Unique Latin America hosted five Australian advisors on a two-week famil trip in Peru that showcased the diversity of the country and the breadth of its luxury travel offering.
The famil group experienced more than just Macchu Picchu during their journey.
Unique Latin America designed the famil, which has an estimated value of more than $27,000 per passenger, to give Australian travel advisors first-hand experience of the destinations, experiences and properties they can recommend to discerning Australian travellers.
“We wanted the advisors to experience Peru as a complete journey rather than simply a destination centred around Machu Picchu,” Unique Latin America director Rebeca Espinoza said. “What really stood out was the contrast – the wildlife and wilderness of the Amazon, the culture and landscapes of the Sacred Valley, the extraordinary setting of Tinajani and the living traditions of Lake Titicaca.”
The travel advisors experienced close encounters with giant river otters and sloths in the Amazon to sleeping beneath the dramatic landscapes of the Andes and exploring the islands of Lake Titicaca.
The journey
The journey began in Lima, combining the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Miraflores with a visit to the historic heart of the city, before heading into the Amazon for a five-day, four-night journey aboard Delfin Amazon Cruises.
A Relais & Châteaux experience deep in the Peruvian Amazon, Delfin provided the group with an extraordinary introduction to Peru’s biodiversity. Over several days, they encountered sloths, monkeys, pink river dolphins, giant river otters and hundreds of bird species, while enjoying exceptional Peruvian cuisine and the comfort and personalised service for which Delfin is renowned.
From the jungle, the group travelled to the Sacred Valley, staying at Sol y Luna. The journey continued to Machu Picchu, with a stay at Sumaq Hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo, before taking an unexpected turn away from Peru’s traditional tourist trail.
At Tinajani, the newest property from Andean Experience, the group experienced the extraordinary landscapes between Cusco and Lake Titicaca — a remote world of enormous natural rock formations, open skies and remarkable tranquillity, paired with the comfort of a beautifully designed boutique property.
The final stop was Lake Titicaca, where the group stayed at Titilaka, another Relais & Châteaux property from Andean Experience. Excursions to the floating Uros Islands and Taquile Island provided an opportunity to experience local communities and traditions while enjoying the exceptional hospitality and gastronomy for which Titilaka is known.
For Australian travellers looking beyond the traditional Peru itinerary, the journey demonstrated that the country can combine adventure, culture, nature and world-class hospitality in a single, highly individual journey.
