28 May 2008

Itââ¬â¢s A Wrap: TravelMoleââ¬â¢s Review on the Intrepid ââ¬ËœPeruvian Pathways Tourââ¬â¢

Intrepid matched their sustainable and environmental mission with their ââ¬ËœPeruvian Pathwaysââ¬â¢ 13-day tour. Intrepidââ¬â¢s effective sustainability approach relied on hiring local guides in each visited city, including inside Machu Picchu; as well as building strong working relationships with Peruvian indigenous communities, who shared their customs and beliefs to the group in a comfortable and friendly manner.

This form of sustainable tourism benefited financially the Chinchero community of Cusco, the Uros and Taquille communities of Lake Titicaca. Highlights of this mission included the agricultural labour presentation of the Chinchero men; the introduction of the textile and handicraft production processes of the Chinero women; a visit to a local photo exhibition; the use of community restaurants to experience typical delicacies in Taquille island; and many more. Intrepid proudly encouraged the group tolerance, respect, and care toward Peruvian natives through these initiatives.

Intrepid demonstrated to be environmentally conscious choosing an eco-friendly lodge in Puerto Maldonado, this evidenced in its combination of low-impact architecture with traditional native style. It was definitely a luxury setting for the jungle by providing French-Peruvian gourmet meals; 24/7 customer attention; pool, bar and gift shop facilities; beautifully decorated rooms; and animal and rainforest sightseeing expeditions in a non-intrusive way.

Intrepidââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËœComfortââ¬â¢ style travel package offered as advertised a maximum of 12 people, and less in the low season. The tour was high paced with well organised leisure activities and meals ready for the group to enjoy. No researching, just attending, while they also allocated free days for travelers to do their own thing.

Intrepidââ¬â¢s Peruvian staff were resourceful and went to great lengths to help you solve your problems, this was essential for fussy eaters or having no clothes due to the airline loosing your baggage. The tour organiser in Lima, tour leader, local guides, and drivers were well informed regarding the tourism activities and history of the cities and places visited. The experienced tour leader accompanied the group during the whole trip except when some travellers chose to fly solo in the free days.

Intrepid offered a three star average accommodation, though some hotels in rural areas where more basic, and expected of the slow and sometimes poor hospitality infrastructure development.

The modes of transport provided were adventurous and safe. Intrepid provided comfortable seats on Peruââ¬â¢s popular and safe airline carrier AeroCondor. They also provided private luxury vans for travelling around the highlands, appropriate for security reasons. The group also sailed in a comfortable vessel on Lake Titicaca, and on fun but basic boats in the Madre Dios river and lake Sandoval of Puerto Maldonado.

The American and buffet breakfasts were highly regarded among the Intrepid group for the quantity, taste and variety of the food. Only one dinner was included in the trip with the rest POA, though the tour leader revealed Peruââ¬â¢s amazing gastronomy scene by guiding the group to the best restaurants and cafes for all tastes and budgets.

The group paid fairly cheap for some not included sightseeing activities like museum and site tickets, adventure sports, musical and drama events. Tipping local guides, waiters and other helpers was inexpensive and annoying for some travelers but understood as part of the culture.

Intrepid proved to offer real life experiences with a more privileged travel style than ââ¬ËœOriginalââ¬â¢ Intrepid packages.  The ââ¬ËœPeruvian Pathwaysââ¬â¢ tour is suitable for people interested in archaeological and nature expeditions with a comfortable twist; first level trekking; cultural exchange encounters; the South American culture and first time visiting; and those wanting to experience Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world.

This tour is ideal for solo travellers, couples, and group friends that like to meet people from all corners of the globe. The tour offers comfortable extras with all the research done for you just to indulge without compromising the whole grassroots and Indiana Jones travel experience. The Intrepid ââ¬ËœPeruvian Pathwaysââ¬â¢ tour is fun, affordable and reliable for escaping the humdrum of mainstream tourism.

Getting there

Fly to Lima with Lan Chile via Auckland and Santiago. See www.lan.com or call 1800 221 572.

For further information on the Intrepid ââ¬ËœPeruvian Pathwaysââ¬â¢, and other tours to Peru, see www.intrepidtravel.com or call 1300 364 512

For information on Peru, see www.peru.info/perueng.asp 

by TravelMole

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