Recommend July 2012 - (Page 33)

in peru Peru offers the ultimate in intrepid travel, permitting adventurers to reach new heights, testing their true grit along the legendary Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. And Lost World Adventures offers three different ways to capitalize on this grandest of Andean experiences, in the company of expert guides and porters. The 9-day Inca Trail Trek—which reaches heights of more than 13,000 ft. and has hikers spending a night among the Phuyupatamarca ruins—covers high mountain trails and thick cloud forests, starting from Chilca and arriving at Intipunku (the Sun Gate) overlooking Machu Picchu. The tour includes days spent in Lima, Cusco and hiking (read: camping) the Sacred Valley, and at Machu Picchu, of course. The ﬁrst day of the hike, in fact, is adventure enough with treks through semi arid terrain, views of the snowcapped Mount Veronica (18,000 ft.), and visiting Llactapata (7,550 ft.), the ﬁrst archaeological remains along the Inca trail, where hikers spend their ﬁrst night. The trek is priced from $1,122 pp dbl ($883 with three persons, $819 with four), including private guide, porters, food, camp equipment and roundtrip train from Cusco; overnight hotel in Machu Picchu is additional. For more challenges than the classic Inca Trail Trek, hikers may wish to attempt the 8-day Salkantay Trek with exciting glacier trekking and lots of views of the Andean condors. Campsites during this rigorous trek lie above 10,000 ft.—with the spectacular Salkantay base camp itself at 15,100 ft. Hikers arrive at Machu Picchu on day seven, camping overnight. Rates from $1,265 for each of two persons. For the ultimate in comfort, sites and challenges, consider the 11-day Salkantay Lodge-to-Lodge Trek, including Cusco and Machu Picchu. On this program, hikers are picked up in Cusco, transferring to the Salkantay Lodge that will be the departure point for the 6-night trek, ending at Agua Calientes and Machu Picchu. Following 4- to 6-hour daily treks, hikers enjoy ﬁne mountain lodge accommodations, complete with hearty meals and hot jacuzzis. Prior to setting off on their adventure, travelers arrive in Lima at the Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM), get an air transfer to Cusco and then are transferred by bus to Chilca, where they begin the trek. Rates from $2,390 pp dbl. ■ Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): In Chile: Going to Extremes (May 2012) contact information Careli Tours: carelitours.com Latin American Escapes: (800) 510-5999; latinamericanescapes.com Lost World Adventures: (800) 999-0558; lostworldadventures.com Monte Azul Boutique Hotel: monteazulcr.com Nomadico Travel: (855) 996-6623; nomadicotravel.com BECOME A PANAMA SPECIALIST Panama is emerging as one of Central America’s most exciting destinations, a country you can be sure is safe, hospitable and accessible. The more you know about Panama, the more you will understand what an exciting and profitable vacation destination it can be. BENEFITS: • Listing of you and your company as a Panama Specialist on recommend.travel’s Panama Specialist Finder (includes telephone, address and direct e-mailing functionality) • 3 continuing education credits from The Travel Institute and 2 credits from the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors • Personalized full-color, printable certificate You can find the Panama Specialist Program insert in the April issue of Recommend or go to edu.recommend.com/ panama. If you’d like to request copies of the Panama Specialist Program, please contact us at (800) 447-0123, ext. 100 or e-mail dayanara@recommend.com. july 2012 33 http://www.recommend.com http://www.carelitours.com http://www.latinamericanescapes.com http://www.lostworldadventures.com http://www.monteazulcr.com http://www.nomadicotravel.com http://edu.recommend.com/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend July 2012

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Delaware North
Tour Talk: General Tours
Big Sky Resort, Montana
Dining's Not a Gamble in Vegas
White Sails in the Sunset
Latin America: Authentically Yours
Safaris, Reinvented
A Taste of Tradition in Eastern Europe
Malacca & Penang, Malaysia
Magdalena Grand Beach Resort, Tobago
Unanticipated Adventure in Curacao
A Love Affair with La Paz
An Appetite for Mexico: Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

Recommend July 2012