Discover the variety of Peru Attractions after Machu Picchu withstands El Niño Flood undamaged

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil – February 19, 2010 – Peru is one of the most fascinating travel destinations in South America, with attractions varying from the spectacular natural beauties of the Amazon rain forest, the Titicaca Lake and the Andes, to the mysticism of places created by the ancient Inca culture, such as the Sacred Valley, the Nazca Lines and, first and foremost, the Machu Picchu, which has been voted one of the seven wonders of the world in a privately organized poll in 2007. In January 2010, Peru has suffered heavy rain falls and floods, which have affected the Cuzco area and interrupted access to the Machu Picchu citadel. Intelligent Leisure Solutions and the Discover.Travel Group have closely observed the events and reconstruction work and are glad to inform travelers that Peru’s government authorities already confirm the re-opening of Peru’s main attraction in April.

The Machu Picchu ruins are normally visited by 68,000 people a month. Due to its unique and remote location high in the mountains, there are only two ways to get to Machu Picchu: on foot or by train. The Inca Trail footpath is a several day hike and one of the most famous and unique hikes in the world. Alternatively, travelers can reach the Machu Picchu ruins with the trains operated by PeruRail, an affiliate of Orient-Express Hotels, which also owns the top hotel in Águas Calientes adjacent to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu: the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. For the trip, travelers can choose between different train types: the economical Backpacker train, the Vistadome train and the luxurious Hiram Bingham train, which the Discover.Travel Group’s Specialized Travel Consultants recommend to clients who want their visit to the Machu Picchu to become a once in a lifetime travel experience, enjoying the scenic ride in blue and gold carriages with interiors which are luxurious, warm and inviting with elegant decoration in the style of the 1920's Pullman trains.

In January 2010, the Pacific Ocean became unusually warm, as it does periodically in the weather phenomenon called El Niño which causes heavy rains in large parts on South America, including Peru, Brazil, Mexico and Bolivia. In Peru, the Urubamba river, which runs through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and down past the ruins of Machu Picchu, swelled to an unprecedented volume and undermined eight stretches, totaling 28km (18 miles), of the railway line that is one of the only two ways to get to Machu Picchu. As the Inca Trail Footpath is closed during February every year for maintenance, the Machu Picchu citadel has not been accessible during this month. However, Peru’s Secretary of Tourism confirmed the Machu Picchu will be re-opened for access via the Inca Trail in April 1st 2010, and the Machu Picchu trains are scheduled to start operating a few days later.

The Discover.Travel Group regards this as a great opportunity for travelers looking for a unique travel experience off the beaten path in Peru. There are many unique attractions around Cusco, in the Sacred Valley and other areas in Peru that have not been affected at all, and many of them are insider tips still undiscovered by mass tourism. The Peruvian tourism industry is determined to avoid that the numbers of visitors drop before the re-opening of the Machu Picchu. Therefore, Intelligent Leisure Solutions and the Discover.Travel Group can organize Personalized Luxury Travel Packages to Peru at special conditions in this period. They encourage visitors to explore other parts of Peru with equally fascinating sights such as the Nazca lines (giant, pre-Inca geoglyphs, or drawings, in the desert south of Lima) and the Colca canyon, where condors fly over an abyss twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Lima, once bypassed by tourists, has begun to attract gastronomes, because of the excellence of Peruvian cuisine.

Even as insider tips, these locations have excellent infrastructure for travelers, and the Discover.Travel Group offers first class accommodation to its clients in each destination. In Lima, Intelligent Leisure Solutions’ clients stay in the Miraflores Park Hotel. In Cuzco, the Specialized Travel Consultants recommend the Monasterio Hotel, by Orient Express Hotels, which is located in a monastery built in 1592, and retains the charm and ambience that has existed for centuries whilst boasting a reputation as one of the world's finest hotels. With the Discover.Travel Group’s customized travel packages, travelers can discover the Amazon in Peru while staying comfortably in the Manu Cloud Lodge or the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Tambopata, or experience Titicaca Lake from Titilaka Hotel with a contemporary design integrating the natural environment and paying homage to the ancient Titicaca, origin of the great Inca culture, surrounded by stunning scenery and astounding Andean geography.

For further information on Peru and South and Central American travel destinations, services, hotels and contact with a specialized travel consultant please visit the Discover.Travel Group’s websites www.Discover.Travel, www.DiscoverBrazil.com, www.DiscoverSouthAmerica.Travel and www.DiscoverCentralAmerica.Travel.





Recent accomplishments by Intelligent Leisure Solutions and the Discover.Travel Group:

• 2008 Ulysses Award for Innovation in Tourism Enterprises from the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization),
• World Travel Award 2009 for South America’s Leading Travel Management Company,
• World Travel Award 2009 for South America’s Leading Travel Agency,
• Managing Partner Robert Phillips was elected ASTA Chapter President for Brazil.
• Selected by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism as an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
• Authenticated by the Tralliance Corporation and the .Travel Registry.