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PERU


“Peru is very diverse and offers much more than Machu Picchu. There is the Amazon rainforest, colonial towns like Cuzco, the vast Lake Titicaca and fascinating indigenous culture”


AMANDA SWEENEY, LATIN AMERICA PROGRAMME MANAGER, RAINBOW TOURS


archaeological sights such as the pre-Inca fortress of Kuelap, the Chiclayo region and the colonial city of Trujillo and nearby Chan Chan. The north also has its share of the


Amazon rainforest, with the Iquitos region a popular starting point for river cruises. “The MV Aqua and sister vessel, MV Aria, are a great way to explore Peru’s northern Amazon in style,” says Travel 2 Product & Purchasing Manager for Latin America, Justine Egan. “Guests can sail from Iquitos to


Pacaya Samiria Reserve, which is a haven for wildlife. We recommend a four-day trip, joining naturalist guides on land and river-based excursions in search of monkeys, parrots, piranhas, sloths and pink river dolphins.” Soft adventure activities are high on the agenda for many visitors to Peru, and the Andes makes for the perfect playground when it comes to cycling, trekking, rafting and horse-riding. “Trekking continues to be a really popular choice for clients visiting the Cusco region,” says Amanda Sweeney. But Peru is equally suited to couples and honeymooners seeking a more relaxed break and the likes of luxury hotels, spas and fi ne dining – and iconic sights, of course – all of which are common in key destinations.


What’s new Accommodation: Mountain


Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Mountain Lodges of Peru’s new Cuzco hotel, El Mercado; The Inca citdael of Machu Picchu; Lake Titicaca. Above: Cuzco’s Plaza de Armas. Top right: Aqua Expeditions’ Aqua Amazon


Lodges of Peru (mountainlodgesofperu.com) operates a series of lodges and trekking packages throughout the Sacred Valley and has now launched a boutique hotel in Cuzco. The 32-room El Mercado hotel is set


around a large, colonial-style courtyard and located close to the Plaza de Armas. Orient Express (orient-express.com), which operates fi ve hotels in Peru – and the Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu – has launched a number of special packages. Its newest hotel, the Palacio Nazarenas, opened in Cuzco last summer and has the city’s only outdoor heated pool. It has now launched pool party packages for groups of two to 10 people celebrating a special occasion. The price, £1,030, includes drinks, DJ, fi reworks display and a private guided tour of three of Cusco’s most popular bars and clubs. Orient Express’ Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, meanwhile, has introduced a wedding package starting from £1,625. Cruising: Aqua Expeditions has refurbished its luxury vessel, Aqua Amazon, which subsequently began sailing the Peruvian Amazon again


last month. The company’s CEO, Francesco Galli Zugaro, says it is “spacious and luxurious, and yet small enough to still be extremely exclusive”. It has 12 suites with fl oor-to-ceiling windows.


Where to book it TRAVEL 2 – 0800 0224 182


A three-night Amazon cruise with Aqua Expeditions together with a seven-day Wonders of Peru tour is priced £4,469pp departing in November and including return fl ights from London Heathrow. Travel2.com RAINBOW TOURS – 020 7666 1260


The two-week Inca Heartlands and Salkantay Trek itinerary is priced from £3,495pp including fl ights, transfers and some meals. The tour features a six-day trek to Machu Picchu with accommodation by Mountain Lodges of Peru, plus three nights in Cuzco and a stay at Lake Titicaca. rainbowtours.co.uk


with Air Europa


Daily flights from London to Lima. All flights are via Madrid.


Discover Peru


0871 222 9122 www.aireuropaexperts.com


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