Balance Jan Issue 2018 - 74

PRIME AMAZON
Traditional crafts in
Ollantaytambo; the
amazing Machu
Picchu; the Andean
(spectacled) bear

GIVING BACK:

OT H E R T RIPS
T H AT H EL P

NEPAL

Two years on from the
Nepal earthquake, World
Expeditions is running a trip
on 17 April for volunteers to
help the rebuilding effort.
From £1,490 per person for
18 days, excluding flights.
worldexpeditions.co.uk

species) or helping set up the
organic garden (there's one at
each of the Inkaterras).
At Field Station, they are
growing lost varieties of plants,
ordinarily used for medicine and food
sources (such as the star shaped sacha inchi)
in order to remind locals, now too reliant on
shops, of their farming history. Also known
as the Inca peanut, the sacha inchi has been
cultivated and used as a food source for
3,000 years in the Amazon rainforest. The
fruit that these seeds grow in is inedible, but
when lightly roasted with low heat the seeds
take on a crisp nutty flavour, rich in protein,
omega 3, 6, and 9, alpha tocopherol vitamin E,
carotenoids (vitamin A), and fibre.
One plant with cause to thank the Field
Station volunteers is the humble palm tree.
There are 35 different varieties of it in the
Amazon and to keep this thriving, volunteers
collect palm seeds and then plant them in
specific areas. It sounds like a small thing, but
it's enough to make a big difference.

EXPLORING TRADITIONS
I left the Amazon feeling heart-warmed. It
was calm, glorious and the most natural place
I've ever been. But if you're visiting Peru, you
cannot leave without seeing Machu Picchu and
so, after a brief interlude in Cusco to feel the
heady altitude and see the colours of the local
costume, it was time to make the journey to this
mysterious Incan citadel.
The journey starts with a drive through
the rolling Andes to the colourful village of
Ollantaytambo, where the Inca Rail is picked
up. It's a shaky, not very relaxing yet fun journey

74

lasting just over an hour.
At the Inkaterra Pueblo
Machu Picchu hotel, they
are working to help nature
thrive. There's the Orchid
Garden full of microscopic rare
varieties, an on-site tea plantation
and the sanctuary for the rare Andean
Bear, (the original Paddington Bear).
Inkaterra has rescued bears from circuses
and households with the aim of helping them
to adapt to their habitat. Sadly, not being
used to hunting, a release into the wild would
mean their inevitable end. So now, Inkaterra is
working to breed them and release offspring
into the wild. The bears are soft, gentle and
loved by their carers.
After a trip to the old Inca ruin - Machu
Picchu really is well deserving of its 'Wonder of
the World' status - it's another shaky but scenic
rail journey back to Ollantaytambo. There I
head for Inkaterra Hacienda Urumbamba, set in
the heart of the Sacred Valley.
Here I learned how to make Chicha, a
traditional corn-based beer used in offerings
and rituals. Under the night stars I sip it and
learn from our guide about 'Pachamama',
Mother Earth, the goddess of fertility. I love that
Inkaterra has provided him with a vocation in
life, one he clearly adores and excels at.
Yes, Inkaterra is a hotel brand but it's more
than a luxurious place to stay. I hear about
its new project working with fishermen in
the North of Peru and other ways to help the
country. I wrote this overlooking the Sacred
Valley mountain range reflecting on my journey
from the Amazon, to Cusco, Machu Picchu to
here. Inkaterra offers an authentic experience
which is more than travel. It helps make you
realise how important it is always to give
something back to the communities you visit. B

BA LA N CE January 2018

SEYCHELLES

Fancy an exotic internship?
GVI offers unique
experiences all over the
world. In the Seychelles, assist
sustainable developments
from biodiversity research
to turtle conservation.
From £3,350 for six weeks.
gvi.co.uk

ANTIGUA

Curtain Bluff in Antigua
allows visitors to donate
to its Old Road Fund and
help provide local children
with education and
healthcare by adding an
amount to your hotel bill.
curtainbluff.com

THAILAND

Elephant Lovers can head
to Anantara Golden Triangle
to learn more about the
Asian Elephant Foundation
which rescues elephants and
provides them with a more
comfortable life.
goldentriangle.anantara.com
http://worldexpeditions.co.uk http://gvi.co.uk http://www.curtainbluff.com http://goldentriangle.anantara.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance Jan Issue 2018
