What an amazing week I just had in Peru.
I was one of 15 top advisors invited from across Canada, and one of 130 people on G Adventures’ Change Makers trip (with advisors from Canada, USA, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand – as well as a host of other G Adventures staff from around the world., including founder, Bruce Poon Tip.)
We had a magical time in Peru. It was so wonderful to learn about G Adventures’ not-for-profit organization, Planeterra, and visit their projects at Parwa Restaurant and Ccaccaccollo women’s weaving co-operative. It was an incredible experience. And I am so impressed with what G Adventures is doing in the social enterprise space. They have 5 projects in Peru alone, and over 75 around the world, where they are helping local communities put the good in travel, by investing in local projects, and creating a revenue stream for those in the country. It was amazing to see the women’s weaving co-operative – started by just 3 women who approached G Adventures’ Planeterra organization in 2005, since women did not have jobs in the community. The 3 original women now have grown their co-operative to 60 plus women,and the children of the original women are now in university with the funds their moms earned. It was incredible to visit this place, and purchase souvenirs that were hand-made – especially knowing that all of the money we were spending was staying in the community. We also had a great meal at Parwa restaurant – another G Adventures’ Planeterra project that started in 2014 . G brings over 16,000 travelers to this restaurant each year – they are so successful, they had to build a second building.
There was so much that G Adventures had organized for us that it would be impossible for me to summarize in a brief post – so I’ll feature another aspect next week. Suffice it to say that visiting Peru with G Adventures was truly magical. Everything from a Bite Peru foodie tour in Lima (with a Pisco tasting) to an Amazing Race foot race in Cusco (try that at 11,500 feet elevation) to a shaman blessing in the Sacred Valley to a meal in the ruins in Cusco.
And – I got to visit Machu Picchu! Amazing! I’m sure you know you can do the 4 day hike of the Inca Trail, but did you also know that you can visit Machu Picchu without doing the 4-day hike?
We visited Machu Picchu by train-followed by a bus and then a 20 minute hike. Amazing!
Let me know if you’d like to visit Peru!
613-837-0699
