The organic tea cultivated at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel won the gold medal at this year's prestigious Teas of the World Awards, organized since 2018 by AVPA France.

During the awards ceremony held on November 18 in Paris, Inkaterra’s tea received the highest acknowledgment in the 'Thé noir en perles' category – the Gourmet OR medal.

“We are very humbled by this recognition at the 6th edition of Teas of the World, providing Peruvians with a new reason to feel proud of Machu Picchu’s cultural and natural patrimony,” remarked Inkaterra founder and chairman José Koechlin, whose hotel brand has pioneered ecotourism and sustainability in Peru for five decades.

Under a holistic approach, Inkaterra produces scientific research as a basis for biodiversity conservation, education, and the well-being of local communities.

In 1976, four years after co-producing Werner Herzog’s cult classic Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972), José Koechlin acquired a ten-hectare area to establish Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel in the heart of the Andean cloud forest. The land, originally used for livestock and as a sawmill, was restored over several years to reintroduce biodiversity native to Machu Picchu. Nowadays, the property boasts 298 registered bird species, according to Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird app, and 372 native orchid species, the world’s largest collection in its habitat, according to the American Orchid Society. These indicators confirm Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel as one of the world’s most diverse hotspots.

Recognized by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best resorts in South America, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is known for its design inspired by traditional architecture and is built using native materials in harmony with the environment. In this gracious Andean villa surrounded by trees, waterfalls, and stone pathways, guests can see the national bird of Peru, the Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana), or observe as many as 18 hummingbird species.

Initially, the property had a Camellia sinensis tea plantation. These crops, which are over one hundred years old, are conserved by Inkaterra and harvested using ancestral techniques to produce organic Machu Picchu tea – a process awarded by Teas of the World.

The Teas of the World Awards celebrate the excellence of teas with real gastronomic value. It is organized by AVPA, which promotes the concept of terroir, adding value to the product's origin, climate, and soil. Additionally, AVPA also champions social equity and environmental protection, aligning with Inkaterra's vision of sustainable development. Every year, 700 brands from all over the world compete at the AVPA contests.

Over 200 participants attended the Teatro Municipal Pachacútec in Machu Picchu Pueblo for the opening ceremony of the 7th Andean Orchid Conference, an event taking place for the first time in Peru.

The chronicle features Inkaterra, named pioneer of Peruvian eco-friendly travel, whose groundbreaking approach to sustainable travel (the brand produces scientific research as a basis for biodiversity conservation and the wellbeing of local communities) is matched by its distinctive take on luxury hospitality. Member of Virtuoso and Relais & Châteaux, Inkaterra has seven boutique hotels established in the Amazon rainforest, the Machu Picchu cloud forest, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the city of Cusco, each of them inspired by local architecture and built with native materials in harmony with the natural surroundings. Inkaterra is also a trendsetter in high-end travel experiences, including birding and orchid observation, as 903 bird species have been registered in hotel grounds, whilst Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel hosts the world’s largest native orchid collection according to the American Orchid Society, with 372 species found in natural their habitat.

In his welcome speech, Inkaterra founder José Koechlin remarked that the Andean Orchid Conference aims to position Machu Picchu and Peru as a global destination for the observation of native orchids.

This scientific event brings together national and international experts, conservationists, cultivators, and aficionados with a deep interest in the study and conservation of orchids from the Andean region.

The 7th Andean Orchid Conference is organized by Inkaterra Asociación, in collaboration with the Municipality of Machu Picchu, Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC), the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), Cámara de Comercio y Turismo de Machu Picchu, Sociedad Peruana de Orquideología, and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Cali (Colombia).

Furthermore, the event relied on the sponsorship of LATAM Airlines, PromPerú, Inca Rail, AJE Group, Ministry of Culture of Peru, SERNANP, SERFOR, Consettur Machu Picchu, and Cusco Regional Government.

In a heartfelt tribute, the 7th Andean Orchid Conference was dedicated to the memory of Carmencita Soto, a resident biologist of Inkaterra, whose commitment to the conservation of the Andean cloud forest manifested in her encyclopedic knowledge of the 372 native orchid species found on the grounds of Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, many of which she helped describe as new to science.

Inkaterra is proud to announce an updated deluxe edition of its widely acclaimed book on native orchids. Machu Picchu: An Orchid Symphony is an unprecedented scientific statement on one of Machu Picchu’s most astonishing manifestations of life, as it will feature 425 native orchids – the book with the greatest number of species native to one given region.

Curated by Inkaterra Asociación biologist Benjamín Collantes, the 500-page large-format book includes photographs in 35mm format of each orchid species in full bloom, an extraordinary accomplishment as some of these rare flowers only blossom for a few hours every year.

The new edition of Machu Picchu: An Orchid Symphony will be released in 2024. The book comprises a blooming calendar and essays on fascinating subjects such as Machu Picchu’s ecology and natural pollination. Among the 425 orchids described in Machu Picchu: An Orchid Symphony, readers will find the 28 species new to science described by fellow researchers of Inkaterra Asociación.

By purchasing Machu Picchu: An Orchid Symphony, you will become an ally to the Machu Picchu environmental conservation strategy led by Inkaterra Asociación. As a result of this conservation strategy, Machu Picchu has been certified as the First Carbon Neutral Wonder of the World. This was achieved through ecosystem restoration and an innovative waste management plan to enhance a circular economy.

Click on the following link to pre-order the limited edition of Machu Picchu: An Orchid Symphony.

Peru Travel Mart 2023, the most important business conference in the tourism sector in our country, was held from November 16 to 19 with great success. The event was organized by the National Chamber of Tourism of Peru (CANATUR) and co-organized by PromPerú. The event was attended by 150 international buyers, representing an increase of 41% compared to the previous year.

Inkaterra was one of the companies that participated in Peru Travel Mart. The event was held at the Lima Convention Center and served as an opportunity for authorities, businessmen, and representatives of the tourism industry to discuss the state of travel in Peru.