Category: Central and South America

Keep Travel in Your Life Through Planning

Post author By Kellie Paxian
Post date April 22, 2020
No Comments on Keep Travel in Your Life Through Planning

Travel brings so much to our lives. Not only do we meet people from all over the world. We also experience cultures foreign to our own. Travel teaches us acceptance. It opens up new worlds to us, making us richer in the process.

Yes, I realize I’m telling you how wonderful travel is at a time when we can’t travel. However, we can plan. Some of the biggest trips we take in life are booked well in advance. I can’t think of a better activity to help pass the oh-so-long months of sheltering at home, can you?

Planning is Part of the Fun

When a group of friends expressed an interest in going to Peru to explore the Peruvian Amazon and Machu Picchu, the planning started months in advance. We filled those months with securing flights, hotels, and guides. We chose an eco-lodge for our time in the Amazon and made decisions about which adventures we wanted. Piranha fishing topped that list.

After my husband said he wanted to go to Antarctica, I assembled a group of interested friends and started researching expedition companies. I can’t tell you the number of penguins, whales, and iceberg videos our group shared in advance of that trip.

While we wait out this pandemic, why not start planning your future fun? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Discover the Characters of Scotland

The Scottish company Away From the Ordinary creates innovative ways for future travelers to Scotland to connect with locals before the trip. Currently, you can video chat with Lord Bruce, a lineal descendent of the legendary Robert the Bruce—yes, that Robert the Bruce! When you arrive in Scotland, Lord Bruce will lead you on a private guided tour of his family estate, the 300-year-old country mansion, Broomhall House.

In the mood for a little Scottish music? Malin Lewis, a young bagpiper, fiddler, and instrument maker will share the history of Scottish music. Literary buffs will enjoy a chat with Hugh Allison, who enjoys undertaking author-endorsed tours tailored to the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon and Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. For a taste of Scotland, connect with Jenny & Verity, a private chef and forager team specializing in local, seasonal, and communal dining in Scotland.

Scotland Landscape photo courtesy of Away from the Ordinary

Chase the Northern Lights

Hopefully, by the time the next season of the aurora borealis rolls around, the travel bans will be lifted, and we’ll be free to check off all our bucket list experiences. If chasing the elusive northern lights is on your list, there are a couple of excellent places to visit.

Located in the Swedish Lapland above the Arctic Circle in the village of Kangos, the family-owned and operated Lapland Guesthouse offers all those must-do winter experiences served with a side of personality. From feeding reindeer to snowmobiling through the icy landscapes to dog sledding on a frozen lake to ice fishing, each winter experience checks off a mark on the bucket list. And as fate will have it, the northern lights just might dance across the sky to the delight of locals and visitors alike.

If you prefer to view in the USA, Fairbanks, Alaska delivers its own show across the skies. Situated in the aurora oval, a ring-shaped area around the North Pole, the Fairbanks area offers some of the best aurora borealis viewing in the world. While you’re there, be sure to visit the Running Reindeer Ranch for a hike with Santa’s team—in the offseason, of course.

Northern Lights Lapland Guesthouse — Northern Lights over Lapland Guesthouse. Photo: Johan Stenevad

Plan a Small Ship Cruise

Understandably, many travelers are wary of cruising on a ship with thousands of passengers. If you’re a fan of getting out on the water, consider a smaller ship cruise. River cruises are ideal for this, with passengers numbering less than 200 for most. I previously cruised with Scenic River Cruises on the Rhine River in Germany. In addition to a pristine small ship, each cabin has a butler ensuring all of your needs are met promptly. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the end of 2020 (and aren’t we all?!) check out the Emerald Waterways Christmas Market River Cruise. I can’t think of a better gift for the family than getting away for the holidays this year.

Another option is a sailing cruise. I was fortunate enough to sail with Star Clippers through the Western Mediterranean last summer. The Star Clippers fleet includes three stunning vessels: the Star Clipper, Star Flyer and the Royal Clipper. The largest of the three, the Royal Clipper, holds the Guinness World Record as the largest full-rigged sailing ship in the world. Polished and stately, this majestic tall ship transports you back to the days of your ancestors. Typically, there are 175 to 200 passengers on board, keeping the numbers fairly low for more personal attention.

Make it Personal

While we all love to travel, our comfort level of returning to it will vary from person to person. I’m likely to jump in as soon as I can, but others may be more cautious. That’s OK. Travel is personal, and there are plenty of options to do so from luxury experiences to camping, from exploring faraway places to your own backyard. Choose what matters to you. Consider when you feel you’ll be ready to travel again. Then, start planning. It’s your trip, make it personal. Make it count!

Road Trip Blue Ridge Parkway. Credit: Pixabay

Adventure and Outdoor Travel Central and South America Sports Tourism Uncategorized

Riding the Dunes in Peru

Skateboarding and snowboarding are both well-known sports and past times, however, there’s a new “board game” that’s come out to play.

Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding, as instead of snow banks, boarders take on sand dunes. One of the most awesome places to do just that is in Peru. “Come again?” you’re probably asking, but yes, there’s so much more to Peru’s offerings than their amazing cultural and heritage sites. Discover a brand new reason to travel to this country, and take a ride or many, down their dunes.

If you don’t know where to begin, try the town of Huacachina. It’s located behind enormous sand dunes and is a manmade oasis with hotels, hostels, and restaurants. You won’t find Huacachina in many guidebooks, but what you will find is Peru Adventure Tours, a company that offers day-trips to Cerro Blanco—the world’s highest sand dune at 2070 meters above sea level. It’s located on the route to Cusco, and though getting there is a bit of a hassle, it’ll be worth it.

After an early start—at least 5 a.m., there is an hour-long drive before boarders even make it there, followed by a three-hour climb up the dune in potentially hot sun. “Whoa! That’s crazy!” Wait though, you’ll want to do it anyway for the promise of that adrenaline rush as you come skiing down the dune. Not to mention the incredible views from all sides at the top.

Before you take on Cerro Blanco’s awesomeness, you might want to practice a bit if you’re a novice. There are smaller dunes to get you started and when you’re ready to really get going, take that deep breath and let gravity do the rest. Experienced snowboarders will have an easier time when they launch however, as sand is still different to snow, a little prep won’t hurt. Expect a sand-filled ride down as grains will end up everywhere, and stopping once you’ve started can turn out to be more trouble than it’s worth. Most choose to brace themselves and fall if they need to.

This unusual sport might not be a treasure people imagine when they think of Peru, but it is one that has many travelers raving about the experience. Will you be one of them? Make sure you wax your board before you go, and have fun!

Tags Peru, Sand Skiing

Central and South America Historical Travel Uncategorized

ZAÑA – the Peruvian ghost town that still lives

Post author By admin-tonya
Post date October 31, 2016
No Comments on ZAÑA – the Peruvian ghost town that still lives

From the 15th century Incan citadel Machu Picchu, to the Cathedral of Lima, Peru is a wealth of captivating history and culture.

One of the places that shares a bit of both is the Peruvian city of Zaña. Now a ghost of its former glorious self, travelers make their way there to relive the events that led to its downfall, through the tales of local guides willing to share. From greatness to a major fall, Zaña’s story is one of opulence and loss.

San Agustin. Zana, Peru — San Agustin photo taken by Jonhatan Acevedo

Founded in 1536, Zaña was the haunt of choice for Spanish high society following the trail of affluence that emanated from the city. It was a hot spot for gold and silver mines and as the center for trade and agricultural, quickly became one of the major hubs, and wealthiest cities in the region.

To help support this growing market, slaves were brought in great numbers from Africa, and as such the population grew at rapid pace. People were happy, money was flowing, and the rich just got richer until, the pirates came.

The pirate raids of the 1680s changed the course of Zaña’s history. Slave owners—the wealthy—fearing the death and destruction that came with the raids, left everything in the care of their slaves in favor of escaping to Trujillo. Following the raids, the Africans took a stand and made the town their own, rebuilding from the ground up, and engaging in their pagan rituals and ceremonies, much to the distaste of the Spanish settlers that remained.

It wasn’t long before Zaña was labeled “the naughty city” by the Spanish who frowned on the African cultures that were unfamiliar to them, and by extension considered immoral and obscene.

Many years passed and life in the city went on until 1720, when El Niño torrential rains caused unprecedented flooding, which led to the city’s destruction once again. Still, Zaña lived on driven by the determination of freed slaves, long after the Spanish left.

Travel to this historically fascinating city, indulge in the story, and take in the once grand cloisters of La Mered, San Agustín, Matriz, and San Francisco, now all in ruins, much like the city itself.

Tags Peru, Zana

Archaelogogical Tourism Central and South America Conservation Environment and Nature Culture and Heritage Historical Travel Uncategorized

Nazca Lines in Danger – Protecting the Ancient Geoglyphs

Post author By admin-tonya
Post date February 1, 2014
No Comments on Nazca Lines in Danger – Protecting the Ancient Geoglyphs

When is the last time you solved a good mystery? No, not who ate the last cookie in the jar.

For a new mystery, travel to Peru and visit the Nazca Lines, a place where historical mystery meets exquisite geometric designs that date as far back as 200 BC. Sounds pretty amazing right? Unfortunately, these archaeological wonders aren’t safe.

Nazca lines in Peru — Photo: Dom Crossley

Numerous southern Peruvian tribes created the Nazca lines in the time period of 200 BC to 500 AD. Some of these geoglyphs stretch as far as 200 meters, many featuring intricate details, and depict people, plants, animals, and geometric shapes scratched 15 cm deep onto a desert’s surface. The thing is their discovery might never have been made if planes weren’t invented. With air travel over the area in the 1930s, it wasn’t hard to see these huge artistic renderings in the sand. This launched archaeologists and anthropologists into action and it wasn’t long before research began and visitors were crawling all over the place.

As you can probably imagine these geometric wonders continue to draw travelers from across the globe, and the popularity of the Nazca lines has resulted in a threat to their very existence. The garbage, lack of safety rules and arrangements, inappropriate and inadequate tourism infrastructure, and poor viewing platforms, all contribute to man-made destruction.

Weather changes also play a major role in the upkeep of the lines. Unlike years gone by, there is now a real threat of flooding so though the Peruvian desert is still rather dry, should this occur, it’s uncertain that the lines would remain intact.

It would be a major archaeological and historical loss should the Nazca lines be erased from our landscape. Three cultures helped create these lines that remain a mystery for scientists, who still don’t know how they exist. Many have put their own theories to work, with some believing that they were created to worship the water sources and the mountains, as life in the area was connected to the presence of water.

Whatever the reason, it can hardly explain the true beauty that exists on the Peruvian desert plains, as the Nazca lines speak to us from a time we forgot and must be preserved at all costs.

Tags Peru

Central and South America Hotels and Accommodations Uncategorized

Staying in Rio’s favelas

Once a dirty word in and around Rio, Brazil, favelas—the city’s slums, are upping their aesthetic game and moving away from derogatory association.

Much of this was in preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and of course, the 2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro. Numerous hotels of all kinds will throw open their doors in the heart of favelas across the city, where there are impressive views of Sugarloaf mountain, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, and famous beaches. With the crime rate reduced due to government improving security, and the beauty in the rough found, these locations are sure to be big hits with visitors.

Rio favela — Chapéu Mangueira favela. Photo: Salvador Drustin

Pioneering projects within the favelas have inspired Rio’s government to do more and thus the Rio Top Tour program was born. The major aim of the program is for tourism to create new opportunities for favela residents, like training them to become professional tour guides.

Millions have already flocked to Brazil for the Games, and return visitors and first-timers alike are in for a surprise when they see the innovative ways favelas are finding their place in society.

One such favela is Chapéu Mangueira, where Hugo Medina and Cristiane de Oliviera, opened their aptly named hotel— Favela Inn. With three guest rooms that allow for six guests, priced at $17.95 a night (low season) or $24 (high season), and gorgeous sea views from its high vantage point, the hoteliers are only just getting started.

Students from abroad will also benefit from Medina and Oliviera’s ventures, as they intend to open another hotel specifically for this market. Not only will students attend school in a new, and exciting city, but they will be able to take in the true nature of Rio’s culture from the “ground level,” experiencing day-to-day life as locals. Medina and Oliviera also contribute to the community and its economy, by using fresh, local produce.

Urban agriculture is a growing trend in the favelas, and rooftops and balconies can be seen teeming with a range of delectable vegetables and fruits. These gardens supply family and small markets’ requirements, following agro ecological guidelines.

Medina and Oliviera’s second hotel will feature recycled materials—inspiration from favela living.

Booked your ticket yet?

Tags Rio