Seattle Times – Looking for adventure? A small-group tour can be the way to go, especially to far-flung corners of the world where organizing your own trip…Go South Adventures is among a list of notable Seattle based companies.
Seattle-based tour companies offer worldwide adventures (click link to view)
At almost 8,000 ft, the Atacama desert is the highest and driest desert in the world. There you will find volcanic geysers and hot-springs, other worldly vision scapes and an evening sky painted with stars. Come explore the latest addition to our first class Chilean Lodge programs. Tierra Atacama Hotel and Spa offers guided Atacama adventures, Altiplano excursions and bird-watching; as well as luxury spa services, fine dining and boutique hotel hospitality… all in one of the earth’s most beautiful locations, San Pedro de Atacama.
Torres del Paine National Park: the aftermath of the fire
By January 13, 2012 the fire that had affected the Torres del Paine National Park since December 27, 2011 was fully controlled. Of the Park’s more than 240,000 hectares (600,000 acres), approximately 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres) were damaged by the flames, representing only 6.6% of the Park’s total area. The area damaged by the fire included 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) of grassland and bush of fast recovery. Of the remaining area, 10% is Native forest.
EcoCamp evacuates due to closure of Torres del Paine National Park.
We regret to inform you that EcoCamp Patagonia is being evacuated following the closure of Torres del Paine National Park on the evening of December 30th, on the orders of Chile’s National Park administration body CONAF.
The fire is currently restricted to the western zone of the Paine massif, meaning EcoCamp guests, on the eastern side, are in no danger. However, due to the park’s closure and EcoCamp’s inability to conduct tours as normal due to fierce wind and smoke, we feel evacuation is the most prudent action. We had sincerely hoped this measure would not be necessary but the well-being of our guests is our absolute priority.
All of our guests spent a very peaceful night at EcoCamp and are now being transported to Puerto Natales where they will be placed in temporary accommodation until we have further news regarding the outcome of the battle to stop the fire. A tentative date for EcoCamp’s re-opening is January 3rd – To be confirmed following subsequent updates on the battle to get the fire under control.
The Ecuadorian Government has noted that the ticket prices for air transport will increase from January 1, 2012 through the elimination of subsidies for local aviation fuel.
With the elimination of government subsidy to the aviation fuel, they will get $ 92 million savings. The new fuel prices will apply to airplanes using the airports of Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca. They will maintain the 40 percent fuel subsidy for governmental domestic airports. Pricing is scheduled to be announced before the end of the year by the Ecuadorian government.
New prices have not yet been set (as of this post 12/13/2011). We will inform our passengers as soon as the new prices have been announced.
The readers of Condé Nast Traveller Magazine chose Explora Patagonia as the best hotel in the Americas. The lodge is located right at the heart of the extraordinary Torres del Paine National Park in central Patagonia. The varied and untouched landscapes of this area led UNESCO to declare it a World Biosphere Reserve.
The Patagonia hotel lodge opened in 1993 on the banks of the Salto Chico waterfall. It affords an excellent view of the unique Paine Massif and two of the three impressive towers, which give the park its name. The lodge has 50 rooms and a variety of inviting spaces.
Situated on a 3-hectare (7.4-acre) site, the design borrows certain organic forms from the landscape itself, adapting to it with simple elegance. It was designed to create harmony with its surroundings, bringing those who visit closer to the magnificence of nature. For travelers, the lodge provides unexpected comfort in a remote region of the world.
Peru – Cusco, Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca (the floating Uros Islands) serve as the latest fashion backdrop in the November ‘11, Anthropologie Clothing Catalog. Ohhh Peru, so hip.
Go South Adventures celebrates “Dead Woman’s Pass” (Abra de Warmiwanuska, in Quechua). At almost 14,000 ft, “Dead Woman’s Pass” is the highest point on the Classic Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu.
Time Magazine (Aug 29, 2011) – “Go With The Floe” – In this week’s issue, Environmental reporter Sean Gregory includes an interview with Go South Adventures founder, Troy Glennon, on his perspective of how climate change has affected the adventure travel industry. The article is also accompanied by one of Troy’s photos illustrating the effect of Global Warming in Antarctica.
Link To Article – “Go With The Floe” – Time Magazine (Aug 29, 2011)
PERU’S ASTRID & GASTON RESTAURANT IN WORLD’S TOP 50
Astrid y Gaston, a top Peruvian restaurant run by chef Gaston Acurio, has been ranked 42th in S.Pellegrino’s annual list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Organized by Restaurant magazine, the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of over 800 international restaurant industry experts.
Danish restaurant Noma was named as the world’s best restaurant. For the second consecutive year Rene Redzepi’s restaurant topped the voting in the annual awards – widely considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of the restaurant world.
This year showcases an exciting list of restaurants that span an even greater geographical spread than previous years and recognizes the influence of fledgling culinary nations such as Peru and Russia.
Founded by Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Gaston Acurio, Astrid y Gaston has restaurants in Lima, Madrid, Bogota, Caracas, Panama, Quito, and Santiago de Chile. Come for yourself and experience the new culinary sensations of Peru.
