Machu Picchu
According to Brendan Vacations, travel to South America is on the rise and Peru is one of the most popular destinations on the continent.
As an international tour operator, Brendan Worldwide Vacations offers more than 20 packages with itineraries in Peru, providing an array of adventure and touring opportunities that cover the country and appeal to a variety of different interests, from casual sightseeing to thrill-seeking adventures.
Gary Murphy, president of Brendan Worldwide Vacations, sees the iconic destination of Machu Picchu as a driving force behind Peru’s strong appeal.
For clients interested in visiting the mystical Incan ruins, Brendan Vacations offers a number of packages that range in length and athletic intensity and all ultimately lead to breathtaking Machu Picchu.
For example, the Machu Picchu from Cuzco package is a two-day, one-night package that transports clients from Cuzco, the nearest city to the ruins, to Machu Picchu, via rail. Clients enjoy a scenic ride to Aguas Calientes and then board a motorcoach for the uphill climb to the “Lost City of the Incas.” Upon arrival, there is a tour of the ruins and time to explore the temples, houses and altars of the archeological site. Prices start at $567.
With an eye on outdoor adventurers, Brendan also offers the Inca Trail package, a four-night, five-day guided hike through the Peruvian sub-tropic, ending at Machu Picchu (from $749).
Even with porters to carry the food, gear and camping supplies, Brendan Tours still recommends that agents advise their clients to come between April and September and do some light training beforehand.
Central Square, Cuzco
“Personally, it is one of the most physically demanding things I’ve ever done, but it’s also the best way to hit the destination,” said Murphy. “To arrive after days of hiking, and enter through the Sun Gate and descend down into Machu Picchu, is an experience you will never forget.”
New for this year, Brendan Vacations is featuring the new Brendan Gold Escorted Tours. The fully escorted program uses all five-star properties, including a converted bishops’ residence in Cuzco.
In addition to Machu Picchu, Cuzco is a historic town located in the vicinity of Machu Picchu and is a worthwhile destination in its own right. The town is best known as an acclimating site, where visitors embarking on the hike to Machu Picchu adjust to the altitude before their departure, but the city also offers clients beautiful colonial architecture founded on Incan ruins. Brendan Vacations offers a two-night, three-day Cuzco tour, dedicated to touring the city and nearby fortresses of Sacsayhuaman and Tambomachay. Prices start from $206, per person.
Brendan also offers many other destinations throughout the country, including treks through the Amazon rainforest, adventures in the Andes Mountains and tours to Lake Titicaca. On the eight-day Wonders of Peru vacation,
clients travel the country visiting such sites as Huaca Pucllana archeological site, the Incan city of Cuzco, the Sacsayhuaman fortress, Tambomachay, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and stops in Lima like the famed Larco Herrera and the Archeological Museums. Prices start at $1,143, per person, and clients can also add an extension to the Galapagos Islands.
Whether clients are there for the history or the adventure, Peru is an attractive destination.
“It’s a youthful destination,” Murphy said. “The people, the tourists, are seeking very active destinations and that’s what Brendan Tours is here for.”
www.brendanvacations.com
