Imagine the majesty of the Inca Empire in Peru back in the days of their glory. Now with guided tours of this area in Peru,  you no longer need to imagine and you can see how the Incas survived and thrived in this beautiful South American location. Guided tours will take you to Cusco, considered the capital city of the Inca Empire.  Cusco is also known as the “Archeological Capital of the Americas” because this is the only place in South America where such rich cultural remains are so readily accessible.

  It’s a beautiful city and a great starting point on your guided adventure. In Cusco, most guided tours divide the city into three types of major attractions.  The first is Cusco city, containing  many ruins, temples, churches, mansions and other archeological sites.  The second is Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the  Incas” and one of the most amazing archeological sites you’ll ever see.  The third is the Sacred Valley of the Incas—a place  with a lovely climate, fertile fields and amazing views of archeological sites, such as the ancient agricultural terraces,  and the beautiful village of Chinchero, complete with huge Inca Walls in the village’s main square. Some guided tours of this area will be perfect for adventurers, who, in the Sacred Valley, can enjoy river rafting,  hang-gliding, hiking and mountain biking.  Let’s look at what a typical guided tour of the area can offer visitors to this  enchanted land.

You’ll arrive at the Cusco Airport where guided tours often meet you and get you to your hotel.  You’ll need time to rest  because the altitude is so high that you’ll need time to get used to in order to avoid altitude sickness.  Later, you’ll  take a sightseeing tour of the city of Cusco, where you’ll visit the city’s main square, its magnificent cathedral and the  Temple of the Sun.  Craftsmen have shops in the area for you to buy some souvenirs of your stay. If there is time, many guided tours will drive you out of the city of Cusco to see the famous Inca sites of Kenko,  Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the very impressive Fortress of Sacsayhuaman.  This was a fortress strategically constructed on a hill overlooking the city of Cusco.

Next, many guided tours of the Inca ruins will take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, along the Vilcanota River.   You’ll become acquainted with peasant customs and have time to bargain with street vendors in a traditional Indian Market.   You’ll also visit the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, constructed to guard the entrance to the valley.   Visit  the Andean village of Chinchero and see the Inca Wall in the village’s main square.  Then it’s back to Cusco for some rest  and relaxation. 

Perhaps the highlight of guided tours of this area is the trip to Machu Picchu.  You’ll begin with a three hour train trip  to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu.  This is one of the most well known examples of Inca architecture that survives  today.  You’ll need to take a thirty minute uphill and winding bus trip before arriving at this amazing Citadel.   Once at the Citadel there will be guided tours of this archeological location, including visits to the main plaza, the Circular Tower, The Sacred Sun Dial, the royal quarters, the temple of the three windows and several burial grounds. It’s  easy to imagine the Incas living there.

Guided tours of the Inca Empire in Peru are informative, beautiful and offer some of the best archeology you’ll ever see.  It’s a must-see location for every world traveler.

Wed, Mar 10 05:09 PM
The murder of a Goan taxi driver Rohidas Shetgaonkar, allegedly by Russian restaurateur Constantine Alexander Borowski, has led to a severe backlash against Russian tourists in the coastal state. Shetgaonkar was murdered last month in the Morjim area in northern Goa.

The state has already gained notoriety over the past few months for a spate of attacks on Russian women and girls, including the rape of a nine-year-old in January and the unsolved murder of teenager Elena Sukhonova, whose mangled body was found on the railway tracks near Thivim in May 2009.

The number of Russian tourists in Goa has seen a growth of 20 per cent per year in the last three years, surpassing that of Britons, who were the single-most important source of tourism revenue for the state. Matters came to a head in January when Russia’s consul-general in Mumbai, Alexander Mantytsky, hinted that his country was considering a travel advisory for Goa.

The locals allege that Russian tourists run illegal businesses and even create enclaves where Goans are forbidden entry. Linked to their concern are fears that a Russian mafia operates in the sunshine state and uses it as a money-laundering and drug-trafficking hub. Dr Oscar Rebello, a doctor who heads the NGO, Goa Bachao Andolan, says the reason for the resentment against the Russians is purely economic.

“Many Russians conduct illegal operations in Goa and the law-enforcement agencies do not take any action against them. A lot of Russians are involved in brawls and fistfights, but these incidents go unreported,” he said.

Father Maverick, who runs the Centre for Responsible Tourism, agreed. “It is not only because of the taxi driver’s murder that the locals are protesting,” the priest said. “Russian tourists have struck at their livelihoods and disturbed the peace in the area.” He said the Russians who came to the state on tourist visas ran shacks and taxi services in connivance with the local authorities. To make matters worse, the police refuse to react to the gravity of the situation. “Sometimes, the police even refuse to register our complaints. Instead, they advise us to reach ‘a compromise’,” Father Maverick said.

Local authorities perhaps are aware that Russians are among the biggest contributors to tourism. Nilesh Shah, the chairman of the Travel Agents Association of India’s Goa chapter, said about 30 per cent of foreign tourists to the state were Russians.

But the Russians have now become a problem for the state. Shah said the Russian tourists had upset Goans not only by operating all sorts of illegal businesses, but also by staying aloof and often ill- treating the locals. “The British tourists, on the other hand, mingle freely with the local residents,” Shah said.

Rebello believes the problem has to be solved tactfully. “Goa has been a tourist hotspot since the ’60s, and we have amalgamated very well with foreign tourists. We can’t turn xenophobic overnight,” he said.

But for now, Shetgaonkar’s murder appears to be yet another cloud on the reputation of the sunshine state.

Reproduced From Mail Today.