Hi
Maybe you have seen it on the news? Violent protests in Cusco, Juliaca, and Arequipa. Even clashes in Central Lima. Roadblocks and important airports closed. Tourists who were to come to Peru between January and May have canceled their trips. So what is going
on?
I refrain from doing an extended analysis here. Instead, here is an article from the NY Times that explains the background of the situation.
https://www.nytimes.com/article/peru-president-castillo-boluarte.html
To this, I may add that the protesters feel former President Castillo never was given a chance to exert power as the congress, led by the second largest party of Keiko Fujimori, was sabotaging the work. Keiko Fujimori, daughter of the imprisoned former president Alberto Fujimori, was runner-up in the presidential elections in 2021.
5 reasons
why you should come to Peru now anyway.
You may think there is a civil war in Peru when you see headlines and news clips. Far from it. It is very restricted in range, and most of the country is unaffected.
Most people are against the protests and the way they are carried out. They are not peaceful protests, scattered by brutal police with teargas and riot shields. Protesters try to overtake
airports and railroads, and block traffic to transit on major highways. They destroy public and private property. The role of the police is to try to keep roads and airports open while protecting the public and personal property. How can they dislodge protesters who are throwing stones and Molotov cocktails?
Sure, there are reports of unnecessary police violence and sharp ammunition, which should be duly investigated. Still, the fact remains that dislodgement with tear gas and other similar approaches are necessary uses of force in these situations. There are also attempts to arrest those who promote violent acts and attack public
and private infrastructure.
But, the protesters don't want to dialogue. They want immediate new elections when arranging them will take at
least a year.
They want the resignation of the current president, Dilma Boluarte, who was elected Vice President, running with imprisoned
President Castillo in the last elections.
If Boluarte stepped done, I wonder if the protesters would realize that she would be replaced by
the president of the congress José Williams, who is representative of a party further to the right. Why would they want to replace a (vice) president with a social justice agenda for someone further to the right?
They want to dissolve the democratically elected congress. Sure, some congressmen are corrupt. Corruption is a big problem in Peru. They should vote for change in the next elections.
They also want a new constitution, but it is unclear what this should include. The ousted president Castillo also asked for a new constitution in which, for example, the president could call for a referendum on various issues without congressional approval. It sounds like a way for the president to consolidate power
and a threat to democracy.
So why the hell should you still come to Peru now? Here is why.
1. The tourism sector is in dire need of visitors.
COVID hit Peru enormously. The tourist sector suffered immensely. Recent calculations indicate that tourism losses due to the riots amount to 1.1 billion USD. Canceled flights and hotel bookings, restaurants barely surviving, guides, staff, and lodges all over Peru are affected. The mere presence in Peru of visitors in the next two months will be vital for the survival of the
millions of people that have nothing to do with the structural, social, and political issues that the protesters address.
2. Most of the country does not have any protests.
Only in the southern part of the country has tourism come to a standstill, with roadblocks and closed infrastructure. It is best not to make fixed plans to visit these areas. Don't include Machu Picchu, Cusco, Titicaca lake, and Colca Canyon in your selected itinerary.
Likewise, don't make plans for a city tour in the colonial part of central Lima, where demonstrators have gathered to manifest their discontent in front of the authorities the last week.
The rest of the country lies open and is waiting for you. There is more than plenty. Let me show you in the following points.
3. Beaches and food.
It is summer in Peru. The beaches, especially those in the north, are lovely this time of the year. Surfing is popular all along the coast. Los Organos in the north is great for whale
watching this time of year.
.
Peru has one of the world's best cuisines, with Lima as the gourmet capital of Latin America. We have 8 of the 50 best restaurants and four among the top 10.
https://www.theworlds50best.com/latinamerica/en/list/1-50
4. Northern Peru. Biodiversity and archeology.
One of the most popular destinations in Peru in recent years is the northern route. Chiclayo and Trujillo have archeological sites of world fame, such as Moche, Chimu, Lambayeque, and Sipan. Lima also has some fantastic archeological museums. The beaches in the north are wonderful, as I already mentioned.
For the birdwatchers, the
Northern Birdwatching route is among the most species-rich in the world. One can also visit the lowland Amazon with flights to Iquitos.
Check below for Kolibri Expeditions offers.
5. Central Peru - Peru's best value.
Central Peru has good hotels at very reasonable prices. Reachable with inexpensive night buses with comfortable seats that make horizontal beds. It is the part of
Peru where there are more endemic birds than anywhere. Kolibri Expeditions has several tours exploring the birds in these areas. Together with the local community, we run a birding lodge project at Calabaza on the old Satipo road.
We also run a condor feeding site and a condor-photography hide in the dramatic Santa Eulalia Canyon, making it an excellent substitute for the famous Colca Canyon near Arequipa.
How to plan your Peru trip now?
I think it is important to carry three traits with you.
- Time
- Flexible Mindset
- Patience
When ornithologist John O'Neill explored the avifauna in remote parts of Peru in the late 70s and through the 80s, one of the standard mindsets of the expeditions was to plan that things may not go
as planned. When they do, that is great. When they don't, make another plan. In a way, this mindset needs to be adopted now.
Be flexible, allow some extra time, and have some patience.
While I don't think there shall be any problems in North or Central Peru, as it has remained calm here since December, you might all of a sudden find that Cusco and Machu Picchu have opened up again. Then
suddenly, you will have a unique opportunity to visit one of the world's true wonders with hardly any other people present. I encourage you to take the chance. Plan for the unplanned and allow to have some additional time for this.
But even if it doesn't open up, Peru is, regardless a multi-time destination. There is so much to do in North and Central Peru. Likely, there will not be many other tourists around, so you will have a wonderful experience, and your presence will make a real difference to the people from whom you purchase services and goods.
Kolibri Expeditions 20% discount in February and March.
We offer a 20% discount on our published prices in February and March to encourage you. There will be
surcharges between $25-$200/day with a group size of fewer than five people, which is why I encourage you to bring a partner or some friends. ($200 surcharge is for a lone passenger. Much more manageable once there are two-four people in the party).
February is a clean slate. No confirmed trip so far, so we are pretty open to suggestions. In mid-February, one guy wants to do Satipo road in Central Peru, the condor hide, plus a pelagic. It would be a good idea to coincide with him for the best price.
I will post your dates for others to join should you decide on other dates.
In March, we have confirmed trips to Northern Peru and the Lima area with two clients.
March 17-18 Santa Eulalia valley and Marcopomacocha (one client)
March 19 Pantanos de Villa, Pucusana, Puerto Viejo. (two clients)
March 20-24 Marvelous Spatuletail, 40 hummingbirds, and Long-whiskered Owlet. (two clients)
March 24-27 Scarlet-banded Barbet extension. (two clients)
March 28-29 Santa Eulalia valley and
Marcopomacocha. (one client).
These would be excellent to join for the best price.
Saludos
Gunnar
PS. We need to decide how many people we have for a couple of trips where I have made some preliminar arrangements. Let me know your intent about the following.
Egypt Easter
Uganda July
Borneo October
Tanzania - end of October. Kilimanjaro and/or Serengeti
Madagascar November-December
Japan End of February 2024.
Oh, and we still have one or two spots left for Japan this year starting February 26.
Note that there is a date uploaded for Pantanal Sep 24-30. I have a gap week between two private groups in Pantanal. Take the opportunity to join me.
I
shall provide payment links for deposits for each over the next couple of days. All will likely be small groups, because of limits of space in vehicles and key lodgings.