- Peru
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This secluded eco-lodge is located in the heart of the Amazon Basin, a short boat ride down the Rio Tambopata river. It's an incredible place to go to get in touch with nature, with expert staff, they even cater for ecology academics. Each lodge has a completely open wall facing the dense tropical jungle. Great for spotting wildlife from the comfort of your hammock. For more energetic folk, there are plenty of activities Including a medicinal plant walk with the local Shaman. You can also pretend you're a native and take part in the spiritual Ayahuasca Ceremony. Truly a magical place to escape.
www.perunature.com/
+511 241 4880
A lovely home in Lima where Gloria and Victor host travellers, volunteers and students from all over the world.
This welcoming home is suitable for anyone who wants to live the local experience. By this I mean, being surrounded by locals and paying local prices as if you were a local too. However, assistance with the language and other services are provided such as; airport pick-up, tourist information, Spanish classes etc.
It's also close to all facilities (transport, shops, cafes, restaurants, the Inka market, etc).
The reason I strongly recommend "mi casa en Lima" is because my friends from Australia, Europe and US loved staying there and encouraged me to spread the word.
As a matter of fact, Gloria and Victor have had a great feedback since they opened their home three years ago. They offer nothing but personalised service and make sure you have a great time in Lima. Please check out our comments and photos on the website.
And feel free to contact me on admin@perucasalima.com if you would like to know more.
This can be done in half a day if time doesn't extend to the Colca Canyon as it is only a 45 minute drive. The rapids are grades III and IV and the views of El Misti as you go along are spetactular. We had local guides who were great about making sure everyone felt safe (even the nervous First Timers) and all equipment was provided. It a great contrast to the sightseeing in Arequipa.
There are lots of places offering trips, we went through a place just on Jerusalen road.
Isolated in the middle of the highest lake in the world, the islands of Taquille and Amantani are an unbeatable place to engage with indigenous culture, and staying with a welcoming local family is the perfect way to do it.
The communities who live on the islands fled there to escape the Inca conquest of Peru, and little seems to have changed since then. No running water, electricity, and freezing candlelit nights make for an uncomfortable stay! But I'd recommend it because of the awe inspiring setting and shy, but warm, knitting population who have set up their own collective to transport and accommodate guests.
If you can happily eat potatoes three times a day, this homestay is perfect.
Turn up at the docks in Puno before 8 a.m. and be sure to ask for the collective boat, (this way all the proceeds go to the island communities), when you arrive on an island, 4 or 5 hours later, the boat men will arrange a local family for you to stay with, on a rotating system.
This is a great alternative to the Inca trail - high snowy peaks, quieter trekking and stunning.
I went with UK company Andean Trails. www.andeantrails.co.uk
Beginning from Puno on the shore of the magical Lake Titicaca, the Orient Express Company's luxurious train works it's way across high Peru to the historical city of Cusco - fine food and wine, an observation car, and a midway stop for local entertainment - magical.
ViaSpanish Language School is a great Spanish school in Cusco in the San Blas region. I had a fantastic time here - I took two weeks of group classes and one week of private lessons and learned a surprising amount. The school itself is big and airy, the teachers are lovely and they have a nice big sunny terrace. My home stay was perfect and I hope one day to go back and visit everyone - I really miss them all!
A small local-run organisation desperately in need of volunteers, donations and tools to help with reconstruction projects following the devastating earthquake in August 2007. More than a year later, there are still thousands of people without homes so every pair of hands is appreciated, whether you stay for a couple of days or several months. If you can bring anything on their wishlist with you, even better!
Owned and run by an Italian, a little bit hard to find so ask for directions. It's near two very good cevicherias, one called Las Gemilitas and the other Meche, I think. All three worth trying out.
Great alternative trek to Machu Picchu and it takes in it all. Just book when you get there, you can usually go next day. Oh, and please don't take any notice of the Guardian's advertised £3.95 price (do they earn commision from this agent?). It costs around £120 pounds, all meals included with camping.
Any agent in Plaza de Armas
The classic four-day trek, the Inca Trail, to Machu Picchu now has an adventurous alternative. From Cuzco, I went across the scary Abra Malaga pass by local transport to the attractive warm jungle village of Santa Teresa and visited hot warm springs (very few foreign visitors at the present moment) and stayed with a local family in a rustic adobe lodge where fresh coffee beans were roasted in front of my eyes and papaya picked off the trees for morning breakfast!
The journey from Cusco to the jungle on to Machu Picchu with the local Quechua speaking guide involves one night staying by the hot springs in tents, one night with his family (a great experience!), a horse trek, some trekking and the final descent to Aguas Calientes at the foot of Machu Picchu. In the morning, rise early before the other travellers and take in this famous lost Inca citadel.
A more varied experience overall, following a different route to the majority of people and great to get to stay with a local family, even for one night!
Santa Teresa is about a fivehour ride from Cuzco. I travelled with the volunteering and alternative adventure travel organisation, Inka Magik, which works with local schools as well as the Cuzco guide and rustic lodge.
Stay where you like but the Nazca Lines Hotel has a pool which is guests only, but if you buy a sandwich and a beer, you can use it all day.
Small well-run agency. Does extended treks, but we used them for day treks including fabulous trip to Lago Churup (4500m). Great guides, efficient, helpful, fun.
www.huascaran-peru.com
welcome@huascaran-peru.com
We found them through the hostel we were staying in, Churup Albergue
Good quality place to stay, lovely welcome even though we arrived 6.30am off overnight bus. Cheap, good breakfast included, use of kitchen, views of mountains.
5mins walk from town centre www.churup.com
churup-albergue@gmx.net
It's a different restaurant serving innovative dishes and has a fully functional sports bar on the side with four TVs and every sport you can possibly want to watch.
plateros 334 entrance inside a souvenirs market
The places in your article on Peru are great but the one thing not mentioned is the altitude and the fact if you fly into Cusco and move too fast when you get off the plane you could easily collapse!
If you want to travel to Peru and you do not want to pay for luxury tours, you maybe can try send a request to AndesPeru, it's a company that has many kind of alternatives, working tours with tourist bus services safe and comfortable.
They hace also inexpensive hotels and good rates for domestic flights. My first tour in Peru 3 years ago was under AndesPeru and it was good organized
www.andesperu.com
info@andesperu.com
Call to Peru
phone ++51 1 447-2057
fax ++51 1 445-7874
Actually I'm working at Peru Expeditions 3 years ago It's a tour operator company eith 15 years at the market, it's very serious about travel services, If you like to travel to Peru, I recommend send you a request asking first than book any tour.
Tours, hotels, air tickets for all Peru areas, tailored tours from 2 to 30 days, shared and private, inexpensive or deluxe.
We have available organized tours by tourist bus, airplane or private Toyota's Land Cruiser 4wd to Cuzcu and any other place you request for.
www.peru-expeditions.com
asap@peru-expeditions.com
Calle Colina 151 - Miraflores - Lima
Peru - South Amererica
A spectacular nature reserve for sea life, just a short half-day trip by boat from Paracas. We saw many sealions swimming and singing, penguins, pelicans and other birds. They call it the poor man's Galapagos!
Boat trips from the port in Paracas, near Pisco. Local bus to Pisco from Ica, taxi from Pisco to Paracas.
Peruforyou is a tiny volunteer organisation based in Huancayo. They offer Spanish lessons to tourists in exchange for English lessons and health schemes given to local orphans and street kids.
You are placed with a local family to live and experience real Andean life. They also offer superb jungle treks - highly memorable and so rewarding.
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