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April 15, 2010
Update on Peru and Machu Picchu
As many of you have probably heard, mudslides caused by torrential rains in the Peruvian Andes closed access to Machu Picchu in late January by damaging sections of the railroad tracks that provide the only access to the base of the site. However, I’m happy to report that Machu Picchu is now open to travelers—and OAT travelers were among the first to arrive at the ruins!
Fortunately, the site of Machu Picchu itself was not damaged by January’s rains … and the spectacular ruins of this mysterious Inca city remain intact for you to discover. The only change for OAT travelers is that the location for boarding the train has moved. From April through June, instead of boarding at the train station in Ollantaytambo, OAT travelers will ride a shuttle bus provided by the train company from that station to Piscacucho and continue to Machu Picchu by train from that point.
And that’s not the only good news for Peru: Grand Circle Foundation’s efforts to raise $20,000 to support the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the Sacred Valley mudslides continues. Two families who have welcomed OAT travelers into their homes for home-hosted dinners for the past five years lost their houses in the disaster. The money raised will help to rebuild both homes so that these families are able to move out of their government-supplied tents and into real homes again.
The Foundation expects to begin rebuilding in early spring after the heavy seasonal rains have stopped in the region. When weather allows, a community service team of OAT’s Cusco associates, Trip Leaders, and area vendors will donate their time to aid in the rebuilding effort.
You can learn more about Grand Circle Foundation’s efforts to help these families affected by the mudslides—or sign up for monthly e-newsletters to receive updates on their progress in Peru—by visiting the Foundation website.
Harriet Lewis