Monthly Archives: September 2019

Hotels

Family holidays at Inkaterra

With multi-generational travel continuing to top the travel trend charts, holidays that cater for the whole family are more popular than ever.

At all of our Inkaterra properties, we offer adventures and activities to suit all ages and interests. From the rolling hills of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the depths of the Amazon, whichever Inkaterra hotel you and your family choose to visit, there will be plenty to keep everyone busy.

For intrepid families visiting the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, a walk along our nature trails offers all ages the opportunity to discover the secrets of the Machu Picchu cloud forest ecosystem. Little ones can learn about the indigenous plants, animals, and insects from the Inkaterra Explorer Guides, whilst parents can glimpse sightings of the 372 different native orchid species in their natural habitat (world record according to the AOS). 

Alternatively, for adults and children who are fans of Paddington Bear, a trip to Inkaterra’s own Spectacled Bear conservation centre to see the rare animal that inspired the stories is an essential addition to the itinerary. This can be booked ahead of your visit upon request. 

Guests can also visit the organic tea plantation at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Although tea is produced all over the world, the only variety that has been able to adapt to Peruvian soil is the Chinese camellia sinensis, which is what we grow at Inkaterra. All the tea is free from chemicals, and guests can see the whole process of making our in-house tea from leaf to teabag. 

For guests of Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a visit to the ecological farm is the perfect opportunity for all ages to discover the secrets of ancient Peruvian harvesting techniques.

With an ‘Earth to table’ initiative in place, it provides children an excellent opportunity to observe how and where their food is grown, and the journey it takes to reach their plate.

For parents interested in learning more about the ancestral production of the Peruvian Chicha de Jora (typical beverage prepared with Andean corn), there is a workshop on how the drink is prepared, from the harvesting of the corn to the grinding and fermentation, before ultimately being able to taste your very own Inca drink.

At Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, in the Amazon Rainforest of South Eastern Peru, a walk through the treetops along the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway is perfect for parents and teenagers with a head for heights. Seven hanging bridges are connected via platforms situated 30m (99ft) above the Rainforest floor. Offering unparalleled views over the Amazon Basin, families should be on the lookout for birds including toucans, woodpeckers, trogons and many others.

Once you’re back on solid ground, descend to the remarkable wetlands and the 200m boardwalk to discover the Aguajales rainforest swamps. The elevated wooden footbridge is a fascinating platform from which guests can observe the transition from forest to marshlands, whilst also spotting the amphibians, reptiles and mammals that live there.

Lastly, teenagers will enjoy the adventurous twilight boat ride down the Madre de Dios River, an exciting excursion to take from Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción. Listen to the night time sounds of the river, whilst learning about new eco-systems and witnessing nocturnal animal behaviour. With younger children, why not visit the botanical garden within hotel grounds to discover the immense variety of rainforest plants in the Amazon, or even take a rowing boat ride around the private natural pond to observe the local fauna.  

For more information on all of the Inkaterra properties, please visit: www.inkaterra.com

Hotels

Inkagrammers of Peruvian Winter 2019

Here at Inkaterra, we love to see our guests capture and create their own personal online scrapbooks and Instagram is the perfect platform to proudly share them. We’ve chosen a select few of your ‘Inka-gram’ moments from this season.

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The last year I’ve been working so hard, all in hope that a job like this would come into my life – not really thinking it would happen so soon! These past two days I’ve been hiking in the Amazon Rainforest, taking photos of both the beautiful wildlife and the amazing group of people I’m spending the next two weeks with. I’m basically just in awe that this is actually work. Taking photos and creating videos is a true passion and I’m so lucky that I have found this. 📸 🌳🌲 . . . #visitperu #flashpack @flashpack #peru #amazon #theamazon #boattrip#amazonphotography #amazonrainforest #picsworthsharing @inkaterrahotels #madeinperu #perutravel #exploreperu #travelperu #travelphotographer #adventurephotographer #travelphotography #instaperu #visitperu #sheexplores #shewanders #femalecreators #peopleofadventure #adventureawaits #stayandwander #womenwhoexplore #femalecreators #photographer @canonuk #canonphotographer #womenphotographers #naturephotography

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birdwatching at dawn. local organic coffee. eucalyptus stalks in terra cotta pots. knitting in front of a fire. the sound of steady rain. just a winter’s day in the cloud forest. ⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ •⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #knit #knitting #knittersofinstagram #knitstagram #igknitters #igknitting #quinceandco #brooklyntweed #btloft #fringefieldbag #travelgram #ohwowyes #travelperu #visitperu #peru @peru #placesyoucanknit #perurail #diy #makermovement #willowsweater #knitlife #knittingisthenewyoga #knitting_inspiration #knitspiration #ourmakerlife #strikke #morningslikethese #vscocam #vscoknit #niresknits

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Make sure to tag @Inkaterrahotels to share your adventures with us and, if you ever find yourself daydreaming of Inkaterra, be sure to search #Inkaterra and @inkaterrahotels to fulfill your Peruvian wanderlust…

For more information on Inkaterra, please visit our website.

Our Peru

Five things you didn’t know about Machu Picchu

Located more than 7,000ft (2,134m) above sea-level in southern Peru, the ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu is Peru’s most visited tourist destination. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Machu Picchu is well-recognised thanks to its ‘Instragramability’ and ‘bucket list’ appeal. In addition to this, thanks to Inkaterra’s ongoing partnership with The AJE Group (a Peruvian multinational beverage company) and the Municipality of Machu Picchu Pichu Pueblo, the citadel is also now known for being the first destination in Latin America to recycle 100% of its solid waste. This is the result of the implementation of an organic waste treatment plant, a plastic waste compactor and a biodiesel plant in the citadel.

Yet despite being one of the world’s most well-known destinations, there remain a number of lesser-known details about the citadel that few visitors know. Here are five of our favourite facts about Machu Picchu:

1 – For years, Machu Picchu was only known locally, until in 1911 the ancient citadel was rediscovered by Yale professor Hiram Bingham. Although the purpose of Machu Picchu remains unknown (with suggestions ranging from a royal estate to secret ceremonial centre), it would appear that the Incas hoped the site would remain a secret, for fear of it being seized by invaders

2 – When Hiram Bingham first encountered Machu Picchu in 1911, he discovered it by mistake. At the time, he was looking for the city of Vilcabamba, the hidden capital known as the Lost City of the Incas. Although he argued for his whole life that Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba were in fact one and the same, he was proved wrong after his death in 1956.

3 – Machu Picchu is comprised of over 150 buildings, ranging from baths and temples to sanctuaries and houses. The compound also contains over 100 different flights of stairs, most of which were carved individually from single slabs of stone. Amazingly, it is also commonly believed that despite the impressive size and weight of the rocks used in the citadel’s construction, no wheels were used to transport them up the mountain. Instead, it is thought that the rocks were moved up the steep hillside using nothing more than manpower.

4 – Known to be some of the best masons in the world, the Incas’ skills are clearly visible at Machu Picchu. The structures, which were constructed using a technique called ‘ashlar’, are cut so precisely that they do not require mortar to hold them together. One of the main benefits of this building style is an engineering advantage, as the lack of rigidity in the structures means they are free to move. As the area is prone to earthquakes, it is thanks to the ‘ashlar’ technique that the citadel is still standing to this day.

5 – Despite everything we already know about Machu Picchu, there are still more things to learn about the seventh wonder of the world. Only in 2014, a French explorer named Thierry Jamin found a door at the site that was previously undiscovered. Although there is speculation that the entrance leads to a burial chamber, the Peruvian government has forbidden its opening, so, for now, we can only speculate.

For those wanting to discover the citadel for themselves, then there is no better place to stay whilst doing so than Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, or, for those travelling on a budget, El MaPi by Inkaterra provides an alternative option.

To discover more about all of our properties in Peru, please visit: www.inkaterra.com