Salkantay Trek in Peru
Adventures Within Reach has a group coming together for the 8-day Salkantay and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek, starting the first Friday in September. It’s an awesome adventure and includes a full day at Machu Picchu at an amazing price!
Contact us, if you are interested!
Easter Island
Join Michael Marlow, Associate Professor of Science Education at the University of Colorado Denver, for a special tour of Peru and Easter Island!
Professor Marlow leads numerous groups every year to exotic destinations around the world. Join him this July for a unique look of ancient civilizations at Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley near Cusco, Santiago, and Easter Island.
JUL 14: Arrive Lima late evening, welcome and transfer to hotel, overnight at Casa Andina Centro Miraflores.
JUL 15: Early morning transfer to Lima airport, fly to Cusco, transfer to hotel, free afternoon, dinner at local Andean restaurant, overnight at El Balcon in Cusco (BD).
JUL 16: Morning walking tour of Cusco, afternoon tour of nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Tambo Machay and Qenko, overnight at El Balcon in Cusco (B).
JUL 17: Full day tour of Chinchero, Maras and Moray, overnight at Tika Wasi Valley Hotel in Ollantaytambo (BL).
JUL 18: Full day tour of the Sacred Valley, visiting Pisac market and ruins and Ollantaytambo ruins and village, and, as time allows, Descanso recreation area, llama farm, or Awanacancha Textile Center, overnight at Tika Wasi Valley Hotel in Ollantaytambo (BL).
JUL 19: Transfer to train station for Vistadome train to Machu Picchu, free day in Aguas Calientes, visit the hot springs baths and outdoor market, or climb Putucusi Mountain, overnight at El Presidente Hotel in Aguas Calientes (B).
JUL 20: Guided tour of Machu Picchu, lunch in Aguas Calientes, afternoon return by Vistadome train to Cusco, transfer to hotel, overnight at El Balcon in Cusco (BL).
JUL 21: Transfer to Cusco airport for flight to Lima, fly to Santiago, welcome and transfer to hotel, overnight Hotel Neruda (B).
JUL 22: Guided tour of Santiago and free afternoon, overnight at Hotel Neruda (B).
JUL 23: Transfer to airport for flight to Easter Island, transfer to hotel, free afternoon, overnight at Hotel Otai (B).
JUL 24: Full day tour visiting Ahu Vaihu, Rano Raraku, Tongarik, Te Pito Te Kura, Ahu Ngau and Anakena Beach, overnight at Hotel Otai (BL).
JUL 25: Morning tour of Rano Kau and Orongo, Ahu Vinapu and Ana Kai Tangata, afternoon tour of Ahu Akivi, Ana Tepahu, and Puna Pau, overnight at Hotel Otai (B).
JUL 26: Transfer to airport for departure (B).
AWR has joined Flickr in a big way! Enjoy our photos from
Not sure where to go when? Prime season is when the weather is typically the best. Low season is when the weather is the worst (rainy or cold), but also is typically cheaper and has fewer people. Shoulder season typically has unpredictable weather (maybe some good and some bad). July, August and at Christmas-time are the busiest months just about everywhere because most people travel in these times.
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Holidays are a popular time to travel, but banks, museums, and other businesses may be closed including New Years Eve and Day, Christmas Eve and Day, Easter, and Good Friday. Also check for local holidays.
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* The Inca Trail is closed in February.
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Skiing along the Haute Route
We are very excited to offer our first adventure to Europe! The Haute Route is a unique experience that is worth doing at least once in a lifetime. The excellent mountain huts of the Alps will allow you to complete this winter adventure in what is considered the most famous ski tour of the world!
Chamonix to Zermatt, the Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. The High Route, or Haute Route, joins the two of the great mountaineering centers in the world – Chamonix and Zermatt – one overshadowed by the highest massif in Western Europe (with the Mont Blanc or “White Mountain,” at 15,781 feet), and the other by the most iconic, and probably the most elegant, of the Europe’s alpine peaks (the Matterhorn at 14,692 feet).
Haute Route hut-to-hut
Accompanied by experienced Swiss or French mountain guides, you will experience a true winter adventure traversing a majestic landscape crowned by the greatest concentration of 4000 meters peaks in the Alps. All while staying in the excellent system of mountain huts with half board and welcoming interiors, you’ll complete this high-altitude, winter adventure on what is considered among the most famous ski tours of the world.
The route takes a total of 7 days (8 days including your transfer from Geneva to Chamonix and a first overnight), with 6 nights in mountain huts. Lodging options before or after the route can be arranged for clients who wish to spend extra time visiting the region or skiing.
We also offer the summer Haute Route by foot and custom itineraries. Do you wish to do a shorter or longer variation of the ski touring Haute Route? Are you interested in other trekking possibilities in the regions around Chamonix and Zermatt? Are you interested in climbing a peak such as the Mont Blanc, the highest point in the Alps? Please contact us for more information and pricing.
I was at an Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) meeting yesterday, and the topic of a “bucket list” came up, which got me thinking about mine. Here are my top 10. I am only 40% complete!
I would love to hear about your bucket lists!
Ascend 4 Peaks: Fuya-Fuya 4294 m, North Illinizas 5116 m, Cotopaxi 5897 m, Chimborazo 6310 m
Chimborazo, Ecuador
In this 11 day climbing trek in Ecuador you will be taken on a spectacular trip in the volcanoes country. This trip is specially catered to mountaineers and also allows to you, at the same time, to visit Indian markets, Andean populations, varied landscapes, and discover of the great country of Ecuador.
An experienced and licensed Ecuadorian bilingual high mountain guide assures the success of the trip, while a practical snow and ice technique course will refresh, improve, and unify the level of the participants. During the roped ascents of the Cotopaxi and Chimborazo a guide for every two climbers and radio communication will assure maximum safety for the group.
Red Mangrove Galapagos
This 7-day Ecuador and Galapagos women’s trip is designed to see the best of Quito and its environs and to experience the Galapagos Islands. Most travelers go on a cruise ship to visit the Galapagos, but we will be staying on the islands in lodges and taking day trips to see the wonders for which the Galapagos is famous! Giant tortoises, iguanas, seals, blue-footed boobies, frigates, are the most popular sights. You will see this and more!
Barb Colliander will be the group coordinator, but there will be bi-lingual cultural and naturalist guides with us “all the way”! There is no trekking or backpacking involved, but you should be in good health and able to walk on trails.
If you would like to book this adventure, we request a deposit to confirm your reservation. This is 20% of the land price and 100% of the domestic airfares (we purchase those right away). Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
We have an update for our travelers to Peru! And for our would-be travelers….
Due to the heavy rains and flooding in the Sacred Valley, the railway from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu has some areas of track that are washed out. We are keeping in touch with the Peruvian government to get the latest updates on progress to repair the route.
At the moment, you can be assured that everyone is working diligently to get the train “back on track” as soon as possible, since visitors to Machu Picchu are critical to the economy. It is anticipated that the railway will be repaired and the train will be operational again by April 1, 2010. This will entail a car/bus ride from Cusco or Ollantaytambo to Piscacucho (km 82), then board the train to Aguas Calientes.
An alternate back route to Aguas Calientes is being completed, allowing access by car/van/bus through Santa Theresa to the Hydroelectric Station and then, from there, a 30-minute train ride to Aguas Calientes. This section of the railway was not damaged, but the road from Santa Teresa to the Hydro is not repaired. They anticipate the alternate route may be ready by the end of March, 2010. The down side of this option is the 6- to 7-hour drive on the back roads to the Hydroelectric Station.
Many of our customers have asked about the helicopter ride to Machu Picchu. For the time being, the government has halted transport of tourists, and the helicopters are only allowed to take food, medicine and supplies to Aguas Calientes. We are hoping that soon people will be able to travel by helicopter.
All of this is fairly insignificant, because the government has closed the Machu Picchu citadel, until further notice. They will open it again, when they feel it is safe to get there!
Once you arrive in Peru, our staff will keep you up-to-date about any changes in your itinerary and will provide alternate routes or options for you if another natural disaster occurs. If you have questions, be sure to ask us.
The Inca Trail is closed every year in February, for cleaning and repair, so this is being done right now, continuing to the end of March. For the 5-day classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek, you drive in a private car to the trailhead. Your return will be by train or the alternate route. The government has indicated that the Inca Trail will open on April 1st. The permits for April and May are almost sold out (a few dates still available). Be sure to plan ahead and book your Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek soon!
AWR will keep you posted on any new developments!
Well, don’t really get “mad.” Join Make A Difference (MAD) for a charity climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro!
This July, Adventures Within Reach is excited to sponsor MAD as they try and raise money for the children of Tanzania. All contributions go towards helping local children attend a great school in Himo, Tanzania for a year. That includes everything from a uniform, classes taught in English, two meals a day, and transportation to school from the orphanage. This is a win-win situation for everyone involved.
A fund-raising Kilimanjaro trek is an adventurous once-in-a-lifetime experience all while serving a humanitarian or environmental cause. Here is the itinerary:
JUL 1: Arrive Moshi, overnight MAD
JUL 2-6: Volunteering with Make A Difference in Himo/Moshi (BLD)
JUL 7-12: 6 Day Marangu Trek
JUL 13-14: 2 Day Safari
JUL 15: Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport, Depart (B)
The land price for this trip including donation to Make A Difference is $3500/person.
MAD on Kili
Make A Difference does a lot more than just sponsor charity treks up Kilimanjaro. They also have excellent volunteer opportunities at the orphanage and in the community, helping to teach the children, set up workshops, and help maintain the community. This is another way to add an exciting and once in a lifetime experience to any Tanzanian trek or safari. Make sure you contact Adventures Within Reach for any questions or to book your charity trek today!
