A week in the high Andes of Peru

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A week in the high Andes of Peru: Frequently-Asked Questions about Historic Machu Picchu Tour

Journey to the top of the world to explore one of the greatest archeological treasures in existence. The Inca ruins at Machu Picchu have attracted and inspired adventurers since its discovery in 1911. High in the clouds, this ancient civilization remains remarkably intact. Get ready to take your imagination on a voyage in spirit and history.

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Contents:

• How many people are in your average Hanns Ebensten Travel group?
  
• How old are most tour members? What is an average group like?
  
• What is the cost of the Lake Titicaca Extension?
  
• What is the itinerary of the optional extension to Lake Titicaca?
  
• Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
  
• I'm a vegetarian. Will that be a problem?
  
• Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
  

How many people are in your average Hanns Ebensten Travel group?
One of the distinguishing features of Hanns Ebensten Travel is the intimacy of the group. We are not only a gay-friendly option for travelers, we are also an alternative for people who like companionship but cannot tolerate large buses and crowds of people. Consequently, our groups range in size from six to twenty participants. In the monasteries at Mount Athos we are limited to no more than six or seven non-Orthodox visitors. On the ss Karim, our luxury stern wheeler on the Nile, we can comfortably accommodate twenty-five guests. On our other tours, we typically restrict our groups to 10-16 participants. This makes a nice experience in traveling (no giant buses-phew!), restaurants can seat us at one or two tables, and we can move our groups easily through attractions and sites without the impersonal 1-2-3 sheep type counting.

How old are most tour members? What is an average group like?
One of the nice things about a Hanns Ebensten Travel group is the diversity of ages and backgrounds. Most of our tours are designated for gay men, but some are open to both men and women, as noted for each trip on our website.

The age of participants typically ranges from early 30’s to 60’s, although we occasionally see younger participants, and some of our fittest travelers have been in their 70s or even early 80s. Our tour members are mostly professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, college teachers, scientists and marketing representatives. We also have our fair share of artists, writers, musicians and their publicists, and occasionally surprises (good ones!).

Our tours are not "party tours" and consequently our tour members are mostly mature travelers (not necessarily in years) who are seeking a personal, educational and even spiritual adventure with like-minded people. We also make a point to allow time to relax and have fun. Whether that means skinny dipping around our private huts in Tahiti or dancing at the bars in local clubs, there is always time for playfulness and high spirits. We are on vacation after all!

What is the cost of the Lake Titicaca Extension?
Cost of 2008 4-day / 3-night extension to the private Suasi Island in Lake Titicaca:
$1500 per person, double occupancy
$500 single supplement (based on minimum of 3 participants)

Price includes 1 night at hotel in Puno; 2 nights at Casa Andina Private Collection Suasi Island; train from Cusco to Puno (or bus in the event that the train does not run); boat from Puno to Suasi Island; rowboat and van from Suasi Island to Juliaca Airport; flight from Juliaca to Lima (via Arequipa); breakfast each day; 2 lunches, 2 dinners and one box lunch at Suasi Island; services of local Peruvian guides.

The price does not include: meals not described above; airport departure taxes; transfers and extra night in Lima if required before flight home; gratuities for guides; personal expenses.

Please note that Lake Titicaca is at about 13,000 feet above sea level, so please consult your physician before the trip if you have any questions about spending three days at this altitude.

As with travel to any remote location, arrangements are subject to change, but we will do our best to substitute similar arrangements if any portion of the tour cannot be run as planned.

What is the itinerary of the optional extension to Lake Titicaca?
On the last tour day, we will be transferred from our Cusco hotel to the train station for a ten-hour train ride to city of Puno. The train crosses the scenic high Andean landscape dotted by only small native villages and herds of llamas and vicuñas. Upon arriving in Puno we will take a short ride to the new CASA ANDINA PRIVATE COLLECTION PUNO, overlooking Puno's harbor.

The next morning, we have an early breakfast, then we board our boat to start our journey across Lake Titicaca. Along the way we will make two stops to visit the Uros and Taquile Islands. The Uros are actually floating islands, with each entire village or family living on top of a web of tightly woven reeds, that are continually replaced on top, as they rot away underneath. Taquile Island is a larger wind-swept rocky island with small farms and a village on its slopes. From Taquile our boat continues another couple of hours to our destination, Suasi Island, just off the eastern shore of the lake.

Suasi is the only private island in the vast lake, and has no structures other than our small hotel, the Casa Andina Private Collection Isla Suasi, and a couple of homes for those who work at the hotel. The balance of the land is protected from development, so it is one of the most pristine islands one can imagine. Once we get to the island, there will be plenty of unstructured time to explore the protected island.

During our two days on Suasi, we can hike past a herd of alpacas, search for wild vicunas, then climb up to the headlands for views of the lake and of the snow-covered mountains of Bolivia. Weather permitting, we'll also take a rowboat ride around the perimeter of the island, passing an entire cliff of cormorant nests. And when you're ready to just relax, you can sit with a book overlooking the gardens, which are amazingly lush for this altitude (13,000 feet above sea level) throughout the year, due to the warming influence of the lake.

The last morning is free for one last hike, after which you'll be rowed across a short stretch of the lake to the village of Cambria. From there, it's a couple of hours drive on both gravel and paved roads around the northern end of the lake to the city of Juliaca and its airport. Enroute, you'll see the diversity of the high plateau, from mountains to marshs to lush farmland that has been in Quechua families for centuries.

We have scheduled a late afternoon flight, which will allow time for connections at Lima Airport for overnight flights home, or we can arrange for a night in Lima for anyone flying out the next day.

Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
No. Most people who travel abroad with us don't speak the language. But we encourage you to brush up on any language skills you have that are relevant for the area you're going to, and to learn a few basic phrases, such as hello and thank you, in the local language. You'll find even a few words make a big difference in your interactions with local people.

I'm a vegetarian. Will that be a problem?
No. Let us know about that, or other special dietary restrictions on the questionnaire we send out before the trip.

Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
We define our trips as being for "gay men, lesbians, and friends." Some of our trips are designated for gay men only. The company was founded because, even these days, gay men and lesbians sometimes encounter a cool reception from people who aren't gay, and many of us would rather take a vacation in an atmosphere where that's not an issue. Our groups are also mostly small and intimate (some with as few as six participants) and the camaraderie is as important as the scenery. So while we occasionally welcome friends and family to join us, we tend to keep our groups essentially for gay men. It has been our mission since the start and we still believe it is important to offer trips for men to be together without the pressures they may experience at home (in smaller cities) and in their jobs. At the same time, we also acknowledge a wider mix of participants and personalities can also make for a great trip and are willing to consider anyone who wants to travel with us.

So your friend is certainly welcome to travel with us. We think you'll have a great time, and the kind of people who come on our trips will enjoy having a friendly but wider mix of participants and personalities.

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