PERU: Visit Popular Tourist Attractions In Peru

Peru is a country of history, culture, beauty, and adventure, with a full spectrum of possibilities for travelers. The ancient Inca City of Machu Picchu is one of the highlights of any trip to South America, but there is much more to discover throughout Peru.

Visitors can take a boat trip on the highest navigable lake in the world, look out over one of the deepest canyons in the world, try their luck sandboarding in the dunes, hike in the Andes, fish for piranha in the Amazon, explore the mysteries of the Nazca lines, walk through ancient ruins in the Sacred Valley, or experience modern Peru while wandering the streets of Lima.

The diversity of the landscape, the people, and the experiences here make Peru one of the most unique destinations on the continent.

Sacred Valley

Less than an hour's drive north of Cusco is the beautiful Sacred Valley and the towns of Pisac, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo. This fertile valley has many Inca ruins worth exploring but is also a peaceful area to spend some time wandering through markets or soaking up local culture.

Some of the main highlights in the valley are the Pisac Ruins, the Sunday Market in Pisac, smaller market days are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the ruins and fortress at the beautiful little town of Ollantaytambo.

A little out of the way but worth the trip is the town of Moray with circular terracing used as an agricultural testing area by the Incas, and the salt mines at Salinas, which have been in use since the time of the Incas.

Machu Picchu

Perched high upon a ridge, 300 meters above the Urubamba River, the majestic Inca City of Machu Picchu is one of the most dramatic settings of a ruined city anywhere in the world.

Almost as impressive as the ruins themselves is the spectacular backdrop of steep, lush, and often cloud-shrouded mountains.

Standing near the caretaker's hut, looking out over Machu Picchu, the jungle covered mountains, and the river far below, it is not hard to imagine why the Incas chose this place to build their city.

Hiram Bingham came across Machu Picchu in 1911 and believed until his death that it was the Lost City of the Incas, first documented by Spanish soldiers in the 1500s. However, historians believe the real lost city of the Incas was at Espíritu Pampa, a ruin Bingham knew of but discounted as being insignificant.

The journey is also part of the experience of visiting Machu Picchu, whether it's by hiking the Inca Trail or seeing the route by train. In either case, it's impossible not to be inspired by the scenery.

Trains leave from Cusco, Ollantaytambo, or Urubamba to Aguas Calientes. From Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, a bus takes visitors up to Machu Picchu, which is about a 20-minute drive. It is possible to walk up this road to the site, but this is a long, uphill climb.

To avoid the crowds, the best times to visit the site are in the morning or late afternoon, either before the trains arrive from Cusco or after they have left.

The high season is June to August, but the two months on either side of this also see decent weather and can be a good time to visit with fewer crowds.

Arequipa's Historical City Center

Arequipa, at more than 2,300 meters, is often regarded as Peru's most beautiful city. Set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the city center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city's main claim to fame is the old architecture constructed of sillar stone, a volcanic rock that radiates a bright color in the sunlight. Most of the colonial buildings in the historic city center are made from this stone, giving rise to its nickname of the white city.

Arequipa is also often a stopping-off point for those looking to visit the Colca Canyon or Canon del Colca, which is about a four hour's drive from the city.

Ica and the Sand Dunes at Huacachina

For the sporting type looking to try something a little different, the oasis resort of Huacachina on the outskirts of Ica has just the answer.

This picture-perfect, palm-fringed resort town just west of Ica, and technically still part of the municipality of Ica, is situated around a lagoon surrounded by huge sand dunes, some of which reach 1,000 meters in height.

While they are beautiful to see, people come here to try out the sport of sandboarding. Similar to snowboarding, sandboarding is surfing down the sand dunes on specially made sand-boards, which can be rented in the area.

For the less coordinated, renting dune buggies is another great way to get out and enjoy the landscape.

Ica is slightly higher than the ocean and consequently is not affected by the usual coastal mist like other towns along this stretch. The town has a year-round sunny and dry climate, making it a good place to visit at any time.

Inca Trail

The famous Inca Trail is a four-day hike, which terminates at Machu Picchu, and is regarded by many as the highlight of their trip to Peru. This scenic trail is often more demanding than what many people are expecting, but also more rewarding.

There are a couple of different starting points for the Inca Trail, but the traditional four-day hike begins at km 82 of the Cusco - Aguas Calientes rail line.

From this point, the trail passes more than 30 Inca ruins and traverses through some spectacular scenery. The most difficult portion of the trail is the second day of the hike, with a climb of 1,200 meters in elevation gain and two high passes.

The hike must be done with an agency, and reservations should be booked well in advance, particularly in the high season of June to August. Some agencies offer a shorter version of the hike, which entails either the last two days or just the last day of the hike.

There are campgrounds at intervals along the trail and one at the base of Machu Picchu. Depending on the type of tour, hikers can either carry their own backpack or have it transported for them.

Cusco's Architectural Treasures

Walking through the streets of Cusco is like wandering through a museum, with history built upon history in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inca ruins have been used in the foundations of many of the lovely old colonial buildings lining the narrow roads, showcasing the city's long history.

The main square, Plaza de Armas, in the city center is home to the Cathedral and La Compania, two equally impressive structures. The square is also a great place to start a walking tour, grab a meal, or people watch during the day.

While there are countless buildings and museums worth visiting, the church of Santo Domingo, resting on the ruins of the Inca site of Coricancha, is one of Cusco's must-see attractions.

Barranco

The quaint hillside district of Barranco, just south of Central Lima and Miraflores, is a charming area within easy commuting distance of downtown Lima.

With unassuming colonial architecture lining the narrow streets and hillside ocean views, the area offers a much more relaxed pace than the city. The area has long been popular with artists and poets, giving it a Bohemian feel.

This is a great place to wander in the afternoon or enjoy a meal, particularly at sunset, at one of the restaurants overlooking the ocean. Besides the atmosphere, the one main tourist attraction in Barranco is the Puente de Los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs).

Pisco and the Ballestas Islands (Islas Ballestas)

The main reasons visitors come to Pisco, about 200 kilometers south of Lima, are to see the nearby Islas Ballestas and the Reserva Nacional de Paracas on the Paracas Peninsula.

Almost directly west of Pisco, the Islas Ballestas, sometimes referred to as the poor man's Galapagos, are home to hundreds of thousands of birds, large colonies of sea lions, pelicans, penguins, and dolphins.

Boat tours, which visit the islands daily, leave in the mornings from Pisco. The full tour takes passengers past the Candelabra, a hillside geoglyph seen from the coast, and then spends a considerable amount of time boating around the islands watching for wildlife.

This tour is generally a half-day trip, returning around noon.

The Paracas Peninsula, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean just south of Pisco, is home to the Reserva Nacional Paracas and the largest section of protected coastline in Peru.

The shoreline of the Paracas Peninsula supports a huge variety of wildlife, with approximately 200 species of seabirds, two types of sea lions, a rare type of otter, and the endangered Humboldt penguins.

Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon

Just a half hour flight from Cusco, Puerto Maldonado is a key jumping-off point for tours of the Amazon. This is a completely different experience than visitors will find in other parts of Peru, with hot humid jungle and a chance to see all kinds of unique wildlife.

Caimans, capybara, monkeys, parrots, turtles, and piranhas are what visitors can expect to find in this part of the country.

The Reserva Nacional Tambopata and the Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene are the two main attractions, and they are well serviced by a number of jungle lodges. The Reserva Nacional Tambopata jungle lodges are approximately a one-hour boat ride from Puerto Maldonado.

Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene is across the river from the Parque Nacional Madidi in Bolivia and takes about four hours to reach by boat. Tours typically range from a couple of days to week-long adventures.

Lake Titicaca

The sparkling blue water of Lake Titicaca is surrounded by rolling hills and traditional small villages, offering a mix of beautiful scenery and culture that sets it apart from other regions of the country.

Sitting at 3,820 meters above sea level, Lake Titicaca is known for being the highest navigable lake in the world, but it is also an extraordinarily scenic area where visitors can relax and enjoy some tranquility.

A boat trip to the islands and surrounding villages is the best way to appreciate the lake. One of the main tourist attractions is the Uros Floating Islands (Islas Flotantes), which sustain small communities of Uros Indians.

These are man-made islands constructed of reeds that have sustained a traditional way of life since the time of the Incas. What travelers see on tours to these islands is designed for tourism, but it does offer a glimpse into a traditional way of life.

The floating islands are only one very small part of Lake Titicaca's attraction, with the real charm lying in the small villages in the hills along the shores of Titicaca and on the main islands of Isla Taquile and Isla Amantani.

The main gateway to Lake Titicaca is the city of Puno, a less than inspiring destination, with hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. There are trains and buses to Puno and flights in and out of the nearby city of Juliaca.

Colca Canyon Or Canon del Colca

Although it was once thought to be the deepest canyon in the world, Colca Canyon or Canon del Colca, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, is the second deepest after nearby Cotahuasi Canyon.

The canyon reaches a depth of 3,400 meters and is the result of a seismic fault between two volcanoes. At the base far below is a winding river.

The Colca Canyon area has been inhabited for thousands of years and was home to the Collagua, Cabana, and eventually the Inca peoples. Stone terracing along the canyon walls dates to AD 800 and is still in use today.

The canyon is about a four-hour drive from Arequipa. Day trips to the canyon are available from Arequipa but two or more days are recommended considering the driving time involved in accessing the canyon.

Besides gazing out at the canyon, there are also hot springs, churches, villages, and Inca ruins to explore. Condors are also a big attraction in Colca Canyon as they soar past the cliff walls.

Lima's Plaza de Armas

One of the most pleasant places in Lima is the main square, Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor), in the heart of the city's historic district. Most of the buildings on the square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, date to the mid 18th century.

Many of the structures were rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1746. The highlights around the Plaza de Armas are the cathedral on the east side and Government Palace (Palacio del Gobierno) on the north side. Also of interest are the Archbishop's Palace and the Casa del Oidor.

Leading off the square is the pedestrian street, Jiron de la Union, with shops, restaurants, and the historic Iglesia de La Merced.

Sillustani

Sillustani, outside the city of Puno and not far from Lake Titicaca, is the site of some of the area's most impressive funerary towers (chullpas).

Standing as high as 12 meters, these structures were built by the Colla people around AD 600 to bury their nobility. Entire families, along with food and personal possessions, were buried in these cylinders.

Most of the towers are set in a scenic area along the bank of Lake Umayo. Visitors walk up a hill from the parking lot to the plateau above. The towers stand at the far end of the field with the lake behind.

Below the parking lot is a small marshy lake where locals can be seen poling along in their boats, harvesting reeds.

Nazca Lines

The mysterious Nazca lines are an unusual sight that will leave visitors with a sense of awe. These huge images on the desert floor were relatively undiscovered until planes flying over the area in the 1920s saw the lines from the air and realized they formed distinct patterns and images.

Until that time there was some recognition of the hillside drawings near Nazca and Paracas, which can be seen from ground level. However, the huge drawings on the flat desert floor are so large that it requires an aerial view to be appreciated.

From the air, it is possible to see 70 different plant and animal drawings as well as hundreds of lines and other geometrical shapes. Some of these lines stretch as long as 10 kilometers, and they are spread over hundreds of square kilometers.

Most notable among the figures are a lizard measuring 180 meters long, a condor with a 130-meter wingspan, and several others that include a monkey, hummingbird, killer whale, and spider.

Although it is not known exactly who created the lines or how and why, theories hold that the lines were the product of the Paracas and Nazca cultures sometime between 900 BC and AD 600. Why they were created is the subject of much debate.

Some of the theories put forward suggest the lines were a type of astronomical calendar for agriculture, an alien landing pad, a running track, walkways joining ceremonial sites, or part of a water cult.

The lines were created by removing the dark surface layer of stones and piling them at the sides of the lines, creating a contrast between the dark stones and the exposed lighter soil below. Flights can be booked in advance or on a walk-in, first-come first-serve basis.

Approximately four kilometers outside of Nazca are the Cantalloc Aqueducts. Built around AD 300 to 600, the aqueducts were designed to provide a year-round water source for the area. They conduct water from the mountain springs down to Nazca by means of underground canals.

Some of the Cantalloc Aqueducts are still used by farmers in the area.

Also of interest in the area is the Cemetery of Chauchilla, which contains Nazca remains and mummies.


Tourism Observer

ARGENTINA: Cerro de los Siete Colores, The Hill of Seven Colors

Geological curiosity , the Cerro de los Siete Colores or hill with seven colors is the name given to a mountain flank, located in the Andes in the small Indian village of Purmamarca in the province of Jujuy in Argentina .

The range of colors ranges from beige to purple, passing through green.

The Cerro de los Siete Colores, the Serrania de Hornocal, as well as the Paleta del Pintor or Palette of the painter in Maimara, are the three most characteristic sites of the symphony of colors that adorn the Quebrada de Humahuaca .

Cerro de los Siete Colores or The Hill of Seven Colors is one of the hills bordering the Quebrada de Purmamarca which is in turn is a western branch of the Quebrada de Humahuaca up to Cuesta del Lipan, in Jujuy Province, Argentina.

Its unique color range is the product of a complex geological history including marine sediments, lake and river movements elevated with the movement of the tectonic plates.

Aside from the commonly known name this colourful hill carries, the locals of the town of Purmamarca also refer to it as the Hill of the Seven Skirts.

This is an unofficial name, and not many people other than those who live here refer to it this way.

The reasoning behind this second name is because of the resemblance between the colours on the hill and that of the traditional, long skirts worn by Andean women.

This breathtaking sight is composed of 7 different colours, all of which derive from different types of rocks; leading to its diverse range of colours.

Each colour/rock is also said to have formed during different time periods.

Firstly, pink is believed to be composed of red clay, mudstone (mud) and arilitas (sand).

Its estimated age goes back about 3 to 4 million years. The shade of white surrounding the pink is mostly made up of limestone and is aged about 400 million years.

Continuing onto the mix of brown and purples, which are composed of lead, and rich in calcium carbonate, and is 80 to 90 million years of age.

On top of the purple-brown colour, there is an earthy brown colour that has been detected in the rock.

The rocks making up this colour are the most recent colours appearing on the rocks, aging at 1 to 2 million years old, and is described as fanglomerate composed of rock with manganese belonging to Quaternary.

As for the red, which is composed of claystones (iron) and other clays belonging to the upper Tertiary, its said to also be aged around 3 to 4 millions years.

The shades of green, aging at about 600 million years, are made up of phyllites, and slates of copper oxide.

Finally, the yellow mustard colour is made of sandstones with sulfur, and is estimated at 80 to 90 million years.

It is said that when the small town of Purmamarca, situated at the bottom of the hills, was formed, they had no colour to them, making them as dull as any other mountain, or hill.

To the imaginative minds of the young children of Purmamarca, this was unacceptable. Whilst the adults of the town deemed it as normal, and something to be ignored, or gotten used to.

The children refused to conform to this belief, and decided to do something unbelievable. Despite their warnings to the adults, none of them seemed to take the children seriously.

This didn’t make a difference though, and they moved forward with their plan, regardless.

For seven nights following their decision to decorate the hillside, the children disappeared from their beds, and every morning the adults would wake with a surprise.

A new colour was added to the hill. On the seventh night, all of the adults in the town woke early and found that all the children were missing from their beds.

Panicked, the adults began to search the town for their children. After having searched the entire town with nothing to show for it, all of the children began skipping down the hillside, laughing and playing.

Since these seven nights, the hill has been completely covered in the seven colours that the children painted onto it.

Every year on this day since, the town of Purmamarca has a celebration in honour of the painting of the colourful hillside.

The hill is said to be the most beautiful during the first 45 minutes after dawn, and is no stranger to tourists who choose to take advantage of the breathtaking sight.

Tours are also offered of the town of Purmamarca, situated at the base of the colourful hills, which include them as one of the biggest attractions.

There are also specific tours of the hills themselves via horseback rides, hikes/walks, bike tours and photographic safaris.

If you are looking to hike to the mountain, there are two trails that lead to promising lookout points, one that is a ten-minute walk, and the other being an hour walk.

Information on how to get to these locations, etc., isn’t difficult to find within the town through the tourism office.

Purmamarca is considered one of the most picturesque villages in the Humahuaca Ravine.

This town is a quaint little town nudged at the bottom of the famous hills. Largely focused on the tourists that come to see the mountain.

The town has a lot of artisan stands selling all kinds of tapestries, hand-knitted clothing, artwork, sculptures, pottery, etc.

There are many celebrations honoured through the town, proving the thick culture within its people.

Some of which include the misa-chico, the dead worship, the Pachamama worship or the autochthonous music played with quenas the Indian flute, cajas, erques and sikus.


Tourism Observer

PERU: Tourists Overwhelm Rainbow Mountain

Tourists gasp for breath as they climb for two hours to a peak in the Peruvian Andes that stands 5,000 meters above sea level.

They’re dead tired, but stunned by the magical beauty unfurled before them.

Stripes of turquoise, lavender and gold blanket what has become known as Rainbow Mountain, a ridge of multicolored sediments laid down millions of years ago and pushed up as tectonic plates clashed.

It’s only within the last five years that the natural wonder has been discovered by the outside world, earning it must-see status on Peru’s burgeoning backpacker tourist circuit.

You see it in the pictures and you think it’s photo shopped, but it’s real, says a tourist from Mexico.

The popularity of Rainbow Mountain, which attracts up to 1,000 tourists each day, has provided a much-needed economic jolt to this remote region populated by struggling alpaca herders.

Environmentalists, however, fear the tourists could destroy the treasured landscape, which is already coveted by international mining companies.

From the ecological point of view they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, said Dina Farfan, a Peruvian biologist who has studied threatened wildlife in the area just a few hours from the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.

As proof, he points to a 4-kilometer dirt trail climbed by tourists to reach Rainbow Mountain that has been badly eroded in the last 18 months, scarring the otherwise pristine landscape.

A wetland once popular with migrating ducks has also been turned into a parking lot the size of five football fields that fills each morning with vans of mostly European and American visitors.

There are more serious threats, too. Camino Minerals Corp., a Canadian-based mining company, has applied for mining rights in the mineral-rich area that includes the mountain.

The company does not respond to a request by The Associated Press for comment on its plans.

Yet the flood of tourists has meant jobs and hard cash for the local Pampachiri indigenous community, which has struggled with high rates of alcoholism, malnutrition and falling prices of wool for their prized alpaca.

Many have abandoned nomadic life for dangerous gold mining jobs in the Amazon.

Now, they charge tourists $3 each to enter their ancestral land, netting the community roughly $400,000 a year – a small fortune that has triggered a tax battle with an impoverished, nearby municipality, which has seen no part of the windfall.

The surge in tourists also comes with a responsibility to be good stewards of the environment and their new guests, and Pampachiri community leader Gabino Huaman admits he is not sure they are ready to fully handle it.

Despite the challenges, roughly 500 villagers have returned in the last couple of years to take up their ancestral trade of transporting goods across the Andes.

The difference is that now they are hauling tourists on horseback.

It’s a blessing, says Isaac Quispe, 25, who quit his job as a gold miner after six of his camp mates were murdered.

He returned home and bought a horse that last year earned him $5,200 hauling tourists uphill.

The guides dress in colorful woolen clothes and wide-brimmed, traditional hats to lead the horses.

Farfan, the biologist, said he hopes the Pampachiri can learn from other sustainable tourism endeavors in Peru.

It was the success of one such project, in the nearby town of Chillca, that first put Rainbow Mountain on the map.

For much of the past decade, a group of shepherds had been quietly taking small groups of tourists to the mountain as part of a five-day hike around the fast-melting Ausangate glacier.

Over time, and thanks to the stunning photographs posted on the internet, the secret got out.

Today the shepherds of Chillca manage four lodges made of eucalyptus wood with a capacity for 16 tourists each. They are lighted only by candle, but have hot water.

Arriving guests are given shoes made of alpaca leather and wool.

At dawn, lodge-keeper Orlando Garcia gently awakens his guests with a love song performed in the Quechua language.

You always have to be guessing what the client wants, and take care of it so you don’t lose their smile, Garcia says.

We want them to feel the greatest comfort at almost 16,404 feet.



Tourism Observer

ECUADOR: Veronica Sevilla New General Manager Of Quito Tourism Board

Quito is more than just Ecuador’s capital city. The mountaintop municipality was the first to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features one of the Americas’ largest and best-preserved colonial districts.

Located in the Andes at 9,350 feet above sea level, Quito features winding cobblestone streets leading to broad open plazas.

Many of the city’s majestic colonial structures are built atop still-visible Incan stone foundations. Nearby natural attractions include Cotopaxi National Park, while the city’s busy marketplaces and charming Bohemian-style districts offer opportunities to experience the city’s cuisine and culture.

Coordinating tourism activities for Quito is now the responsibility of Veronica Sevilla, who was named general manager of the Quito Tourism Board in February. Sevilla directs strategic tourism planning, promotion and development, with the goal of increasing arrivals and spending, promoting longer stays and driving investment and tourism development for Quito.

She brings extensive experience developing South American tourism companies, including those in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil.

Sevilla has also held management positions and provided consulting for Casa Gangotena, a luxury hotel in Quito; and Mashpi Lodge, located in Ecuador’s cloud forest.

We spoke with Sevilla to hear her views on the tourism growth and the potential for one of Latin America’s high-profile travel destinations.

Why are people visiting Quito today?

Beyond being the gateway to Ecuador, Quito is one of Latin America’s less-discovered cities and offers a variety of experiences. It may be one of South America’s smallest capital cities, but visitors find something to do regardless of the type of vacation they’re looking for, be it history, culture, nature, gastronomy or art.

As the first city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quito’s historic city center offers stunning architectural wonders that have been carefully preserved.

Some of the historic homes in the area have also been converted into impressive four and five-star boutique hotels.

Quito lies in the heart of the Andes and therefore enjoys fantastic views of surrounding volcanoes and natural landscapes—ideal for those who enjoy bird watching and learning about the rich native flora.

What specific events are taking place this year that visitors to Quito should look forward to?

Holy Week, or Semana Santa in Quito, is one of the most important celebrations in the city.

Held the last week of March, this is an ideal time for tourists to visit the city and witness Quito’s significant expressions of faith.

On Palm Sunday, decorative items are woven and made of palm leaves, taken to mass where they are blessed, and then returned to the home where they remain until the following year at which time they are burned and the ashes used during the ceremonies of Ash Wednesday.

Good Friday celebrations, however, are the most iconic. Thousands of people descend on the Plaza of San Francisco, at noon (the time of Jesus’ death).

The procession begins from the San Francisco Church and returns three hours later—the hour in which Jesus was crucified.

Fiestas de Quito, (Spanish for Quito Celebrations), commemorates the foundation of the city.

This year will honor its 483-year-old history: Celebrations begin in late November with the election of the new Queen of Quito (a beauty pageant contest held every year) and will extend until December 6, when the city’s streets, avenues and plazas fill with the colors and joy of the holiday season.

Are most visitors combining their Quito visit with a trip to the Galapagos?

When people come and visit Ecuador, they want to take advantage of their trip and see as much as they can.

We see that many of our visitors extend their trip to the Galapagos to enjoy a different experience.

The Quito International Airport offers a number of flights directly to the Galapagos, so visitors to the destination can reach the islands easily.

Also, because it is a short two-hour flight, visitors can enjoy the city to its fullest before embarking on their Galapagos adventure.

What do you believe are Quito’s least-appreciated features?

Affordability. Quito’s official currency is the US dollar, which makes it easy for Americans to visit.

The majority of products are very affordable compared to the states.

The city offers high-quality artisanal items for a low price at markets like Otavalo, and there are moderate prices for boutiques and hotels throughout the city.

The public bus is 25 cents for each trip, making it an easy way to get through the city. There are affordable tours and museums, plazas, parks and churches tend to have free admission.

Local food markets offer inexpensive traditional food and unique medicinal products.

One of the latest products that we have developed is the “Colonial Route” that includes a visit to Quito and Cuenca as well as the Colombian cities of Cartagena and Bogota; all UNESCO heritage sites.

This program includes two days in Cuenca and Cartagena and 3 days in Bogota and Quito.

This alliance between the Quito Tourism Board and the Tourism Board of Colombia was a joint initiative to promote both South American countries.

What programs has your office implemented to support travel and tourism to the city?

The Quito Tourism Board has an extensive program in North America that includes communications efforts, familiarization trips, co-ops, advertising, events, training and participation in industry shows.

We are also focusing on increasing connectivity to the destination.

We work closely with travel agencies and US tour operators to sell and promote the destination. We consider them to be great partners and rely on them to sell Quito.

As a tourism board, we coordinate familiarizations trips as well as roadshows including in-office training in several cities in the United States. We also make sure to attend several trade events like the USTOA Annual Conference.

How will hosting the Routes Americas aviation conference in 2018 impact Quito as a tourism destination?

This conference will allow huge exposure for the destination, which will hopefully spur travel and allow for attendees to extend their stay for a few days to experience more of what the destination has to offer.

We were chosen as host city due to our strong connectivity to the world, convenient location, and extensive tourism and cultural offerings.

We have been investing in new high-quality facilities over the past few years and this will be a great opportunity for us to showcase what we have done.

ECUADOR: Visiting Ecuador After The 7.8 Earthquake

According to the Minister of Tourism, tourists can visit unaffected areas of the country with no concerns over security

A 7.8 Richter scale earthquake occurred on April 16 near the northwest coast of Ecuador, in the Manabí state region.

According to a release by the Ministry of Tourism, areas like Amazon, Andes, and Galapagos – airports, hotels, travel agencies and ground transportation – “remain open and fully operational.”

“Visitors traveling to Ecuador or planning a visit to unaffected areas can feel confident that their trip will not be impacted, and can feel secure to continue with their plans to visit the country,” Fernando Alvarado, Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism declared.

Infrastructure and services across the four main regions of the country after the shake are fully or partially operational, as follows:
Amazon – no changes, as all travel related features operate normally.

Andes – airports, ground transportation and hotels are fully operational. No major damage was reported in the area.
Coast – The airport and hotels in the city of Guayaquil remain open and fully operational.

The cities of Manta, Pedernales, Bahia de Caraquez, and Portoviejo were severely affected by the earthquake and have closed main roads and airports. It is recommended that tourists avoid this regions.

Galapagos Islands – not affected by the quake; tsunami alert was lifted. The area is considered to be safe.

CHILE: About Chile

Hikers at the Towers Of Torres del Paine

Capital: Santiago

Size: 756,950 km²

Population: 14.3m

Currency: Chilean Peso

Language: Spanish

Visas: Not required for UK nationals.

Food: Seafood is the pride and joy of Chilean cuisine. Almost every port on the Chilean coast has a small market or a row of seafood restaurants where excellent seafood can be found. The varieties of fish are endless and entertaining! If fish is not your thing try cazuela de vacuno (meat stew with pumpkin, potato, coriander and a twist of lemon).

Drink: Chilean wines are excellent. Two delicious drinks are vaina, a mixture of brandy, egg and sugar and cola de mono, a mixture of aguardiente, coffee, milk and vanilla served very cold at Christmas.

Festivals: Fiesta de la Piedra Santa: the ancient festival of the Holy Stone is celebrated every year on 20 January. The women dress in their traditional costumes, with colourful belts and silver jewellery. It continues through the night with singing, dancing, music and prayers.

Sport: Much like South America as a whole, football is the sporting lifeblood of Chile and the three most powerful teams (Universidad de Chile, Colo Colo and Universidad Católica) are centred around Santiago each provoking fierce rivalry with each other. Tennis and basketball are also popular and some rugby is played around Santiago and fifth region mainly due to the existence of the traditional private 'English' schools.

When to go: The hottest months are December to March. The Central region has a sunny Mediterranean-like climate; in July and August temperatures can drop to 10ºC. The Lake District enjoys a temperate climate similar to northern Europe but with heavy rainfall. In the far south the winter (June to mid-September) is more severe: it can snow and temperatures often drop to well below freezing. In Easter Island the rainy season is March to October (wettest in May, when torrential rain can fall, although usually in short bursts).

Chile is a ribbon of land squashed between the Pacific and the Andes. Its landscape embraces glacial wilderness and moonscapes, lakes and volcanoes, beaches, salt flats, and the burnt colours of the desert. In one day it is possible to scale a mountain with ice axe and crampons, soak off the exhaustion in a thermal bath and rest beneath the desert stars of the Southern Cross.

Santiago, Chile’s sophisticated capital, nestles alongside the Andes: a frenetic collision of skyscrapers, noise and nightlife that is home to some of South America’s most experimental modern artists. The nearby port city of Valparaíso was described by Brian Keenan as a ‘Venice waiting to be discovered’, with warrens of streets and brightly painted houses.

In the far north is the small town of San Pedro de Atacama, an unlikely oasis set among geysers, volcanoes and salt flats. For the real stargazers, there are astronomical observatories to take advantage of the region’s pristine skies.

3,790km to the west lies Easter Island, famous for its 887 iconic stone heads known as moai, ranging from two to 20m tall.

Heading south, the mysterious archipelago of Chiloé is one of the most fascinating areas of Chile. Here you are almost always within sight of the sea, with dolphins playing in the bay and, on a clear day, views across to the twisting spire of the Corcovado volcano on the mainland.

Just north of Chiloé is the deservedly popular Lake District. Much of this region is protected as national parks, and the mixture of forests, lakes and snow-capped volcanoes is unforgettable.

The Carretera Austral (southern highway) is a large tract of sparsely inhabited, spectacular wilderness stretching away south of the Lake District. High rainfall and difficult access deter some but the attractions are considerable: temperate rainforests, glaciers, fjords, small islands and hidden fishing villages. There are hot springs at Chaitén and Puyuhuapi, excellent fishing and rafting in the cold clean waters. You can trek, climb mountains and cross ice fields, or cruise in comfort to the awe-inspiring sight of Laguna San Rafael's glacier.

In the far south of the country lies the awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Mecca for trekkers and wildlife enthusiasts. Throughout the year, the park offers constantly-changing views of fantastic peaks, glaciers and icebergs, where the eponymous massive granite towers overlook vividly coloured lakes and quiet green valleys filled with wild flowers.

CHILE: Tracking Pumas In Patagonia

Pumas are among the least seen of earth's big cats.

Though they're widely distributed from the Canadian Rockies to the southernmost Andes (and known alternatively as cougars or mountain lions), pumas have historically been thought of as too elusive for any sort of commercial tourism.

That changed when a company called Quasar Expeditions, in partnership with Explora Patagonia, launched its first puma trekking safaris earlier this year in Chile's famed Torres Del Paine National Park.

The idea was to give wildlife enthusiasts the same opportunity to see pumas as they'd have with jaguars in Brazil, lions in Africa or tigers in India.

It's estimated that the 935-square-mile Torres Del Paine in southern Patagonia is home to more than 50 pumas, giving it one of the world's densest big cat populations.

Early morning rays have just painted the park's famed massif in a violet hue when I meet up with 33-year-old puma tracker, Jose Vargas.

It's been about a half hour since my chance encounter, and he can sense the effect the cat has already had on me.

"When you see the puma eye to eye, it transmits an energy that's quite powerful," Vargas says as we set off into the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve with binoculars and high hopes.

Our first stop on the aptly named Fauna Trail is an arid plateau buzzing with brush-grubbing guanacos.

These wild cousins of the domesticated llama are among the puma's favorite foods, and it shows on the bone-riddled trail ahead.

Vargas bends down next to a spiky "mother-in-law's pillow" bush to inspect a particularly bloody guanaco carcass.

He tells me that it can't be more than two days old, but adds, "the puma has surely moved on by now to hunt for another kill."

A beret-wearing, mate-drinking gaucho, Vargas grew up in the park's Lago Grey region and was tracking pumas alongside his father when he was just five years old.

He says the methodology hasn't changed over the years.

He listens to the guanaco's bleating calls -- "many in rapid succession could signal a puma" -- and looks for cues from the sentinel, an older male who stands on a hilltop overlooking the herd.

About three hours into our hike we reach an overlook above Laguna Goic with sweeping views of the snow-capped Andes floating like white waves on the horizon.

We've laughed at courting rhea birds (they're related to the ostrich and emu), chased a gray fox in pursuit of photos and smelled more hog-nosed skunks than we'd care to.

But we have yet to lay our eyes on another puma.

Vargas says the caves near this lagoon are a popular puma hangout.

He saw a mother and two cubs here three days ago, but there are no signs of activity as we stand on a high point surveying the land, nor is there the slightest hint of fear in the guanacos nearby.

Active from dusk to dawn, pumas are rarely spotted midday and our clock is ticking.

Vargas suggests we climb along the lagoon's frosty edge in a last ditch attempt to come eye to eye with a puma.

We're rounding a rock formation when he calls out that he's spotted a puma.

A light snow has just erupted from a sunny sky slightly obscuring my vision.

By the time I make my way to his side the puma has climbed over a ledge out of view.

I'm gutted.

It's nearly noon and our window of opportunity has closed.

I head out again in search of pumas that evening and twice the following day.

I'm awed by the wingspan of soaring condors, the elegant frock of the caracara and the cotton candy blue of the glacial lakes, but I never do manage to spot the enigmatic puma in broad daylight.

In the end I'm OK with it.

Unlike many safaris in Africa (or Asia) where Big Five success is all but guaranteed, there's nothing contrived about finding pumas in Patagonia.

There's no baiting, there are no feedlots and there are a limited number of tracking sessions each year where the chances of success are admittedly slim.

But there's something nice about knowing that these creatures are free to roam in and out of the park, clocking in six-mile journeys on an average hunting day -- and that your encounter, if it happens, hasn't completely disturbed their solitary ways or turned them into showpieces in a cageless zoo.

When you do see this spectacular feline, however dark the night may be, you feel like you've actually earned the honor.