently on an inspection trip to Cusco, I was going with the translator, Pilar, into the mountains east of Pisac to participate in a textile demonstration and lunch organized by the comunity based tourism initiative Tierra de los Yachaqs. Traditional Textiles with Tierra de los Yachaqs Amaru is one of eight communities that form a coalition called Tierra de los Yachaqs, an initiative that allows local people to participate in the very same tourism industry that has transformed the Cusco region. Aracari first started arranging visits in 2011 when Tierra de los Yachaqs first began in support of responsible tourism in Peru. A window into tural Life in the Sacred Valley Before my visit, I had mentioned Amaru to several people I’d met who live in the Valley, but none of them seemed to know the community because it is tucked away in the Andes, about 20 minutes away from Pisac. Quechua is the common language of the inhabitants of Amaru (hence the translator), and most families work in agriculture and animal domestication. The initiative gives many of the 200 families of Amaru a chance to earn extra income by offering tours that teach visitors about an aspect of their culture, like weaving, which they have chosen. Trained local guides are accompanied by a translator during the visit, but they are the ones who lead and design the tour. Arriving at Amaru After a bumpy but scenic ride along a narrow, dirt road, Pilar and I arrived at Amaru and the workshop where we’d be participating in the textile demonstration. As I entered a small opening in a stone wall
Vendors at the Pisac Market were just setting up their stalls when I arrived at the main plaza this past Saturday morning ahead of a visit to the community of Amaru. Currently on an inspection trip to Cusco, I was going with the translator, Pilar, into the mountains east of…
