UJ #9 - Adventure in Peru

INTERVIEW
Above and below:
The River Araza,
in the district of
Camanti, is where
Mario spends
much of his time.
You have always been involved in the world
of tourism and adventure tourism in particular.
Tell us about your experiences.
I started working in adventure tourism at the end of
the nineteen seventies. More precisely, between 1976
and 1977. But I had been used to adventure for many
years previously; I had been to the Colca Canyon,
Puno and Cusco, tourist destinations associated with
adventure, together with other Peruvians and foreigners
at the start of this activity. I first went to Cusco
when I was 13 years old and the first time I took the
Inca Trail was in 1972; there were no other walkers
except me on the trail and it was an unbeatable experience.
When did your interest in adventure and nature
become your livelihood?
At the end of the nineteen seventies I began to organise
trips with a group of friends who were starting
out in the tourism business; and little by little I
became involved. I joined up with Hugo Pepper to
form a company called Expediciones Manu, the first
to organise trips to the Manu National Park. It was a
true adventure in those days; we took mainly English,
American and German tourists; the two of us organised
everything: guides, camping, etc...
How did you get the idea to operate in Manu National
Park when nobody knew about it?
Hugo went there and was so impressed he insisted
that I go to see the place as well. We were astonished
and decided that we had to organise trips there.