Rainforest Excursions
June 1, 2008 By: Mackenzie Allison Luxury Travel Advisor  |
Tour operator PanAmerican Travel Services can arrange journeys through the Peruvian rainforest. The luxury tour operator offers an array of options and all trips are customized. Here is just a taste of what the company can accomplish for your VIPs: A three-day, two-night itinerary will find your posh clientele arriving at Puerto Maldonado Airport, from where they will be transported to the Inkaterra Butterfly House. There, they transition to the change in temperature with a crisp eucalyptus cooling towel and refreshing ice cream treat made with local fruit and fruit juices. The vibrant views of the Butterfly House include colorful species of these native creatures, as well as flowers and tropical plants in their naturalized habitat.
After experiencing the first leg of their journey, clients will be taken by bus for a short ride to Puerto Maldonado River Pier, where they will board dugout motorized boats for a 45-minute ride to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica eco-lodge. This Inkaterra property, which rests in the center of a 29,000-acre private conservation area, is 35 minutes from Cuzco. When they arrive at the lodge, guests will gather at the Eco Center where they will enjoy cocktails and learn more about their upcoming adventure before departing to their cabanas.
Not at all a “roughing it” experience, the accommodations at Reserva Amazonica will find your VIPs not lacking any creature comfort. There are four types of rooms at the property and we hear that clients should snag Bungalow numbers 21 and 29 for views of the river. Note: Not a direct view, the river is seen through some trees that line it. For roomy digs on the “jungle side” of the property, suggest the Suite Amazonicas (10, 15 and 19). These particular pads have two sinks, and a king, queen or two twin beds are available. However, for the ultimate in space, the Suite Tambopatas (23 and 27) are the largest rooms and are also on the jungle side. They include a private plunge pool and a hidden outdoor shower. Additional perk: Because they are less noisy than the other accommodations, VIPs will be lulled to sleep each night by the peaceful noises of the jungle.
After relaxing, taking a cool shower and enjoying the accommodations, your clients will have a guided afternoon walk along the Inkaterra Trail System and discover the Amazon Basin. The day concludes with a Twilight River Tour, which offers the perfect opportunity for your clients to see how the river functions at night. Although it is dark, the adventurers can still see caimans, capybaras, owls and other wildlife.
After a tropical breakfast in the lodge’s dining room, your VIPs will be well nourished for the day ahead. Activities on the second day include a visit to the Sandoval Lake in the Tambopata National Reserve. Later that afternoon, clients who don’t mind heights will be taken to the 1,128-foot-long Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. Those who are truly adventurous may ascend the first tower—95 feet above ground—and walk through the forest canopy on a system of suspension bridges. It would not be out of the norm for guests to see toucans, woodpeckers, monkeys and three-toed sloth.
Those advisors thinking of sending their VIPs may contact PanAmerican’s Managing Director Brett Steele. For a personal account of travels in the Peruvian rainforest, see the September 2007 issue of Luxury Travel Advisor (page 14).
For those clients who want to venture to the South Pacific or Southeast Asia, luxury tour operator Travcoa offers escorted journeys to Papua New Guinea, as well as Brunei and Borneo.
These intimate excursions have clients traveling in groups of no more than 18 guests. And, similar to the PanAmerican offerings, luxury is never sacrificed. Descriptions of the accommodations for the 16-day Papua New Guinea tour, for example, read as a catalogue of top hotels in the area. Some of the accommodations in which your VIPs will find themselves staying include such high-end hotels as the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns and Karawi Lodge.
Highlights of this particular excursion include visiting the village of Pogla to see mudmen reenact folklore, taking riverboats and four-wheel-drive vehicles to Karawi Lodge to gaze on picturesque views of the tropical jungle, and a four-night cruise along the Sepik River—surrounded by dense rainforest—on the MV Sepik Spirit. Guests will explore this area on a jet boat, and adrenaline junkies can explore the canals via a motorized canoe.
From the depths of an intricate water system to the top of a jagged mountain, guests will also visit Tari and stay in luxury huts at the mountaintop Ambua Lodge. Cool fact: We hear that Tari is one of few places left where men and women still wear traditional garments as a part of their daily life. Besides bird watching and exploring waterfalls, make sure to arrange a visit to a village in this area so your clients can watch a traditional Sing-Sing (a gathering of clans in traditional costume for ceremonies that include dancing and singing).
For those thrill seekers who aren’t content to experience nature from the confines of a canoe or kayak, a trip to Madang is a diver’s dream. The area’s coral reefs are not to be missed.
If your VIPs dream of exploring Southeast Asia and can dedicate a good deal of time to a tour, then booking the 17-day Brunei and Borneo journey will have them thanking you for years to come. Similar to the Papua New Guinea itinerary, this tour utilizes only the best accommodations—think a leisure stay in the seaside Shangri-La Tanjung in Kota Kinabalu, where eight top restaurants and bars are at your clients’ fingertips; the Hilton Batang Longhouse near the Batang Ai National Park, where those clients who love the outdoors will be surrounded by mountains and the rainforests of Sarawak; and the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur’s bustling city center. Besides the luxury factor, this journey is also a good option for those clients who have a penchant for nature, history and orangutans.
This extensive journey starts in Singapore and ends in Kuala Lumpur with several worthwhile stops in between. In Singapore, history buffs can explore the Colonial District—a standing testament to the past, the area is filled with colonial buildings that date back to the British rule. In Sandakan, a city in East Malaysia on the northeast coast of Borneo, guests will get to see firsthand the rainforest conservation efforts by the State Wildlife Department. Here is where the aforementioned orangutans come into play: Also in Sandakan, animal-loving members of the group will get to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where they will get up close and personal with these adorable creatures at the feeding platform. Those who want to see other wildlife will have the opportunity during the upriver boat ride on the Sukau River to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Make sure your clients are ready to snap pics of Proboscis monkeys, hornbills, Asian Pygmy elephants and more orangutans. Those who paid attention in science class will get to test their skills in Batang Ai, home to one of the most complex eco-systems in the world.
If your VIPs want to stay a little closer to home, Travcoa also offers Custom Journeys in any part of the world. Those luxury travel advisors who would like to send their clients on a Travcoa journey may call Danielle Blanco (800-992-2003, ext. 239).
