If climbing Machu Picchu is on your bucket list, get ready to cross it off — sort of. Thanks to a new collaboration between virtual reality giant Jaunt and adventure travel company Mountain Travel Sobek, you’ll be able to virtually climb one of the New7Wonders of the World, all without breaking a sweat. The series of high-quality VR travel films will be made available only on the Jaunt VR app, which you can download on Google Play, iTunes, and GearVR.
The first video in the series brings you from Cusco to Machu Picchu on the heels of MTS guide Ian Lewis, who has been leading trips in Peru for over two decades. This is no ordinary VR experience — here, you’ll be learning directly from an expert (Lewis was raised in the foothills of the Andes) while getting as close as you can (digitally) to the Incan masterpiece.
“Capturing the breathtaking beauty of the natural world and sharing the most iconic destinations on Earth is what all of our guides at MTS live for,” said Kevin Callaghan, President and CEO of Mountain Travel Sobek. “Collaborating with Jaunt to bring these experiences to audiences worldwide through virtual reality is the beginning of a new chapter for our company and there is much more to come.”
This first segment will be followed by many more VR adventures, and the teams at Jaunt and MTS note that eager audiences will be able to further discover new adventures through the app in the near future.
“Virtual reality is giving rise to a new era of exploration by digitally preserving the world’s natural wonders and the cultural artifacts of our civilization in virtual reality — and making them available to everyone,” said Cliff Plumer, President of Jaunt Studios. “Mountain Travel Sobek offers adventures around the world and is a natural partner to create virtual reality experiences for consumers. Their staff and local guides offer unique knowledge and expertise on the adventures. Now anyone can teleport to the world’s most amazing locations and experience different cultures.”
