Eight personal travel managers were invited to experience the best of Peru on a ten-day exclusive famil organised by LAN Airlines and PromPeru.
Participating in the famil were Victoria-based Julie Lunn, Kerrin Poupos, Karen Doyle and Claire Kilcullen; New South Wales representatives Julianne Gazal Rizk, Alexa Petherick; Deborah Davies from Queensland; and Kirsty Whittaker from Tasmania.
With Peru offering over 5,000 years of history, it stands to reason the first stop on the famil agenda was a visit to the ruins of Pachacamac, the most important pre-Inca religious center on the Peruvian coast.
Visiting Machu Picchu are Nagiba Nagpal (LAN Airlines) with TravelManagers personal travel managers Deborah Davies, Julianne Gazal-Rizk, Julie Lunn, Kirsty Whittaker, Manuel Nielsen (Prom Peru escort), Claire Kilcullen, Karen Doyle, Alexa Petherick and Kerrin Poupos.
As awe inspiring as the group found the ruins, it was the following day’s Amazon adventure to Sandoval Lake Lodge that Lunn that will always be remembered fondly.
“Just getting to the Lodge was quite the adventure.”
Karen Doyle, Victoria-based Personal Travel Manager
Doyle said the group flew to Maldonado where they took a 40-minute sunset boat ride along the river.
This was followed by a three kilometre hike through the Amazon jungle in the dark.
She said the torchlight shone on tarantulas crawling out of the trees and on the beady eyes of caiman alligators as they watched the group walk by.
Julie Lunn, Kerrin Poupos, Alexa Petherick, Julianne Gazal-Rizk, Manuela Nielsen (Prom Peru), Karen Doyle, Kirsty Whittaker, Claire Kilcullen, Deborah Davies and Nagiba Nagpal (Lan Airlines) discover the city of Cuzco, Sacsayhuaman.
However, the highlight for Doyle, was the breathtaking experience of seeing Machu Picchu the Lost City of the Incas.
Unable to compare the experience, she said she now understands why it is one of the seven New Wonders of the World.
“The ruins are truly magical and looking down on this spectacular historical site gave me goose bumps down my spine. “
Karen Doyle, Victoria-based Personal Travel Manager
Meanwhile, NSW-based Alexa Petherick said a highlight of the trip was trying the ‘incredible’ food.
Wowed by the diverse meals, Petherick was surprised to find Peru has some of the best chefs and restaurants not only in South America but around the world.
For her clients, Tasmania’s Kirsty Whittaker said she will recommend client pack their sense of adventure to be rewarded with a uniquely diverse and cultural holiday experience.