| Welcome to Senderos’ January 2007 newsletter.
The end of 2006 was an especially busy time with the pre-WTM
party, the show itself, & successful Fam Trips to Patagonia
and Antarctica. For great images of the fams see the links
from www.senderos.co.uk/fam_trips.htm
Let us know if you’d like a copy of the Senderos brochure
and updated CD with details of all partners, current rates,
photos and info in general.
Simon attends ITB again this year (8-10 March). Also present
in Berlin - Casa Andina, Pousada Vida Sol e Mar, Antarctic
Dream, & Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa. Contact us for meetings.
As of February Senderos is delighted and proud to begin working
with 2 exciting new partners.
In Ecuador, Tropic – Journeys in Nature
(www.tropiceco.com)
has been a leading light in Eco and Community tourism for
13 years. Senderos will work specifically with 2 exciting
projects; walking tours on Isabela Island in the Galapagos,
and the Huao Amazon Lodge (summer 07), where the discerning
and socially aware traveller can interact with the fascinating
Huaorani culture, only recently in contact with the western
world.
In Chile’s San Pedro de Atacama, Awasi
(www.awasi.cl)
with only 8 stunning suites is a spectacular new addition.
Truly memorable experiences are provided through inspired
lodgings, fine gastronomy, and private excursions.
Senderos Partners are:-
Quincho Country Home, Chile –
comments from our guests
Pousada Picinguaba, Brazil –
Pri and Manolo, & special offer
Estancia Huechahue, Argentina –
new rides and old favourites
Rainforest Expeditions, Peru –
website & news
Casa Andina Private Collection, Suasi
and Sacred Valley, Peru – fixed departures to Suasi
Pousada Vida Sol e Mar, Brazil –
new villas
Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa, Chile
Ecoventura, Galapagos – WWF
and availability
The Antarctic Dream – special
offer & UK fam trip
Hotel Manary Praia, Natal, Brazil
– new restaurant / website
Experience Patagonia, Argentina
– new boat to Cristina
Quincho Country Home, Chile
(www.quinchocountryhome.cl)
 Here
are some of the kind things our guests have been saying during
first full season…
“You get an “A-plus”…This
wonderful place, where ‘one come to be with friends’,
has exceeded our expectations. The physical beauty is a joy
to the senses, but equally important are the warmth and genuine
hospitality of the people who have been our hosts…We’ll
be back!” Family T, California Dec 06
“Silja, Cecilia, Francisco
and the wonderful chefs – You gave us the most beautiful
two days. The beauty of Quincho, the warm welcome, the atmosphere,
in short everything. You took care of every little detail
and made our stay remarkable. Thanks for everything!”
Family L, Dec 06
“Dear Friends, thank you
for making us feel so very welcome in your magnificent ‘home’.
The ambience is exquisite, inside and out, and we truly feel
privileged to be able to enjoy your wonderful hospitality”
Family S, Nov 06
“Excellent in every way.
So very warm and comfortable with a level of personal service
unmatched elsewhere. A real treat to stay, a better treat
to return!” (FS, USA, Dec 06)
“For our new Friends –
your “country home” is now at the very top of
our shortlist of the most favourite places that we have been
blessed to visit during our travels over the years.
Gracious home, rooms, and grounds along with Silja and Cecilia
– the most hospitable hostesses we have EVER had the
pleasure of staying with. Just a marvellous experience, we
hope to return soon.” SM, California, Nov
06
“What a wonderful surprise!
Quincho is a special place with 2 special ladies and a fantastic
chef – congrats and best wishes for success! We will
be back.” RC Dec 06
 Pousada
Picinguaba, Brazil
(www.picinguaba.com)
It has been a fantastic beginning of the season at Pousada
Picinguaba. Our resident manager and chef, Priscila
and Manolo, have been running operations
beautifully for almost 10 months, and are very happy with
their new life.
New Year’s Eve (see photo) gathered
local people and a great international mix of guests on the
village’s beach, dressed all in white, for offers to
Yemanja goddess of the sea, fireworks and dancing.  Everyone
presented their flowers, candle, or personal gift to the ocean
on a small bamboo boat that set sail at midnight. Magno and
Gal made an appearance on the beach with their new-born baby
girl, Maria-Flor, and two other women on our staff seem to
have liked the idea and are also now expecting. It will be
a very happy 2007!
Special offer – 5 nights for the price
of 4, valid from May-July. Traditionally this is our low season
but in fact one of the best times of year for weather.
“Dear Priscila and Manolo
and all at Picinguaba, thank you for being such perfect hosts
over the last week. You looked after us so well. Faultless
service, amazing food and fantastic caipirinhas. Our room
was such a treat and the perfect way to end our honeymoon.”
H & W, Ireland, Jan 07
“Thank you for a perfect week
which we didn't want to end. Your company, advice, food and
pousada have all been absolutely wonderful. We hope to come
back!” C & O, London, Jan 07.
“One of the most relaxed
and lovely holidays I have ever had, and made even more perfect
by Priscila, Manolo and all the staff.”
M & R, India and London, Nov 06
“Pousada Picinguaba was exactly
what we were looking for. Our 6 days were full of amazing
adventures and lovely memories. Priscila and Manolo made all
the difference to our stay, they are a wonderful couple. Thank
you for everything!” S & M, London,
Dec 06
“The best end-of-the-year
party for decades! And such amazing family holidays at Pousada
Picinguaba... Thank you so much to all of you, and specifically
to Priscila and Manolo who give to this marvelous place a
warm soul. Best wishes for 2007!” P, P,
M & M, New-York, Jan 07
Agencies: - please copy both Emmanuel and
Priscila for bookings, one of us should answer within 24 hours.
Priscila@picinguaba.com
& Emmanuel@picinguaba.com
Estancia Huechahue (www.senderos.co.uk/partners_huechahue.htm)
In October the new season began with the quincho ready for
asados and revelry; the extensions to the kitchens and stores
completed; and a new stallion - a beautiful pure criollo lobuno.
“Wonderful time. Like visiting
distant relatives. Perfect balance between making the guests
feel casual and at home and great organization. Thank you
all - both animals and humans!” S &
K, New York
“Many thanks Jane and family
for your wonderful relaxed hospitality - a unique experience
for us both.” D & C, Australia
“Nothing could be bettered!!
Pity we were only here for a couple of days.”
R & M, Oxon.
In October and November we ran our first Estancia
to Estancia rides. They proved to be great riding
with very comfortable accommodation and lots of history and
gossip giving everyone the feel of real life in Patagonia.
Check with us for Programs and prices for Oct /Nov 07 - they
are filling fast!
“Thank you for a wonderful
holiday - perfection!” C & K, London.
“Enjoyed the premier of the
E to E ride. You have given new meaning to the term - a long
canter! Thanks for the wonderful hospitality.”
J & B, Canada
In November we ran our first ride “Across the
Andes to Chile” with our new Chilean partners
- Loth and Pamela from Maichin. Loth’s great grandfather
came from Germany and settled on land near Currerehue in the
19th century. Loth is very knowledgeable on all the flora,
fauna and history of the area; he knows or is related to everyone.
This made for a great trip and we will be running a number
of rides with them next season.
“Excellent holiday in every
way, varied terrain / scenery, superb views, wonderful horses
and well looked after and catered for - exhilarating and adventurous!”
J & F, Gloucestershire.
We have a new 3 day / 2 nights camping pack trip in Lanín
National Park. This we are running from Nov to end of Feb.
Dates for next season’s pack trips will be set in the
next couple of weeks.
“Our 4th stay with you and
our 3rd pack trip was the best ever - incredible views, varied
riding and great company!” L & M, London.
A photographer’s visit has resulted in great new
photos which will be coming soon.
Amused to find ourselves in a list of top 10 attractions in
Patagonia on Tripadviser.com
Rainforest Expeditions, Peru
(www.perunature.com)
 "I
just wanted to let you know that I had a fantastic stay at
both Refugio and TRC. TRC and the clay lick was the absolute
highlight of the trip and I couldn’t have had a better
time. Our guide Gerson was a joy to spend time with. The lodges
were very nice, wonderful food and alot of it. I hope I will
be able to return to TRC one day…maybe stay longer than
a week!” H T Dec 06.
For our guests this is not littering (photo right); all delicious
pack lunches are prepared in banana leaves, no plastic, so
chuck’able with a clear conscience!
We have a new website – www.perunature.com.
Check out lots of images & new activities and program
pages. + see info for Refugio Amazonas and Konchukos Tambo.
The community of Infierno teamed up with
Conservation International to produce pickled Amazon peppers,
aguaje and cocona fruit juice and marmalades and uña
de gato, parapara and chuchuwasi liquors. The peppers and
marmalades can be tasted at our meals or bought at our gift
shop; the fruit juice is part of our bus snack and can be
bought at the bar. The aguaje fruit juice is sustainably harvested
from palm trees. The rest are the produce of small plots of
crops from community farmers.
New! Ozone water filters at our lodges, a playground and pizza
oven at Konchukos Tambo, and a gift shop
has opened at Refugio Amazonas.
At the parrot clay lick at Refugio Amazonas December’s
monitoring has been great (lots of scarlet and blue and golds).
We’re letting the rainy season (and swollen riverbeds)
tell us where to build our blind.
Posada Amazonas won Highly Commended at the
Responsible Travel Awards at London’s WTM in November
Casa Andina Private Collection - Suasi Island and
Sacred Valley, Peru
(www.casa-andina.com)
Food and Travel Magazine’s Jan 07 issue
carries a superb 10 page feature on Peru and its cuisine.
Francis Pearce takes a gastronomic tour to Lima, Cusco, Sacred
Valley, Suasi Island, and Tambopata. The initiative (www.peruuniqueproperties.com)
was organized by Casa Andina and sponsored by Journey Latin
America, Viracocha International Tourism, LAN, Rainforest
Expeditions, Country Club Lima, Larco Museum and Orient Express.
Suasi Island, Lake Titicaca
We are delighted to announce regular fixed departures
to Suasi on Wednesdays and Saturdays by speedboat,
private return by land. Single travellers can now save approx
50% on the total package, and 2 passengers about 30%. “We’re
really proud of this initiative and believe it now affords
clients a better, easier and cheaper access to the remote,
endless beauty of Suasi” comments Alvaro Del Carpio,
Casa Andina’s Incoming Manager for UK.
Suasi Island was featured in a 7 page spread in LAN’s
Dec 06 in-flight magazine.
“It had been a long time
since I walked around with my mouth hanging open, since I
had seen so many stars. The truth is, I was awe-struck by
this place. It has been a long time since a landscape has
made me feel so small.” A.W Sept 06
“The definition of paradise-Suasi
Island, The protection of the natural resources is impressive.
We loved the flowers, animals, staff, food, rooms, everything!”
W & S, Florida, Jul 06
“Muchisimas felicidades, la
verdad es que esto es un oasis en la tierra muy bien conceptuado,
realizado y administrado, este es el tipo de turismo que requiere
el Perú!” VD LanPeru, Aug 06
Private Collection Sacred Valley
Between the 12th and 14th December 06 Casa Andina, with the
support of LAN, ran a very successful fam trip to
the Sacred Valley and Cusco for the main Peruvian
receptive operators. Attending were Coltur, Lima Tours, Condor,
Desatariq, Huaraz Chavin, Setours, Travel Group, Silvana Tours,
Peru Travel Bureau and Inkaland.
They experienced our Spa, Planetarium and Observatory, and
activities. On the 14th our guests were treated to a special
lunch at Moray (photo), and that evening attended the Inauguration
cocktail at the Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco, along
with Cusco’s most important operators.
Pousada Vida Sol e Mar, Brazil
(www.vidasolemar.com.br
/ www.senderos.co.uk/partners_vidasol.htm)
The whale season started on the 12th of July,
and our last boat trip was the 6th of November.
This was the best year so far in terms of the number of whales!
In Oct from the air Enrique counted more than 190 mothers
with calves, compared to 86 in ‘05, & 136 in ‘02
(old record). Come Jan there was still 1 whale and calf at
Itapiruba, before she continued her trip south.
We now have 12 beautiful villas (photo) –
new! Tucano, Fragata, Sabia, Piru-Piru & Beija Flor.
In September from the 15 - 22 Sept 07 the 3rd International
Whale Watching meeting of operators will be held
at our Pousada, aiming to create a stamp as a symbol of quality
and preservation, with certified services. Coincides with
the National Festival of the Right Whale.
From 4 - 9 Oct 07 we’ll host the annual congress of
Club Les Plus Belles Baies Du Monde (UNESCO).
This year we start a program of scientific tourism
in partnership with the IBF (Instituto Baleia Franca) where
guests come to work as volunteers in different research projects.
Enrique Litman will attend BIT in Milan (22
– 25 Feb) and ITB (7-10 March, Santa Catarina stand).
We hope to see some of you there!
Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa
(www.patagonia-connection.com)
In the midst of our busy high season, we would like to thank
all our valued customers as ever for your support. We continue
striving to show your clients the very best of our beloved
Carretera Austral - offering high standards of service, food
and accommodation in one of the world’s most remote,
spectacular wildernesses.
“Dear Claudia - We were delighted
with our stay at Puyuhuapi Lodge. Everything was perfect.
The site, the welcome, the food, the thermal baths and treatments
and especially the fishing with Daniel. He also escorted us
on the most magnificent catamaran to see the San Rafael glacier.
The weather was rainy but didn’t spoil the trip. Please
thank everyone. We had an amazing time.”
MM, Dec 06
Ecoventura, Galapagos Islands
(www.ecoventura.com)
From Jan 21st, passengers on all our yachts will be encouraged
to help protect the islands and wildlife through a new partnership
with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) called
the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund (GMBF). Donations are
managed by WWF and support the National Park’s programs
to strengthen the local community’s ability to manage
natural resources and encourage environmental education. GMBF
supports the maintenance of park patrol boats and helps current
small-scale fishing practices become more efficient.
Cabins are still available the weeks of April
8-15 and April 15-22. April 8-15 there are two cabins available
ideal for a family of four with teenagers. On a second yacht,
there are two cabins available for a family of 4 or 5 with
children ages 7-12. April 15-22 there are two cabins available
ideal for a family of four or five with teenagers.
In order to have better control of visitors and migration
to the islands, INGALA, which controls migration to the islands,
announced in Dec the introduction of a new visitor
control card in Galapagos. Every passenger travelling
to the islands will buy a transit card for $10.00 US. Currently,
this card is not being issued, but when published will apply
immediately.
The Antarctic Dream
(www.antarctic.cl)
Special Offer! Due a charter cancel we are
offering a 15% discount on the 7 Feb 07 departure to
Antarctica (11 days).
In Nov/Dec 06 we hosted a UK fam trip for
12 key tour operators including Audley, Cazenove & Loyd,
Cox and Kings, Discover the World, Journey Latin America,
Last Frontiers, Scott Dunn, Steppes, Trips Worldwide and Ultimate.
The 11 day trip was a great success!
“I wanted to say thank you
so much for such a fantastic cruise to Antarctica, it really
was amazing. The scenery and the wildlife were fabulous, the
Drake Passage was actually quite exciting, and I loved the
boat. The crew and the guides were brilliant, so friendly,
helpful and knowledgeable, and we were amazed at how the waiters
managed to be so calm and steady even in the roughest seas!
It was definitely a trip of a lifetime that I will never forget.
A million thanks for everything.” KC, Scott
Dunn Travel, Dec’06
“We were expecting great things,
and that is exactly what you delivered. Every member of crew
that we came in contact was exceptional. Julio led the team
like a true professional, which he obviously is. The lecturers
imparted their knowledge constantly and not just during the
lecture. At every landing they were on hand and ready to fill
in gaps in our knowledge. The endless enthusiasm has even
turned me into a bird spotter. It was a five star trip all
the way and same number of stars should be awarded to all
the staff and we will never forget it, for all the right reasons.”
D & H, London Dec’06
Hotel Manary Praia
(www.manary.com.br)
 “Dear
Eduardo - I have traveled all over the World on business as
Pelé’s manager and Vice-president of Pepsi Cola.
Other than The Carriage House in London, I have never felt
as much at home as in this beautiful space. We absolutely
loved it. Thank you so much. Hope we will return as soon as
possible.” C.B. & V.E. Miami, Florida,
Dec 06
We invite you to browse our new website -
www.manary.com.br –
which aims for greater interaction with users. The emphasis
is on beautiful images of the hotel and region, taken by Eduardo
Bagnoli, Manary’s owner and highly thought-of nature
photographer.
We are very proud of our recently renovated bar/restaurant
(photo). Veja Natal magazine commended us & awarded the
compliment of the city’s best feijoada, most traditional
of all Brazilian dishes.
We have a lovely new brochure.
Eduardo will be attending BNTM in Recife
this year, 21 - 24 March. He hopes to see some of you there!
The Manary Praia Hotel: Charm – Romance – Cuisine
- Professionalism and Friendliness!
Experience Patagonia, Argentina
(www.experiencepatagonia.com)
Our new vessel Cerro Norte (see photo), with
104 seats (79 + 25 in the VIP Cabin), had its inaugural navigation
on Lago Argentino on the 21st January 07.
Passengers will now be able to leave every day from Estancia
Cristina and get to Puerto Bandera at 4 PM in order to reach
flights to Buenos Aires.
Additionally, 3 times a week (Tue, Thu, Sun) the vessel sails
from Puerto Banderas to Estancia Cristina at 4:30 PM so guests
won’t have to sleep in a hotel in Calafate unless they
wish to.
UK fam trip to Los Glaciares, Nov 06. Over
five days the group of 6 (UK tour operators) visited Los
Notros, Estancia Cristina and Los Cerros. A few of
the highlights - dawn from our rooms at Los Notros overlooking
Perito Moreno; the walk to the Upsala Glacier Mirador at Cristina
(photo); and ice trekking on Viedma glacier whilst at Los
Cerros.
“Thank you so much for a
wonderful stay in Patagonia and for looking after us so well.
We had a fantastic time and really enjoyed staying at Los
Notros, Estancia Cristina and Los Cerros. It was really useful
for me to see the properties and activities on offer as no-one
in my office had been to El Calafate / El Chalten before.
I was very impressed with all 3 places and the guides, food,
activities, service etc were excellent throughout. I will
definitely be sending more clients soon.”
AA, Cazenove & Loyd, Dec 06
“Thank you so much for a
lovely trip, I wish it could have been longer. I really enjoyed
everything and love Argentina - hope to return before too
long! I am very confident that we can sell more and more of
all the hotels and tours and am now putting together more
for our website for Experience Patagonia and would like to
increase coverage in our brochure. Thank you to all concerned,
it was an enjoyable and invaluable experience.”
MC, Cox & Kings, Dec 06
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