The Market, ArequipaThe next day turned out to be our most physically taxing and I don’t know why, because all we did was ride in the van for several hours. Perhaps it was the up and down change in altitude as we again drove over the 16500 foot mountain pass. On the way, we pulled over and examined an area where hundreds of small potatoes were strewn over the ground. Carlos explained that the locals were freeze-drying them for storage. The technique involves allowing the potatoes to freeze at night and thaw during the day, allowing for the moisture to slowly evaporate. Stepping on them periodically to break open the skin helps speed up the several day process. The potatoes turn a pale white color when the they are finished.
We again reached the fork in the highway and enjoyed more Triple Tea along with some favorite candies recommended by Carlos. Then, off to Puno.
Flamingos in the Andes? You bet! We stopped along a large brackish lake and there were dozens of pale pink flamingos feeding. What a surprise to see what I thought was a bird that favored lower altitudes and warmer climates, strolling about at over 11000 feet.
Later we drove through the city of Juliaca which we were told is one of the more prosperous cities in Peru. This is largely due to the thriving black market for goods smuggled in from Boliva as well as the booming counterfeit business. In fact, you can find just about any fake designer product here from purses to tennis shoes.
We finally arrived in Puno, a bustling town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Aside from tourism, Puno is known for its parties. Whether marking religious or historical events , all require serious celebration, often lasting for days at a time. Well, why not!
By now, we had developed a serious craving for good old-fashioned pizza. Puno did not disappoint! After dinner, we crashed in the hotel and rested up for our day on Lake Titicaca.
We've used Adventure Life for several trips in the past and have always been very pleased with them. The staff is personable and professional at the same time. Erin put this trip together for us in just a few days, and it has everything we were looking for! I recommend them without hesitation.
benn
1 month ago
I served as the person responsible for planning a trip to Galapagos and Machu Picchu for a group of 14 people. Jane with Adventure Life was very helpful throughout the process. Making suggestions, offering insight, and in the end helped me overhaul an initial plan into something even better. Also, Jane makes all the plans including the flights within and between Peru and Ecuador. Thanks to her this is going to be a stress-free adventure. After making the final decision about the trip, Jane gathered the contact information for all the travelers and sent out the details to each traveler individually with links to pay deposits, upload passport info, and personal preferences. She also ensured a group email was sent out to the entire group welcoming us to the trip preparation process. Our trip is a year from now and we are excited to make this once in a life time trek. I am happy to have organized things through Adventure Life. However, two small issues came up that were a little off putting. First, Adventure Life adds $50 per person to the cost for each traveler as a donation to a Galapagos conservation fund. I think this should he offered as something that can be added at each traveler’s discretion. Instead, it is automatically added, and each person must ask to have it removed if they do not want it included. Second, although the trip deposit may be paid with a credit card without incurring an additional fee, the balance must be paid in another way to avoid a 3% credit card fee. Maybe this is standard with all travel agencies. In the end I would definitely go through Adventure Life for the next big trip.
Brenda Nielsen
2 months ago
I think it was very helpful that Franny and I spoke on the phone. I think she had a better idea of what we were looking for, and she planned a great itinerary for us!
Elizabeth
3 months ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
3 months ago
Easy.
Great work on the follow up and details by Waru.