Evaluate: Puqio Lodge (Colca Canyon, Peru)

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Wednesday newsletters all the time function a lodge or flight evaluation.

Final summer time, I loved a terrific vacation in Peru. You’ll be able to learn my journey reviews right here:

Evaluate: KLM (previous) Enterprise Class Boeing 777 from Amsterdam to Lima
Evaluate: Central, world’s greatest restaurant 2023, Lima
Evaluate: Cirqa Lodge, Arequipa
Evaluate: Puqio Lodge, Colca Canyon (at the moment)
Evaluate: Titilaka Lodge, Lake Titicaca
Evaluate: Titicaca Luxurious Prepare, from Puno to Cusco
Evaluate: Explora Valle Sagrado, Sacred Valley
Evaluate: Rio Sagrado, a Belmond Lodge, Sacred Valley
Evaluate: Hiram Bingham, a Belmond Prepare, from Cusco to Machu Picchu
Evaluate: Sanctuary Lodge, a Belmond Lodge, Machu Picchu
Evaluate: Inca path to Machu Picchu
Evaluate: Fausto Lodge, Lima
Evaluate: KLM (new) Enterprise Class Boeing 777 from Lima to Amsterdam

At present: Evaluate of Puqio Lodge (Colca Canyon, Peru)

Puqio, a luxurious tented camp nestled deep in Peru’s fascinating Colca Valley, presents a rare retreat that celebrates the simplicity and great thing about nature. The tented camp invitations you to decelerate, embrace the Andean-style exploration, and immerse your self within the surrounding panorama and native traditions. Three distinct room classes – Pirca, Carpa, and Carpa Refugio – provide alternative routes to expertise the valley with distinct views of the encompassing terrain. Gastronomic expertise embrace sauthentic Andean flavors ready in clay ovens and over open flames. Fuming volcanoes, sweeping grasslands, and untrodden pathways await every day exploration. At evening, rustic magnificence rejuvenates physique and spirit of the skilled traveler.

Puqio options in my high 10 checklist of the greatest luxurious motels in Peru.

Have you ever ever stayed at Puqio? In that case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.

On this evaluation (extra information and photographs beneath my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Puqio is a peaceable exploration camp situated close to Peru’s third most visited vacationer vacation spot, the Colca Canyon. The Colca Canyon is named one of many deepest canyons on this planet, reaching a most depth of round 3,400 meters (11,150 toes) from the rim of the Canyon to the underside of the valley (twice the depth of the Grand Canyon). The principle draw of the Canyon are its viewpoints, scenic hikes and sizzling springs. The Colca Canyon is a privileged vantage level from which to watch the majestic Andean condor; with a wingspan of over 3 meters (10 toes), the Andean Condor is taken into account the most important flying hen on this planet.

The Colca Valley is a 3 hour drive from town of Arequipa (non-public transfers may be organized by the lodge). The drive from Arequipa to Puqio is nice, scenic journey and presents an opportunity to understand the attractive high- altitude landscapes of the Salinas and Aguada Blanca Nationwide Reserve. A number of energetic volcanoes may be seen alongside the way in which and huge herds of lovely alpacas and vicunas are incessantly noticed by the facet of the highway. A number of stops are made alongside the way in which, together with a cease on the Patapampa cross (4910 m, 16,108 ft), which is surrounded by the peaks of the three spectacular volcanoes Ampato, Sabancayo y Hualca-Hualca.

Puqio is nestled on a hillslope in a tranquil nook of the Colca Valley, a couple of 45 min drive from the canyon’s most well-known viewpoints. The realm round Puqio is dotted with small, picturesque villages – similar to Chivay, Yanque and Cabanaconde – that appear to be caught in time. These village had been based in Spanish colonial instances and are nonetheless inhabited by individuals of the Collagua and the Cabana cultures. The native individuals of those villages keep their ancestral traditions – for instance, ladies are nonetheless wearing elaborately adorned conventional skirts – and proceed to domesticate the pre-Inca stepped terraces – referred to as andenes – on the encompassing mountains.

Puqio is a small boutique lodge and in some ways, it feels extra like a rural Peruvian casitas than a real lodge, all including to a sense of place on this distant nook of Peru. The principle pavilion of Puqio homes a eating room, a few seating areas centered espresso tables, and an open fireplace. The entrance terrace of the pavilion homes an open-air eating areas that’s used for conventional barbeque dinners, whereas the bottom options and expansive terrace with some lounge chair from the place to soak within the views and the sundown. Past the principle pavilions are the eight rooms – 4 tents and 4 adobe huts – that are scattered all through the resort grounds (extra on that beneath).

Puqio presents solely eight rustic but elegant rooms, internet hosting simply 16 vacationers at a time. There are three room classes to select from: Pirca, Carpa & Carpa Refugio. The 2 carpa rooms are spacious tents providing outside terraces, woodburning stoves, an outside bathtub, and each indoor & outside showers. Impressed by the unique canvas tents of first Andean explorers, every is crafted with rugged canvas to guard guestss from the weather. The 2 carpa refugios are essentially the most commanding of the canvas tents, every boasting a large indoor dwelling space and terrace, a wood-burning range, and a separate mud room. The 4 pirqa rooms are housed in adobe huts and provide the identical facilities because the carpa tents in addition to the perfect views of the valley.

Charges at Puqio are totally inclusive, together with lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner with wine and cocktails, afternoon tea, drinks and in-room snacks. Meals on the lodge is scrumptious and the parts are beneficiant. Right here, corn is harvested by native arms and freshly baked bread is kneaded with a understanding contact. Every family-style meal is crafted utilizing conventional strategies and the freshest produce out there within the native terroir, creating a totally genuine and impressed culinary providing. Some eating experiences at Puqio function meals cooked in clay ovens and open flames, highlighting the traditions of the Andes. That is farm-to-table eating, Andean model, at its greatest. Plus, with no menus, family-style servings remind every visitor of the wealthy simplicity of dwelling from the land.

Set in a quiet, unexplored nook of the well-known Andean valley, Puqio is an exploration hub providing its friends immersive excursions that seize the essence and mysticism of the magnificent Colca Canyon, a must-see vacation spot in Southern Peru. The lodge presents a number of excursions to the canyon’s viewpoints and the condor lookout, in various durations, in addition to shorter actions across the tented camp. A friends exploration will differ relying on their preferences. Favourite experiences embrace horseback using, soaking within the native sizzling springs, and visiting a number of the greatest textile weavers within the Andes. Visitors may also go to the charming cities of Sibayo, Tutti, and Chivay.

Cirqa is managed by Andean, the Peruvian luxurious journey firm who reinvents the artwork of journey within the nation by showcasing the true essence of Peru via inspiring locations, progressive lodging, and genuine experiences. As an trade pioneer within the design and growth of owner-managed motels and carefree journey, Andean takes friends on journeys from the historic vibrancy of town to the timeless serenity of Peru’s unspoiled facet. Every expertise is complemented by seamless serendipity, outstanding native delicacies, nourishment for the soul, and an understated magnificence that’s uniquely Peruvian. Andean manages three different motels, providing a neat circuit often known as the Southern Peru Travesia: Lima, Arequipa, the Colca Canyona and Lake Titicaca.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Wellness services at Puqio are restricted. There isn’t a pool, no gymnasium and no spa (though I used to be knowledgeable that the Andean administration is contemplating including a spa facility within the close to future). Nevertheless, the boutique property does provide a sizzling tub, which is situated on a terrace slightly below the principle property, boasting some beautiful views of the Colca Valley (together with views of the sundown). It’s an amazing place to chill out after a day of sightseeing.

Vacationers ought to concentrate on altitude illness when visiting Puqio and the Colca Canyon. As the world is situated at elevations higher than 10,000 ft (3.000 m), some vacationers may encounter signs like headache, nausea, tiredness, and shortness of breath. Nevertheless, Puqio’s group is all the time capable of help and make you comfy in case you’ll endure from altitude illness.

Puqio is situated within the Colca Valley, which is a forty five min drive from the Colca Canyon and its spectacular view factors. Though the lodge does provide excursions to the view factors, it presently doesn’t provide the choice of mountaineering throughout the canyon itself (which is the principle draw for a lot of guests to this a part of Peru). I used to be capable of prepare a hike on my own although: a taxi picked me up at 6 am at Puqio and brough me to the the village of Cabanaconde (after watching the condors on the view level), from the place I began a non-guide, 5-hour hike to Llahuar on the underside of the Colca Canyon. Right here, the identical taxi firm organized a 4×4 to select me up and take me again to the lodge (a 90 min drive), the place I arrived once more at 6 pm. I’d recommend that Puqio would attempt to embrace these sort of hikes in its future tour program (by collaborating with locals), because it’s an exercise that many vacationers is perhaps desirous about.

Puqio options solely 8 rooms (4 adobe huts and 4 tents). The 4 adobe huts (pirca rooms) and two of the tents (carpa refugio) are situated on the entrance row of the hillslope, providing spectacular views of the valley, particularly through the sundown. Nevertheless, the 2 different tents (carpa) are a bit set again and, and so they don’t take pleasure in a view of the valley, however slightly look out over the resort grounds and the opposite lodging. If a view is what you’re after, make certain to ebook a pirca or a capra refugio.

MY VERDICT

Location: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: n/a
Rooms: 8/10
Meals: 9/10
Breakfast:9 /10
Spa: n/a
Service: 10/10
Wow issue: 9/10
Worth for cash: 9/10
General expertise: excellent 8,6/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Get monetary savings: learn right here my ideas for getting the perfect deal at a luxurious lodge like Puqio (and/or obtain many free perks).

Itinerary tip: Puqio is an extension to Titilaka by Andean (Lake Titicaca) and Cirqa by Andean (Arequipa) alongside the southern Peru route, the primary providing of its form within the area. You’ll be able to contact Andean to create a custom-made journey for you on this superior area of Peru.

Learn my ideas for making ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Though it’s attainable to go to the Colca Canyon any time of yr, it’s advisable to journey between April and November, when most days provide clear and sunny climate, leading to spectacular views, and condor sightings.