Flying Longhorns Take Killer Trip To South America (Photos)

By Lynn Freehill in Blog, Travel, TXEX on December 30, 2010 at 1:54 pm | 3 Comments

Even the most seasoned travelers among us have been amazed to see what the Flying Longhorns experienced on their recent trip to Peru, Ecuador, and the Galápagos Islands.

Texas Exes travel director Jere Davis hosted this trip herself, and the stories she’s come back with spark definite envy. Consider these highlights:

*Snorkeling and hiking mountains near daily.

*Staying in the normally $1,300/night Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, where candles light the hallways at night and some 50 varieties of orchids grow in the hummingbird-filled gardens.

*Seeing a demonstration of weaving alpaca fur into yarn at a weaving collective in an Andean village.

*Cruising the Galápagos on a cozy ship that held only the Flying Longhorns group, sampling seven of the 13 islands.

*Watching fur seals, sea lions, marine iguanas, and countless more species up close on the islands. (The animals were “mind-bendingly” people-friendly, Davis says — a warbler even landed on her foot.)

*Eating exotic food, from custard apple and passionfruit to some of Peru’s more than 2,500 varieties of potato. They tried fabulous shrimp ceviche, some of which included the surprisingly excellent ingredient of popped popcorn. They even sampled guinea pig during a festive lunch prepared by three local families in Peru. “We had food you just wanted to cry over, it was so good,” Davis says.

*And of course, surveying the incomparable Machu Picchu. 

“Everyone’s seen pictures, but there’s no way to describe the feeling of stepping out and seeing this vista,” Davis says. “The mountains around it go on to the horizon. It’s 1,500 feet down to this raging river that looks like a silver thread far below. To stand in a place where you know the last Incan king lived — wow. It’s just mind-blowing.”

Don’t just take Davis’ word for it, though — check out these amazing wildlife and scenery photos taken by traveler Phil Lewis.

Want to grab one of the last one to two spots left on the next Peru-Ecuador-Galápagos trip going in March, or on another upcoming Flying Longhorns jaunt? Here’s the link to itineraries. Happy trails!