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Vinak has long been a favorite destination of Lima families as it is the ideal place to get out of the city and enjoy the natural landscape at its best. There are endless miles of roads and tracks for fun and active trail hiking and riding on either the Peruvian Quarter Horses or the majestic Peruvian Paso (ponies are also available) or mountain bikes. Situated around a deep valley whose river runs to the Pacific Ocean, this area is replete with lush vegetation and fields of wildflowers await you each day as you ascend to the top of the hillside trails and breathe in the view for miles in all directions.

The area is exceptional for hiking and mountain biking and both are readily available. There is something for everyone.

Your lodge is well appointed with a an outside fire pit for evening storytelling, a tv room with video games and a good selection of movies, a welcoming Jacuzzi overlooking the valley and a chef that prepares mouth watering multi course meals each day. Dietary requirements are never a problem and special requests are welcomed.

This will be a trip the entire family can enjoy and create memories for a lifetime.

Your trip begins and ends in the Incan capitol city of Cusco. After a tour of the city, you will be taken by vehicle to the start of your trek in the outskirts of the village of Mollepata, a quaint village situated on top of a mountain. You will walk on roads and ancient Incan trails each day as you travel from private eco luxury lodge to lodge.

The trails range from mountain roads to narrow paths along ridges, the views all the while, incredible. During the walk you will pass through lush valleys, cross gurgling streams and pass between the peaks of Humantay and Salkantay mountains, the highest elevation on the walk rounding out at 15,000 feet. You’ll see Quechua villages, llamas, alpacas and if you look up, the mighty condor.

As you walk down out of the pass you enter a lush tropical forest that boasts over 100 types of orchids and you will welcome the shady trees that overhang your trail. Each night your accommodations are in private, well appointed luxury eco lodges. Each lodge was designed to blend into the surrounding area and features warm, comfortable beds with fluffy down comforters, a home prepared three course meal and a welcoming Jacuzzi under the stars. The staff are local Quechua people that live and farm the area and maintain the link to their ancient ancestral roots.

One of the areas of special interest is Waipiro Bay, which has for over thirty years, been one of the chief business centers of the east coast of New Zealand and the hub of the country’s administration and social activities. You will enjoy the atmosphere of the past as you wander through the old town and see both traces of European settlers as well as the local Maori.

Waking up in this lush area is refreshing each day and the views of Mount Hikurangi and the Raukumara Range are simply breathtaking. Your walk affords you the chance to really see all the different and best views of the North Island including the East Cape, the most eastern part of New Zealand. Additionally, add to your “bragging rights” the visit to the historic wharf at Tolaga Bay, the longest wharf in the southern hemisphere.

Bring your camera, a great sense of adventure and lace up your boots for a fun week.

Taking an internal flight, you will have spectacular views of the Rift Valley – Running from the north around Lake Turkana, it goes down through Kenya. The great Rift Valley features geographical elements unparalleled in most parts of the world. The countryside in this area is typical and is considered and referred to as the “bush”. It is wonderful for walking and seeing nature and wildlife closely.

Using camels to transport the luggage and equipment, the trail offers wonderful overlooks that give commanding views of the arid riverbanks. This area has been farmed and worked by local tribesmen for years and still remains some of the best scenery in Kenya and you will enjoy the lovely stories and folklore of the people.

Flying back to Nairobi, views of Kilamanjaro take your breath away as you make your way to the Tana Delta, one of Kenya’s most important wetlands and quite the contrast from the bush topography and vegetation. This trip offers the chance to see Kenya in all her splendor from the arid bush to the lush and welcoming coast and riverbeds. It is a trip unlike any other.

The region was inhabited by the Umbrians, a peaceable farming folk and later colonized by the Etruscans and Romans. In Perugia, the capital, there are numerous Romanesque churches, vivid fresco cycles and endless medieval nooks and crannies. This walk, unlike any other in Tuscany, offers you the chance to meet these local Umbrians and see what daily life is like for them.

Continuing on, Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, contains the Basilica di San Frencesco and is not to be missed. Each day, you will sustain your energy and enjoy the best cuisine and wine of the area: Barolo, Amarone, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and the beautiful Assisi red from Tili as well as many more . Tasting these wonderful wines over a lovely meal with the Sibillini mountain range in the distance truly makes time seem to stand still.

This is a remarkable itinerary that features the best of Tuscany and its countryside. You will be awed by the crater lake of Casteluccio and the surrounding views, enjoy the village of Spoleto, referred to as the most romantic village and well known as the loveliest of the Tuscan hill towns, and tour the Etruscan ruins in Orivieto. There is something for every interest on this wonderful walk.

It is a land older than Rome, inhabited by the Etruscans long before Rome’s foundation. Rich in history, the Romans conquered the Etruscans in the III and IV centuries B.C. but in the process, the Romans were bested by the Etruscans’ more advanced education.

You will be walking in this incredible area, a mix of pristine nature, diverse architecture and ancient archeology dating very far back into history. Each of the places you will visit on this walk is resounding marker of a different Age: starting with the Etruscans, moving to the Romans and then the Medieval, the Renaissance and Baroque time periods. Each of which is presented and discovered in its natural setting, each of them like an actor on the stage of the great play called History.

In 990 A.D. when Sigerico, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was walking from England to Rome in 79 days, along the ‘French Route’ (called also the ‘Pilgrims Route’), the very last leg of the journey is through Tuscia, just where you will be walking. The same route was taken by pilgrims from the early 1600s to the late 1800s by the ‘ Grand Tourists ‘, who came through Italy and the city of Rome to taste the flavor of Western Civilization. Notable among these pilgrims are: Goethe, the poets Shelley, Byron, Keats, Stendhal and even Mark Twain and Henry James.

Another highlight of the walk is the magnificent and impressive medieval Castle Orsini Odescalchi, founded in 1470 in Bracciano. It was built as a military fortress by Napoleone Orsini, and soon after was turned into a Renaissance residence. The Orsini family was very prominent and they were also related to the Medici family in Florence; in fact Lorenzo de’ Medici, called “Il Magnifico”, married Clotilde Orsini. The Castle was sold to Odescalchi family in1695, and it is still owned by them to this day.

So, welcome to the heart of Italy! Stroll through Italy’s sun-dappled countryside. Share special times with local Italian farmers as they prepare for the grape harvest. Be treated to their special wines, pressed olive oil, and fresh-baked breads. Hike through some of Europe’s best archeological areas. Visit such sites as Monterano, Barbarano and Bracciano. Spend time walking centuries old villages, visit Etruscan tombs and walk beneath Roman aqueducts. Bracciano’s history will delight you. And of course you’ll want to make sure you try some of the world’s best pastas. You’ll be treated to a feast of food, wine, beautiful countryside and ancient history hard to imagine.

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The region’s religious influence is still apparent in the pilgrimages to Croagh Patrick mountain, of which you too, will have a chance to climb. The West is a hearty area and has survived much. During the Great Famine, the West – especially County Mayo – suffered most from emigration, a trend that continues to this day. In spite of this, strong Gaelic traditions have survived and you will often hear people speaking Gaelic as their first language.

The town of Westport makes a wonderful base for exploring this area, with cozy pubs and access to the scenic islands. Nature lovers and historians will enjoy the variety of scenery, flora and fauna on Clare Island and in Connemara.

Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s holy mountain is named after the national saint and is one of Ireland’s best known landmarks. The mountain seems cone shaped but this is quickly dispelled as you climb to the summit with its flat peak. This quartzite mountain has a history of pagan worship since 3000 BC. However, in AD 441 St. Patrick is said to have spent 40 days on the mountain fasting and praying for the Irish. Since then, penitents, often barefoot, have made the pilgrimage to the summit in his honor.

Special highlights of this walk include a trip to Clare Island with its history stories of the famed pirate Grace O’Malley, resistant to the English rule until her death. As well, a walk through the Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey will prove to be very scenic and intriguing to walkers of all ages.

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In addition to its castles, chateaux, churches, Bastides and cave fortresses. Périgord has preserved from centuries past, a number of wonderful villages which still have their market hall, dovecotes, Tories (stone huts), church, abbey and castle (s). A number of the small towns you will see have withstood the often brash changes of modern times. A special mention should be made in this respect to Sarlat and you will have ample time to wander the streets and enjoy its renowned open air market with its fresh produce and breathtaking views.

The Dordogne’s quiet back roads, polite inhabitants, sublime scenery, quaint inns and fabulous food and vineyards make it one of the world’s great destinations.