Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands form the most complex and diverse archipelago of the world with a great variety of protected and beautiful endemic fauna that you will able to enjoy with this tour. You will visit many of the islands such as Plazas Island, Bartolome island and Ayora port, which is the most visited. A fascinating trip for people who loves being in contact with nature.

Daily departures

Special rates valid until December 2011

• Add 5% surcharge to rates for use of credit card.
• Not valid in Mardi Grass, Easter or National day Holiday.

Price per person

Guayaquil Hotel

Galapagos Hotel

Prices Include:

• 03 hotel nights in the Silberstein hotel with daily breakfast included.
• 01 hotel nights in the Oro Verde hotel with daily breakfast included.
• Every meal is included in this tour.
• All transfers to airports, bus stations, train stations and hotels.
• Domestic Air Ticket Guayaquil / Galápagos / Guayaquil.
• All transfers in Galápagos, Baltra airport / Puerto Ayora / Baltra airport.
• Dayly excursions with professional nature tour guides.
• Fully equipped transport units with special permits for the tourism industry.

Prices do not Include:

• USD $ 100 Entrance fee to Galápagos Nacional Park.
• USD $ 10.00 Tourism card fee.
• Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages when not specified.
• Tips for transport personnel, hotel personnel, etc.
• International Air Ticket.
• USD $ 28.27 Ecuador airport fee (approximately per passenger per flight segment).
• Any other services not mentioned in the tour.

Conditions:

• A pre pay of non refundable US$ 500 is required per passenger to guaranty the reservation.
• Itinerary may vary according to Galapagos Port Guardianship.
• This quote will become a confirmed reservation at the moment of the booking, if at this moment there is no hotel availability at the programmed hotel a similar hotel will be offered.

Image: Destino.

The destinations of the Dolphin Amazon Cruises will touch on various spots: from the Amazons, to its biodiversity, and the beautiful Yanallpa Private Reserve. Its on this last point, that we’ll focus this entry on.

The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is located in the Loreto region of Peru, which belongs to the Peruvian Amazon. It should also be mentioned that it’s one of the most flood prone zones of all the protected areas around the world due to the heavy rainfall during the rain season of this Andean zone. The reserve will flood with waters that will cover up to 85% of its length which is about 2′800,00 hectares.

The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is the second protected natural area of Peru, and the fourth under protection within the whole of South America. Within its lands there are 208 villages, approximately, and it is calculated that there are somewhere around 100,000 river-side dwellers inhabiting the area and whom live there, in part, due to the natural resources that are available to them through the reserve.

These resources also attract one of the mayor attractions of the Reserve: the bird wildlife- which seems to just glide around through the celestial blue Amazonian skies. Some of the birds you’ll see around here are: the grand woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos), the black-tail Condor (Tityra cayana), the Brown Swallow (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis), the Arrocero (Sporophila casteneiventris) and Semillero (Sporophila lineola) which are both a type of seed-finch; as well as the Black-Crested Finch (Paroaria gularis), the Cielo Pishco (Cotinga maynana), and the Red Wanchaco- a type of gull bird (Ramphcelus nigrogularis).

There’s also the Seven Colors bird (Tangara chilensis), the Bocholocho (Psarocolius angustifrons), the Capucha “Bobo” bird (Cyrysomus icterocephalus), Tiwacuro (Monasa nigrifrons), the Chestnut Jacamar (Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis), the Great Catalan (Megaceryle torquata), the short-wing Swallow (Chaetura brachyura), the Scissor-Tail Swallow (Chaetura squamata), Shansho (Opisthocomus hoazin), the Amazonian Parrot (Amazona Festiva, and the Ushpa Parrot (Amazona farinosa), amongst so many others.

These are only a few of the birds that you’d be able to see flying around the Amazon skies and getting lost within the greenery of the vegetation. There are so many more bird species in this area, that without doubt, each time you take a look out your window or from the balconies of the cruise ship, you’ll no doubt see a new or different species.

Get yourself a good photographic camera, and revel in the beauty of these birds, that will just surely illuminate your stay on the Dolphin Amazon Cruise, with the varied colors of their feathers and with their graceful motions in flight, or with their beautiful songs and chirps. Buen Viaje!

Images: SumaqPeru, RPP, InfoRegion.

Tags Technorati: tourism, trips, places, Amazon, Peru, Pacaya Samiria, tourism Peru.

For those that are not deeply familiar with it, Machu Picchu is a citadel located at the top of a mountain that is surrounded by the lush greenery produced by the jungles also located nearby. An interesting fact is that it’s made its way through history without any kind of notice until the year 1911, when it was discovered by Hiram Bingham.

In more general terms, Machu Picchu is not only an architectural gem of Incan times, but it is also represents the maximum expression of the relationship that existed between man and his environment at the time. For this reason, three decades ago in 1983, UNESCO categorized Machu Picchu as a World Heritage site.

It was constructed somewhere in the middle of the XV century and according to certain documents, it could have been the home and/or final resting place of Pachacutec. Nevertheless, due to the ceremonial feel and character of it, its thought that it could also have been a religious sanctuary.

Machu Picchu is in perfect balance with nature. The beautiful landscape expresses nature’s amazing palette in shades of green which embrace the visitor with a sense of inexplicable calm. Those that have visited will say that it is such an amazing place, that it’s almost a surreal experience.

There are two ways to get to Machu Picchu. One of them is to take the Hiram Bingham road, which winds its way up the cliffside of the mountain, starting at the Puente Ruinas train depot. Meanwhile, the second option is to take the Incan roads that will lead you to Machu Picchu. You should know though, that taking either route won’t get you out of paying the entrance free into the ruins.

Regarding the weather and climate that prevails over Machu Picchu; typical weather tends to be warm and humid during the day and night as well. Usually the temperature fluctuates between eight and twenty-two degrees Celsius (approximately 45 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit ); it’ll rain often and quite excessively between the months of November and March. It should be noted that the rain is quite heavy, although it’s also common that it’ll quickly alternate between heavy rains and intense, bright sunshine.

Here’s a bit of advice that you might want to keep in mind: When you visit Machu Picchu, you should definitely carry some bug repellant with you to keep from getting mosquito bites. Also, don’t forget to carry water or some other kind of beverage that will quench thirst; you’ll mainly be walking while you’re here, and you’ll need to keep hydrated.

No doubt you’ll want to make sure you wear comfortable shoes, but durable ones. A quick solution would be to buy a pair of hiking boots or trekking shoes, since they’d be ideal for going up all the solid stone steps and uneven terrain at Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu attained another distinction a few years ago, when it was declared to be one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. A special feature of this distinction- which was received in Lisbon, Portugal- is the fact that this selection was made after receiving over 1 million worldwide votes.

In the following video you’ll be able to see for yourself how beautiful Machu Picchu is:

Tags Technorati: tourism, trips, places, Cusco, Peru, Machu Picchu, tourism Peru, archeology.

The village of Maras is located in the province of Urubamba, at about 46 kilometers (approximately 29 miles) from the city of Cusco and at a height of about 3,380 meters (11,089 feet approximately) above sea level.

Maras is a village that to this day still has loads of visible remnants of pre-Hispanic, Colonial, and Republican times. An example of this, are colonial styled gates decorated with the coat of arms of the noblemen and caciques (chiefs) which date back between the XVI and XX centuries- from this vantage point, its possible to look out at a view of the amazing mountainous landscape that corresponds to the surrounding mountains Vilcabamba and the Valle Sagrado de los Incas.

As the legend goes, the first within the Mara community were part of the Ayar Cachi panaca (a group of descendants)- “Señor de la Sal” (the Salt Man)- who transformed into a mountain somewhere near Cusco. It’s because of this that the Mara people stayed in this area to develop their community, where this mountain stored great quantities of salt mines within it.

Within the village of Maras, there is a church and as was established above, there’s plenty of salt mines too. The church however, has a typical architectural style and was constructed with a base of adobe clay. It has a granite cross at its atrium with several canvases by the painter Antonio Sinchi Roca Inca. In his pieces, he’s depicted the apostles with notable characteristics of the Cusco school of art style, and they’ve been placed within the interior walls of the church.

The salt mines are in Qoripujio, at about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles approximately) away from Maras and it’s a place that you shouldn’t pass up on. These mines were already known and cultivated by the Incas, whom would conduct economic and merchandise trade deals with the salt from that was produced from them.

Maras is a place with a lot of history to it, and you should definitely visit if you’re staying in Cusco. You’d be witness to the beautiful landscape of the surrounding mountains- with their color palettes of cream and white- which are still used to crystallize the salt in water.
Remember, that to get to Maras you can take a bus that departs from the city of Cusco, and the ride will approximately take an hour. From the village of Maras there are two routes of transportation: one going towards the salt mines of Maras; and the other going towards the archeological site of Moray.

Imagen: VictorMisFotos.

Tags Technorati: tourism, trips, places, Cusco, Peru, tourism Peru.

In order to make this an unforgettable experience for you, Inkaterra Amazon Reserve makes sure to provide the best service to each and every one of its guests. They’ve prepared a series of excursions based on the likes, needs and preferences of the travelers. The excursions are varied and can extend in length to a quarter day, half a day, or a full day.

Within the excursions that last a quarter of the day is the Native Experience/Amazon Garden excursion:

The River by Night: This outing starts off in the afternoon. You’ll be seated in a boat, observing the process of the day gradually turning into night, and how the fauna with its surrounding scenery totally changes throughout the day.

Nighttime Jungle: A two hour, nighttime trek into the jungle that will teach you to recognize, interpret and coexist with the sounds that animate and emanate from it, while also giving you the opportunity to observe the different animal species that will only appear at night in their natural habitat.

Series of Hiking Trails: This option will take you through one of the many walkabout trails in the Inkaterra Amazon Reserve, on which you will be able to discover the enigmatic secret world of the tropical jungle, and in which you’d also be able to observe the gorgeous flora and fauna of its surroundings.

Within the half-day excursions offered at the reserve, is the Aguales (or Wetlands trip), Hacienda Concepcion, Quebrada Gaminata, as well as:

Canopy Inkaterra: This excursion will take you over to the Interpretation Center for the Inkaterra Canopy, where they’ll tell you a bit about the Inkaterra Canopy project. You are allowed to go up to the top of the first observation tower and to walk within the treetops. This is possible by using the series of suspended bridges that connect throughout the site and which reach a height of about 28 meters (approximately 90 feet) and give you the best panoramic view of the jungle that you can possibly find in the area.

Lago Sandoval (Sandoval Lake): You’ll begin this excursion with a boat ride that will take you to Tambopata National Reserve, where you’ll then go on a nice walk through some hiking trails ending at Lake Sandoval. Here at the lake, you’re able to navigate the waters on rented canoes, and see some of the endangered species of the area- like the giant river otter.

The Anaconda Walk: This walk will take approximately 30 minutes to finish and you’ll be covering a distance of about 200 meters (660 feet approximately), by way of wooden bridges that have been constructed over the wetlands. This is also a great way to observe nature and the flora and fauna that inhabits the zone.

The following, are excursions that would be lasting all day:

Tambopata: This one begins with a tour through Lake Sandoval in a wooden canoe, and then continues with a walk through the Concepcion Reserve where you’d need to be very alert in order to catch a glimpse of the paiche fish (a tropical freshwater fish of the area), or the caiman alligator and the giant river otter, which are all animals on the endangered species list. Afterward, prepare yourself for a picnic feast at the Granja Concepcion (Conception Farm), followed by a visit to the gardens where there are over 200 medicinal plant species. Here you can also enjoy some archery or bulls-eye target practicing with bows and arrows made locally by the natives.

Keep in mind that the excursions offered by the Inkaterra Amazon Reserve are all included as part of the package when you stay there, with the exception of a few which would be otherwise noted or specified with additional costs or special scheduling.
The excursions are guided by Inkaterra specialists, both in Spanish and English. Other languages are available as well, but with advance noticed or request and they may be at an extra cost.
These excursions are all subjective to any changes in climate within the zone; which is why we should always make sure to follow the guidelines provided by the specialists in order to enjoy these new experiences to the maximum.

Images: Inkaterra

Tags Technorati: tourism, trips, places, Amazon, Peru, tourism Peru.

Remember that Dolphin Amazon Cruises has as its destinations the Amazon, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve which is undoubtedly the largest protected area in the world. Also among its destinations is getting to know the biodiversity and the Yanallpa Private Reserve.

That is why some of the animals that you may see during your trip on Dolphin Amazon Cruises may appear surprising and novel. That is why you must have your camera ready or simply relax and enjoy the moment.

Some of the species of animals that you may see during your stay on Dolphin Amazon Cruises are:

The sloth (Bradypus variegates), the bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) and the fishing bat (Noctilio leporinus), the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus), white face capuchin (Cebus albifrons), the uakari monkey (Pithecia monachus), the marmoset (Saguinus fuscicollis), the dwarf titi monkey (Cebuella pygmaea), the howling monkey(Alouatta seniculus), the nocturnal monkey (Aotus vociferans), the titi monkey (Callicebus moloch), the caco monkey (Lagothrix lagothrica), etc.

You may also be able to see various species of sea mammals, such as the sea wolf (Pteronura brasiliensis), the river elephant (Trichechus inunguis), the gray dolphin (Sotalia fluviatilis) and the mythical pink dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), to which this cruise ship owes its name and from where the well-known legend in this region stems from.

Remember that the best thing that you can do for nature is to take care of her, since many species reside there such as the ones that you will see through Dolphin Amazon Cruises where you will find everything that you need and the service is unsurpassable.

Imágenes: Tunki, AbsolutColombia,  Herramientas.

Tags Technorati: tourism, trips, places, Amazon, Perú, tourism Perú

Guayabo’s architectural importance is known since the XIV century, when various of the region’s expeditions made incredible discoveries, developing one of the first archeological expositions in Costa Rica, that has been exhibited in the Museum of American History in Madrid (1982).

Secondary vegetation grows liberally in this sector, some 218 hectares, near the main archeological regions.

The majority of the species of flora of this region are the result of years of slashing and replanting of new species.

The wild life is poor due to the monuments reduced size, however, it is possible to identify various classes of birds, insects and reptiles.

It is the most important and largest archeological area that has been discovered to date in the country. Guayabo is part of the cultural region named Central Inter-Mountain and Atlantic Slope. Its occupation seems to start from 1000 B.C. even though the major development of chieftainship was produced around 300 to 700 A.D., the era when the stone structures that are observed today were constructed; the site’s abandonment seems to have occurred until 1400 A.D. Guayabo had a distinguished political and religious position and in its environs there existed hamlets that had a population of some 1.500 to 2,00 people.

The main architectural traces, some 50 discovered to date, are the surfaces or floors, the steps or inclined planes to fix the unevenness, the containment wall, bridges, the mounds utilized as the base for dwellings, the open and closed aqueducts – a lot of them still in service – and the storage tanks for storing water that comes from the aqueducts. The objects that most capture the visitors’ attention are the monoliths and petroglyphs; these latter ones are found everywhere and some possess symbols not yet deciphered. Gold objects, ceramics and other archeological pieces from the site are exhibited at the National Museum.

The places near the archeological site present an open secondary vegetation, a product of ancient lumber extraction. In the Guayabo River canyon, next to the protected area, an example of the evergreen forest of the region can be found, with trees such as the planch (Ulmus mexicana) and the hog gum tree (Symphonia globulifera). The fauna is poor and scarce due to the monument’s poor extension; the most visible are birds, among the most notable, due to their abundance, are the rainbow beaked toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) and the Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma). The white-nosed Coati (Nasua narica) and the Margay (Leopardus wiedii) can be frequently observed.

This National Monument is located on the southern fold of the Turrialba volcano, 19 km to the north of the city with the same name and some 84 kilometers from San Jose.

The administration is located 50 m before the park entrance; a path that goes to the bottom of the Guayabo River starts here. Inside the Monument there is a station for archeological investigations, an exhibition hall, a viewing site from where you can see the entire archeological area and a place with chairs to lunch at, restrooms and potable water.

There is bus service from Turrialba-Guayabo Colony, population that is located 2 km before the Monument. In Turrialba there are hotels, restaurants and markets and you may get taxis there and at Guayabo Colony there are grocery stores.

Imagen: BellaCostaRica

Tags Technorati: tourism, trips, places, Guayabo, Costa Rica, tourism Costa Rica