Peru: Hotels in Cusco’s Valle Sagrado develop environment-friendly strategies
October 21, 2009
Hotel administrators in the Sacred Valley of the Incas have developed a project to make about five thousand paper bags in order to decrease the excessive use of plastic bags, which might represent an environmental threat.
Edwin Gonzalez, president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants, said that this initiative was born during the “Campaign for Corporate Social Responsibility,” organized for the third year by hotels and inns in Cusco.
Gonzalez pointed out that plastic bags last for hundreds of years before turning into small toxic little particles; he warned that there is an excessive increase of plastic bags in the Sacred Valley and Cusco, which are mostly dumped into rivers and fields, polluting them.
“This idea is still a project: we need a working plan. But we will do our best to implement it,” he said.
The Famed Inca Trail
September 23, 2009
Nestled high in the Andes at an altitude of 2350m, and overshadowed by a 300m peak, lies an Old Mountain. For years, the morning mists settled on this ancient site keeping the complex beneath it shrouded in mystery. Overgrown with dense vegetation, it remained hidden from the outside world until 1911, when an archaeologist named Hiram Bingham ‘officially’ discovered the site. “Old Mountain” was home to the ancient Inca Fortress, better known today as Machu Picchu.
Among the lists of world famous treks, the Inca Trail is undoubtedly one of the top ranking. It is so popular, in fact, that one needs to reserve a spot on the trail at least three months in advance. Up until 2005, the number of trekkers on the route escalated out of control with the result that the paths were overcrowded and strewn with litter and garbage. It got so bad that the government finally stepped in and imposed a restriction of 500 trekkers per day, including guides and porters. The result is that the route can now be trekked without the overwelming sense of having stepped into Picaddily Square on a Saturday morning.
challenging part of the trail – “Dead Woman’s Pass” so named because from the top, the mountain appears as a woman lying on her side. Breathing in the thin air as one puffs to the top of the pass, once cannot help but marvel at the tremendous effortby the Inca civilisation, put into building this network of roads.
But perhaps it was hiding a sacred ruin, considered by some to be more beautiful than the sanctuary of Machu Picchu; the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. Meaning ‘forever young,’ these ruins consist of an upper ceremonial and lower living area, connected by a long flight of steps. Adjacent to these and falling in front of a magnificent back drop of crashing waterfall and forested area, is an enormous sweeping amphitheatre of agricultural terraces, now home to resident Alpaca grazing in the morning light.
From a city of 1,200 people, about 300,000 tourists embark on an annual pilgrimage to the ruins, of which about 12,000 arrive by way of the old Inca trails. But just as the glaciers of Kilimanjaro are withering away through global warming, so increased levels of rain are threatening to destroy the very foundations of the ruins of Machu Picchu.
Peru: National Geographic team prepares documentary series on Machu Picchu
September 14, 2009
The Vice President of the National Geographic Society Global Media-Travel, Dawn Drew, revealed that a NatGeo production team is currently in Peru working in some videos, in order to divulge in the US the latest findings in the Sacred Valley.
She also said that NatGeo has printed a Peru map including valuable information about our country, and the copies will be handed it to the Peruvian government, to be used in promotion and education campaigns.
Dawn Drew also said that they are having talks with Peru’s MINCETUR in order to make a TV series to divulge the latest discoveries, researches and studies taking place now in Cusco.
Their goal is to broadcast these programs before the centenary of Machu Picchu’s discovery, in 2011.
Peru: Cusco to host “Cusco, Always in Fashion” international event
September 9, 2009
Cusco, South American Archaeological Capital, will soon become a fashion center too, during the fair “Cusco, Always in Fashion,” that intends to insert the Imperial City (Cusco) into the international fashion’s circuits and to develop its exportable offer as well.
“Cusco, Always in Fashion” (October 28th-30th) will showcase the best productions from the top young Peruvian designers, according to Víctor Hugo Pérez Zevallos, the Regional Director of Foreign Trade and Tourism.
He also announced that this event will be attended by international fashion journalists.
“We want this First Week of Peruvian Top Fashion Design - ‘Cusco, Always in Fashion 2009′ to convey a message of culture and creativity to our people, and also to create a new touristic product,” said Pérez Zevallos.
Municipality of Cusco to launch cultural programs
September 5, 2009
The Municipality of Cusco announces the opening night of the First Encounter of Traditional Games, that will start tomorrow (September 5th) at 9am at the Plazoleta de San Pedro (Small Square of Saint Peter’s), according to El Sol del Cusco newspaper.
This event pursues the stregthening of social interactions by means of searching new spaces for socialization and the recovery of traditional games and toys.
This event has been possible thanks to the collaboration of Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) and the Guamán Poma de Ayala Center.
The Municipality is also about to launch a program, called Chaquipi Purisunchis, that will suspend all vehicular traffic in the historic downtown on Sundays between 9am and 2pm, with the aim of encouraging locals and tourists to enjoy the city attractions in a safe, clean environment.
Peru: Villagers to protect tourists in Sacsayhuaman
May 21, 2009
According to Andina News Agency, the communities around the Sacsayhuaman archaeological complex will provide security to tourists visiting this local attraction, through a program called “Village Watchman.”
Tourism Police chief in Cusco, Oscar Villafuerte, explained that this initiative aims to protect tourists in places which are not part of the official Sacsayhuaman route.
These remote areas belong to this 3,000-hectare natural and archaeological reserve, and are only accessible to rural communities, whose people have been trained on security systems, techniques and procedures of interventions.
They have also been taught on , and roles and responsibilities of the village watchmen.
The program includes the communities of Fortaleza, Chaco, Salkantay and Villa San Blas.
12 new luxury hotels for Cusco - Peru to have 7-star hotel
February 23, 2009
Peru will have its first seven-star hotel this year in the touristic region of Cusco. According to El Comercio daily, Revolutions Perú, a U.S. company, is to make the million-dollar investment.
The luxurious establishment is to have 200 rooms, a restaurant, a spa and a conference center among other first class services.
This project is one of twelve luxury hotels that will open in the region of Cusco this year.
It was reported that in the first trimester of 2009, Liberatador Peru would also inaugurate the Urubamba Luxury Collection, which is to be set in the Sacred Valley.
Simultaneously, Peruvian investors will be opening the new Rio Sagrado hotel.
The Marriott chain has also announced plans to open a 5-star establishment in Cusco and by the middle of the year the Acqua Hotel Resort Spa is to be in operation
Peru: New Cusco mall to have department stores and chapel
February 11, 2009
Even though a date has not been established for the start of construction, Juan Jose Calle, the general manager of Centros Comerciales Peru announced that Cusco would have a brand new mall.
Centros Comerciales Peru, owners of Jockey Plaza mall in Lima confirmed that 130 million soles would be invested in the construction of the mall along with another 150 million in implementation costs.
The new mall, which is to be called Puertas del Sol, is to be built on a 57,000 square meter (613,542 sq. ft.)piece of land that belongs to the Archbishop of Cusco.
It was reported that the two-storey mall is to have two department stores, a supermarket, a home center (e.g. Ace), a food court, a cinema with eight theaters and a chapel.
Construction could begin as soon as the first trimester of 2010.
Oscar nominees stay at Inkaterra Hotel in Cusco, Peru
January 30, 2009
Assuring Peru is one of the finest countries to make movies in, world-renowned German director Werner Herzog recently began filming a documentary at the turbulent shores of Vilcanota River in Cusco.
“Peru is the best country, here I’ve made famous films like Aguirre, la Ira de Dios, Fitzcarraldo (1982 Cannes winner) and a documentary about Julianne Koepcke,” said Herzog, explaining he was now creating a documentary about a story that took place in Machu Picchu in the 70s.
Herzog is currently filming with actor Michael Shannon, who along with Herzog has been nominated for Oscar awards this year.
Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World has been nominated to be this year’s best documentary while Shannon has been nominated in the category of best supporting actor.
The two stars stayed at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel and affirmed their stay near the Vilcanota River had been a pleasant one.
More than 1,000 artists to participate in Santurantikuy festival for Christmas in Cusco
December 26, 2008
Every Christmas Eve, the residents of Cusco organize a massive festival in the Plaza de Armas to get into the holiday cheer and this year’s festival should be no different.
Today hundreds of artisans are preparing thousands of hand crafted Christmas related pieces to display at the main square for the Santurantikuy festival.
Santurantikuy is Spanish for “buy me a saint” and its history goes back during the colonial times. Cusco has organized this holiday event which brings many artisans from Cusco and Puno to gather to the plaza to exhibit their crafts.
In Cusco and its surrounding regions, the Santurantikuy festival is the most important Christmas celebration ever. This year, national artist Santiago Rojas will be awarded with a metal of honor for his participation as an exhibitor in the Santurantikuy festival since 1937.
Artisans create elaborate pieces that represent the images and symbols of Christmas. Each piece will be available to purchase during the festival. The 10 best crafts will be handpicked by a panel of judges from the American Institute of Art to display in the local Museum of Popular Art.