Peru Creates New National Park to Protect Two Million Acres of Amazon Rainforest The Peruvian government has recently announced the creation of a massive new national park to protect two million acres of Amazon rainforest. The new Yaguas National Park is located in the northern region of Loreto, near the Colombian border, and will help protect the incredible biodiversity of Peru’s Amazon region, including many types of freshwater fish and threatened wildlife such as giant otters, Amazonian river dolphins and manatees.
Outpost to Tell the Story of Peru’s Great Inca Road Canadian-based travel magazine brand, Outpost is launching its newest adventure, the Qhapaq Ñan Peru Project. Outpost’s in-house team of adventure curators, including Editor-at-Large Jeff Fuchs, will explore and document their travels through the heartland of the Great Inca Empire, with a backdrop of modern-day Peru. Their stories from the road will be featured starting at the end of April via a custom-built site, InFromTheOutpost.com, as well as on OutpostMagazine.com, their video site OutpostTV, social media platforms and in the print magazine. Travellers are invited to follow along as the Outpost team traverses the Qhapaq Ñan Andean Road System throughout the greater Cusco region.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Iquitos opens in Peru DoubleTree by Hilton has recently opened a new 71-room full-service hotel in Iquitos, overlooking the Amazon River and just minutes away from the Cathedral of Iquitos and the Iron House. The newly revamped DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Iquitos building underwent a multimillion dollar renovation, including updated guest rooms and a redesign of the lobby, pool, restaurants and bar. The hotel features a rustic design inspired by Iquitos’ culture and the Manoa Restaurant serves regional fusion cuisine using local ingredients and techniques, including dishes such as fish ceviche wrapped in bijao leaves. Amenities include an outdoor pool, full-service wellness centre and sauna, 24-hour fitness centre, and four conference rooms.
Inca Rail Inaugurates Peru’s Most Scenic Train to Machu Picchu
Inca Rail launched a new Machu Picchu train this March, the 360° Machu Picchu Train. The train offers some of the most scenic views en route to Machu Picchu, with dome-like high visibility panoramic windows with built-in UV protection. The train carriages will be fully interconnecting, freeing passengers to move between the carriages to an open-air observation area at the centre of the train. By summer, passengers will also able to download a GPS-activated app at the start of their journey, which will provide information on local culture, history and the passing countryside. An onboard trolley service will feature local offerings of a light snack or lunch reflecting the seasons and local regions. The train will carry up to 248 passengers each day on two routes between Poroy and Machu Picchu, and between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu.
Belmond Launches “First Light” Experiences Belmond has launched “First Light” photography experiences in partnership with Leica Sport Optics. These exclusively curated nature walks at dawn celebrate mornings and the unique light that this time of day can bring to photos. In Peru, guests of the Belmond Andean Explorer can enjoy early morning walks alongside Lake Titicaca.
El Bodegon Restaurant Showcases Peruvian Home-Cooking in Lima Gaston Acurio’s latest restaurant, El Bodegón, opened in 2017 in Lima’s Miraflores neighbourhood. The restaurant evokes a classic Limeña taberna with a casual décor and an evolving menu of Peruvian home-cooking and dishes from Acurio’s childhood featuring seasonal and local ingredients. This past February, the New York Times posted a review of El Bodegón here. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, with reservations only accepted at dinner.