Caral and Cajamarca: Highlights of the North Northern Peru is an Aracari must and Nigel Richardson shares his insights on why now's the time to visit the wondrous Pre-Inca archeological site of Caral as well as the Northern Peru's colonial gem called Cajamarca. Take a look at what he had to say in the UK's Daily Telegraph Peru: A history lost in the ruins Done Machu Picchu? There's more to Peru's ancient past, Nigel Richardson discovers in Caral and Cajamarca About Caral Journalist Nigel Richardson writes: ''As the 21st century dawned, Caral took centre-stage. In 2000, carbon dating of a bag woven from plant fibres proved that the 163-acre site had been built between 3000 and 2100BC, making it the oldest civilisation on the continent of the Americas and contemporaneous with the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. At a stroke, Caral was rocketed into the archaeological superleague''. About Cajamarca The quaint colonial city of Cajamarca sits in a lush valley dotted with eucalyptus groves and roving cattle. Rivaled only by Cusco in Andean charm, Cajamarca is the cultural and commercial center of the Peruvian highlands. The city is renowned for its rich cheeses and dairy products, and its mild, dry and sunny weather makes it pleasant to visit throughout the year. Nevertheless, this little-known destination is almost untouched by tourists. Cajamarca is a reminder of Peru's riches and is just one of an almost immeasurable number of opportunities to explore beyond the traditional tourist destinations. Cajamarca is best known as the place where the Inca Empire began its end. In 1532, Atahualpa, the final sovereign ruler of the Inca Empire, was en route to Cusco to claim his throne after defeating his brother, Huáscar, in battle. When he stopped in Cajamarca, conquistador Francisco Pizarro was waiting with 168 soldiers, who had
Caral and Cajamarca: Highlights of the North Northern Peru is an Aracari must and Nigel Richardson shares his insights on why now’s the time to visit the wondrous Pre-Inca archeological site of Caral as well as the Northern Peru’s colonial gem called Cajamarca. Take a look at what he had to…
Trekking in Peru without camping In the "top ten things to do before you die" list, trekking to Machu Picchu just became more than just a pipedream for those who simply could not face the idea of camping out. Two incredible initiatives have accomplished amazing feats of engineering by building top quality lodges at high altitudes in remote areas of Peru. Trekking in Peru: Salkantay Lodge-to-Lodge Trek Now you can truly trek along the Salcantay route to the foot of Machu Picchu in style, safe in the knowledge that at the end of a good days walking, you can relax in a hot shower and enjoy a fabulous meal before retiring your comfortable bed. Staying at different lodges along the route, your adventure includes traversing across magnificent mountain passes, witnessing mystical mountain peaks and passing through an incredible nine different ecosystems in all. Trek the spectacular Cordillera Vilcabamba range, passing glorious peaks and lush tropical vegetation en route to Machu Picchu. The trekking route is six days and five nights, with an additional night then at Machu Picchu. Read the Salkantay Lodge-to-Lodge itinerary here. Trekking in Peru: Ausangate Lodge-to-Lodge Trek If this is too tame for you, the second initiative, a joint partnership by our friend, the renowned guide Roger Valencia and the shepherding communities of the Chillca and Orefina, takes you higher, deep within the rugged landscape of the Ausangate range of Southern Peru. Under the protection of the Ausangate mountain (20,945ft / 6,384m), they have built four comfortable, eco-friendly "tambos", lodges ideal to rest weary feet after five days of trekking at these altitudes. The Ausangate Trek is breathtaking – accompanied by llamas and horses – round the highest sacred mountain in Cusco, Apu Ausangate. At high altitude, it requires acclimatization beforehand. Routes vary in length: we highliy
Trekking in Peru without camping In the “top ten things to do before you die” list, trekking to Machu Picchu just became more than just a pipedream for those who simply could not face the idea of camping out. Two incredible initiatives have accomplished amazing feats of engineering by building…
Excluding the KLM problems that we have discussed the holiday was a wonderful experience and we will have so many happy memories. The rainforest was terrific and our guide Vico was so helpful and knowledgeable. He always kept us informed with so many explanations of what we saw and his enthusiasm for the environment was infectious. He had a unique ability to judge what we wanted to see and do. A smile was always on his face and he set the tone for our entire holiday. I have to also say that Raul Varela (Aracari in Lima) was brilliant and we owe him and his staff a great big Thank You for all they did throughout our stay. We had full confidence in everything they did.Then we moved on to Cusco and Maria del Carmen Vargas (Aracari) was equally helpful and was always available. She obtained a wonderful guide for our next part of the holiday. Adriel Vilcas was a true 'Andean' and knew so much about the local history and due to his local knowledge and contacts took us to villages and sites that most guides would not have been able to do so. He made the whole area 'come alive'. He was invaluable when sorting out the fiasco of Puno. There the local Aracari representative was only noticeable by her/his entire absence. More of that later. We loved this part of our holiday and Sacred valley came alive because of Adriel's explanations. Machu Picchu was as brilliant and awesome as we had dreamed and all the hotels in this area were everything we could have wanted. The train journey was wonderful and unlike British Rail it was clean and on time! Then we moved to Puno. The hotel said we were not booked in that night and were
Excluding the KLM problems that we have discussed the holiday was a wonderful experience and we will have so many happy memories. The rainforest was terrific and our guide Vico was so helpful and knowledgeable. He always kept us informed with so many explanations of what we saw and his…
The Spanish Conquistadors did more than defeat the Incas in the 16th Century. They sowed the seeds for the evolution of a unique breed of horse, the Peruvian Paso Horse, which is often referred to today as the ‘smoothest ride in the world'. Here we provide information on this special breed or horse and where to see a Peruvian paso horse demonstration as part of a luxury travel peru tailormade journey. The unique characteristics of the Peruvian Paso Horse At the core of its popularity is the extraordinary natural four beat lateral gait that the Peruvian Paso horse unusually passes through the generations. In layman's terms, the forelegs ‘almost prance', like the horse is always on parade – a graceful, flowing motion called ‘termino'. Bred for luxury and endurance by a select group of prominent Peruvian families for over 450 years, this compact, sturdy horse evolved to ride long distances comfortably, often across savage Andean mountain ranges. Unsurprisingly, the breed developed a congenial nature as with the landowners having little time, the unfortunate individuals with a bad disposition were simply discarded. ‘Brio' is the word most often used to describe the Peruvian Paso horse's nature. Deceptively short as a term, it stands for intelligence, grace, pride, dignity, docility and gentleness. These horses are renowned for their love of people, particularly their owners whom they become extremely attached to. After 450 years of quiet evolution and steadfast service, the Peruvian Paso horse is experiencing something of a boom in worldwide popularity. This is particularly true in the United States where it was introduced a mere thirty years ago. Today it is hailed as the ideal ride for the 21 st Century rider, with demand often outstripping supply of these beautiful creatures. Where to see a Peruvian Paso Horse Demonstration Peruvian Paso
The Spanish Conquistadors did more than defeat the Incas in the 16th Century. They sowed the seeds for the evolution of a unique breed of horse, the Peruvian Paso Horse, which is often referred to today as the ‘smoothest ride in the world’. Here we provide information on this special…
Dr John Hemming is an explorer and writer who ran the Royal Geographical Society for 21 years. In addition to Peru, his passion is Amazonian indigenous peoples. His latest book about them is Die If You Must. Brazilian Indians in the Twentieth Century. Here he shares thoughts and top tips for visiting Cusco with Aracari. Dr. Hemming's Insider Insight: Tips for Visiting Cusco Why Cusco? I first saw Cusco in 1960 and fell hopelessly for this strange city. I have twice lived there for a while, and go back whenever I possibly can. Cusco never forgets that it was the capital of the mighty Inca empire. This means a lot to me, as I have written a history of the Conquest of the Incas and another book on their greatest artistic achievement - architecture. What do you miss most when you are away from Cusco? The altitude and the dignity. Cuzco is at 3310 metres (almost 11,000 feet), and I am addicted to the thrill of stepping out of a plane into that cool, thin climate and deep blue sky. I marvel at the way Cuzqueños keep their calm despite living in one of the world’s great tourist destinations. Everyone is unhurried at that altitude, and the townspeople are always friendly but dignified, as befits the heirs of the Incas. (The altitude should not be a problem, provided that you go easy on both food and drink for two or three days after arrival.) What’s the first thing you do when you return? I walk, slowly of course, around beloved streets. The ancient heart of Cusco is quite small, and there is Inca masonry everywhere. Every ruler built a palace of ashlars cut with dazzling virtuosity and you keep bumping into fragments of their walls. But look at the base of every
Dr John Hemming is an explorer and writer who ran the Royal Geographical Society for 21 years. In addition to Peru, his passion is Amazonian indigenous peoples. His latest book about them is Die If You Must. Brazilian Indians in the Twentieth Century. Here he shares thoughts and top tips for…
Located on a mountain spur, overlooking the Apurimac river on south and the vertical slopes of the Vilcabamba range to the north and east, Inca Choquequirao (3000m) is an awesome site. A private trek to Choquequirao is a unique way to get away from the tourists crowds on a tailormade trip Peru. Trek to Choquequirao: Lost City of the Incas It was considered for a century and a half to be "the Lost city of the Incas" a term applied now to Machu Picchu. In fact the likenesses to Machu Picchu are many: much like Machu Picchu it is located on a mountain outcrop overlooking a raging river, Machu Picchu the Urubamba, and Choquequirao the Apurimac. Machu Picchu was probably a sacred place or estate of Inca Pachacutec, and Choquequirao was certainly a place of worship….and each of them are located at opposite sides of Nevado Salcantay (6264m) one of the holiest mountains in the region. Choquequirao is one of the top peru treks in the country for adventurous travellers and an spectacular alternative well worth considering if you're not doing the inca trail trek. Peru Luxury Trekking: Trek to Choquequirao: 5D/4N Choquequirao is much more than an archaeological complex. Its setting is extraordinary: within the space of just a few kilometers, the area is home to such varying ecosystems as glaciers at over 6000m, down to steamy tropical valleys at just 1800m. The ruins are rarely visited but it is possible to reach the site with a rigorous five day, four night trek to Choquequirao with Aracari travel. See the full day-by-day itinerary for the Choquequirao trek History and discovery of Choquequirao Choquequirao is located 40 kms south west of Machu Picchu as the condor flies: but the mighty peaks of Soray (5428m), Salcantay (6264m) and Yanama (5347m) lie between the
Located on a mountain spur, overlooking the Apurimac river on south and the vertical slopes of the Vilcabamba range to the north and east, Inca Choquequirao (3000m) is an awesome site. A private trek to Choquequirao is a unique way to get away from the tourists crowds on a tailormade…