Intrepid Travel statement on resuming operations in Peru
FEBRUARY 2023
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For the past several months (starting on December 10, 2022) Intrepid has been dealing with on-going trip interruptions and cancellations because of protests and civil unrest in Peru.
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On January 25, 2023, Intrepid announced it would cancel all trips in Peru from Feb 6 – 28
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In total, Intrepid has had to cancel 140 departures due to the civil unrest and protests.
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As of February 13, 2023, Machu Picchu officially reopened (with limited train service until demand increase) and many roads in the Sacred Valley are fully accessible, which means we have the access we need to restart operations all over the country.
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Puerto Maldonado (Amazon) is open and operational, and protests have died down across the country, although it is still happening sporadically.
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The last remaining obstacle for our itineraries is Puno (Lake Titicaca) as the airport is closed and roads remain blocked. However, the airport is due to reopen on 28th Feb and we are hopeful that roads will be open by then.
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The Inca Trail is currently closed, as the trail undergoes routine maintenance every February. It is scheduled to reopen on 1 March.
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Intrepid Travel will restart trips in Peru on 1 March and has 25 trips scheduled to depart in March
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Intrepid Travel has offices in Lima and Cusco, Peru, with a team of over 350 people which includes office staff, leaders, and porters.
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Peru is one of Intrepid’s top selling destinations globally (hosting over 11,000 customers in Peru in 2019).
Intrepid tours and experiences
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Intrepid offers 44 tours in Peru in a wide range of trip categories including the Peru Real Food Adventure, the beloved Premium Peru, a Peru Women’s Expedition, the Peru Family Holiday and more.
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The trips range from 3-51 days, with combo trips exploring other parts of the South America region such as the 18-Day Explore Peru, Argentina and Brazil and the 15-Day Real Peru to Bolivia.
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Departing for the first time this June, Intrepid is debuting a 12-day trek of the newly opened Great Inca Road, which will offer an alternative trekking route to the more popular Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Intrepid, which helped scout and preserve the new path, will be the first global tour operator to bring travelers along part of this 25,000-mile ancient highway which has been regarded as one of the world’s greatest engineering feats. Learn more here.
Statement from Intrepid Travel General Manager, Peru, Fernando Rodriguez
“The impact on the tourism industry has been devastating, especially after the extremely difficult years endured during the pandemic. The tourism industry losses are expected to exceed $400M US according to the latest government data. With Lima, Cusco, Puno, and Arequipa among the most impacted regions.”
“The significance of this reopening cannot be overstated. Tourism plays such a vital role for our economy and impacts so many people's lives. We simply cannot wait to welcome the world with open arms”
“Our style of travel can help so many local people. From our drivers and porters to our leaders and hosts. There are incredible communities all over the country whose livelihoods depend on tourism, and we will do everything we can to get international tourists back and experiencing the magic of Peru”
“Communities, porters, leaders are so excited – everyone was celebrating when the trains started running. We will do our best for travelers coming to Peru and they will be welcomed with open arms”