CUSCO & THE SACRED VALLEY
one of the fine hotels around Urubamba, or in pretty Ollantaytambo with its cobbled streets, cafés, bars and impressive Inca ruins and stonework. The Sacred Valley presents plenty of opportunities for adventure activities such as trekking, mountain biking, rafting and horse-riding, plus several interesting excursions. These include the town of Pisac for its crafts market, the striking terraced salt pans of Salineras and the unusual archaeological site of Moray. Tour operators are increasingly offering alternative treks to the Inca Trail – the Lares and Salkantay routes among them – which are less crowded and have guaranteed availability but still include a visit to Machu Picchu. A further option is to visit the lesser-known Inca fortress at Choquequirao instead. Cusco is one of South America’s biggest tourism hubs and, as such, there’s an impressive choice of accommodation that ranges from hostels through to
boutique hotels and carefully converted historic buildings. Orient Express has four hotels in the
region including the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge immediately next to the Inca fortress and a new opening in Cusco. Peruvian hotel group Libertador operates the luxury Tambo del Inka hotel in Urubamba (new in 2010) and the Palacio del Inka in Cusco. Inkaterra has three hotels in the
region and a fourth due next year, while Casa Andina operates around 20 hotels in Peru, high-end properties in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Other options include the Aranwa Cusco boutique hotel, the Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Spa, the Sumaq Hotel in Aguas Calientes, Cucso’s Casa Cartagena, and the independent Sol y Luna hotel near Urubamba. Mountain Lodges of Peru has four properties that can be linked as part of a five-day Salkantay trek.
What’s New Air Europa increased its London Gatwick to Lima service (via Madrid) to a daily operation at the end of June following growing passenger numbers on the route. Return fares start from £563. The highly anticipated Palacio Nazarenas hotel opened in Cusco in June. The Orient Express property is a 55-suite boutique hotel set within a 16th-century convent. It is home to the city’s first outdoor infinity pool and a gourmet restaurant, while Inca artefacts discovered during the excavation and renovation of the site are displayed around the hotel. Inkaterra is due to open a new lodge-
style hotel in the heart of the Sacred Valley next year. Hacienda Urubamba will offer horse-riding and bird-watching excursions, among others. The Inkaterra group was recently recognised for its conservation efforts at the this year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.
BRICK BY BRICK! FOGLE TOPS OUT MACHU PICCHU Ben Fogle placed the final brick on a Lego model of Machu Picchu in a publicity stunt arranged by PromPeru in June. Some 250,000 Lego bricks were used in the 3.2metre model that was put together in London’s Covent Garden. PromPeru also handed out 13,000 bars of Willie’s Cacao chocolate from Peru as seen on Channel 4’s Willie's Wonky Chocolate Factory.
Discover Peru with
Daily fl ights from London to Lima All fl ights are via Madrid.
INCREASED FREQUENCY
For the latest offers call our UK Reservations team on 0871 423 0717 or email
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www.aireuropaexperts.com
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