South American Explorers has always had a special relationship with Peru as its first Clubhouse was founded in Breña in 1977, and has had a permanent presence in Lima ever since. As you can imagine, given the history of Peru during that time, it has been a roller-coaster ride! The late 80s and early 90s were particularly hard as we had to cope with terrorism, hyperinflation, shortages and an almost total absence of tourism.
Our non-profit organization was founded by US photojournalist, Don Montague and was the first to use the idea of responsible tourism as a means of improving South America's environmental, economic, and social problems. This is still our mission statement today whereby tourism is seen as a vital medium for fostering greater awareness of the Continent, diffusing information and promoting cross-cultural interaction.
Obviously, this is a very broad remit, and we have various ways in which we try to achieve that. Principal amongst them is our membership: we have some 4,000 members worldwide, who for their standard $50 annual fee, receive a number of benefits, including access to the 4 clubhouses (Lima, Cusco, Quito and Buenos Aires), our quarterly magazine, discounts on hundreds of hotels, restaurants and travel agencies and Internet access to a large database of advice on trip planning and volunteering at www.saexplorers.org. In general, we aim to give visitors to Peru, and South America in general, as much independent information as possible so that they can enjoy it to its fullest and give something back to the communities they travel through. I'm happy to say that there are still 'explorers' using our services: one member is looking for undiscovered Inca ruins; another is prospecting for gold; and another is researching an 'unrecorded' tribal language from the Amazon region. By contrast, 2 recent members shipped their RV from the USA and drove it from West coast to East – no less adventurous, I would say, given the standard of driving and the lack of secure parking!
I ought to say a little more about the Lima Clubhouse as that is where I live and work. We inhabit a large, 50-year-old house in Miraflores, having moved from Central Lima 4 years ago, to follow our clientele. Here we have a reference library, book exchange, volunteer resource centre and TV room, as well as countless maps and guidebooks for referral or purchase. We also have evening events such as: Tai Chi and Yoga classes; talks on Archeology, Anthropology, NGOs, Earthquake Safety, and tourist destinations in Peru; or the occasional barbecue, such as on US Independence Day or during Carnaval. The house needs to be large as we also offer storage to our members. Current unusual items include a set of skis, 3 motorbikes, and a pair of pink Barbie walkie-talkies!
That is just a flavour of what we have to offer: I've been here over a year now and I am still uncovering new resources, contacts and information, and I'm just starting to realize that to understand the whole of Peru is a lifetime's work. Luckily, very rewarding work!
To celebrate our 30 years of existence this October, we are delighted to offer ACAP Magazine readers a 'locals' rate ($30) if you join at the Lima or Cusco clubhouses. Just show us a copy of this Magazine to qualify. Even if you don't join, make sure you come and visit us at C/Piura 135, Miraflores,
Tel: 01 445 3306. E-mail: limaclub@saexplorers.org
