Author Archives: Rick Vecchio

Rick Vecchio

Rick Vecchio, Fertur’s director of development and marketing, was educated at the New School for Social Research and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. He worked for Pacifica Radio WBAI and as a daily reporter for newspapers in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Then in 1996, he decided it was time to realize a life-long dream of traveling to Peru. He never went back.

While serving as Peru country manager for the South American Explorers from 1997-1999, he fell in love with Fertur’s founder, Siduith Ferrer, and they married. Over the next six years, he worked as a correspondent for The Associated Press. Meanwhile, Siduith built the business, which he joined in January 2007.

Now he designs custom educational and adventure tour packages for corporate and institutional clients, oversees Fertur’s Internet platform and occasionally leads special trips, always with an eye open for a good story to write about.

Where else besides Machu Picchu should Peru enlist the help of stars like Susan Sarandon?

By Rick Vecchio | Published: April 6, 2010
Susan Sarandon added a big dose of Hollywood sparkle last week to the reopening ceremony of Peru’s crown jewel, Machu Picchu. Peru would be well served to apply such Tinsel Town treatment to its other historic attractions. Against the iconic backdrop of Inca Pachacuti’s 15th century citadel, the Academy Award winning actress posed with Andean [...]
Posted in Archaeological Sites, Ayacucho, Chachapoyas, Huaraz, Kuelap, Machu Picchu, News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Peru’s INC says it will limit sale of Machu Picchu tickets when rail service resumes

By Rick Vecchio | Published: March 30, 2010
Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) said Monday it will ration the number of  entrance tickets to Peru’s most popular tourist destination to prevent the site from being swamped by visitors after it reopens on April 1, the Peruvian Times reported. News that the INC planned to limit the number of Machu Picchu entrance tickets [...]
Posted in Cusco, Destinations, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, News | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Limited train service to Machu Picchu set to resume today, but expect some wrinkles…

By Rick Vecchio | Published: March 29, 2010
The long-anticipated resumption of train service to Machu Picchu is set to start today— three days ahead of the official reopening of the Inca citadel after torrential rains in late January transformed the Vilcanota River into a raging torrent that ripped apart much of the rail line. Siduith and I traveled to Piscacucho on Saturday [...]
Posted in Cusco, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, News, Travel Tips | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Partial train service to Machu Picchu to be back on track March 29

By Rick Vecchio | Published: March 4, 2010
Train access to Machu Picchu that was cut off in late-January following torrential rain and landslides will be restored March 29 — three days ahead of schedule, the chief of railway concessionaire Ferrocarril Trasandino (Fetransa) said Thursday. Fetransa General Manager Rómulo Guidin told state-run news agency Andina that travelers would be able to reach the [...]
Posted in Cusco, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, News | 3 Comments

Inca sites ticket now ½ price to entice visitors back to Cusco while repairs to Machu Picchu routes continue

By Rick Vecchio | Published: February 10, 2010
Less than two weeks after torrential rains sparked floods and landslides that left thousands of people homeless and cut off access to Machu Picchu, Cusco officials hope to entice visitors back with half-price Tourist Tickets for entry into some of the most important museums, historical sites and archaeological complexes in and around the ancient Inca [...]
Posted in Bargain offer, Cusco, Destinations, Machu Picchu, News | Leave a comment

Peru government takes action to reopen old and new routes to Machu Picchu within 8 weeks

By Rick Vecchio | Published: February 2, 2010
Click Here to read Update on Reopening of Machu Picchu Peru’s minister of foreign commerce and tourism said Tuesday that the government is working on multiple fronts to re-open access to Machu Picchu within two months after flooding and landslides knocked out rail service to the country’s most popular tourist destination. “We expect that within [...]
Posted in Archaeological Sites, Cusco, Machu Picchu, News | Leave a comment

Peru president pledges to re-establish train to Machu Picchu within 2 months and help residents rebuild after flooding

By Rick Vecchio | Published: January 29, 2010
President Alan Garcia pledged the Peruvian government’s full support Friday to re-establish train service to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, after four days of torrential rain sparked massive flooding in the Sacred Valley and washed away sections of railroad track leading to Peru’s top tourist destination. “The government is going to guarantee whatever is [...]
Posted in Cusco, Machu Picchu, News | Leave a comment

Floods and damage in Cusco’s Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

By Rick Vecchio | Published: January 29, 2010
Dear friends: As you probably are aware, extreme weather this week has hit Peru very hard in the Cusco region, where torrential rain has caused widespread flooding, devastating several communities in the Sacred Valley and leaving travelers stranded at Machu Picchu. We at Fertur Peru Travel are committed to helping our friends and relatives who [...]
Posted in Cusco, Destinations, Machu Picchu, News | Leave a comment

Peru to develop Lima’s unsung archaeological ruins for tourism

By Rick Vecchio | Published: January 6, 2010
Plans are afoot to illuminate nine of Lima’s under-appreciated pre-Inca archaeological sites for tourists by the end of 2010, Peru’s minister of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (Mincetur) announced Wednesday. “The aim is to give value to a series of assets that the city of Lima owns, among them the temples, which are archaeological and have [...]
Posted in Archaeological Sites, Destinations, Lima, News, Restaurants | Leave a comment

Check out Fertur Peru Travel’s new video on kayaking and rafting in Peru

By Rick Vecchio | Published: November 26, 2009
Posted in Adventure Travel, Kayaking & Rafting | Leave a comment