The festival will bring together 700 young musicians, including choirs, orchestras, and soloists from countries across 5 continents. The musicians, selected after an exhaustive screening process, will be performing free concerts at various venues in and around Puerto Iguazu. Gustavo Santaolalla, a reputed composer who has scored movies such as Babel and Brokeback Mountain, is a key sponsor and one of the festival’s directors.

The Setting

Iguazu Falls is formed by 275 waterfalls fed by the Iguazu River. Iguazu National Park straddles the border between Brazil and Argentina.  For its astounding natural beauty, Iguazu Falls was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

The spectacular Iguazu Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world.

If planning an Argentina vacation, the best way to see this world wonder is by taking an Iguazu Falls tour that visits both sides of the falls. On the Brazil side travelers can hike along walkways that border the Iguazu River and offers great panoramic views. The Argentina side is best for hiking along trails within the lushly forested park, getting up close views of the waterfalls, or taking boat rides under the falls and experiencing the full power of the rushing cascades.

Venues

Performances will take place in top Puerto Iguazu hotels, including Iguazu Grand Resort, Loi Suites Iguazu, and Panoramic Hotel.  The grand finale will be at the Sheraton Hotel, the only Iguazu accommodation situated within the boundaries of Iguazu National Park. This hotel is the perfect place for scenic views of the waterfalls, be it from the rooms’ balconies, luxurious lobby bar, or from the extensive gardens where the concert will be held.

La Aripuca in Puerto Iguazu, one of the venues for the youth concert. This cultural center was constructed thousand-year-old endangered tree species that were found and recovered after being illegally logged.

Iguazu Travel Tips

Two full days is enough to visit both the Argentina and Brazil sides of Iguazu, and both sides are definitely worth it. The park itself has numerous trails, some of them offer panoramic views and others take you into the heart of the falls for an intimate experience with this majestic landscape.

Devil’s Throat is one of the most spectacular sights that you can see on an Iguazu tour – this is a horseshoe-shaped series of cataracts stretching 150 m across and falling 80 m, forming an ever-present, thick cloud of mist. The best view is from the Brazil side, while the Ecological Jungle Train on the Argentina side takes travelers straight up to the falls.

Contact one of our expert travel advisors at Argentina For Less to start planning your tour to Iguazu and other Argentina travel destinations.

Chambi’s photography is deeply anthropological. This photograph of an Andean worker in Machu Picchu was published by Hiram Bingham in 1922. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Martin Chambi was born in 1891 in a small village near Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca to a Quechua-speaking family. His father was a laborer for a mining company, and when he died the young Chambi relocated to Arequipa, where he became an apprentice and learned his trade. Given his humble origins, Chambi’s subsequent economic prosperity was rather extraordinary for the times.

Once trained, Chambi began his career in Cusco in 1923 and he established a studio on Calle Marquez near the Plaza de Armas. He quickly became the favored photographer among members of Cusco’s high society, who commissioned him to do portraits and to photograph weddings, baptisms, and other social events.

Chambi’s true passion, however, was Andean culture – indigenous people, their culture and enduring customs, and the landscapes that they inhabited. At a time when indios were regarded as dirty, poor, and inferior, Chambi’s pictures captured the dignity of his subject and the elegance of traditions retained despite centuries of oppression.

In addition to taking studio portraits of indigenous subjects, Chambi traveled into the Sacred Valley, using horses to cart around his heavy camera equipment, which included a 44 lb (20 kg) tripod. His daughter Julia, once old enough, accompanied him on some of these trips through the countryside, which lasted 15 to 30 days at a time, and she later became a photographer as well.

As the official Chambi website notes, “Surely without intending it, Chambi became in effect the symbolic photographer of his race, transforming the telluric voice of Andean man, his millenary melancholy, his eternal neglect, his quintessentially Peruvian, human, Vallejo-like pain into the truly universal.” (http://martinchambi.org)

Today, the Chambi family is working to create an institute in Cusco to preserve the vast collection of photographs, glass plates, and equipment that Chambi bequeathed to his descendants. If you are in the process of planning your Peru vacation, or already in Peru and wondering what to do in Cusco or Arequipa, you can visit ongoing exhibitions of Chambi’s work. In Arequipa, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (MAC) is wrapping up an exhibit that features portraits of Arequipeño high society and also photographs of the “White City” and surrounding landscapes. Meanwhile, in Cusco, travelers have until November to see the Chambi exhibit at the former palace of the Inca Tupac Yupanqui located on Calle Maruri.

It is a truly remarkable experience to see these photographs, which include street scenes, impressively scenic landscapes, Inca archaeological sites, and images of people, wealthy and poor. They recall a past that is strangely familiar – when we travel through these places we recognize the passage of time, but we are also able to see some of these same scenes in Peru today.

Cusco, Peru

Los Carnavales is held on the Plaza de Armas beginning on Sunday, February 19, and generally goes on for a week. On Sunday morning, kids, adolescents, and adults, swarm the plaza and the surrounding streets. Buckets of water, foam spray, and balloons filled with a mixture of water, flour, and oil fly through the air, and any and all passersby can become a target. Visitors to Cusco that choose to walk through the plaza should proceed with caution and be prepared to be drawn into the revelry.

Carnival chic in Cusco.

The celebration becomes more ordered later in the day, with lively parades of dancers and musicians performing on the streets. T’impu, a dish specially prepared for this occasion is served in Plaza Regocijo. It consists of a plate piled high with pork, beef, potatoes (including chuño, a dehydrated potato), carrots, yucca, sweet potato, peach, cabbage, and rice, accompanied by a bowl of broth.

Oruro, Bolivia

130 miles south of La Paz, the Carnaval de Oruro has been declared a UNESCO “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” The number of participants is staggering: 28,000 dancers and 10,000 musicians (plus several thousand others in auxiliary roles) perform before an estimated audience of 400,000 spectators, almost double Oruro’s population. The carnival celebration here is one of the oldest and most traditional on the continent and provides a living example of the syncretism between European Catholicism and thousand-years-old Andean rituals that honor the Pachamama (Mother Earth).

The 4-day Carnaval de Oruro begins on Friday, February 17.

La Diablada, or the devil’s dance, is the distinguishing feature of this carnival, with roots that can be traced to the 1780s. The intricately choreographed dance enacts the victory of the Archangel Saint Michael over Lucifer; it also serves as an allegory of the Spanish conquest and the conversion of the indigenous population to Christianity. Identifiably Andean characters, such as the China Supay and the Condor, also make an appearance. The devils are world-famous for their elaborate costumes, which feature masks (some of which are blue-eyed, perhaps representing the Spanish conquerors), horned headgear, and beaded corset and capes.

Costumed dancers personify the conflict between demons and angels, Lucifer and Saint Michael.

Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, has its own diablada as part of the Fiesta de la Candelaria, which takes place in early February.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The “Marvelous City” draws nearly 5 million visitors annually to the largest Carnival celebration in the world. Thousands of people fill the Sambodromo stadium to witness dancers, musicians, and acrobats perform their moves in a vibrant parade of floats and costumes, each more elaborate than the next.

Rio de Janeiro's Carnaval draws about 5 million visitors and is the biggest party in the world.

Outside the Sambodromo, the city devotes an entire week to the celebration, which continues through the night and day. From Ipanema to Copacabana to Jardim, blocos (dance groups) and samba schools take over streets, parks, and nightclubs, where spectators are invited to participate in this, the biggest party in the world.

Contact one of our expert travel advisors at Latin America For Less to start planning your fully customizable South America travel package. 

In some South American countries, Valentine’s Day is better known as “El Dia del Amor y de la Amistad,” the day of love and friendship.

One of the popular traditions surrounding Valentine’s Day in Latin America is known as “Amigo secreto,” secret friend. Each participant is assigned a recipient and has to offer them some sort of gift to celebrate the day and their friendship.

The expressive statue of the "Parque del amor" (lovers' park) in Lima, Peru

Peru. One of the most precious gifts in Peru is the orchid, a beautiful flower native of the country. So if you’re spending this day in Peru, an orchid flower could be a simple yet romantic gesture that is sure to be appreciated.

Valentine’s Day occurs at the same time as Carnival and various festivals throughout the country. So this year, Peruvian authorities actually declared February 13 & 14 public holidays, making Valentine’s Day even more special and giving an opportunity for people to have a few days off and attend Carnival events.

The beautiful Peruvian orchid

Argentina & Chile. Both countries boast the same tradition of celebrating “El Dia de los Enamorados”, or the day of those in love, when everyone can declare their love and celebrate their union with one another.

Brazil. Valentine’s Day on February 14 is not celebrated, but lovers get their day on June 12. Lover’s Day (Dia dos Namorados) is celebrated the day before Saint Anthony’s Day, commonly known as the marriage saint. On June 12, the tradition is for single women to perform rituals in order to find a husband or boyfriend.

In 2012, Peruvian park agencies will focus on developing Manu National Park as a destination for ecotourism.

What is ecotourism?

Ecotourism is a form of tourism that places emphasis on responsible and sustainable travel to natural areas. Among its key objectives, the ecotourism ethos seeks to minimize human impact, maximize conservation, and when applicable to increase the direct and indirect socio-economic benefits to the human populations that inhabit the affected environments. This philosophy is particularly important in Manu National Park, especially as it continues to grow and develop as a tourist destination.

Manu National Park

Located where the Andes and the Amazon River meet in southwestern Peru, Manu National Park comprises 1.5 million hectares and is the country’s largest protected area. In 1977, Manu was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, and in 1987, a World Heritage Site. One unique trait of Manu is the range of elevations or altitudes within the reserve. From the river lowlands located at 500 feet (150 meters) above sea level, the mountainous rainforest areas and puna (grasslands) rise up to 13,800 feet (4,200 meters) in some places. This characteristic creates distinct ecological zones and microclimates, resulting in the astounding natural bounty of flora and fauna in Manu.

This tiny critter is one of 140 species of amphibians that populate Manu National Reserve.

Efforts to catalogue Manu’s diversity of species have turned up mind-blowing numbers: over 15,000 species of plants have been identified, including 250 varieties of trees. The number of bird species is around 1,000, more than the total number in the U.S. and Canada combined.  Among the 200 species of mammals are 14 types of monkeys and rare species like the giant otter and the giant armadillo. Manu is thus the perfect location from which to appreciate Peru’s animal diversity.

Crikey, a caiman! With so many species of plant and animal life in Manu, you never know what you’re likely to see if you keep your eyes open.

These exceptional attributes have made Manu an alluring site for researchers and nature travelers alike. As international attention continues to increase in the coming years, organized efforts to protect and responsibly develop Manu are of obvious importance, and the recent meeting of officials and tour operators was an important first step.

Currently, primary access to Manu is through Cusco, whether by air or ground, making it a fantastically exotic destination to add to your Machu Picchu travel packages. Tours of Manu feature a visit to the famous Cloud Forest, and can be customized to include trips to the clay lick where parrots and macaws congregate as well as jungle hikes. See our Amazon tour page, read our blog on Amazon destinations, or speak with one of our expert travel advisors for more details.

The idea for the event came about after French racer Thierry Sabine got lost in the Libyan desert of North Africa during an unrelated competition. During this time, he saw the potential that Europe and Africa’s dramatic geographies have for hosting an international rally race. However, political situations have made the intercontinental event too dangerous in some locations, so since 2009, Dakar has been moved to South America indefinitely.

The 14-day Dakar Rally brings together the top motorsports racers in the world to see who can race through the South American continent the fastest.

While many of us were still recovering from the previous night’s festivities on January 1, 2012, the top racers around the world were just getting ready to embark on a 14-day journey through the most desolate and extreme environments on the continent. In the last 3 years, Dakar had always been a roundtrip path between Buenos Aires, Argentina and Chile. This year, the rally started in Mar del Plata, Argentina and will continue upwards before ending in Lima, Peru.

Try to catch a glimpse of the racers as they blast through Argentina, Chile, and Peru’s top destinations, but be careful to stay off the road!

The motorsports event is regarded as a true rally where authentic off-road vehicles, as opposed to modified commercial automobiles, roar through the countryside conquering severe terrain. Dakar 2012 racers—who compete in 4 classes namely car, truck, motorcycle, and quads—will cover up to a staggering 500-560 miles (800-900 kilometers) per day for a total of 5,281 miles (8,500 kilometers). Because of the countless tests of nature that the vehicles endure, many of the motor industry’s top brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, Hummer, Honda, and Yamaha like to sponsor and showcase that their products are as well-built and dependable as advertisements claim.

The harsh desert along Peru’s Pacific coastline is forecasted to be one of the biggest challenges in the second week of the race.

If you have free time on your Peru holidays, following Dakar through its first time in the country will surely add some unique thrills to your vacation memories. The group of 465 vehicles will arrive in the capital city of Lima on January 15, 2012 after passing through popular destinations to the south such as Arequipa, Nazca, and Pisco. In fact, is it speculated that two of the most difficult sections will be the 152 miles (246 kilometers) between Arequipa and Nazca, and the 171 miles (276 kilometers) between Nazca and Pisco (famous for being the birthplace of Peru’s iconic grape brandy) due to the rough conditions and intense dune sizes of the coastal Peruvian desert.

Also, if you hurry, you can even catch the Dakar 2012 competitors as part of your Chile vacation. From January 7 to 9, the rally will pass through beautiful sections of northern Chile such as Antofagasta, Iquique, Copiapó, and Arica.

Machu Picchu built by the mighty Inca Empire has stood for over 600 years in the Peruvian Andes and probably won’t be going anywhere soon, but we can't say the same for this flight sale!

We don’t know about you, but we’re already thinking ahead in order to make our travel resolutions become realities in the upcoming new year. To help you get one giant leap further in the vacation planning process, we’re excited to announce that LAN Airlines, South America’s most premier, is hosting a massive flight sale!

Call it what you will, perhaps an early holiday present from the travel gods, but this promotion is truly something to be excited about. For the next 2 weeks only, flights originating in USA cities such as Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to all the major South American countries we serve including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador are up to 50% off.

Start your 2012 with some adventure and make your way to South America by taking advantage of LAN Airlines’ most recent flight sale.

And there’s no better time than now to finally go on that South America trip you’ve always talked about. The Amazon Rainforest which spans over 40% of the continent, and the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls which stretches across the border of both Argentina and Brazil have both recently been named as 2 of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The iconic white Christ the Redeemer statue hovering over all of Rio de Janeiro is proudly regarded as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Finally, the incredible Inca citadel of Machu Picchu high up in the Peruvian Andes has just surpassed the 100 year anniversary of its discovery. What more are you waiting for?

Be sure to book today (or at the very latest by December 12, 2011) and travel between March 1 and June 30, 2012 so that your unforgettable Machu Picchu vacation and relaxing Argentina holidays can help you start 2012 on the right wandering foot. Contact us to see how Latin America For Less can help you take full advantage of this promotion. Email us directly at travel@peruforless.com to speak to one of our expert travel advisors and let us know what you’re seeking for your perfect South America vacation!

The 2 South American spots featured in the list are the majestic Iguazu Falls–straddling the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay–and the immense, lush Amazon Basin–covering over 40% of the continent including parts of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. Although the current list based on the first count of votes is provisional, it is very likely definite. The official announcement of the winners will occur in early February 2012.

The mighty Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls, a gigantic complex of waterfalls, is truly a sight to behold. Aptly named “Great Waters” in the indigenous Guarani language, the falls comprise over 275 cataracts of various heights and widths gathering together to create a thundering explosion of water. They are surrounded by a magnificent tropical forest teeming with exotic birds, butterflies, and other exciting species. Now is the time to hop on a plane and travel to Iguazu to get a glimpse of this unique natural wonder.

The largest rainforest and most biologically diverse area in the world, the striking Amazon Basin stretches over 40% of South America. Nowhere in the world will you find such a variety of beautiful flora and fauna to discover. A trip to the Amazon is sure to leave you awed as you explore the depths of the forest and meet inspiring local communities.

Beautiful view of the Tambopata River in Amazon, Peru

Organized by the global movement New7Wonders, the list was determined by a panel of experts who based their decision on several criteria:

• Unique beauty of the site
• Diversity & distribution
• Ecological significance
• Historical legacy
• Geo-location (even distribution of all contestants between the different continents)

Members of the panel in charge of the decision are all recognized for their expertise in matters of ecology and include members of international organizations such as UNESCO, authors, film makers, journalists, and scientists.

New7Wonders is a Swiss-based non-profit organization founded in 2001 by Canadian Bernard Weber, world-famous film director and author. The goal of the association is to protect the world’s natural and man-made heritage.

Relax alongside sea lions in the Galapagos

Although they didn’t make the cut this time, several of the 28 finalists were also in Latin America and definitely deserve to be mentioned—and seen! Among the contestants, you’ll find the gorgeous Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and the impressive Angel Falls in Venezuela.