The origin of the alpaca The story about the origin of the alpaca begins thousands of years ago in what are now called Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador. High in the Andes Mountains, where the air is thin and the earth touches the sky, is where the history of the alpaca begun. Wild vicuñas and guanacos Long before roads and borders existed, wild herds of vicuñas and guanacos roamed freely across the rocky plains. They were swift, shy, and perfectly adapted to the harsh mountain life. Early humans who settled in these regions watched them carefully. They noticed their thick, warm coats—soft enough to protect against freezing nights and strong winds. Domesticating vicuñas and guanacos At first, these animals were
Tips for senior travellers This article is a practical guide filled with helpful tips for senior travellers. Travel can be one of the most rewarding experiences at any stage of life. The past few years saw an increase in senior travellers around the. This can partly be explained by an aging population of the wealthy countries, but also by a shift in finance and mentality. Especially in Western countries many middle aged and elderly people were able to build up robust savings. When they are looking at their retirement, or recently retired, they decide to take advantage of their additional time and savings and explore the rest of the world, before it is too late. Typical senior travellers Generally speaking
Protests in Bolivia While traveling in Bolivia, you have to be prepared to adjust your travel itinerary in order to avoid protests in Bolivia. Road blocks and protests against the Bolivian government are not uncommon. Luckily, as in Peru and Ecuador, they are usually announced in advance, so people can take their precautions. The protests often involve mine workers, transport companies, farmers and other indigenous people. Bolivia is divided Almost 50 precent of the Bolivian population is of indigenous origin, but they are only sparsely represented in Bolivia’s national politics. This often causes lack of confidence in the government and protests against the government. Between Bolivia’s independency from Spain in 1825 and 2006, Bolivia had even more different presidents, than
Protests in Ecuador While traveling in Ecuador, you have to be prepared to adjust your travel itinerary in order to avoid protests in Ecuador. Road blocks and protests against the Ecuadorian government are not uncommon. Like in Peru, they are usually announced in advance, so people can take their precautions. The protests often involve transport companies, farmers and other indigenous people. CONAIE CONAIE (the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador), is Ecuador’s largest indigenous rights organization. They are also the most vocal and powerful group when it comes to protests in Ecuador. Many of its members are hard working farmers and craftsmen/ women who live below the official poverty standards. When its members are really opposed to decisions from the
Protests in Peru While traveling in Peru, you have to be prepared to adjust your travel itinerary in order to avoid protest in Peru. Road blocks and protests against the Peruvian government are not uncommon. As in Ecuador, they are usually announced in advance, so people can take their precautions. The protests often involve farmers, mine workers, drivers and/ or students. But in 2017 there even was huge protest from teachers, who demanded better salaries. Corruption in Peru That the people in Peru aren’t happy with their government, shouldn’t come as a surprise. Peru’s ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) remains low. Besides that, 81% of Peruvian citizens believe that corruption has increased in the past six years. And
Should I use AI to plan my vacation? Should you use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to plan your vacation? More and more people use ChatGTP and other forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help them with a wide range of tasks. This year we even had our first clients who used ChatGTP to plan their travel itinerary in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. To be fair, at first sight these travel itineraries looked like they were copied from a travel website. But a closer look revealed small, but significant flaws in these itineraries. Flaws in AI travel itineraries for Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia Yes, the travel route was possible. And these routes would allow you to visit the main touristic highlights during
Train to Machu Picchu: PeruRail vs. Inca Rail The travel distance between Cusco and Machu Picchu is around 118 km (73 miles). Some travellers take the bus and hike to Machu Picchu, but by far, most travellers take the train to Machu Picchu. Or, more correctly, they take the train to the town of Aguas Calientes and then take the bus, or walk the last 8 km to Machu Picchu. Two companies offer reliable train services to the town of Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo): PeruRail and Inca Rail Both provide a variety of options to suit different travel styles to Machu Picchu, from budget to luxury. The railway from Cusco to Aguas Calientes Many Peruvian railroad
Cueva de los Tayos: From Neil Armstrong to Will Smith – A Cave of Enduring Mystery Hidden beneath the dense Ecuadorian Amazon lies Cueva de los Tayos, one of the most mysterious and fascinating cave systems on Earth. Known for its enormous underground chambers, legends of lost civilizations, and whispered tales of alien contact, the cave has drawn adventurers and researchers for decades. Among them are two unlikely figures: Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, and Will Smith, Hollywood actor and global icon, who visited the cave as part of a National Geographic docuseries.Their visits — separated by nearly half a century — underscore the enduring mystique of this remote location and highlights its unique place
The origin of cacao and chocolate When I first brought chocolate from Ecuador back to the Netherlands, some people would ask me: Chocolate from Ecuador, is that any good?” When you know the answer, it seems a strange question, but before I went to Ecuador, I might have asked the same question. In Europe we refer to Belgium and Swiss chocolate as being the best chocolate. But when you think about this, it is actually odd. The main ingredient of chocolate is the cacao bean, which doesn’t grow in Belgium or Switzerland. So where does cacao come from? The origin of cacao Although there were genetic signs that the cacao tree comes originally from South America, it was long thought
The different Machu Picchu tours in Peru Almost everyone who wants to travel to Peru will also look online for available Machu Picchu tours. And when you do this, you will find many, many options. But how do you pick the best Machu Picchu tour for yourself? For many travellers their best Machu Picchu tour will depend on their budget and the physical shape. Below I will give several tips that can help you to choose the best tour for you. Important information about visiting Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is located at an altitude of 2400 meter, 8 km away from Aguas Calientes (2000 meter altitude). Aguas Calientes is now officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo) and can only be reached
