Jacquie has been chasing adventures since she was a little girl and has spent several years helping others make their dreams of adventure come true as one of the team members for Adios Adventure Travel..
Keep reading and discover the insights that will help you with your adventure travel planning for your next excursion to Peru or the Galapagos.
Can you share some insider information regarding Machu Picchu that may be helpful to those considering going there?
I’ve been to Machu Picchu three times, and I’m amazed at how many transitions there are. This place is not like driving or walking to the Eiffel Tower, the Colisseum in Rome or Stonehenge.
Everyone starts in Cusco and first has to buy their train tickets and decide whether or not to go one way, round trip on the same day or spend the night in Ollantaytambo and/or Aguas Calientes. Then you have the option of hiking either on the Inca Trail for four days or the one-day hike where the train literally drops you on the tracks in the jungle before you hike through the Sungate.
The options can be a bit overwhelming. It’s not that expensive to hire a guide to take you there. The guide will purchase all of the entry tickets for you, accompany you through the transitions and then give you a private tour of the ruins, which is incredible. It will save you a bundle of headaches. Depending on the class of hotel you choose, the cost could be $300 per person for everything on a two-day tour.
The lunch cafe at Machu Picchu serves affordable (by American standards) homemade sandwiches. It’s worth the wait and the line moves quickly. I was quite surprised by the quality and the wholesome ingredients.
In addition to meandering around the ruins of Machu Picchu, active travelers should consider a half-day hike. Arrive early if you want to hike Huayna Picchu (the mountain you see in the background of all the photos) which is first-come, first-served and limited to 400 people per day. If you can’t get there in time you can hike up to the Sungate on the other side of the park, which will take at least an hour and a half.
To avoid the crowds at Machu Picchu consider arriving first thing in the morning or arrive later in the afternoon and stay until sunset (closing).
If you’re not able to hike the four-day Inca Trail, ask about a one-day hike. It’s not that difficult, and it takes you through the Sungate, but you must make reservations in advance. Also, you must be accompanied by a licensed guide. Camping is not required.
What surprised you most on your first visit to the Galapagos Islands?
I was most surprised to see all the people who live there. When you think about the Galapagos, you think giant tortoises and unusual birds. You don’t think about poverty, struggling schools and who benefits the most from your visit to the islands.
Many people go on cruises and think the islands are inhabited only by marine iguanas or other exotic animals. Land-based tours give travelers a chance to see a broader eco-system and support the local economy. You still go island hopping, and you’ll explore animal habitats, but you’re also supporting the locals and reinforcing the importance of preserving the delicate environment.
Everyone needs to be a partner in the quest to manage and preserve the limited resources.
If someone were to ask you for your three best recommendations for family adventure travel tours, what would you answer?
As a parent of two children, I’m aware of the pressure to take our children to expensive theme parks, insulated resorts or cruises.
If you want to “invest” in a meaningful, educational and adventurous travel experience for your kids then take them to the Grand Canyon first and foremost. Choose any season you like: winter, spring, summer, fall. Heck, take them out of school if you have to. Stay in the lodge or camp if you like. It doesn’t matter. Just take them.
The second place I recommend is Ecuador. It is easy to get to by air – about 5 hours from Atlanta. And it’s like being on another planet. But most importantly, it’s authentic. It’s not a theme park. It’s a real jungle with real birds and real volcanoes. And it’s cheap! It’s easy to hire a private guide, get your meals, accommodations and transportation for as little as $1000 per person. They have the coolest equator museum complete with real shrunken human heads. There’s an interesting educational experience right there.
My third choice is to take your kids camping somewhere near where you live. Kids love camping. Even prissy kids. Get them out of the house away from the technology, and give them a break. Take them on a hike, teach them how to build a campfire, and challenge them to think about the outdoors while they fall madly in love with it. If you do this they will always remember the experience and they will love you for it.
Women seem to love travel and adventure as much, if not more, than men. Why does Adios Adventure Travel like working with women so much?
Traveling with women is special for me. I’ve traveled with families, kids as young as nine and groups of high school kids, but women keep me on my toes. They ask the most questions and they can be the most demanding while simultaneously being the most appreciative.
Women seem to seek travel experiences that offer safety and camaraderie. And I think women really connect with the cultural aspect of travel. They like to interact with people of diverse backgrounds. And they connect to the burdens of being a mother and caring for children no matter where a mother lives.
Another thing I like about adventure travel with women is that they aren’t afraid to demonstrate their compassion, and they can be practical when faced with difficult choices that sometimes crop up when traveling. They recognize the hard work that other women may exert to make them comfortable.
On Amantani Island, I took a group of American women to stay in the homes of local families. The host women huddled in the corner of the mud-brick house to prepare our meals and then they waited on us for dinner. They seemed quite surprised when we insisted on helping with the washing up. It was a memorable moment where we all connected.
Tell us a little about your adventure background.
I’ve always been attracted to active travel. My first travel experience without my family was going to Russia in 1973 with the Girl Scouts. Then at 18 I gathered up some friends and hiked 200 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
In the years that followed I thought nothing of throwing my bicycle in a box to take to Europe, which happened several times. The last time, I met my husband, John, from Virginia.
At 30, I organized a group of friends to bicycle from Oregon to San Diego, California. American Youth Hostels sent me to Europe as a tour leader, and then I worked for the administration at Outward Bound where I would bring my husband and infant son to the base camps when we had our staff workshops and retreats.
Although I graduated later than most college students, I earned a college degree in anthropology and worked as an archaeologist while completing my studies. I landed in Virginia with my husband and son where I found the Virginia Beach Friends School for my children. I was hired as the Admissions Director at the school and was allowed to set up travel opportunities. And then I took my first group of High School students to South America.
What kinds of adventure travel activities are you most passionate about?
I’m passionate about exploring natural places and places where people live in harmony with nature. The Floating Reed Islands of Lake Titicaca are a perfect example.
The Aymara people took a piece of locally-growing grass (totora reed) and created islands that can sustain life. They were not trying to be “eco-friendly,” yet what they have crafted is one of the most profound examples of ancient conservation. They don’t think about “sustainable practices” like we do.
Sustainability is something we put in its own category and we have to think about it separately from everything else we do. The Aymara seem to have innate wisdom or knowledge that is embedded in their psyches. They just do it. Like breathing.
What was your most exciting adventure travel moment to date?
It’s hard to pick. I equate “excitement” with challenging myself to overcome my limitations, whether physical, emotional or cultural.
It was exciting to bicycle the entire California coast in 11 days. It was equally as exciting to do a service project in a remote village in Peru where I felt as if I were literally standing on the precipice of the world. Being able to climb to 16,500 ft above sea level was pretty exhilarating on Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador.
Tell us a little about your business, Adios Adventure Travel.
Adios Adventure Travel specializes in organizing trips to Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We have the flexibility to work with various ages and group sizes including groups as small as two or over 100, but 10-12 is the ideal size.
Groups can choose from all adventure or little adventure. In other words they can choose traditional tours to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca or Galapagos or choose hikes or treks that might include the Inca Trail or participating in a volunteer project. No matter what kind of travel people choose, every group can expect unique activities that make their trip a meaningful experience.
If you would like to contact Jacquie, or get more information about her guided tours, you can visit her team’s website at Adios Adventure Travel .com.
You can also click here to read her article “Peru Tours – The Top 3 “Can’t-Miss” Destinations” on this website.