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Environment
Peru is in western South America and shares borders with Chile (to the south), Bolivia (southeast), Brazil (northeast), Colombia (north) and Ecuador (northwest). It has three major regions: a narrow coastal belt, the wide Andean mountains and the Amazon Basin. The coastal strip is predominantly desert, but contains Peru's major cities and its best highway, the Carratera Panamericana. The Andes comprise two principal ranges - Cordillera Occidental and Oriental - and includes Huascarán (6770m/22,200ft), Peru's highest mountain. To the east is the Amazon Basin, a region of tropical lowland, which is drained by the Maranon and Ucayali rivers
Ecuador, republic in northwestern South America, bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. The country also includes the Galápagos Islands (Colón Archipelago) in the Pacific, about 965 km (about 600 mi) west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the equator (Ecuador is the Spanish word for equator) and has an area of 272,045 sq km (105,037 sq mi). Quito is the country's capital.
Technical information
Full country name: Republic of Ecuador
Area: 283,520 sq km
Population: 12 million
People: 40% mestizo, 40% Indian, 15% Spanish descent, 5% African descent
Language: Quechua, Spanish,
Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small minority of other Christian denominations
Government: republic
Head of State: President Alfredo Palacio
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GDP: US$41.7 billion
GDP per capita: US$3,100
Inflation: 8.2%
Major Industries: Oil, bananas, shrimp, fish, coffee, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber
Major Trading Partners: US, Latin America, EU, Asia, Caribbean
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Full country name: Republic of Peru
Area: 1.28 million sq km
Population: 28 million
People: 54% Indian, 32% Mestizo (mixed European and Indian descent), 12% Spanish descent, 2% other
Language: Aymara, Quechua, Spanish
Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population
Government: constitutional republic
Head of State: President Alejandro Toledo
Head of Government: Prime Minister Carlos Ferrero Costa
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GDP: US$56,900000000
GDP per capita: US$2,060
Inflation: 2%
Major Industries: Pulp, paper, coca leaves, fishmeal, steel, chemicals, oil, minerals, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding
Major Trading Partners: USA, Japan, UK, China, Germany, Columbia
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Insurances
A personal Insurance is mandatory for each one taking part in the adventure.
Visas and passports.
For most nationalities, visas are not required to visit Peru and Ecuador. However, a valid passport (6 months from departure day) is required at any time and it it highly recommended to seek advise through the authorities or near the Ecuador , Peru and Bolivia Consulats prior to departure to make sure that you have the necessary documents to be able to make all the migratory moves inside the country.
Vaccination, water and medical aspect
Although health and hygiene guidelines of the country are very high, and authorities do not require a vaccine certificate from travellers, i is highly recommended to seek medical advice near a specialist of tropical regions several weeks prior to departure to get updated information on vaccines. Your guide will give you basic rules to follow in order to avoid any problem.
Spending and currency
As lunches and suppers are not included in the tours, it is recommended to anticipate and allow 4 to 8 $US for each of them. The best way to get money along the journey is to have a credit card (Visa or MC) which can be used with a personal identification number (PIN) like the Bank Convenience Cards used in ATM. Visa and MC are accepted everywhere and it is possible to withdraw money without PIN by showing your passport at the bank. In order to avoid credit card charges, the best is to put money into your account before leaving to bring your balance to positive. This is a very secure and effective way to get to your money. We advise travellers against only using traveller's cheques and we highly recommend that each one carries at least 50$US cash upon arrival. The cost of drinks and other regular consumption items is 25 to 35% cheaper in Ecuador than in European of North American countries.
Ecuador's money is $US and Peru's the Sol (1 Sol = 0.33$US)
History in short
The first inhabitants of Peru were nomadic hunter-gatherers who lived in caves in Peru's coastal regions. The oldest site, Pikimachay cave, dates from 12,000 BC. Crops such as cotton, beans, squash and pepper chillis were planted around 4000 BC; later, advanced cultures such as the Chavín introduced weaving, agriculture and religion to the country. Around 300 BC, the Chavín inexplicably disappeared, but over the centuries several other cultures - including the Salinar, Nazca, Paracas Necropolis and Wari (Huari) - became locally important. By the early 15th century, the Inca empire had control of much of the area, even extending its influence into Colombia and Chile.
Between 1526-28, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro explored Peru's coastal regions and, drawn by the riches of the Inca empire, returned to Spain to raise money and recruit men for another expedition to the country. Return he did, marching into Cajamarca, in northern Peru, before capturing, ransoming and executing the Inca emperor Atahualpa in 1533. Pizarro subsequently founded the city of Lima in 1535 but was assassinated six years later. The rebellion of the last Inca leader, Manco Inca, ended ingloriously, with his beheading in 1572.
The next 200 years proved peaceful, with Lima becoming the major political, social and commercial centre of the Andean nations. However, the exploitation of Indians by their colonial masters led to an uprising in 1780 under the self-styled Inca Tupac Amaru II. The rebellion was shortlived and most of the leaders were rounded up and executed. Peru continued to remain loyal to Spain until 1824, when the country was liberated by two 'outsiders': the Venezuelan Simón Bolívar and the Argentinian José de San Martín. In 1866, Peru won a brief war with Spain but was humiliated by Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-83), which resulted in the loss of lucrative nitrate fields in the northern Atacama Desert.
Peru again went to war, this time with Ecuador over a border dispute, in 1941. The 1942 treaty of Rio de Janeiro ceded the area north of the Río Marañón to Peru but the decision was fiercely contested by Ecuador.
Cuban-inspired guerrilla uprisings in 1965 led by the National Liberation Army were unsuccessful, but a series of nationwide strikes coupled with a violent insurgency by the Maoist Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) guerrillas caused political instability in the 1980s. Another guerilla group - the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) - also gained in strength during this time. However, the 1990 presidential election victory of Alberto Fujimori (erroneously known as El Chino because of his Japanese parentage) over Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, and the capture in 1992 of inspirational MRTA and Sendero Luminoso leaders buoyed hopes for a sustained period of peace.
The main threat to domestic stability remains unemployment and poverty, despite Peru's fast-growing economy. Fujimori was re-elected in April 1995, comprehensively beating former UN secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar. A treaty was signed with Ecuador in 1998, peacefully resolving a contentious 57-year-old border dispute and paving the way for increased foreign investment in both countries. In November 1999, Peru and Chile settled their last long-standing territorial dispute over the important trade bottleneck of Arica.
The world watched the April 2000 elections intently as Alejandro Toledo, an Andean Indian from a poor family who became a World Bank economist, gave two-time President Alberto Fujimori the election run of his life. One week before the country headed to the polls for a second time, Toledo filed a formal letter with the National Election Board to further call attention to election corruption, a move that bought a response from the Organization of American States (OAS). It announced that the National Election Office needed more time to correct 'deficiencies' in the voting process. Toledo instructed his followers to write 'No To Fraud' across their ballots and ultimately withdrew from the running.
Fujimori emerged victorious but resigned in November and fled to Japan following charges of human rights violations and corruption made against his intelligence advisor.
On March 20, 2002, a few days before a visit by US President Bush, a car bomb exploded near the US Embassy in Lima, killing ten people. It was thought to have been detonated by a local militant group.
Toledo won a tight race and in June 2001 became the country's first indigenous president. Since then, the path to bringing Fujimori to justice has been torturous; in the process it has been revealed that some 69,000 Peruvians died over decades in fighting between rebel and government forces. Toledo's own performance has been something of a disappointment. Although on the surface economic figures are good, his presidency has been distinguished mostly by scandal and his appetite for Lima's nightlife. In May 2003, the government declared a state of emergency when teachers, farmers and government workers went on strike for a month. The re-emergence of the Shining Path rebels and of cocaine manufacturing activities are equally troubling.
The history of pre-Inca Ecuador is lost in a misty tangle of time and legend, and the earliest historical details date back only as far as the 11th century AD. It is commonly believed that Asian nomads reached the South American continent by about 12,000 BC and were later joined by Polynesian colonisers. Centuries of tribal expansion, warfare and alliances resulted in the relatively stable Duchicela lineage, which ruled more or less peacefully for about 150 years until the arrival of the Incas around 1450 AD.
Despite fierce opposition, the conquering Inca soon held the region, helped by strong leadership and policies of intermarriage. War over the inheritance of the new Inca kingdom weakened and divided the region on the eve of the arrival of the Spanish invaders.
The first Spaniards landed in northern Ecuador in 1526. Pizarro reached the country in 1532 and spread terror among the Indians thanks to his conquistadors' horses, armour and weaponry. The Inca leader, Atahualpa, was ambushed, held for ransom, 'tried' and executed, and the Inca empire was effectively demolished. Quito held out for two years but was eventually razed by Atahualpa's general, Rumiñahui, who preferred it to be destroyed rather than lost intact to the invading Spaniards. Quito was refounded in December 1534. Today, only one intact Inca site remains in Ecuador - Ingapirca, to the north of Cuenca.
There were no major uprisings by the Ecuadorian Indians, though life was abysmal under Spanish rule. Spain ruled the colony from Lima, Peru, until 1739, when it was transferred to the viceroyalty of Colombia. It was largely rural and conservative, with large estates of introduced cattle and bananas farmed by forced labour.
As a Creole middle class began to emerge, there were several attempts to liberate Ecuador from Spanish rule. Independence was finally achieved by Simón Bolívar in 1822. Full constitutional sovereignty was gained in 1830. The country's internal history has since been marked by fierce rivalry and occasional open warfare between the church-backed conservatives, based in Quito, and the liberals and socialists of Guayaquil.
Over the last 100 years, assassinations and political instability have increasingly invoked military intervention, and the 20th century has seen more periods of military rule than of civilian. In 1941, neighbouring Peru invaded Ecuador and seized much of the country's Amazonian area. The 'new' border between the two countries - initially agreed upon and ratified by the 1942 Rio de Janeiro treaty - was finally recognised by both counties in a 1998 treaty. The squabbling ultimately died down because both countries were eager to impress potential foreign investors, who tend to be scared off by territorial skirmishes.
Despite its history of internal rivalry, border conflicts and six presidents in less than six years, life in Ecuador remained relatively peaceful up until the end of the millennium. In an attempt to stop the decline of the Ecuadorian sucre (which lost 75% of its value in less than a year) soon-to-be deposed president Jamil Mahuad made an unpopular announcement on January 10th that he would 'dollarise' the economy, replacing sucres with US dollars at a rate of 25,000 sucres per dollar. Thousands of non-violent protestors, including many indigenous leaders denouncing neo-liberal economic policies, subsequently occupied government buildings in Quito and forced Mahuad's resignation.
Mahuad's vice-president, Guastavo Noboa, took office on January 22, 2000. Noboa was presented as one of the few honest politicians in a country where political corruption is the norm, although his political experience was minimal. His first comments were that he would eliminate political corruption and that he agreed with dollarisation. Noboa has continued apace with implementation of dubious International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic 'structural adjustment' policies, in the face of increasing indigenous and working class opposition.
An oil spill off the coast of the Galápagos Islands prompted the government to call a state of emergency in January 2001. Thankfully, environmental devastation was largely averted. Indigenous issues, particularly those concerned with the impact of oil drilling, have continued to dominate politics. In January 2003, leftist and former coup leader Lucio Gutierrez assumed the presidency.
Climate
The climate of Peru varies widely, ranging from tropical in the montaña to arctic in the highest mountains of the Andes. Average temperatures decrease about 1.7 Celsius degrees (about 3 Fahrenheit degrees) with every 450-m (1,500-ft) increase in elevation. Permanent snow and ice fields cover peaks more than 5,000 m (16,500 ft) above sea level, and the highest elevation at which the land is suitable for agriculture is about 4,400 m (14,500 ft).
In the coastal plain the temperature is normally equable, averaging about 20°C (about 68°F) throughout the year. The coastal climate is moderated by winds blowing from the cool offshore current known as the Peru, or Humboldt, Current. The coast receives less than 50 mm (2 in) of precipitation each year, largely because the cordilleras receive most of the rain carried by the trade winds from the east. Mist-laden clouds known as garúa shroud many of the slopes of the sierra from June to October, providing enough moisture to support grasslands.
In the sierra the temperature ranges seasonally from about -7° to 21°C (about 20° to 70°F). Rainfall is usually scanty, but in some localities heavy rains fall from October to April. In Cuzco, in the southeastern sierra, annual rainfall averages some 815 mm (32 in). The exposed eastern slopes of the Andes receive more than 2,500 mm (100 in) of rain annually, but sheltered locations receive much less. Rainfall amounts diminish rapidly southward, causing many changes in the vegetation.
The montaña region is extremely hot and humid, although at higher elevations it is less so. The prevailing easterly winds blowing across that region gather moisture that is later deposited on the eastern Andean slopes. Annual rainfall in some districts averages as much as 3,810 mm (150 in). Most of this rain, which principally falls from November through April, eventually drains back to the montaña.
Peru's climate periodically experiences a weather pattern known as El Niño. El Niño occurs every three to seven years when unusually warm ocean conditions appear along the western coast. During El Niño the wet weather conditions normally present in the western Pacific move to the east, bringing heavy rains that can cause extensive flooding.
Although Ecuador lies on the equator, the country has a wide range of climates because of the varying elevations. The Costa is generally hot and humid, with a mean annual temperature of about 26°C (about 78°F). On the Sierra the temperatures range between about 7° and 21°C (about 45° and 70° F), depending on the elevation. Quito, which is some 2,850 m (9,350 ft) above sea level, has an average annual temperature of 13°C (55°F). The Oriente is warmer and more humid than the Costa; temperatures approach the upper 30°s C (lower 100°s F), and annual precipitation is about 2,030 mm (about 80 in).
| In short |
Amazon |
Andes |
Coastal region |
Galápagos |
| Humid season |
almost all year round |
Nov. to May |
Dec. to May |
June to Nov. |
| Dry season |
January and February |
June to Nov. |
June to Nov. |
Dec. to May |
| Average temp. in °C. |
25° to 31° |
15° to 20° |
25° to 31° |
18° to 30° |
Fauna and flora
Along the northern part of the Ecuador coast, and within the inner portion of the southern coast, tropical jungles abound. In some places the jungles extend up the slopes of the Andes as wet, mossy forests. Both flanks of the Cordilleras, as well as the Oriente, are densely forested up to about 3,050 m (about 10,000 ft). At higher elevations, paramo grass predominates.
The animal life of Ecuador is varied. Large mammals include the bear, jaguar, and wildcat, and among the smaller mammals are the weasel, otter, and skunk. Reptiles, including the lizard, snake, and crocodile, thrive on the slopes of the Andes and along the coastal lowlands. Birds are the most varied group, and many North American birds migrate to Ecuador during the northern winter. The Galápagos Islands, with many unusual native animals, serve as a wildlife sanctuary.
The plant life of the three main geographical regions of Peru varies widely. The vast, fertile montaña contains a rich profusion of trees, plants, and jungle vines, including mahogany, cedar, rubber, and cinchona trees, sarsaparilla and vanilla plants, and a variety of exotic tropical flowers. The rugged sierra supports a relatively sparse plant life. Sierra vegetation is largely xerophytic—that is, adapted to survival on a restricted supply of water. Such growths include mesquite, cactus, scrub and fodder grasses, and eucalyptus plants. The dry, sandy reaches of the coastal plain support mainly desert vegetation, such as shrubs, grasses, and tuberous plants.
The wildlife of coastal Peru is limited in number and variety. The coastal plain and offshore islands support gulls and terns and some albatrosses, but little other wildlife except lizards, insects, tarantulas, and scorpions. Peruvian ocean waters abound in anchovy, pilchard, haddock, sole, mackerel, smelt, flounder, lobster, shrimp, and other marine species. In the sierra are found the llama, alpaca, vicuña, chinchilla, and huanaco. Birds of the region include the giant condor, robin, phoebe, flycatcher, finch, partridge, duck, and goose. Lake Titicaca and other sierran bodies of water teem with fish. Animals of the tropical montaña include the jaguar, cougar, armadillo, peccary, tapir, anteater, several dozen species of monkey, alligator, turtle, and a variety of snakes and insects; among the birds are the parrot, the flamingo, and other tropical species.
Booking conditions
Please take the time to consult the regular booking conditions prior to book/reserve on one of our tours. Please note that special booking conditions may apply to some circuits and/or departures. In such case, information will be given to you on booking/reservation.
Meals and Gastronomy
Your guide will be very happy to help you in your choice of typical dishes and help you in selecting your menu.
You will try local dishes such as Caldos, (copious soups or stews), grilled Cuy (Guinea pig) and Lechón (Sucking pig), or llapingachos (patato and cheese crêpes). One the coastal region you will enjoy a Ceviche, a recipe based on fish and shrimps, marinated in lemon juice, garlic, onion, hot pepper and coriander, simply delicious. Fresh fruit juices are delicious mainly, tomata de arbol. Local beers, Pilsner or Club, are good as well as Aguardiente and rum. During parties, do not miss tasting a good chicha (corn beer), often offered in the streets.
Activities
Hike the Inca Trail of old days towards magic Machu Pichu, visit Inca ruins and colonial churches, birding,visit the floating islands of the Uros Indians.
Luggages and personal belongings
Please bring only the necessary. Small bags make it a lot easier for everyone to manage luggage. Hard and rigid suitcases are not recommended. The ideal is to have two bags one of which, an approximately 25 litre backpack, is used as a day bag for small excursions and the other, approximately 45 litres, contains the majority of clothing and personal belongings. We recommend that each participant brings with him/her:
- All necessary documents ( Traveller's File), passport, visa, address book, credit cards, cheques, copies of important documents etc)
- A compact sleeping bag
- A pair of comfortable shoes to hike in
- A pair of sandals or light shoes
- A light rain coat or plastic poncho
- 2 fleece style jackets or 2 thin woollen jackets
- 7 pairs of socks (3 woolen and 4 cotton)
- 2 pairs of long trousers
- 2 airs of shorts
- Cotton underwear
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- T-shirts / tops ,Long sleeves shirts
- Water bottle
- Flash light, frontal lamp
- A light cap or hat
- Swim suite
- Plastic bags (for dirty & wet clothes)
- Personal toilet articles and medication
- Insect repellent
- Sun glasses
- Sun block (avoid using oils)
- *Binoculars
- *Pocket knife
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Do not bring too much! You have the chance to wash your cloth during the tour.
* Optional but very handy !
Tips on what to wear
Fancy clothes are unnecessary . Basic tourist outfit remains shorts and T-shirts. You may prefer, like I do, long trousers to avoid sunburns. Evenings and early mornings are cooler and a woollen jacket is recommended. Also recommended are sun block protection, a cap or explorer hat. Do not wear a new pair of shoes as they will be damaged with the dust and salted water. Also very handy a comfortable pair of waterproof sandals.
Lodgings
Lodging in charming Inns, on double occupancy basis (2 to 3 *). These places have been chosen with the following standards in mind : welcoming, charming, comfortable and very friendly more than being luxirious..Your hotel in Quito is an old restored traditional first class charming house. Thanks to its downtown location you will be close to all services (restaurants, banks, shops) and also close to the historical and tourist spots of interest. The 11 rooms are decorated with taste and have their private bathroom, cable TV and phone with direct access and a safety box. Hair dryers are available. Bottled water, chocolates, shampoo and soaps are also offered in each room. The yachts sailing to Galapagos Islands have double occupancy cabins and a shared guest room. Comfort and installations vary depending on the class of the boat: regular tourism, upper tourism and first class
Extra stay
Willing participants can book a room in the capital for extra stay prior or after the tour begins ; cost : 60.00$US /night for 1 or 2 persons.
.Children and the journey
Children can take part in ecotourism tours in Ecuador and Peru, if they are motivated . Tours can easily be adapted and groups divided. Programs can vary according to the presence of young children among them. We know how to adequately adapt a journey if children are on board. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you want to discuss further on that matter , we will try to respond to your specific needs with pleasure
What to read
We recommend travellers interested in learning more about Ecuador and Peru to purchase and read prior to departure, Lonely Planet Ecuador and Lonely Planet Peru which will answer all your questions about the country, people and environment. Ulysse Ecuator guide is also a very good guide to learn more about the country and its people.
Electricity : 110V 60Hz - American standard - 2 pins.
Time zone : GMT/UTC - 5 hrs.
Galapagos : GMT/UTC - 6 hrs.
Glossary
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Steps preceding any departure:
- You select the tour and dates you wish to book (or reach an agreement with us on your Tailor Made Tour's program.
- Using our Booking Form you make your reservation / booking.
- As soon as your booking request is received we get in touch with you to confirm the booking and we send you an invoice including payment instructions and booking conditions.
- Upon reception of this invoice you must send your initial deposit (25%) to secure your booking. NB: If your package includes the international flight and/or an insurance plan, it will be integrally payable with your initial deposit. You will receive your flight tickets and/or insurance enrollment confirmation on the next business day following the reception of your payment.
- After reception of your initial deposit we will send you a detailed and complete TRAVELER'S FILE.
NB: Unless your booking request is received within 30 days from the departure date, in which case you will receive your Traveler's File upon payment of your initial deposit, please allow between 15 and 30 working days for the preparation of these documents and 2 or 3 more days before receiving any printed material.
This complete file will contain the following detailed information:
- Voucher / proof of your booking.
- Detailed program with a map of the tour's route.
- Information on your tour guide(s) and other human resource(s) connected to the project.
- Information on the meeting point and a list of the inns and hotels with their description, address & contact information.
- Info on the cities, sites & regions visited on the tour.
- Technical & practical information.
- General recommendations for the traveler.
- Emergency plan and detailed maps of the country and /or region(s).
- Travel insurance complete documents and/or flight tickets (if included in your tour package).
- Your balance must be received 30 days before your departure or in the week following the reception of your Traveler's File if you are booking within 30 days preceding your departure.
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Comparing our tours and prices with others, consider...
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- The number of participants in the tour. The GROUP SIZE has a major incidence on the quality of the services provided by the tour leader and the driver. Small groups remain personal unlike large groups.
- What IS and what is NOT respectively included in the tours you compare.
- Our tours respect the principals of ecotourism. Our guides, staff members and providers are meticulously selected to meet our exacting requirements and standards and they are remunerated equitably and considered with great esteem as we much value their participation to our mission.
- The quality standard of the services and accommodations we provide in our tours is high and our customer service is exceptional. We are committed to offering the very best to our travellers before, during and after their tour.
- We provide our travellers with the contact information of their tour manager who is available 7 days a week, reachable at all time before and during the tour to promptly assist them with any situation or simply answer questions or doubts before the tour starts.
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Tours & Destinations
