Galápagos Ecuador entre los 20 sitios más bellos del patrimonio de la humanidad para visitar.

CNN Travel — ¿Has escuchado acerca de los dos hombres que recientemente contrataron unas vacaciones de dos años con un valor de un millón 500,000 dólares? Estos son algunos de los lugares que conocerán.

La página web VeryFirstTo.com dio a conocer su lujoso viaje en marzo: una expedición a los 962 sitios declarados como patrimonio de la humanidad por la Unesco. Y el viaje fue catalogado como las vacaciones más caras del mundo.

Dos hombres se han inscrito: un estudiante chino y un empresario italiano, según un informe.

Sus vacaciones los llevarán por deslumbrantes ecosistemas submarinos, a las ruinas de civilizaciones antiguas, a paisajes naturales de otro mundo y a las obras más modernas de la arquitectura.

Cada año, alrededor de 25 lugares considerados como poseedores de "valor universal excepcional" son inscritos en la lista y no pudimos evitar elegir algunos de nuestros favoritos.

Hemos reunido 20 sitios que estaríamos deseosos por visitar si estuvieramos inscritos en el viaje:

QUITO´S NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

As scheduled on Wednesday, February 20^th Quito´s new Airport located in Tababela, Quito´s north east suburb will start its operation.  A modern terminal, equipped with a runway length of 4,100 meters (1,000 feet longer than the current, which makes it one of the longest in Latin America.

-New Airport Opening

Quitos´ current airport will be closed on Tuesday February 19^th at 19h00, on Wednesday February 20^th the new airport will start its operations at 9:00AM.  This logistic has been planned for months, some international airlines are changing schedules or cancelling flights only between the 19^th and 20^th.   Wednesday 20^th is M/Y Coral I & II operation, as scheduled we will be operating on Aerogal´s flight 2k030 flying to San Cristobal departing at 10:10AM, once the airport is already open, guests will be departing from Quito´s main hotels around 6:30 am at the latest.

-How to get there:

The estimated time from hotels´ area to the Airport is 1 hour 15 minutes for early in the morning or night flights, during peak hours it will take up to 2 hours.  There are 2 ways to get to the airport:

*Vía Interoceánica; it is the shortest one, about 24km, this will be the one used for our transportation.

 *E35; It has less traffic, but the distance is around 46km

*Ruta Collas and Ruta Viva will be the best routes to get to the Airport, they are under construction and will be ready by the mid 2014.

In case you have special operation for passengers coming from Otavalo or Cotopaxi straight to the Airport they will keep using the same highways “El Quinche” and E35, both have improvement works therefore expect delays, it could take more than 2 hours.

-Where to stay:

The best alternative will be keep using the current hotels located in the north – commercial area, they have easy access connecting to “via Interoceanica”. Although there are a small number of hostels located in Tumbaco and Puembo closely new Airport with basic facilities and distance of about 30 minutes to the Airport

-Transportation to new Airport

Kleintours will keep providing the complimentary shuttle service for our guests traveling on board M/V Galapagos Legend, M/Y Coral I & II on our schedule departures, from Quito´s main hotels to the airport on Aerogal´s flights which remain the same.

New private transfers rates are available under request, US$ 42 gross per person for one couple  or US$ 10 gross per person for groups over 26 guests.  Bellow you will find Aerogal´s flights timetable and pick up hours the shuttle service, any changes will be notified by phone directly to the guest by a Kleintours´ representative the day before shuttle´s pick up.

-Airfare´s Adjustment

At the moment all airlines have made increases on their taxes due to the operation of the new Airport, any costs´ adjustment will be automatically included and invoiced on new tickets, local and international routes, scheduled to flight from February 20^th.  

Kleintours´ Galapagos airfares have not been affected based on Aerogal – Avianca latest communication, if further taxes will be involved a formal notification and support will be notified.

KARANKI MAGDALENA COMMUNITY

National Geographic recognition in their book "Journeys of a lifetime 2013"- "Get to know the Locals"

AIMS OF OUR PROJECT

The Karanki Magdalena community project, promotes cross-cultural experiences with travelers from around the globe.  At Magdalena, a rural highland village home to the Karanki culture, Kleintours has set up another interactive tourism experience, where guests may participate in local everyday activities, outdoor excursions or stay overnight in family homes, an innovative combination of comfort and authentic living.

In this social project 23 families are directly benefited with the arrival of tourists to this unknown community with hidden treasures.

- 7 families providing accommodation for 33 people divided into 7 houses
- 6 families for the women embroiderers who show their culture and sell their products to tourists.
- 8 families who rent their horses to the activities taken place in the community
- 2 families responsible for grounds, maintenance, street cleaning and community setting

Karanki Magdalena Community also receives the support of foreign tour operators and foundations contributing to projects such as; implementation of a medical center that provides dental services, gynecology, medical attention and vaccination campaigns.  Medical brigades provided by the Ministry of Health of Ecuador arriving every 8 days with specialized doctors.
There are also many tourists who offer financial donations, school supplies and books for the School.

Another way in which the community benefit was in a study and analysis of water quality that had the community, since it was of very poor quality and unfit for human consumption thanks to these studies MIDUVI “Ecuadorian Ministry of Human Development and Housing” support us to change the entire network of water pipes and the water filtration tanks are enhanced with cutting edge technology to provide a lifeblood of quality.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT:

-Boost the economy of the community with the economic benefits of tourism.
-Besides improving the quality of life of the people involved in providing tourism with more income, tourists have the opportunity to learn a new culture, food, lifestyle of the host families.
-This project is funded directly from the arrival of tourists and social contribution kleinturs conducted for the development and execution of this social project.
-Besides the contribution was made families build their home and are currently working with its commitment to maintain the facilities and equipment in good condition.

Five local homes were initially built in with the community members and Kleintours funds, including comfortable rooms for 20 guests, private facilities, well equipped to provide exquisite meals prepared with the crops of the land. By the end of 2012 inaugurated new accommodations with six private houses with a total capacity of 33 guests.   Along with lodging, gastronomy and cultural connections, excursions including biking, hiking and horseback riding have been developed with the community in the nearby mountains, hidden treasures such as Cubilche mount and Cunrro hill.

Karanki Magdalena community are now socially responsible and committed to their environment, in constant search of opportunities to contribute to the protection of their people and nature, developing their own social programs with a deep understanding of its culture creating jobs and developing tourism, establishment of small arts and crafts ventures in precarious communities with a positive sense of identity and wellbeing.

This project is a project that combines the increase of incomes of the community along with tourism and rescues the Karanki Magdalena culture and make known to the world the importance of this culture within Ecuador, its past, present and future and all works done to the contribution to the development of the area and the country.
This project have tourists and families involved into their homes to share their cultures and tourists can participate in daily activities that take place within their lives, such as grazing their animals, planting, harvesting products such as potatoes, corn, quinoa, etc.

BEST PRACTICE ON ALL LEVELS

The community has been working with kleintours together on environmental plans  for conservation  installing at 50 landfills improving the garbage collection not it is orderly and more effective.
About 5000 trees were planted native varieties such as alder, pumamaqui, acacia among the most important.

It also was equipped with 30 families of measles (plastic to protect crops), vegetable seeds, fruit and an agricultural technical assistance to guide and teach people how to start their own organic garden to provide families and tourists free food chemicals, in addition to undertaking a family to leave the city to market these products in different markets q develop in the city.

This project contributes not only financially to the community creating jobs and developing tourism but also revalorizing the communities´ assets, their culture, traditions, food and beliefs by offering a different and worthy cross-cultural experience to tourist.

National Geographic´s new book published on fall 2012; World’s Best Travel Experiences: 400 Extraordinary Places, proudly includes Karanki Magdalena community as the 2nd destination in their category “Get to know the Locals”.

Las Islas Galápagos ganan el galardón World Travel Awards 2012 como el mejor destino verde de Suramérica.

Quito, 01 oct (Andes).- las Islas Galápagos ganaron el premio como mejor destino “verde en Suramérica en los World Travel Awards (WTA) 2012, considerados como los premios Oscar del turismo.

Las Islas Galápagos, declaradas en 1979 Patrimonio Nacional de la Humanidad por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (Unesco) , fueron nominadas al importante galardón internacional junto a Bahía (Brasil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Perú), Machu Picchu (Perú), Santiago (Chile), Sao Paulo (Brasil)

Los WTA son una premiación con 19 años de trayectoria que reconoce y celebra la excelencia en todos los sectores de la industria turística y de los viajes alrededor del mundo. Este certamen es liderado por el diario estadounidense  The Wall Street Journal. En el 2011, el galardón se lo llevó la ciudad brasileña de Río de Janeiro.

El 8 de septiembre de 1978, el Comité de Patrimonios de la Unesco, suscribió el documento en el que se inscribe a las Islas Galápagos, como el primer Patrimonio Natural de la Humanidad.

La belleza natural de las islas, la diversidad y singularidad de especies que alberga, su origen volcánico, su dinámica geológica con permanentes cambios y variedad de formaciones, el ser considerado un laboratorio vivo de procesos evolutivos aún en marcha, sumado a que dio cabida para el desarrollo de un gran número de especies tanto animales como vegetales que no existen en ningún otro lugar del mundo, convierten a Galápagos en un sitio de importancia mundial para la herencia común de la humanidad.

Para más información: http://andes.info.ec/turismo/7116.html

by Positive World Travel

M/Y Coral II Dry Dock

During last May, our deluxe yacht M/Y Coral II had her scheduled dry dock. The following works have been done that will improve guest´s experience in the Galapagos Islands:

• General maintenance of the yacht in outer and inner areas; hull, propellers, shafts and the ship's steering keeping our extra safety and operational conditions.
• Improvement on propulsion with an increase of speed in 2 knots, complying even better with the scheduled itineraries especially in long voyages.
• Maintenance of equipments; power generation, air conditioning, navigation, hydraulics and safety systems. Ensuring the good operation of the yacht for the next two years.
• Hospitality improvements; wood maintenance, change of carpets, tapestry, curtains, portholes with UV protection, new ceiling, kitchen´s equipment and buffet station.
• New berths on each cabin and adding an extra bed for a child on cabin #6 making the first triple cabin on board M/Y Coral II, new pillows and lin.
• New Audio & Video System in cabins where guests can check their itineraries, consumptions on board, music and documentaries.

Lonesome George, last-of-its-kind Galapagos tortoise, dies

Lonesome George was believed to be the last living member of the Pinta island subspecies and had become an icon in the Galapagos Islands at Charles Darwin's Research Station, Santa Cruz Island.
Various mates had been provided for Lonesome George after he was found in 1972 in what proved unsuccessful attempts to keep his subspecies alive. Attempts were initially made to mate Lonesome George with two female tortoises from Wolf Volcano but the eggs they produced were infertile. Another try with two females from Spanish island's tortoise population, the species most closely related to Pinta tortoises, were placed with him last year without success.

The tortoise's age was not known but scientists believed he was about 100, not especially old for giant tortoises, who can live well over a century. Unfortunately he was found dead in the morning of Sunday June 24, 2012, The Galapagos National park verified that the cause of his death is natural cause due to his age. The Galapagos' giant tortoise population was decimated after the arrival of humans but a recovery program run by the park and the Charles Darwin Foundation has increased the overall population from 3,000 in 1974 to 20,000 currently.

Inti Raymi

The Inti Raymi "Festival of the Sun" was a religious ceremony of the Inca´s Empire in honor of the God sun, it is one of the most important ancestral celebrations of the Andean indigenous communities. Several events took place in different towns starting on June 21st. Inti Raymi is still celebrated in indigenous cultures throughout Ecuador´s Highlands. Celebrations involve music, colorful costumes (aya huma mask), the sharing of food based in corn and drinking "chicha" a strong alcoholic beverage. Our indigenous communities will go to rivers and waterfalls for their communitarian ritual allowing the spiritual purification and connection with Mother Nature.

Particularly on the Northern Andes in the colorfull community of Peguche, our local partner, the folkloric restaurant "Sumak Micuy" was the hostess "prioste" of this important event this year. This small community still keeps traditions such as the "trueque" the exchange of products or animals without any currency. Their special celebration took place from Saturday June 30 to Tuesday July 3rd with daily celebrations, food, music and fireworks "castillos & vacas locas" sponsored by Kleintours to the community.

What's going on in Galapagos during July?

• Nesting season for blue-footed boobies, American oystercatchers, waved albatross, and flightless cormorants.
• Start of sea lion breeding season.
• Lava lizards mating season.
• Weather: July and August are the months with strongest winds.