Showing posts with label reality tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reality tour. Show all posts

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Turismo: lo auténtico vs lo bonito

by Carlos Buj

Algunos turistas pretenden llegar a un lugar “auténtico”, es decir, que ha evolucionado ajeno a las expectativas de los turistas (influenciadas por la publicidad de agencias de viaje y televisión) y que sin embargo goce de todos lo servicios que cualquier turista necesita, que los servicios estén impecables, que todo el mundo hable inglés y que acepten dólares o euros… que no sea muy caro y lo más importante, que no haya más turistas que ellos, que además no son turistas, son viajeros: la cuadratura del círculo..

Si por auténtico entendemos un espacio que haya sido pensado y vivido sin tener en cuenta la mirada del turista y que se haya moldeado en cambio en función de otras necesidades particulares, deberíamos repensar qué visitar.

Hay lugares donde nadie nos querrá vender entradas para un show de flamenco, ni los menús estén en inglés y alemán, ni los precios estén hinchados, ni los locales sean cool, porque el barrio se haya gentrificado.

Es fácil, basta con visitar cualquier lugar que no se mencione en la Lonely Planet como un suburbio industrial o una ciudad dormitorio, donde los restaurantes serán “auténticos”, nos dará una idea precisa de la vida cotidiana contemporánea del país que visitamos y podremos respirar el mismo ambiente que respiran los locales.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

The best way to visit Arequipa

By the Colca Specialist


Arequipa,”the white city” is the second city in Perú.
In the past it was famous because of its countryside but since agriculture is not anymore a good business, huge extensions of land were sold for housing projects and Arequipa´s countryside is becoming each time smaller.


Travel agencies offer different tours to visit Arequipa. The most popular ones are the mixed tours (city and countryside tours) which are offered by some bus companies whose double-deckers visit part of Arequipa´s countryside. Most of these tours are around the downtown area of Arequipa whose pollution is each time more notorious.


Since these tours are mass oriented, they are not recommended for the tourists who are looking for quality services.


If you are looking for visiting the real arequipenian countryside, the best way is to take a private tour to Sogay which is well.known as little Colca because of its ancient terraces. Other option is to visit Yura district which is 30 kms away from Arequipa.


There you can find a nice valley in the area called “Yura Viejo” (old yura) and other attractions such as Capua Waterfall, Quiscos ,among others.It is possible to hike in the desertic area of Yura which is very interesting and at the end of your hike you can swim in the hot springs of Yura.Great!


If you are a little more adventurous you can take a river rafting tour with Cusipata or you can take a downhill mountain biking tour and go downhill one of main volcanoes of Arequipa.
All these options are full day private tours. You may pay a little bit more but you will get more too.


Think it carefully before buying a tour. Be different. Tours with big groups are nothing special.
Don´t forget my friends that your holidays are special and as the old saying says: Quality is better than Quantity! Good luck in Arequipa.


The Colca Specialist.