PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Jan 2010
Travelling on two wheels is a great way to meet the locals and slow down to smell the coffee.

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Sebastian Hansen
"This was my fourth trip with ACTIVE and I feel that Sebastian was overall the best lead guide I have had. Sebastian has great ideas and tons of energy. He is a great representative for both ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA and for Chile. "
Jefferson Thomas (Wadsworth, Nevada, USA) Feb 2010 Condor
News Clips and Reviews
Exploring Peru With My New Family
By Jenny Hartshorne

Since I’ve been back from my seven-day vacation in Peru, friends ask me, 'Hey what have you been up to this summer?' I love saying I went to Peru... There's a bit of mystery to it. Not the same as 'Went down to the shore for a week.' I say 'Well, I was in Peru, went to the Amazon Rainforest and stayed in a cool jungle camp with thatched huts and hammocks in front, macaws and parrots flying free, tarantulas in the trees nearby. The jungle was full of boas, anaconda, monkeys and of course lizards of all sizes.' I organized the trip with my new blended family by signing up with Active South America, a really first-rate tour company. Since there were only five of us we were matched with another family of our size. Read more...

Peru Family Trip
"The trip was great. The view from Sierra Negra was spectacular, and swimming with the sealions was amazing. I never thought I'd come face to face with a sealion. The activities were well spaced out - there were days when we were on the go quite a bit and other days that were more relaxing. I enjoyed being able to stay on the islands and see the towns and people living there."

Denise Clozza (British Columbia, Canada) August 2006 Tortuga
ACCOMMODATION:
The Capybara family trip is a family-friendly, adventure-oriented trip around Peru. As with all ACTIVE trips, we've chosen accommodations for their comfort and cleanliness - not the number of channels available on the television! In addition to this, we have carefully selected accommodations that are appropriate for families with children, and we try, wherever possible to stay in locally owned and operated premises. On the nights where we stay in towns such as Cuzco and Puno, we have chosen good hotels, ideally situated close to the main attractions without being too central, in order to avoid the most touristy and noisy areas. It's worth keeping in mind that Peru is a noisy place - people here have a festive way of looking at life and often enjoy beeping their horns and playing loud music! We have chosen the quietest areas practical in order for people to get the best sleep possible (although with all the fresh air you'll get, most people find they have no trouble sleeping!), but earplugs are recommended in this energetic and lively part of the world. In contrast, the jungle lodges in the Amazon and the local family homes on Amantani Island are very tranquil and quiet.

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS:
You can arrive in Lima any time on the first day - if you land by 5pm you can meet with your trip leader for dinner, but many flights arrive later and that's fine too. Our representative will meet you at the airport no matter what flight you arrive on. We recommend arriving a day or so early so everyone is well rested before the trip starts, and we're happy to book your pre-trip accommodation for you. On the last day of the trip, we recommend booking your flight to depart out of Lima any time after 3pm. If you are considering other flight times, let us know and we'll see what we can do to help your trip run smoothly. If you have extra time before or after your trip, join us for an optional Lima city tour.

TRIP START:
If you arrive on the first day of your trip, we'll be there to pick you up from the Lima international airport whenever your flight gets in and take you to your apartments in Miraflores. This airport transfer is included in your trip fare.

TRIP END:
On the last day of the trip, we'll fly you back to Lima. Your trip ends here at Lima airport.

FITNESS:
You and your kids need to have a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself on the Capybara, but no more than the average family. This trip is all about family fun so the activities are suitable even for people with short legs! If you're concerned about your fitness level, or whether your kids are up to it, have a chat with us so we can help you decide whether the Capybara family trip is the right trip for your family.

EXPERIENCE:
You don't have to have any outdoor experience. We offer trips that enable you and your family to make the most of South America's awesome outdoor environment, culture and history. Our trip leaders are highly trained and experienced outdoor guides, and they'll look after your whole family! All you need is to be is ready for an exciting adventure and you'll have a wonderful time in Peru with us. If you like a challenge we will certainly give you one! For example, at Machu Picchu, if you're keen we'll hike up Huayna Picchu mountain. We manage the level of commitment to suit your experience, can easily accommodate various ability levels and we have an impeccable safety record.

FLEXIBILITY:
Peru is a developing nation and we won't tell you that everything in South America runs like clockwork. What we can tell you is that we are experienced adventure travel leaders, and we know how to keep things operating as smoothly as possible, even when conditions are challenging. That's why we are here! But you'll find your trip even more enjoyable if you remember to bring flexibility, an open mind and a sense of humour with you.

INCLUDED:
The trip fare is US$2799 for adults and US$2499 for kids 15 and under. We quote all prices in US dollars so our families from all over the world can more easily relate prices to their own currencies. The trip fare includes just about everything, specifically:
• All guiding services. We always have an experienced trip leader on every trip and will have a local guide on many of our excursions for extra local knowledge.
• All ground and air transportation during the trip.
• Comfortable accommodation for your entire trip. We can also book pre- and post-trip accommodation for you if required.
• All your meals.
• All drinking water. Alcohol and other drinks are not included.
• All hiking, kayaking, and other activities as described in the itinerary, excluding optional activities as noted. None of the activities are compulsory, so if you prefer to sit some of them out and just have a 'down day' hanging out with a book and a hammock, then that's fine by us. This is your vacation after all!
• Tips for local activity guides and drivers are taken care of by us.

NOT INCLUDED:
This is your vacation, and we are serious about not nickel-and-diming you! You'll have a few snacks and drinks to cover, extra activities if you choose them, and you'll probably feel like tipping your trip leader at the end of a fabulous time, but you won't be pulling out your wallet every few minutes on your ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA trip!

GEAR LIST:
Click here to see a copy of the Capybara Gear List

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