South America vacation, small group tour

Planet

One of the major attractions of our South America vacation is the visit to the Iguazú Falls. The falls lie in both Brazil and Argentina. UNESCO, in association with the WWF works to coordinate both the Brazilian and Argentinean sides of the National Park, and make sure that all the money raised from entrance fees is properly distributed to the protection and development of the area.

Where available we have chosen hotels which are leaders in the promotion of conservation and environmental practices in ever increasing tourist regions: for example our beautifully located lodge near the site of Machu Picchu is part of the eponymous Inkaterra hotel group, a leader in sustainable tourism in Peru. It is their mission to provide luxury vacations to diverse exotic destinations in Peru, in a responsible manner that respects the culture and people who live here, in addition to preserving the environment.

The company owning the hotel is famed for work with rare orchids, receiving a prestigious award from the American Orchid Society; and they own a unique rescue and conservation center, sponsored by INKATERRA and the Bear Rescue Foundation (UK).

People

Our South America vacation covers some of the main tourist sites of South America, but additionally we try and visit places more off the beaten track to give an insight into other aspects of this fascinating continent, and provide much needed tourism to countries that lie outside of the normal routes.

Our South America vacation visits indigenous towns in Bolivia such as Tarabuco, where local ‘Campesinos’ bring their goods to market. Here the local populations benefit greatly from the much needed economic boost that the tourism brings to their towns. Local arts and crafts can be purchased, putting money back into the communities. Likewise La Paz the capital, although the economic hub of the country, offers many opportunities to visit markets and stalls run by the poorer inhabitants who flock to the capital for work.

On this South America vacation we work with small privately owned ground agents who live in the area, have established RT policies in place, and employ local guides and staff. We eat in local restaurants serving locally grown produce – our style of travel ensures that as many local people as possible benefit by our being there. This tour runs with a maximum of 20 people which helps to minimise the impact on delicate environments.