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Author Archive for Alfonso Tandazo

Alfonso Tandazo is President and CEO at Surtrek Tour Operator. With 25 years of providing travelers authentic custom-designed trips across South America, Surtrek Tour Operator offers some of the best luxury tour services on the continent. Our travel team includes native speakers of five different languages, therefore we can guide you to the “center of the action” as well as “off the beaten track” – while never compromising on your comfort, style or well-being. And rest assured that whatever your destination, Surtrek will work to ensure that your visit makes only a positive impact on the environment, the local community and the area’s economy.

Lima, Peru: a culinary journey with 10 delectable stops

By Alfonso Tandazo on Feb 17, 2017 in Food and Drink, Going Out, Peru, Regions, Restaurants, South America, Travel Miscellany

Many people call Lima Peru the “Culinary Capital of Latin America,” and there are plenty of reasons for such a title. In this Andean city, one finds a celebration of ancient techniques and avant-garde practices that seamlessly merge inside the local kitchens of Lima’s highly diverse restaurants and bars. Successive migrations (African, Chinese, Italian, Japanese […]

Where do you want to stay on your Machu Picchu visit?

By Alfonso Tandazo on Jan 16, 2017 in Accommodation, Attractions, Going Out, Hotels, Peru, Regions, South America

Every year, millions of travelers are drawn to a singular mountain-top sanctuary, as if individually summoned by some otherworldly force. Nevertheless, it’s easy to understand why so many embark on this annual trek to Machu Picchu. Once we make personal contact with the 550-year old citadel, somehow built almost 8,000 feet in the air, its […]

7 outstanding hotels for discovering Lima, Peru

By Alfonso Tandazo on Dec 24, 2016 in Accommodation, Hotels, Peru, Regions, South America

When the world was yet to discover the charms of this beautiful city, many people associated Lima with only fog and gray skies. While it’s true that the Peruvian capital has a very particular climate – influenced by the cold Humboldt Current and the Andean mountain range – this is by no means the only […]

10 spectacular treasures of Peru

By Alfonso Tandazo on Nov 16, 2016 in Accommodation, Attractions, Cruises & Boat Travel, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Leisure Travel, Peru, Regions, South America, Speciality Travel, Travel Miscellany

Peru has long been a backpacker’s paradise; however, this “Empire of Hidden Treasures” has now entered into the limelight as a must-see travel destination for upscale travelers as well. From riverboat expeditions deep in its exotic rainforest, to journeys along its vast coastal desert – traveling via the breathtaking peaks of the Andes in between […]

Ecuador’s Imbabura Province: an art-filled Andean enclave

By Alfonso Tandazo on Oct 16, 2016 in Ecuador, Regions, South America

A small and beautiful region in the Ecuadorian Andes, Imbabura Province is an area whose crafts have become famous worldwide. The skill and business acumen of this area’s inhabitants – some 400,000 people – have been the basis for the development of this dynamic northern Ecuadorian region where artisans rise before the sun to engage […]

Discover fine handicrafts in Ecuador’s Azuay Province

By Alfonso Tandazo on Sep 20, 2016 in Ecuador, Regions, South America

Southern Ecuador’s Azuay Province is one of the most important and richest tourist areas in the country. Its capital, Cuenca — proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO — is a charming Andean city characterized by its red-tile roofs and narrow streets in which time seems to have stood still. The beauty and quality of […]

6 unforgettable honeymoon spots in the heart of South America

By Alfonso Tandazo on Aug 16, 2016 in Accommodation, Ecuador, Honeymoons, Hotels, Regions, South America, Speciality Travel

Your honeymoon is the chance for you and your soul mate to deepen your bond with each other as you begin your life together. To help you and your new spouse find the ultimate, most unforgettable experience for your postnuptial getaway, we have generated a short-list of six (6) of the most memorable, romantic and […]

Top 5 horseback riding experiences in Ecuador

By Alfonso Tandazo on Jul 19, 2016 in Adventure Travel, Ecuador, Leisure Travel, Regions, South America, Speciality Travel

An emerging travel destination, the highlands of Ecuador offer horseback riding for spirited travelers who seek special travel experiences – ones with magnificent colonial haciendas, jaw-dropping vistas, contact with authentic highland cowhands, and some of the gentlest horses you’ll ever find. Mounted on horseback, your journey will take you through pristine highland valleys surrounded by […]

Top 5 restaurants in Guayaquil, Ecuador

By Alfonso Tandazo on Jun 16, 2016 in Ecuador, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, South America, Travel Miscellany

A city is many things: its landscapes, its people, and their daily lives… But for many, a city is above all its flavors. A traveler knows that a culinary experience of a place can make the difference between a good memory and one that they’d rather forget. Guayaquil – the second largest city in Ecuador […]

Top 5 Galapagos diving sites

By Alfonso Tandazo on May 12, 2016 in Adventure Travel, Ecuador, Leisure Travel, Regions, South America, Speciality Travel

There are diving vacations… and there are diving vacations. And one of these special underwater adventures can be found in the legendary Galapagos Islands. In this archipelago, each dive promises extraordinary sightings, making it nothing short of a “must do once-in-a-lifetime experience” – whether you’re a beginning snorkeler swimming alongside playful sea lions or an […]

3 Ecuadorian journeys for the senses

By Alfonso Tandazo on Apr 20, 2016 in Ecuador, Regions, South America

If you’re a traveler looking for more than landmarks or monuments, keep in mind that each destination offers alternatives. There are journeys that provide surprising experiences, challenge the senses and invite you to understand a place more deeply. These are travels that bring you closer to the lives of their people, closer to their traditions, […]

5 of the most amazing train experiences in Ecuador

By Alfonso Tandazo on Mar 15, 2016 in Ecuador, Leisure Travel, Rail Travel, Regions, South America, Speciality Travel

Air travel is great – though you miss out on the countryside 30,000 feet below. Car trips in a foreign country are also fine – if you don’t mind spending hours cramped behind the wheel trying to figure your way through an unfamiliar environment. Crossing a country by train, though, is a way to get […]

3 great ‘community tourism’ experiences in Ecuador

By Alfonso Tandazo on Feb 18, 2016 in Ecuador, Regions, South America

Community tourism has been described as the difference between seeing and living, as exemplified in the two scenarios below: Scenario one: You arrive in a small Andean town on board a bus full of tourists, drive around, take shots of various landmarks, eat in a upscale restaurant, buy a few souvenirs, exchange a “buenos dias” […]

Top 7 luxury yachts sailing in the Galapagos Islands

By Alfonso Tandazo on Jan 14, 2016 in Cruises & Boat Travel, Ecuador, Regions, South America, Speciality Travel

It’s easy to see why the Galapagos Islands are on most savvy travelers’ “bucket-lists.” With the archipelago being one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, nothing can prepare you for a visit to this exotic masterpiece of Mother Nature. Some travelers prefer to experience this once-in-a-lifetime experience on a land-based “land-hopping” tour – eating, sleeping […]

6 of the best hotels in the Galapagos Islands

By Alfonso Tandazo on Dec 20, 2015 in Accommodation, Ecuador, Hotels, Regions, South America

Somewhere near the top of most people’s bucket list, the legendary Galapagos Islands is one of the most diverse and fantastic natural paradises on the planet. Formed more than five million years ago as a result of volcanic activity, the archipelago is the quintessence of nature in its most primitive and pure state. On its islands and […]

6 of the best hotels in Quito, Ecuador

By Alfonso Tandazo on Nov 24, 2015 in Accommodation, Ecuador, Hotels, Regions, South America

For the third year in a row, Quito has won the “Oscar” of the tourism awards. Competing in the World Travel Awards with other attractive destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Bogota, Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires, the Ecuadorian capital was declared the “Destination Leader of South America” for 2015. Having also been […]