Real Affordable Peru 2022
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YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE® Real Affordable Peru 2022 Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler, At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Real Affordable Peru itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these: As I finished the ascent to the top of Machu Picchu at sunrise, I was winded and awestruck. The air up there was thin, and it was still and quiet. Gazing silently down at the ancient town and cloudy mountain vistas, I felt so small thousands of feet high in the Andes. The only thing more awe-inspiring than the mystical landscape was the welcoming nature of the Peruvian people. You’ll see what I mean when you experience A Day in the Life of a Chinchero community, where you’ll meet some of the students and teachers at a local primary school, supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation, and witness daily life in the Peruvian education system. Then, you’ll continue to a weaving cooperative where you’ll learn how the weavers create complex patterns in colorful cloth before sitting down to share a meal with members of the community. The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can. To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests. So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Real Affordable Peru adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925. Love and peace, Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel P.S. For further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.oattravel.com/risk-free-booking. USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler 2 CONTENTS A Letter from Harriet Lewis ................................................................2 The O.A.T. Difference......................................................................4 The Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ................................................6 Grand Circle Foundation...................................................................8 The Leader in Solo Travel ..................................................................9 REAL AFFORDABLE PERU ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: Your Adventure at a Glance: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Peruvian Culture ........................ 72 and What’s Included ..................... 10 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping & Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ........ 12 More ................................... 76 Pre-Trip Extensions ...................... 27 Post-Trip Extensions ..................... 38 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Dates & Prices ........................... 48 Peru.................................... 78 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 78 Peru: A Brief History ..................... 79 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Colombia ............................... 80 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. 49 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 80 No Visas Required ....................... 49 Colombia: A Brief History ................ 81 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ......... 51 Vaccines Required ....................... 52 RESOURCES Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Suggested Reading ...................... 83 Guidelines .............................. 56 Suggested Film & Video .................. 85 Tipping Guidelines....................... 58 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 59 Optional Tours .......................... 59 Communicating with Home from Abroad . 60 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . 62 Suggested Packing Lists .................. 64 Electricity Abroad ....................... 67 Climate & Average Temperatures .......... 69 O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures.......................................................... 88 Notes.................................................................................. 89 Map ................................................................................... 91 3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in Peru This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are visiting, hospitality. so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the stories, food, OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES customs, hidden treasures and more. With 36 regional offices around the world, we are perfectly poised to leverage our local AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS relationships to deliver an excellent experience Engage with local people through visits to and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; by our team in Cuzco. school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more. Marvel at ruins of the Incan Empire in Machu Picchu Delve into Peruvian culture in the village of Chinchero 4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY Enriching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Real Affordable Peru adventure. GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT A DAY IN THE LIFE GCF was established in 1992 to help change Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like people’s lives in the world where we live, to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an donated $200 million worldwide. exclusive, immersive experience that places you in the heart of a community where you’ll meet You’ll see GCF’s work in action when we visit various people where they live, work, and play; a local elementary school for a spirited visit the neighborhood school; lend a hand with encounter with some of the children. Here, the daily chores; and break bread with our hosts. children will introduce us to some traditional songs and dances, followed by a conversation This adventure includes A Day in the Life of the with their teachers and families and some free mountain weaving village of Chinchero. Our time with the children one-on-one. experience will begin with a visit to a local elementary school where we’ll have the CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS opportunity to meet some of the students Every culture has its joys and achievements, and teachers. Then, we’ll enjoy a walking and we celebrate them all. But every place tour of the community and visit a weaving also has its challenges, and to gloss over them cooperative where we’ll see how Peruvian would not do justice to those whose stories weavers create complex patterns in colorful need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who cloth as their ancestors have for centuries deserves more than a sugar-coated version of before sitting down to share lunch with some things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will of the people from the community. lead frank discussions on controversial issues, and introduce you to people whose stories will HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES expand your understanding. Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the For example, we’ll speak to an expert in things that can happen across a kitchen table, Russia about free speech and the popularity so we’ll break into groups of 4-5 to join a local of President Vladimir Putin on our Baltic family in their home for a snack or a meal. This adventure; in