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Aqua Expeditions Robbed Again in Peru

2009-08-06T12:41:00.002-06:00

STATEMENT FROM AQUA EXPEDITIONS: August 6, 2009 While cruising on the Amazon early Tuesday morning, August 4, the m/v Aqua was boarded by six unknown persons who robbed the passengers of valuables. Neither passengers nor crew were harmed. A similar incident occurred on July 26.CEO of Aqua Expeditions Francesco Galli Zugaro has been meeting this week with senior government officials, including the

Choosing an alternative trek to Machu Picchu

2009-07-28T12:20:00.004-06:00

For one reason or another, you're not hiking THE Inca Trail to Machu Picchu; maybe the permits sold out, your travel dates aren't flexible enough, or you want to do something a little more interesting. While the good news is that there are a lot of options for alternative treks in the area, that's also the bad news because it can be so tough to make a decision on the right trek. Here are four

Snorkeling: Do I need a wetsuit on a Galapagos Islands Tour?

2009-07-17T12:22:00.005-06:00

There's more to the Galapagos Islands than finches and tortoises found on land; the animals you find underwater are likely to be some of your trip favorites. Snorkeling is usually a big part of any Galapagos Islands tour, and having the proper stuff can really help you enjoy this aspect of your trip.Most Galapagos tours will provide wetsuits for snorkeling, either for free or for a small fee (~

There's more than Machu Picchu

2009-07-16T09:37:00.005-06:00

Want to get off the beaten-path in Peru? Don't worry, you can always squeeze in a quick visit to Machu Picchu (really, it can be done in just a day). When there's so much to see in Peru, you'll wonder why most people don't venture stray far from the Inca Trail. Here are five trips to get you dreaming . . . 1. Choquequirao- Perched on a saddle between stunning Andean peaks, Choquequirao (or

Why it's smart to travel during a recession

2009-07-10T15:02:00.010-06:00

Recently, when I tell people I work in the travel industry, they give me a pat on the back and ask if I've applied for unemployment yet. What I tell them surprises them as much as it's been surprising me: people are still traveling, even during a recession. After all, there are some really excellent reasons to travel-- even if the economic news is disheartening or scary. Here are the reasons I

Peruvian Amazon spared from environmental destruction

2009-06-26T17:45:00.004-06:00

The Peruvian Amazon has been spared this month from massive environmental damage, thanks to the public outcry and protests of brave Peruvians. From the New York Times:"Peru’s Congress on Thursday overturned two decrees by President Alan García that were aimed at opening large areas of the Peruvian Amazon to logging, dams and oil drilling but set off protests by indigenous groups this month in

Tips on choosing your South American trek

2009-06-24T10:16:00.006-06:00

With summer here, you're probably breaking in your new hiking boots and dreaming about where to take your next adventure. Of course, planning any international trekking adventure takes a bit of perseverance but it shouldn't be harder than the hike itself. Make it a bit easier for yourself by following these tips from Detour:1. Make sure you have a local guide. Naturally, a trained local guide

Riots in Peru's Amazon

2009-06-08T16:13:00.003-06:00

Rioting broke out in northern Peru on Friday after two months of fuel and transport blockades, and at least 30 indigenous protesters and 24 police officers have been killed. The indigenous tribes want to force Congress to repeal laws that encourage foreign mining in the rainforest.According to the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8088350.stm): "The violence erupted on Friday after

Chevron VS Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador

2009-05-05T13:30:00.007-06:00

60 Minutes had a great piece this past Sunday on the $27 billion dollar lawsuit facing Chevron for environmental degradation in the Amazon Basin. NPR had a radio story on this last week as well. This is the largest environmental damage suit in history, and it is being decided by a single judge in Lago Agrio, Ecuador, sometime this year.In the 1960's Texaco started to drill for oil in one of the

FERNANDINA VOLCANO IN THE GALAPAGOS ERUPTS

2009-04-13T13:37:00.002-06:00

"The Ecuadorian Geophysics Institute informs that La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina Island in the Galapagos has started a new eruptive process. The island-volcano - 1476 meters high- is not inhabited and located 90 Kms. to the northwest of Puerto Villamil the closest village on Isabela Island, so there is no danger for the human population.The current eruptive process started during the night of

Inca Trail Permits Sold Out Through June 2009

2009-04-01T11:05:00.000-06:00

Inca Trail Permits are selling quickly again this year (although a little slower than last year), and permits are now sold out through June 2009. There are still permits available for most any date at the end of the year, September to January. Check out permit availability on our Inca Trail Permits page.July 2009Date: Permits Remaining11: 8812: 2414: 5215: 9416: 6917: 13718: 7319: 2920: 021:

Heavy Rains in Ecuador Cause Landslides

2009-03-04T09:50:00.002-07:00

From Detour Partner Metropolitan Touring:ROAD CONDITIONS IN ECUADORThe rainy season in Ecuador has been particularly intense this year, and the main roads that descend from the highlands to the coast have experienced landslides that affect the normal traffic between these two regions.The road Calacalí/Los Bancos that leads to Tulipe and Mindo has been particularly affected, and works are under

Pacuare River Obtains Ecological Blue Flag

2009-03-02T13:41:00.005-07:00

Detour has received a great update from Adventuras Naturales in Costa Rica about their latest achievement in sustainability. Adventuras Naturales is a Costan Rican company which has received international recognition for its commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism:"We are very proud to announce that the Pacuare River recently received the highest rating from the Costa Rican government’

Trip Report: Manizales, the coffee region, Colombia

2009-02-24T17:39:00.003-07:00

February 23: We arrived in Manizales yesterday and everyone quickly piled on their layers as soon as we hit the tarmac. It´s obvious that we´ve become accustomed to the warm climate of Colombia because the `coldest place in the country´ has us shivering- despite being a normally comfortable 60 F. This is part of the coffee growing region in Colombia. The microclimate here is a perfect balance

Trip Report: Santa Marta, Colombia

2009-02-20T20:34:00.005-07:00

Februaray 20, 2009: Medellín, ColombiaI arrived in Colombia for a birdwatching tour and knowing the names of only a dozen or so species back home, I knew I had a lot to learn. In three days, I´ve at least quadrupled that number. I have some top quality birding guides leading the way which makes it all much easier. But even without the guides, it would be impossible not to notice the amazing avian

New Eruption on Chaiten Volcano, Chile

2009-02-20T10:37:00.004-07:00

Volcan Chaiten, in Southern Chile, has started to show increased activity again, according to Detour travel partner TravelArt Chile. The activity started on Thursday, February 19th. The volcano, which lies south of Pumalin Park at the northern part of the Carretera Austral, and near the Futaleufu River, erupted in May 2008 causing a great deal of damage in the area, including in Chaiten.According

Happy Birthday Charles Darwin!

2009-02-12T20:45:00.003-07:00

Charles Robert Darwin was born February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury, England, the fifth of six children. He is among the most influential scientists who ever lived. His visit to the Galapagos Islands was very influential in helping him form his theory of evolution. 2009, the 200th anniversary of his birth will be celebrated throughout the Galapagos to honor the man and the island chain he made

Trip Report Peru: Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria

2009-02-12T16:03:00.004-07:00

Puno, Peru is known as the folkloric capitol of the Andes and for good reason. The Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria is celebrated here in style with days of raucous parades, elaborate costumes, and dancing.Andean Adventures, a local tour operator, was in Puno this year to attend the festivities and photograph this colorful event.Puno is right on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's

GALAPAGOS YACHT LA PINTA RECEIVES THE SMART VOYAGER CERTIFICATION

2009-01-22T10:09:00.004-07:00

FROM METROPOLITAN TOURING:METROPOLITAN TOURING’S GALAPAGOS YACHT LA PINTA RECEIVESTHE SMART VOYAGER CERTIFICATIONThe SmartVoyager sustainable tourism certification was created in order to improve environmental, social and safety measures, and to reduce the environmental footprint that a tour operation could cause.We are happy to announce that Metropolitan’s expedition vessel La Pinta has just

Official Statement from Quasar About the Unfortunate Accident on the Parranda

2009-01-20T16:41:00.002-07:00

We are sad to learn that the Parranda did catch fire and sink, but are at least glad that no one was hurt in the accident. We wish Quasar the very best as they deal with this loss.Here is the official statement from Dolores Gangotena de Diez, Commercial Vice-president ofQuasar Expeditions :We wish to inform you, our valued client, of an unfortunate event that took place earlier this week. During

Bad News: Galapagos Yacht Parranda Reportedly Catches Fire and Sinks!

2009-01-14T14:26:00.003-07:00

According to sources in Quito, the Parranda yacht caught fire and sank this morning near Bartolome in the Galapagos Islands. Fortunately it appears that no one was hurt, and everyone was rescued by one of the Coral Yachts. Preliminary reports say that the Parranda is a complete loss, although this is not confirmed.El Nacional newspaper also reports that the boat full of a group of British

New Galapagos Species of Pink Land Iguana

2009-01-07T13:03:00.005-07:00

According to Galapagos Tour Operator Metropolitan Touring, a team of Ecuadorian and Italian researchers have discovered a unique species of pink land iguanas living on the Galapagos Islands. Researchers at first thought that the iguanas, which are pink with black spots, simply had skin pigmentation deficiencies.Pink iguanas have been identified as a new species 150 years after Charles Darwin

Galapagos Fuel Surcharge Has Nothing to Do With World Oil Price

2008-12-22T12:36:00.003-07:00

We get a lot of people either asking about, or complaining about, the Galapagos Fuel Surcharge. This is totally understandable, as the price of oil has fallen substantially in the past 6 months, yet the fuel surcharges remain in effect. What's going on?The fuel surcharge is a rather complicated affair, as it has nothing to do with the retail price of gasoline or diesel in Ecuador. Fuel prices

Ecuador Chooses To Default on International Debt

2008-12-17T10:49:00.003-07:00