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
Yohn Grajeda
"Yohn was enthusiastic, well informed , and just a great human being!! He shared his stories and made us feel like we were all friends."
Ruth Lauf (Edmonton,Alberta,Canada) Aug 2009 Jaguar
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
"Totally exceeded my expectations. The scenery takes your breath away while the archeological sites and history are very interesting, and the food is absolutely great. Moreover, all the people I met through the whole trip were wonderful. They have made my trip very meaningful."

Yoko Kaji (Tokyo, Japan) April 2006 Jaguar
ACCOMMODATION:
The Jaguar is an active adventure-oriented trip around Peru. We’ve chosen the places where we stay for their location, cleanliness and charm – not the number of channels available on the television! Many of the places we stay are off-the-beaten-track and set in amazing locations. For example, on both Inca Trail treks we’re under canvas, but it’s pretty fancy camping. Our porters carry tents and supplies, cook meals, boil drinking water for us and take care of everything around camp. On the nights where we stay in towns such as Cuzco and Puno, we have chosen clean 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 after hiking the Inca Trail trek 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 need to arrive in Cuzco by 10.30am at the latest on the first day of the trip. If you have extra time, we recommend heading to Cuzco early for more time to acclimatise to the high altitude, and to spend as long as possible in this incredible town! Most international flights get to Lima in the evening, so you’ll probably fly in to Lima at night and then on to Cuzco the following morning – let us know if you need a hand with extra hotel accommodation. 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 make your trip run smoothly.
If you have extra time in Lima 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, an ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA representative will meet you at the airport at 11am and take you to your accommodation. If you’re already in Cuzco, you’ll meet your trip leader and the rest of your group in the lobby of our preferred Cuzco hotel at noon.

TRIP END:
On the last day of your trip we’ll fly you to Lima airport.

FITNESS:
You must have a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself. You don't have to be young or extremely fit (although if you are, you won't be bored), but you should be in the habit of doing at least some regular exercise. Age and experience are not important. We would rather have an older person with a good attitude than a 22-year-old couch potato!

EXPERIENCE:
You don’t have to have any outdoor experience. We offer trips that enable you to make the most of South America’s awesome outdoor environment, culture and history. Our trip leaders are highly trained and experienced outdoor leaders and they’ll look after you! You don’t have to carry an overnight pack on the multi-day trek (if you like you can hire a porter to carry your overnight gear for a small extra cost), have ever paddled a kayak before or be used to hiking at altitude. You don’t need to be a serious cyclist to enjoy our rides either. You don’t have to ride at all, if you'd rather hike, shop or laze around! All you need is to be energetic and in reasonable shape – and we guarantee you’ll have a wonderful time. But if you like a challenge we will certainly give you one! For example, at Machu Picchu, if you’re keen we’ll climb up Huayna Picchu Mountain. We manage the level of commitment to suit your experience, 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’re 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$3399. 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 excursions for extra local knowledge.
• All ground and air transportation including your final flight to Lima at the end of the trip. The only flight not included is the Lima-Cuzco flight before the beginning of your trip. • Comfortable accommodation for your entire trip. We can also book pre- and post-trip accommodation for you if required.
• All your meals, except for lunch and dinner on your free day in Cuzco, where we’ve found most people like to check out the local restaurants on their own.
• All drinking water. Alcohol and other drinks are not included – although we’ve been known to spring for a few drinks here and there!
• All hiking, canoeing, kayaking, biking, and jungle 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!
• Group porters to carry shared equipment (not individual gear) on your Inca Trail including tents, cooking equipment and food.
• Tips for local activity guides and drivers, except for Inca Trail guides and porters, are taken care of by us.
NOT INCLUDED:
• Tips for your Inca Trail guides and porters.
• If you choose to, you can hire a personal porter to carry your overnight gear and personal gear (clothes, toiletries, sleeping mat and sleeping bag) on the Inca Trail.
 This is your holiday, and we are serious about not nickel-and-diming you! You’ll have to pay for the items mentioned here, 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 Jaguar Gear List

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