Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Hi David,

Jose Llaja works with Vilaya Tours (http://www.vilayatours.com/).  They have a contact form on their website--you should shoot them an email to ask about conditions in the area (they've been really helpful to me in the past).

The quickest way to get to Chachapoyas is, I believe, to fly into Chiclayo and take a bus from there.  The buses are safe and really quite comfortable.  It makes a good overnight trip, check out Movil Tours (http://www.moviltours.com.pe/).

A trek that sounds interesting to me is the Gran Vilaya trek (you can read about it on Vilaya tours' website).  It's four days, and you see a ton of other ruins before culminating in Kuelap.

I hope the weather is in your favor--that sounds like a fun trip! [REPLY]

I'm taking a group of 4 college students to Peru the last week of March.  We were going to Back Pack the Inca Trail four days and then descend into Machu Pichu but it is closed until 1 April due to the flood damage to the railroad. 

So I'm looking for an similar experience for my students and I came across this website and your recommendations.   I would appreciate additional information on the following questions if you can help:

1.  The end of March is still rainy season.  Is it safe to visit Kuelap at this time?

2.  Is flying into Chachapoyas an option, otherwise what is the quickest way to get there?

3.  Our Spanish is limited, does anyone have contact info for "Jose" mentioned in one of the previous posts?

thanks for your help, David [REPLY]

Thank you for your description of this Candelaria festival, I was there once with my husband and participate dancing in the streets for a short while. One of the main reasons we couldn't keep dancing with the locals is because the high altitude, my husband was short of breath but the entusiasm and the contagious rithm of the music was wonderful.
One thing you didn't mention is about the dances, and I think they are so beautiful and some of them so energetic that is no easy to imitate them.
That celebration is worth of being see, the climate at that time is good and the sun shine most of the time.
Best Regards, and thank you again. AMB [REPLY]

The Puno Carnival is only a bad for-gullible-tourists-only copy of the Oruro Carnival, where the "Diablada" and other dances shown in this article originate. Unfortunately, it isn't even a bona-fide copy, with the dances, costumes, and religious aspects having been deformed to accomodate for publicity purposes. If you want the real thing, head to Oruro, the UNESCO World Heritage event only a few kilometers away.

http://www.travel-bolivia.com/carnaval-de-oruro.html [REPLY]

I have called the 800 and asked when Spirit will resume daily service to the US from Lima and no one seems to know..I thought when you went on a once per week it was temp...Please advise and unlike so many others I rave just read about I will gladly give up my coke and peanuts for the low fare [REPLY]

Hi Doug - yes, you can reach Mike Collis thru his website for his English newspaper from Iquitos -
www.iquitostimes.com

He and I are working this year as co-coordinators for the international teams in this year's race.
Also, you can visit the facebook group: Amazon Rafting Club (I am president this year for coming in as 1st gringo in last race).
Please join the group to help grow membership.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=164141213368&ref=mf

Also, our official blog site with most up-to-date info and comments is:
http://dawnontheamazon.com/blog/2010/01/04/the-great-river-amazon-raft-race-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-38738

Please join us in September for the 12th annual competition - we would love to have you with us!  from Linda Flynn [REPLY]

Well I found this web page and I think that´s u great for me
thanks so much for the information [REPLY]

I'm trying to reach Mike Collins.  Would someone please post his website? [REPLY]

I appreciate the updates and this is not meant as a criticism, but the update for Thursday at 4:29 contains a factual error.  It mentions the tourist from Argentina who was killed in the mudslide and while a guide was also killed in a mudslide, it was not the guide of the Argentinian tourst, it was a different mudslide on a different part of the trail.  I just thought it should reflect the correct information.

God rest both their souls. [REPLY]

I feel like I'm there, sitting on the beach, eating a beer and watching the waves. I also feel like  I'm hiking through the Andes, eating a beer. I am hungry for beer. [REPLY]