Our Latest Charity Project

We often feel a little overwhelmed by the scale of poverty in Peru, and particularly in Cusco where we live, along with a high concentration of indigenous people. We see problems and issues every day and it seems almost impossible that anything can be done to improve the lives of many of the poorest members of this society.

It may not seem like much in the overall scheme of things but we are trying to make a difference with projects that have a direct effect, however small, on the poorest residents of this city.
Our latest initiative, being put into action 2 Saturdays a month, is to give out food bags to wandering elderly people, street children and beggars - those we feel most need the help. Saturday is a good day for this scheme as this is the day where many older people wander out from various institutions and homes looking for charitable donations of bread, assorted knick knacks, fruit, etc, from local buisnesses.

One or two members of our office will put the bags together, good quality bread being an obvious choice, and then spend a couple of hours looking for deserving recipients. This is a pilot scheme so we don't really know yet how it will work. We will keep you posted and place some photos on our website and blog.

New Website Editor at Escaped to Latin America

The tour company Escaped to Latin America is actively expanding their range of products and vacations and have taken on a new member of staff to help with website development, content and editing.

Stacey Shapiro is from South Africa, is a trained journalist and will be responsible for adding new products and programs to the company websites over a six month project. She explained that “I am excited to be involved in a writing project which is different to what I am used to, it is a new challenge and I will be learning a lot about tourism in Latin America as I go along”.

“After the visits made to Travel Mart Latin America this year and last there are so many new products, programs and options that I would like to offer to our clients” explains Gary Sargent, Managing Director of the Cusco based company. “It is a substantial task, taking information from our suppliers CDs and brochures, writing new destination descriptions, editing photographs etc, but when it is done there will be a wide array of extra tours and vacations on show so our clients can visit Latin America with us over several years and do something completely different every time”.

Gary is particularly keen to promote Chile and Colombia from his Peruvian office as they are two lesser visited neighbouring countries with lots to offer travelers and tourists. Anyone interested in traveling to Latin America should visit the company website and take their expert advice on visiting this amazing continent.

Walking the streets of Cusco in October, you could be forgiven for thinking that the city’s sole reason for existing is to allow large numbers of people to gather, march, proceed and otherwise celebrate the enormous number of saints whose images inhabit the various churches. As you turn a corner, you realize where the deep bass beat of drums is coming from as an orgy of color and sound greets your senses.

The marching band, whose dress varies from brightly colored traditional costumes, through plain black to the sand camouflage of the police units, proceed gravely over the cobbles, ahead of and often also behind an ornately dressed statue, carried at shoulder height by four or more sturdy cusqueños, natives of the city of Cusco.

Escaped to Latin America at the 33rd Travel Mart Latin America

Escaped to Peru, part of Escaped to Latin America, were one of the 1000 or so attendees at this year´s Travel Mart Latin America held at the end of September in Puerto Varas and Frutillar in Chile. Managing Director Gary Sargent represented his company at this important travel industry annual event where suppliers and buyers meet over 3 days of meetings and events.

Chile was represented by several members of central and local government at the opening ceremony, including the Vice President of Chile, in an attempt to promote tourism in North Patagonia focused around Puerto Varas. Delegates braved the near freezing temperatures to enjoy this beautiful place surrounded by active volcanoes, lakes and forests. Those delegates who participated in pre or post event visits were impressed by the landscapes and warmth of the local people.

“2009 has been a difficult year for the tourism industry with the global economic crisis and swine flu worries, but we are seeing some confidence returning to the market over the last few weeks. Many delegates at the travel fair were being positive about the year to come, of which I am one” explained Gary Sargent. “This event is an excellent way to meet suppliers of new and improved travel products and maintain personal relationships with the people with work with across South and Central America”.

The next Travel Mart in 2010 is to be held in Peru, the country where Escaped to Peru is based and Gary is sure that the event will be a great success and very well organized.

We finally managed to get everyone in the office at the same time, sales, operations and accounting. It is easier to run tours than it was to do this!

Lan Peru No Longer Allow Non-Residents to Obtain Lowest Airfares Within Peru

LAN Peru announced on the 1st September that, as of that date, their lowest base rate for flight tickets booked in Peru can no longer be bought for use by non-residents. Any non-resident who tries to board a plane with a base rate ticket will now be charged an additional US$ 178.50 by the airline. Any agency who issues a base rate flight ticket for a non-resident will also be fined, as non-residents will now only be allowed access to higher fares on routes within Peru.

The complete lack of notice has caused serious problems for agencies who had already supplied quotations for clients based on the previously accessible fares. The additional costs involved causes particular concern for agencies who have published literature with fixed prices.

Managing Director of Escaped to Peru, Gary Sargent commented “This has certainly been problematic for us. We always try to offer excellent value for money and this price hike without any notice period has meant that we have had to both pass on extra costs to our clients and absorb price increases where possible. We always obtain the best value fares for our clients but the difference is significant”.

Both airfares and taxes are subject to change without notice until flight tickets are issued. However the difference in cost from the base rate to the next level of fares is often double or even higher. Lan Peru is the largest airline in Peru with the greatest number of routes which has left agencies with little choice but to accept the new higher fares.


Escaped to Peru is a Peruvian based, but English owned and managed Tour Operator who offer vacations to Peru, the Galapagos as well as a number of other destinations in Latin America.

If you are interested in taking a vacation to Peru or Latin America in general you may contact the company via the website, email and toll free numbers shown below:

Escaped to Peru – Escaped to Latin America

www.escapedtoperu.com
admin@escapedtoperu.com

Av. Garcilaso 411-A, Wanchaq, Cusco, Peru.
Toll Free USA / Canada 1-800-305-6543
Free Phone UK 0-800-680-0617
Cusco Office 0051 84 242703 - 242814

New staff at Escaped to Peru, new 3 World Wonders tour.

The tour company Escaped to Peru welcomes two new members of staff to its dedicated team of travel professionals. Georgina and Norka have joined the company this week in advance of the projected upturn in bookings as we see the global economy slowly start to recover.

This week the company has introduced a new itinerary to its range of Latin American tours visiting three Wonders of the World in one compact yet comfortable tour. Machu Picchu in Peru and the Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are two of the 7 New World Wonders and along with Iguazu Falls, a Natural World Wonder, are the highlights of this spectacular 14 day vacation.

Machu Picchu is the “Lost city of the Incas” perched high in the Andes Mountains close to Cusco, Peru. This ancient citadel is truly beautiful and the journey to visit is also a fantastic journey. You can trek the Inca Trail or take the train to get to the site.

Iguazu Falls with its incredible “Devil´s Throat” are difficult to describe without using superlatives! At one point on the tour you are surrounded by 260 degrees of raging waterfalls, making for superb photos. The highest part of the falls measures 269 feet but the average height is around 210 feet. The sheer length of the falls can be witnessed up close and personal by taking a speed boat ride under the falls.

The last World Wonder visited on this tour is the Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The city itself is spectacular enough but the views from the White Christ statue over Rio are incredible. Combine this with the Sugar Loaf mountain and the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and you have the vacation of a lifetime.

Anyone interested in this tour or any other Escaped to Peru products should visit the website and view the tour shown below.

http://www.escapedtoperu.com/english/argentina-3worldwonders.html