Lima, Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley with Abercrombie & Kent

Machu Picchu One of my last trips before travel came to a screeching halt was this gem of an 8-day jaunt with A&K to Peru October 2019. I would spend my first day in the Lima neighborhood of Barranco, known for its art museums, artisanal stores, and top-tier restaurants. That night I would dine on charred octopus and fresh tuna, washed down with powerful pisco sours at a local favorite, Amoramar. Our next stop was Sacred Valley and the highly recommended property, Sol y Luna. Our group of 18 met in a ranch-style setting for cocktail hour and then a sublime dinner, worthy of the property’s Relais and Chateau rating. We started with pisco mojitos, created with the sweet local mint grown in these parts. Then we dined on trout carpaccio and beef tenderloin, finishing with a dessert of tres leches. Lunch aboard the PeruRail Sacred Valley, a 2-hour train ride inspired by the Orient Express, soon led us to our room that night at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, the only property overlooking majestic Machu Picchu. Finally, we ended with more fresh fish at a sushi joint in Cuzco. Fantastic sights, fantastic food, all at Peru’s finest properties. A&K plans to return to the country in mid-August and offer trips throughout September and October. ActiveTravels is ready to send you to Peru!

Bucket List Travel, Galapagos Islands

The Tortoises on the Galapagos Islands Yesterday, we discussed how to make your dream of going on an African safari a reality. Today, we’ll continue with the wildlife theme and visit that mythical home of the blue-footed booby and far too sociable sea lion, the Galapagos Islands. Lindblad has made the Galapagos their number one priority and it shows with their naturalists and new ships. But if you want to go smaller, you certainly can. We’ve put a number of ActiveTravels clients on Haugan yachts, housing 6 to 8 berths and more crew than passengers. They have wonderful naturalists and the ability to anchor in smaller harbors. We’ve also had families and couples go on guided sea kayaking jaunts with ROW, a renowned sea kayaking and rafting outfitter. So there are a number of ways to see the islands. We can also combine the Galapagos Islands with stops in Quito, Lima, and Machu Picchu. Please let ActiveTravels know your desire to visit the Galapagos Islands and we’ll find the best way for you to go eyeball to eyeball with a century-old tortoise!