Peru has something to fascinate and captivate even the most experienced of travellers. Our Travel Consultant Alexandra Carlson shares her experience travelling through Peru with G Adventures and why she fell in love with this country:
So I’ve been pretty fortunate to visit some amazing places over the years, but it is going to be pretty hard for any other country to replace the love I found for Peru. I expected to land in Peru, wander around to some of the other sites while waiting to get to Machu Picchu. That’s what people go to Peru for isn’t it? Well I was amazed by everything this wondrous country had to offer. The food was beyond amazing, with a few off the wall options, the people were some of the friendliest I’ve ever met, the landscape from the coast all the way into the main land is something I’ll never forget and they have a very rich history and some wonderful architecture. It truly is amazing.
I did my trip with G Adventures and I don’t think I would have been able to have the same experience without them. They truly brought this country alive for me. Our local guides were passionate about everything they spoke of and were able to provide us with an experience that was unique and would have been hard to do on our own.
We were staying in the main land after visiting Lake Titicaca and the floating reed islands, getting ready to head off to Cuzco the next day. Our guide was busy getting our transportation confirmed when we found out there is going to be a strike the next morning in a smaller town on our route to Cuzco. Now as a independent traveller I probably wouldn’t have known this was going to happen, let alone what time and what their idea of a strike is. For a bit of background – in Peru’s main land, when they strike they close the roads, and by that I mean they throw rocks and anything else they can get their hands on onto the road in order to barricade them so no one can travel. We were then told we were going to have to leave a bit earlier than planned in order to get past this town before the strike began. So that is what we did. It is something I am very grateful for. If I had not been with a company who was as well connected to what was going on in their country I could have very well been stuck in a rough situation.
One of the highlights of travelling with G Adventures was being able to give back to the local community. They have a partnership with a non profit organization called the Planeterra Foundation to set up a Women’s weaving co-op in the Sacred Valley.
We were given a tour by a local while they explained what they do on a day to day basis, how the weaving process is done, as well as how this project has impacted their community. Since 2005 they have been able to keep old traditions alive while sustaining a liveable income. To see how grateful the locals are to every group who comes to visit them was precious, and something I will always treasure.
As Machu Picchu is still high on my list of things I was glad to experience while in Peru, this country has so much more to offer. I would recommend this amazing place to anyone and everyone. Its something everyone should have the chance to experience. I can’t wait to go back and experience some more.
Looking for more information on travelling to Peru or with G Adventures? Alexandra Carlson is a Team Leader at the Flight Centre Grand Prairie in Alberta, and can be reached online or by calling 1-855-888-9620