News Puka Nina Peru - Receptive turism travel agency

Nicole de Cartagena leaves the Puka Nina team

2013-03-27T15:44:04-05:00

The time has come for me to take a step back in our agency ... In fact, I take my "retirement" of the office of Puka Nina from April 1st 2013. However, I'll take again my guide stick to accompany some of our groups in this beautiful region of Cusco. But our services continue as usual, orchestrated by Olivier, and also Guillaume, who will replace me for creating projects. I must say
that I still keep one foot in the office, since I am associated with the company.

I take this opportunity to thank you everyone, travelers of Puka Nina, past, present and future who
give us so much satisfaction from your confidence and your presence here in the earth of the Incas,
whether in the Andes, Coast and Amazon...

So good luck to Puka! ...

On July 28, National Day of Peru ...

2012-07-27T15:14:40-05:00

The country's independence was declared in Lima July 28, 1821 by the liberator José de San Martin. It is this important act (liberation from Spanish rule) that we will celebrate to-morrow July 28 and that will give rise to many festivities. July 29 is the Feast of the Armed Forces of the Republic and the National Police of Peru.

The celebrations coincide with a week of school holidays and the month's salary doubled by the famous gratification (one month's salary without any tax), which makes the trade as important as in Christmas time.
Tomorrow in Lima and in large cities, the sunrise will be greeted with a salvo of 21 guns, as a preamble to the ceremony of hissement of the flag. Marches and military parades will be there for you in these so important days.

It must be said that everywhere, in homes, institutions, public places, they have already raised the flag long before July 28, especially from 27 to 30 where it is mandatory from 8am to 6pm, otherwise fine ...
This is also the day of the presidential address (which highlights what has been achieved in the year) and the Te Deum Mass in the Cathedral, called by the Archbishop of Lima and to which the President of the Republic (Ollanta Humala) assists.
Two days of celebration and jubilation which this year falls on a weekend. Too bad for the holidays! ...

Moon, Qoyllur Rit'i and Corpus

2012-06-05T23:47:18-05:00

Moon, Killa, sister and wife of the Sun, represented the feminine element by excellence, a symbol of duality in complementarity. She was the mother of the Incas and was worshiped as a superior deity.

And just today, 4 June 2012, there is a partial eclipse of the moon in this region. Note also that it is the Full Moon and not only that, it is also the great pilgrimage of Qoyllur Rit'i, Star of snow, that attracts thousands of people at the foot of the Apu Ausangate, probably the deepest and truest expression of the native soul.

The party goes on near the chapel. It's Monday. Tomorrow night the Ukukus (man-bear intermediate between the divine powers and men) go up to the glacier Sinakara to detach blocks of ice, which they bring to Cusco to distribute the pieces at the door of the Cathedral on Wednesday morning . At the same time, the 14 statues of Corpus Christi arrive in Cusco in procession and by man's back, to share an octave the hospitality with the saints and virgins of the Cathedral ... Thus one arrives at the Thursday of Corpus Christi main day, the day of the procession of the statues arrived the previous day, more exactly the 10 º Thursday after the 1st full moon after the March equinox. ..

Qoyllur Rit'i and Corpus Christi are two religious feasts closely linked culturally and representative of syncretism that occurred in the Andes when the Spanish conquest.

Journey on the Transamazonian road in VW Beetle

2012-05-26T10:15:55-05:00

The completion of a major project for the country was completed last year : the construction of a road that joins the Peruvian coast to the frontier of Brazil, and later to the Atlantic ...
So to go from Lima to Rio de Janeiro by land now is entirely possible. This road can open up this region of Madre de Dios.
Touristically, it is a fact of great importance: the road is indeed of great beauty and the fact that it allows us to program trips through fantastic landscapes and climates as different as extreme.
From Cusco, indeed, we need to pass the Cordillera down to the Amazon basin, through extraordinary panoramas. Two passes, one over 4400m of altitude, the second over 4700m of altitude, separate us from the famous basin. In only a few hours, we go through extreme climates, some of them of very high altitude, others, of cloud forests, semi tropical and tropical one ... That is also Peru, a climate panel that no other country on the planet can boast of having in its territory ...
A few days ago we decided to make the journey Cusco / Puerto Maldonado with our “beetle car” VW 1973, to change of the cold air of the Andes for a few days ...
It is not actually the first time that our old Beetle (which will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year) made the trip. She has actually done it three times already, and this before the completion of construction of the Transoceanic Road ... it had to cross many streams and rivers ... This journey of 10 hours (instead of 18 to 20 formerly ...) on a paved road was to be a formality ...
Here are some pictures ...

The great Vilcanota Cordillera

Our Beetle does not believe itself... we are now at 4725m of altitude... with no problem at all

A long descent leads us to Quincemil, we are already in a tropical climate...

This is already the Amazon ... Quincemil, real border between the highlands and the Amazon.

This route will soon be offered in our circuits, it is really worth ...

Ollanta Humala President of Per�

2011-06-06T21:03:39-05:00

Yesterday, June 5, 2011 was held the second round of presidential elections in Peru.

It's official now, Ollanta Humala, left-wing nationalist candidate has found the majority against Keiko Fujimori, the right candidate.

These elections will be remembered for their atmosphere more than anecdotal.

At the time we publish this article, 95,530% of ballots processed, Humala superior Fujimori 387,160 votes making a turnaround possible. According ONPE, which manages the elections, Ollanta was 51,481% of valid votes (not zero or blank) 48,519% cons for Keiko.

Humala's election follows the international trend, which advocates a nationalist revolution of the neoliberal system currently in force in the country. This revolution sees the return to former radical socialist values highlighted in particular by the government of Hugo Chavez.

Keiko Fujimori conceded defeat today in the face Humala in the calm and serenity, which was not the Humalíes made during the campaign that has often been guilty of violence.

This election today sow fear among domestic and foreign investors. The stock market was closed before the hour at -12% drop ... and certainly marks a major turning point in Peruvian and Latin American history, for good or evil according to the opinion ... History will tell ...

Super promo cruise in Amazonia

2011-01-17T12:52:50-05:00

Discover the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, the most important natural reserve in Peru, one of the richest in the world in any case, in its biodiversity (countless fish, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians). Its lush vegetation, clear or disturbed waters, its so particular ecosystem will let you live the Amazon in all its depth and all its splendor, especially aboard the Selva Viva, a traditional wooden boat-like Brazilian built in 2007 in Iquitos ( solar power and generator ensure a green voyage).

Its capacity: 10 persons, very comfortably.

In summary, the navigation will be above all in the Marañón, the Nauta Caño, the Yanayacu, the Samiria rivers before reaching the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali, exactly where the Amazon begins... You will encounter on its banks the native communities of the region, who will present you their craft and agricultural techniques. You will observe caimans, grey and pink dolphins, the giant nenuphards (Victoria Regia) ... and then enter the probably unforgettable Pacaya Samiria Reserve, with its infinite richness of flora, fauna and people.

Arriving at Iquitos will allow you, if you wish, to visit the typical area of Belen, stilt and suspended over the Amazon...

Dates to remember are:

From 30th of january to 5th of february 2011: Cruise on the Selva Viva 7 days/6 nights at unbeatable price as $ 990 per person.

These prices include transfers, full board on the boat, stay in a double cabin and guided tours.
Do not hesitate! It would be a great start to visit Peru!

A dream made reality...

2010-03-23T11:34:55-05:00

Soon, on March 26th exactly, Puka Nina will receive in Lima Catherine Reyrol, inhabitant of Rungis, a Director, for whom, as she says, Peru has always been a dream, and that just won at the Festival of Athis de l'Orne of 2009 the first prize in the raffle: a stay of 11 days in Peru offered by Puka Nina ...

The Festival was by the responsibility of Guylaine Amiard who, in an email, asked us to participate in one way or another to this social event.

We therefore proposed to offer a trip to Peru, entitled:
« A discovery of the southern Peru and its riches » which itinerary is as follows:
26-03: Arrival at Lima
27-03: Flight Lima-Cusco
28-03: Excursion to the Sacred Valley
29-03: Tour of Cusco
30-03: Cusco free
31-03: Machu Picchu (the tour is not certain because the site begins to open officially on 1st April, due to recent floods that affected the rails). If Catherine could not make this trip, we would offer her another option.
01-04: Cusco-Puno (Lake Titicaca)
02-04: Excursion to Uros (floating islands of Lake Titicaca)
03-04: Visit of the site of Sillustani, then flight Juliaca-Lima
04-04: Lima free
05-04: International flight (return to France, arrival on 06-04).

We look forward to Catherine for showing her our beautiful country...