The 28th July is a significant date in the Peruvian calendar. Known as Fiestas Patrias, this national holiday marks the anniversary of Peru’s independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821 by José de San Martín.
Martín was a Spanish-Argentine general and freedom fighter that lead a Liberating Expedition in 1820. After a series of military conflicts across Latin America in the 19th century, the Peruvian Act of Independence was drafted on July 15th 1821, with Martín officially declaring Peru’s independence from Spanish rule on July 28th in the Plaza Mayor.
This proclamation of independence resulted in a national holiday that has continued to be celebrated by the citizens of Peru over 100 years later. As part of these celebrations, people gather in Plazas across Peru in order to partake in the festivities. These are most prominent in the capital, Lima, where the official celebration begins with the sound of 21 cannons and the raising of the Peruvian flag. Following a mass held by the archbishop of Lima, the day features delicious foods and live music, concluding with grand fireworks displays across the country.
The celebrations continue on the following day, and are dedicated to honoring the Armed Forces and National Police of Peru. This day features a grand procession where representatives of these forces partake in the Great Military Parade. This too begins with the raising of the flag and the playing of the National Anthem. The streets are decorated with patriotic colours and the procession begins with the president of Peru, who gives permission for the parade to commence.
An ideal place to visit during these festivities is Machu Picchu, the gorgeous Peruvian mountain range northwest of the city of Cusco. Numerous vibrant celebrations take place in Machu Picchu Pueblo (commonly names Aguas Calientes for its nearby thermal baths) where Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is situated. As one of Peru’s top hotels, you can enjoy the luxury UNU Spa facilities and other in-house activities and beautiful views whilst engaging in the nearby celebrations.
If you would like to know more about Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, or any of the other Inkaterra properties, please click here.
Home to 84 of the world’s 103 ecosystems and 28 of the 32 climates on the planet, Peru is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries. When combined, these countries make up 70% of the planet’s total biodiversity. Due to this huge variety in the environment, scientists estimate there to be 25,000 plant species, 472 species of mammals, 20% of the world’s butterfly species and 1,816 bird species in just five main areas of Peru.
The Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest is the most extensive tropical forest on Earth, with the highest density of plant and animal species in the world. Spanning nine South American countries, and 2.5 million square miles of land in total, the Amazon provides essential ecosystem services throughout its territory. The forest is crucial for stabilizing the world’s rainfall patterns and for storing huge amounts of carbon, helping to prevent climate change. The Amazon is also inhabited by millions of indigenous people who, for generations, have called the jungle home.
Guests of the Inkaterra lodges in the Madre de Dios region can discover the variety of native plant and animal species by visiting the Gamitana Farm, which is part of the agroforestry project run by the Inkaterra Asociación.
The Andean Cloud Forests
The Andean Cloud Forests hold the highest number of endemic species – plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world. These forests occur in the Andes because of the humidity moving west from the Amazon rainforest cooling and condensing into water as it travels upwards to the mountains. The forests extend from about 2,000 feet (600m) to approximately 12,000 feet (3,658m) elevation, and more than 300 species of birds are found in the Cloud Forests of Peru, including the Cloud Forest that surrounds Machu Picchu, with 214 species observed within the exuberant tropical gardens of Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, of which 18 are hummingbird species.
With the steep slopes and fragile soils putting the Cloud Forests at risk of erosion and degradation, it is extremely important to protect the Andean Cloud Forests and their incredible biodiversity.
One of the most well-known species of the Cloud Forest surrounding Machu Picchu is the Andean Bear. Whilst staying at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel you can observe some of these curious creatures by visiting Inkaterra Asociación’s Andean Bear Rescue Center.
Páramo Grasslands
Páramo Grasslands are high-altitude ecosystems situated about 10,000 feet (2,048m) above the timberline but 18,000 feet (5,487m) below the permanent snow line. The vegetation is mainly composed of grasses, shrubs, and giant rosette plants. This unique ecosystem is located only in the Andes of Northern Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and some small areas in Central America.
In recent years botanical researchers have concluded that the Andean Páramo is very likely to be the fastest evolving biodiversity hotspot on Earth. Species in the Páramo have evolved within a hugely varied landscape of glacier-formed valleys and plains with lakes, peat bogs and wet grasslands interspersed with shrub-land and forest patches. This landscape, combined with its high-altitude, has resulted in species having to adapt to low atmospheric pressure, the drying effects of strong winds and much more.
Tropical Deciduous Forests
The Tropical Deciduous Forests are found along the northern coast of Peru and southern coast of Ecuador. These environments are dense during the wet summer, but during the dry winter the leaves fall and the canopy opens up, resulting in a wide array of uniquely adapted species. As these forests are located on the equator, they lie directly in the rain shadow of the Andes, the world’s longest mountain range, meaning they get very little moisture from the ocean for up to eight months of the year.
Marine, Coastal and Wetlands
Mangroves, estuaries, lagoons, and oceans all support the complex life that sustains marine fisheries and provides the freshwater to form wetlands. They are significant for their marine biodiversity and critical for migrating birds. Peru’s northern sea holds roughly 70% of the nation’s marine biodiversity, including many endemic species.
New ecotourism initiatives by the Inkaterra Asociación, in the coastal town of Cabo Blanco, aim to restore and conserve the Peruvian Tropical Sea, whilst contributing to the social and economic development of the local community. There are a variety of marine conservation initiatives, ranging from biodiversity inventories and species identification, to the promotion of sustainable fishing and development of the ‘Sea to Table’ concept within Peru.
While staying at Inkaterra you can explore the world wonders of the Amazon Rainforest of South-Eastern Peru and the Andean Cloud Forest, find out more about these stunning ecosystems by visiting www.inkaterra.com.
The influential lifestyle magazine TRAVEL+LEISURE (American Express Group) just announced its 2019 World’s Best Award Winners. Inkaterra is named as third best in the ‘World’s Best Hotel Brands’, a selection of the 25 outstanding companies in the hospitality industry. It is the only Peruvian brand mentioned in this ranking.
“It is truly an honor to have a Peruvian brand among the world’s 25 best, according to Travel+Leisure’ readers,” stated José Koechlin von Stein, Inkaterra founder and CEO. “We are so grateful with our travelers’ invaluable support, who acknowledge four decades of teamwork, resilience and perseverance to share Peru’s cultural richness and natural diversity with the entire world”.
Established in 1975, Inkaterra pioneered ecotourism and sustainable development in Peru. According to its holistic approach, the brand produces scientific research as a basis for biodiversity conservation, education and the wellbeing of local communities in the Amazon rainforest of Madre de Dios, the Machu Picchu cloud forest, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the city of Cusco and the Tropical Sea, coast and dry desert of Cabo Blanco in Northern Peru.
Celebrated for its hotels’ artisanal design, inspired by native architecture and built with local materials in harmony with the environment, Inkaterra caters to more than 200,000 travelers every year. The brand is member of various alliances, including Relais & Châteaux, Virtuoso and National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World.
TRAVEL + LEISURE PREMIA A INKATERRA COMO UNA DE LAS MEJORES MARCAS DE HOTELES DEL MUNDO
La influyente revista de viajes y estilo de vida TRAVEL+LEISURE anunció este miércoles 10 de julio a los ganadores de los World’s Best Awards 2019. La cadena de hoteles Inkaterra destaca en el tercer puesto de la categoría ‘Mejores Marcas de Hoteles del Mundo’, una selección de las 25 compañías mejor reconocidas en la industria de la hospitalidad. Se trata de la única marca peruana en el mencionado ranking.
“Es un verdadero orgullo que una marca peruana se encuentre entre las 25 favoritas, de acuerdo a la opinión de los lectores de Travel+Leisure”, expresó José Koechlin von Stein, fundador y presidente de Inkaterra. “Agradecemos el invaluable apoyo de nuestros viajeros, quienes hacen posible este reconocimiento a cuatro décadas de trabajo en equipo, resiliencia y perseverancia para compartir con el mundo la riqueza cultural y la diversidad natural del Perú”.
Fundada en 1975, Inkaterra es pionera del ecoturismo y el desarrollo sostenible en el Perú. De acuerdo a su visión holística, produce investigación científica como punto de partida para
determinar la conservación de la biodiversidad, la educación y el bienestar de las comunidades locales en el bosque amazónico de Madre de Dios, el bosque de nubes de Machu Picchu, el Valle Sagrado de los Incas, la ciudad del Cusco y el desierto marino-costero de Cabo Blanco.
Reconocida por el diseño artesanal de sus hoteles, inspirados en la arquitectura nativa y construidos con materiales locales en armonía con el entorno natural, Inkaterra es visitada cada año por más de 200,000 viajeros. La cadena forma parte de diversas alianzas, entre ellas Relais & Châteaux, Virtuoso y National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World.
Here at Inkaterra, we’re dedicated to delivering authentic, immersive experiences, while striving to protect and preserve the flora and fauna that flourish in Peru. With an array of exhilarating excursions, we cater to each and every kind of adventurer, from family travellers to solo explorers. Here are just a few of the experiences you can enjoy while staying at Inkaterra:
The archaeological site of Pisaq
While staying at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, you can discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas’ finest and most impressive Inca complex — the archaeological site of Pisaq — from terraces built on its hills and overlooking the typical village of Pisac. To get to this historical point you can hike the winding paths along the mountain cliffs, and take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery.
Once you have explored the ancient buildings, you can pay a visit to the colourful town and market down in the valley, where an artisan fair is stocked with fine woven crafts, tapestries, handicrafts and textiles from the local community and neighbouring villages. On Sundays a mass is celebrated in Quechua language with the assistance of local mayors or varayoc wearing their native clothes and accompanied by the sound of pututos (a traditional musical instrument made of a marine shell that emits a powerful sound)
Inkaterra Canopy Walkway
A visit to Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica is not complete without walking along the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. Start your adventure with a motorised canoe ride to the Interpretation Center before climbing the first tower of the walkway at 125 feet (38m) above the forest floor. Walk through the treetops along seven suspension bridges that link eight observation platforms and enjoy sounds and, smells, also landscapes and views not visible from the ground, while looking out for wildlife hidden in the trees.
Machu Picchu
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is ideally located near the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, you can discover the history of this site with a private guide before trekking up Wayna Picchu or the Machu Picchu mountain. These steep trails, overlooking Machu Picchu, cling to the side of the mountain leading adventurers to a remote corner of the archaeological site for a bird’s-eye view. From the summit, take in the Vilcanota River and the distant snow-capped Andean peaks.
Rainbow Mountain
While visiting Inkaterra La Casona, Cusco, from April to December, you can take a two-day tour to the Vinicunca Mountain through our Inkaterra Experiences department in partnership with a friendly local operator. Due to the naturally-occurring mineral gold, red, turquoise, blue and purple stripes, this site is often referred to as ‘Rainbow Mountain’.
From the trailhead of Quesoyoni you can trek uphill to Anantapata, where there are unrivalled views of the magnificent Ausangate Mountain. Spend a night under the stars in Surine Qorcha before continuing on your short hike to the Rainbow Mountain, standing out against the snow-peppered peaks of neighbouring Ausangate. After resting and enjoying the Peruvian landscapes, head downhill, following the K’airahuire Valley, before taking a private transfer from Quesoyoni to Inkaterra La Casona.
This excursion may also be a one-day tour with a slightly different route and is recommended to fit travellers only due to the high altitude.
Whether you’re returning to Inkaterra or it’s your first time visiting us, you can always find an adventure waiting for you. Discover more about the nature activities and excursions offered at each Inkaterra property by visiting our website, www.inkaterra.com.
Be sure to share your adventures with us by tagging @Inkaterrahotels and, if you find yourself daydreaming of Inkaterra, be sure to search #Inkaterra and @Inkaterrahotels to fulfil your Peruvian wanderlust.
