South America

Lima | Cusco | Sacred Valley | Machu Picchu | Arequipa | Colca Canyon | Puno & Lake Titicaca | Chachapoyas 

PERU

Peru is South America's third largest country, covering 1,285,215 sq. km., and can be divided into three distinct geographic regions. The best known of these is the central high sierra of the Andes, with its massive peaks, steep canyons, and extraordinary pre Columbian archaeological sites. The Andes are still one of the world's most unstable mountain ranges, with frequent earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods. Despite such instability, the Andes are also the site of the most fascinating pre-Columbian cities of South America-like the great city of the clouds, Machu Picchu.

The Andes are by no means the only region to visit in Peru. Also of great interest is Peru's narrow, lowland coastal region, a northern extension of the Atacama Desert. Although the Atacama is generally known as the most arid region on the planet, the climate along Peru's shores is made cooler and less dry by La Garuùa, a dense fog created by the collision of the frigid waters of the Humboldt Current with the heated sands of the Atacama. Lima, Trujillo, and Chiclayo, three of Peru's major population centres, are located along this coastal desert.

Peru's third great region is the dense forest that surrounds the headwaters of the Amazon beneath the eastern slopes of the Andes. This part of the country is so inaccessible that only the most adventurous and intrepid travelers should attempt to penetrate its mysterious emerald depths. In fact, the region's capital of Iquitos, a city of 400,000, is accessible only by air or by boat up the Amazon.

Peru's climate varies considerably by region, although January through March tends everywhere to be the wet season. The coastal areas, which are quite hot and humid during those months, are cooled during the rest of the year by La Garuùa. The fog doesn't penetrate very far inland, however, and the western side of the Andes are very clear, warm, and dry for the greater part of the year. As one moves up into the mountains, night-time temperatures become considerably colder. The eastern slope of the Andes, like the Amazon basin, experiences very heavy rainfall during the wet season, which extends from January all the way through April.

Lima

Peru's incredibly rich and compelling archaeological heritage and its great natural beauty--remarkable even in a continent renowned for its exotic vistas--draw tens of thousands of visitors each year. Almost all make a stop at Lima, which is Peru's cultural and business center. Lima runs at a slower pace than many South American metropolises; its rhythm is more traditional, and its people reflect a steadier, calmer constitution. Lima's unusually amenable inhabitants give the metropolis the feeling, at times, of a cluster of smaller towns.

Lima's physical atmosphere is slightly dreamlike, mostly because of the garua--a mist that settles over the city between May and October. Under its blanket, Lima's inhabitants meet at the penas (bars offering folk and Creole music), shop at the open marketplaces, and dine at Lima's celebrated restaurants. Several museums display and preserve Peru's golden past, including most notably the internationally famed Museo Nacional de Antropologia y Arqueologia.

South of Lima, long white beaches washed by the cold waters of the southern Pacific stretch away in an uninterrupted string, backed by row upon row of huge, brilliant white sand dunes. In contrast to the tourist beaches of warmer climes, these shores have few amenities other than small restaurants and cafes. One of the best of these remote beaches, as if to confirm its tranquillity, is known as El Silencio. Like Lima itself, these beaches seem to exist in an eddy of time, pleasantly removed from the relentless pace of more frequented destinations.

Miraflores Park Hotel - 5 Star

Location:

The Miraflores Park Hotel is a stylish and quietly sophisticated modern hotel located in a peaceful residential area of Lima. Established in 1997, the impressive glass building is surrounded by parkland and overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

Accommodation:

Its interior is elegant and extremely spacious with marble floors, winding brass-railed staircases and panoramic windows. Though predominantly a business hotel, it offers first class leisure facilities and is arguably one of Lima’s premier hotels.

The Miraflores Park Hotel has 81 air-conditioned rooms, each with large private bathroom, cable TV, mini-bar and views of either the city or the Pacific Ocean. There are three standards of room – deluxe, junior suite, and presidential suite. Junior suites have a sauna and an ocean view or alternatively, a sauna and Jacuzzi with a city view. Presidential suites are enormous and have their own private terrace and small swimming pool.

Facilities:

• Outdoor swimming pool
• Sauna
• Gym
• Squash court
• Billiard table
• Business centre
• Conference/meeting facilities
• Room service

Dining:

• Park Cafe
• Ambrosia Restaurant
• Bar 

Country Club Lima - 5 Star

Location:

The Country Club Lima Hotel is located in the exclusive residential district of San Isidro. This unique and luxuriously refurbished hotel is now a well known landmark for its traditional elegance and fine cuisine.

Accommodation:

75 graceful rooms and suites exclusively decorated with a mix of classical and Peruvian colonial artworks from the Osma Museum, with selected amenities and marble bathrooms. Equipped with mini bar, cable TV, air-conditioning & heating system, telephone, desk, wide closet, fine Amenities and free bottled water.

Facilities:

• Swimming pool
• Sauna
• Gym
• Beauty parlor
• Access to golf course nearby
• 24 Hour housekeeping
• Complimentary local newspaper
• Daily turn down service
• Business center

Dining:

• Los Vitrales
• Perroquet (gourmet restaurant)
• The English Bar

Cusco

The storied capital of the Inca dynasty and gateway to the imperial city of Machu Picchu, Cuzco is one of the decided highlights of South America. Also know as the Archaeological capital of South America, Cuzco is rich in pre-Columbian remains such as the Koricancha Temple, the Inca Baths with their sophisticated canal system and the vast Sacsayhuaman Fortress site of ancient religious celebrations. Colonial treasures include mansions and churches (the Cathedral, La Merced Convent, La Compania), built on Inca foundations. Churches are full of marvelous works from the Cuzco School of painting, distinguished by its mix of Catholic and pagan imagery.

Cuzco's beautiful natural setting, colorful festivals, sheer number of sights--unparalleled in Peru--and facilities and services organized for travelers make it the top destination in Peru and one of the most exciting places in South America. It is loaded with good restaurants, hotels and lively bars. For the adventurers, superb trekking, river-rafting, and mountain-biking opportunities abound throughout the Sacred Valley.

Hotel Monasterio - 5 Star

Location:

Built more than 300 years ago the Hotel Monasterio provides the comforts and quality of a modern five-star hotel. It is the only museum hotel where you can experience a unique encounter with Cusco's Inca and Spanish traditions.

Accommodation:

The Hotel Monasterio has 109 Guest Rooms, 12 Junior Suites, 1 Deluxe Suite, 2 Royal Suites and 3 Presidential Suites. There are no 2 rooms alike and they all vary in size and format on account of the original architecture and design of the Monasterio. Modern facilities & ammenities throughout.

The decoration and furnishings combine the best of modern and traditional Spanish colonial style, many of them with charming views of the city or the colourful rooftops of Cusco. All rooms are equipped with: Telephone (with an extension in the bathroom), central heating
minibar, personal in-room electronic safe, Cable TV , fire detectors, hairdryer and superb furniture that will certainly meet your expectations in terms of comfort, relaxation and beauty.

The Hotel Monasterio has counteracted the sickness altitude problem introducing the oxygen supplemention system in most of the rooms.

Facilities:

• Conference room (former chapel)
• Small business centre
• Internet access
• Room service
• Guest laundry

Dining:

• Illary restaurant
• El Tuapy restaurant
• The Lobby Bar 

Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley of the Incas was undoubtedly a key area of settlement to the Incas. Its agreeable climate and fertile plains make a rare and fruitful combination for the high Andes. It was also the route to the jungle and therefore an area with access to the fruits and plants of the tropical lowlands.  The Sacred Valley served as a buffer zone, protecting Cusco from incursions of the Antis, the fierce jungle tribes who from time to time raided the highlands.
Today the Sacred Valley remains a lush agricultural region supplying the city of Cusco with much of its produce such as maize, fruit and vegetables. 

Generally the Sacred Valley refers to the section of the Vilcanota River valley between the village of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. However if you take an organized tour of the Sacred Valley you will usually visit the village of Chinchero on the way back to Cusco.

Most people visit the Sacred Valley as part of an organized one-day tour. The tour includes a visit to the market at Pisac, a stop for lunch in Urubamba, a visit to the beautiful Inca village and fortress of Ollantaytambo and a quick stop at the quechua village of Chinchero on the way back to Cusco. Some companies also include a visit to the ruins at Pisac but you'll have less time at the market if you do this.

Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay - 3 Star

Location:

Located in the Sacred Valley in Yucay, approximately 45 minutes by car from Cuzco.  The hotel is within easy reach of various attractions, including Machu Picchu, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Maras. Here is the possibility of an unforgettable experience for those who look for reinvigorating holidays and the best point of departure to start the Cusco archaeological circuit or the thrill of adventure tourism. With the healthiest of climates, clean air and year-round sunny skies, the beautiful valley was attributed mythological powers over the human spirit by the Incas.

Accommodation:

Comfortable facilities have been designed to fit the area’s traditional architectural style. Posada del Inca offers stimulating contact with nature surrounded by careful attention to your needs. Our 65 rooms (single, double, triple and suites) are heated and have safe deposit boxes.

Facilities:

• Room service
• Laundry service
• Mass
• Private museum
• Currency exchange
• Monastery
• Inca Terraces
• White water rafting nearby
• Mountain biking
• Horeseback riding

Dining:

• Inti Wasi restaurant
• Huayra Wasi Bar

Machu Picchu

The Lost City of the Incas was a remote fortress/sanctuary abandoned by the Inca, reclaimed by the jungle and hidden from view until Hiram Bingham of Yale University rediscovered it in 1911. With altars, temples, staircases and terraces, this is one of the world's most extraordinary sites, one that can be visited (by train or helicopter) on a day trip from Cusco, but better yet with an overnight stay.

The Inca Trail is one of the world's classic treks. It covers a small portion of an incredible network of trails that used to cross over the whole Inca Empire. Departing from the Sacred Valley, the trail winds through the Andes, crossing rugged mountain passes and visiting small Inca remains, before arriving at the lost city of Machu Picchu. The trek is available from March through November since the trails become dangerous during the rainy season. Duration: 4 nights 5 days 

Sanctuary Lodge - 3 Star

Location:

Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel located within the very sanctuary of the Machu Picchu Inca citadel. Enjoy unforgettable sunrises, enchanting nights and the remains of the ancient culture of this unique place, considered part of Peru's and the world's cultural heritage.

It is a modern but stylishly designed hotel where attention to detail, ecological awareness and comfort have all been thoughtfully combined. You are instantly drawn to the dramatic views as the minimalist décor and natural colours offer little distraction from its outstanding natural surroundings.

Accommodation:

The hotel was fully renovated in 2001, and is beautifully appointed throughout.  29 well appointed rooms and 2 suites, with some of the best views in the world. A casual and intimate atmosphere ensures minimal distraction from the unique scenery. Telephone, cable TV, minibar as standard.

Facilities:

• Guest laundry
• Room service
• Train journey through Sacred Valley
• 4 day Inca trek

Dining:

• Terrace Cafe (breakfast & buffet lunch)
• Tampu Restaurant (al la carte)

Pueblo Hotel - 3 Star

Location:

From the hotel you are only minutes away from this premier archeological adventure of the Inca Empire. Designed and maintained with a keen sense of beauty, The Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel blends the simple lines of the autochthonous Andean architecture, the exquisite handicraft of local artisans, and tasteful furnishings.

Accommodation:

Eighty-six rooms, each unique, lie nestled in the spectacular Andes mountain range. Adobe hand-made bricks, eucalyptus wood and cut stone are some of the building materials that give this Andean retreat a feeling of quaint warmth, as well as mysterious spirituality. 

Each room offers telephone, room warming device, pure alpaca blankets, handwoven lambs-wool bedspreads, private bathroom supplied by pure mountain spring water, hot water, hairdryer, bottled water and chimneys  in suites.

Facilities:

• Unu Spa
• Andean sauna
• Massages & foot therapy
• Library & media room
• Fax & Internet service
• Observation spot
• Room service
• Laundry service
• Gift shop
  

Dining:

• Mikhuna Wasi (breakfast buffet & Peruvian cuisine)
• Cafe Inkaterra
• Hiram Bingham Bar  

Arequipa

Arequipa is a really beautiful, colonial city, surrounded by spectacular mountains. By air, this lovely city is 75 minutes south from Lima. Dominated by the snow-capped El Misti volcano, it is built of white stone called sillar. The pretty Plaza de Armas forms the city core, bordered on one side by a Jesuit church founded in 1689. There are many fine restored mansions and churches such as San Agustin with its churrigueresque facade, but the primary religious monument is the Santa Catalina Monastery, a flowering complex of buildings that once sheltered a community of 400 nuns. 

Located in the department of Arequipa, the Colca Valley covers a series of beautiful trekking circuits, which have been recently discovered for adventure tourism. The area features a network of practically endless trails that wind through the mountains, linking lovely colonial villages. The area is also studded with beautiful lakes, bizarre stone formations formed by wind erosion and unique flora and fauna such as Andean condors, vicuñas, queñual forests and clumps of yareta plants. The main attraction of the area is without a doubt the chain of snow-capped volcanoes, some of them active.

Lake Titicaca, shared with Bolivia, is the highest navigable lake in the world. The lake has a unique indigenous culture that lives on floating islands made of reeds native to the region.

Sonesta Posada del Inca - 3 Star

Location:

Arequipa, Peru's 2nd largest city, sits at the foot of the El Misti volcano and is well placed for trips to the Colca Canyon. This colonial-style hotel is located along Arequipa's main square’s arched passageways and next to the beautiful Cathedral. Located close to the famous Santa Catalina Monastery.

Accommodation:

Sonesta Posada del Inca offers 58 comfortable rooms (single, double, triple and suite), many of which have their own balconies with panoramic views. All rooms equipped with private bathrooms, cable TV, air-conditioning & heating and telephone.

Facilities:

• Gym
• Rooftop swimming pool
• Non smoking rooms available
• Business centre with internet access
• Room service
• Laundry service
• Goft shop
• Parking area
• Bilingual staff

Dining:

• Inkafe Restaurant
• Terrace (alfresco dining) 

Colca Canyon

The Colca Canyon, a giant gash in the Andes, plunges from 18,300 ft to the turbulent waters of the river that bears its name. 125 miles long and 10,200 feet deep, the canyon winds majestically through the mountain landscape. The condor, "lord of the skies," and a varied flora and fauna, inhabit this magnificent terrain, one of the most spectacular regions in all Peru. Here you will find the legacy of an ancient culture preserved intact.

El Parador del Colca - 3 Star

Location:

The Parador is a small rustic lodge set in the mountainside with breathtaking views over the canyon. Hiking offers an excellent way to explore this incredible area and view the wildlife.

The hotel El Parador del Colca provides a haven of peace and quiet in harmony with nature. Built with materials natural to the valley: adobe, stone, straw and wood; the inn welcomes you with comfort, cleanliness and the hospitality of its staff.

Accommodation:

The Lodge can accommodate 35 visitors in just 7 Suites, and energy and warm running water comes thanks to a modern solar energy system. The water flows from pure springs; most of the food is from the hotel's own crops.

Facilities:

• Horseback riding
• Conference/meeting facilities
• Room service

Dining:

• Restaurant
• Bar
• BBQ

Puno & Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake and the center of a region where housands of subsistence farmers eke out a living fishing in its icy waters, growing potatoes in the rocky land at its edge or herding llama and alpaca at altitudes that leave Europeans and North Americans gasping for air. It is also where traces of the rich Indian past still stubbornly cling, resisting in past centuries the Spanish conquistadors' aggressive campaign to erase Inca and preInca cultures and, in recent times, the lure of modernization.  When Peruvians talk of turquoise blue Titacaca, they proudly note that it is so large it has waves. This, the most sacred body of water in the Inca empire and now the natural separation between Peru and Bolivia, has a surface area exceeding 8,000 square kilometers (3,100 square miles), not counting its more than 30 islands.

At 3,856 meters (12,725 feet) above sea level it has two climates: chilly and rainy or chilly and dry. In the evenings it becomes quite cold, dropping below freezing from June through August. In the day, the sun is intense and sunburn is common.

Oceanographer Jacques Yves Cousteau spent eight weeks using mini submarines to explore the depths of the lake but found no gold. (What he did discover, to the amazement of the scientific world, was a 60-centimeter (24-in) long, tri-colored frog that apparently never surfaces!)

Sonesta Posada del Inca Hotel Puno - 3 Star

Location:

There is a tranquil atmosphere and spectacular landscapes from this hotel, which is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Depart from the private pier and experience the magnificent scenery of Lake Titicaca and its beautiful attractions, such as: the floating islands of the Uros, the temple of the Sun and the Moon, the “Chullpas” of Sillustani and more. Visit the Aymara people and admire their handmade crafts. Or, visit the Yaravi, the oldest motorized iron ship of the world, anchored in front of the hotel. 

Accommodation:

Each of our 62 Guestroom (single, double and triple) feature beautiful panoramic views of either Lake Titicaca or the nearby mountains. All rooms are equipped with cable TV, direct dial telephones for domestic and international bar and in-room safe deposit box.

Facilities:

• Business Center with internet access
• Room Service
• Daily maid service
• Currency exchange
• Local transportation
• Medical assistance
• Luggage storage
• Gift shop
• Bilingual staff

Dining:

• Inkafe (authentic Andean cuisine)
• Bar

Libertador Hotel Isla Esteves - 4 Star

Location:

The hotel is spectacularly located on the shores of South America's largest lake, Lake Titicaca. Juliaca's airport Manco Capac is only 40 min away (40 km).

Accommodation:

All 123 rooms face onto Lake Titicaca and feature king- or queen-size beds, marble bathrooms and cable TV.

Facilities:

• Business center
• Meeting facilities
• Fitness centre
• Sauna
• Jacuzzi
• Steam bath
• 24 Hour Room service
• Boat rides
• Trips to Taquile Island
• Gift shop

Dining:

• Los Uros (Peruvian specialties & International cuisine)
• Taquile Bar

Chachapoyas

The cradle of the ancient Chachapoya civilization, the city was overrun by the Incas in the fifteenth century, and decades later, after the Spanish Conquest, was founded once more by the Spaniards with the name of Chachapoyas. The main square and the narrow pebbled streets that have been preserved until today date back to these times. Some 70 km west lies the fortress of Kuélap, the bastion of the Chachapoya tribe, a citadel whose access is through narrow walled passages like sloping funnels which helped to keep out invaders. Those same passageways today host tours led by experienced local guides. Other attractions include Laguna de las Momias (a region where archaeologists discovered more than 280 mummies), or the Karajía burial tombs, which stand 2 meters high and are made of hardened clay. Wedged into a mountain cliff, the sarcophagi appear to guard over their ancestral grounds.

Amazonas is known for its joyful dances and colorful festivals. The town of Jalca, which is held to be the capital of jungle folklore, holds a series of celebrations all year-long, blending the rituals of local tribes with Christianity. Tasty local dishes worth sampling include the Purtumute, Tacacho and Cecina.

The Chachapoyas Culture (known as the Cloud Forest people): Little is currently known of this culture, although it was one of the most advanced civilizations to develop in the tropical jungle region of Peru. One of the most outstanding archaeological remains of this culture, Kuelap, was discovered by a local resident in 1843.  Experts agree that the monumental aspects of Kuelap can only compare in size and grandeur to Machu Picchu in Peru, and the greater archaeological sites in the Americas. Kuelap’s construction is presumed to have taken at least 200 years to complete and millions of cubic feet of stone. This colossal construction was not known by the Spanish Conquistadores; Kuelap’s strategic location between the Marañon and Utcubamba Rivers, both long tributaries of the Amazon River, protected it from being devastated. The area is surrounded by profuse vegetation with huge trees, covered with bromeliads and orchids that add to its spectacular nature. 

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