Peru FAQ
Travel FAQ
Peru Testimonials
Cruise ship tour (Lima): We all enjoyed our day with our guide immensely. He spoke excellant English and was so very knowledgable. Our driver was also very good considering the city he was driving in. The program at Hacienda Mamconda was loads of fun with most of us even taking a turn riding the horses (after our Pisco Sours, of course). And the box lunches (earlier) made everyone who passed us in the patio area very jealous. It was much more than we could possibly eat. Thank you, thank you for all the work you put into this.
Cruise ship tour (Paracas): We had another wonderful day! Thank you so much for arranging it! The tour company was there waiting for us and we got an early start to the boats. The hotel where the boat dock is really wowed us with its beauty. And the guide for the islands was so full of information for us as we went around the islands. Our boat for the 18 was the perfect size for everyone to get a good view. This was definitely one of the highlights of the cruise.
The Paracas Peninsula tour was fascinating. I had no idea that coastal Peru was desert to the point of moonscape. We traveled over roads of salt and saw beautiful vistas of where the sand of the desert became the sand of the beach.
Barbara S
California USA
Cruise Ship Tours
December 2009
Our guide was one of the best parts of the trip. He was very well informed about Inca history, the trail itself and all of the plants that we saw along the way. I also loved hearing about typical, modern-day Peruvian life. Our whole team was amazing -- we definitely had the best campsites, all to ourselves, they were really inspirational. I can't say enough good things about our guide, the porters and the chef.
An extra-thank you to AWR staff for answering my millions of pre-trip questions! They were always very responsive and I liked getting the pre-trip emails. I have, and will continue to, recommend AWR to my friends and colleagues and would happily travel with them again. I was hesitant about using a tour company for the first time, as I usually plan everything myself, but the amount of guidance beforehand and on the actual trip was PERFECT! Especially, as I was traveling by myself, it was reassuring.
What did you like best? The trek. Even though it was harder than running a marathon, I really felt great pushing myself to my limit, and learning about other cultures from my guide and the others in my group. Of course, the scenery was incredible, every turn of the way!
Anne
New York USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
November 2009
I just wanted to send a quick thanks for all your hard work in putting together our trip. We had a very enjoyable time and it would not have been possible without our guide. He was wonderful and very patient with us.
Veneta
Canada
Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu and Maras/Moray
November 2009
Lake Titicaca and the floating isles--overnight on Taquille: Spectacular blue sky, and sunny days, too!!! The lodge itself was rustic and The views were BREATH-TAKING! With the switchback trail leading us there having quite an ascent. Every single home-made dish prepared by the daughter-n-law to the owner of the lodge was DELICIOUS!!!! Although we don't speak Spanish, with the help from our guide, it felt like we were understanding each other and laughing! The owner (elder gentleman), his son and daughter-n-law were all very sweet and accommodating and seemed to be very grateful to have us there . . . and we felt equally gratefu to them for all that they did for us! A very thrilling experience!
Barbara J
California USA
Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca
October 2009
I just wanted to let you know that everything about our honeymoon was way beyond our expectations! We really were happy with the choice we made in booking everything through Adventures Within Reach. Our guides, tours, hotels and everything else was simply fantastic! We especially appreciated the helpfulness and kindness of our guide in Cusco. We also have to commend our Sacred Valley tour guide on a wonderful day. He was very informative and also very funny!
We really enjoyed our overnight stay in Aguas Calientes after visiting Macchu Pichu. We were both very happy to be able to stay the night and experience a little more of that area before heading back to Cusco the next day. We really did enjoy the hustle and bustle of Cusco and the ability to walk everywhere! We didn't take a cab once on our trip! All our transfer agents were patient, kind and full of information. Again, every aspect of the trip was fantastic! Thanks again, and we look forward to booking through you again in the future!
Christy and Bryan
USA
Cusco and Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu
September 2009
I must say that the trip to Peru was absolutely fantastic. The accommodations were great and exceeded my expectations of "hostel." The guides were very helpful and very flexible, providing recommendations for our own adventures as well as the group itinerary in order to accommodate other activities/events which we were engaged in. They were highly knowledgeable and so very pleasant to be around. I felt that everything was very well organized and the drivers were more than prompt and helpful as well. Thank you so much for all of your help and work. I, an adventurer who is very leery of group expeditions, was beyond impressed with the insider experience your agency gave us. It was truly off the beaten path! I would without a doubt recommend your agency to anyone planning a trip in Peru.
Elizabeth (college group)
New Jersey USA
Inca Trail Express Trek, Lake Titicaca, Lima, Cusco Tours
July 2009
We booked our Inca Trail trek through Adventures Within Reach having been satisfied clients last year (2008) in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank the whole team in Peru. Both of us were bowled over by the professionalism and attitude of everyone involved. In particular I would like to single out our guide, who was catering for a range of abilities in the seven person group and he did an amazing job. He was full of ideas, possibilities and catered for and considered every client in a brilliantly professional way.
Our guide was supported by a first rate team of porters. The group was brilliant from start to finish and again I would like to single out the chef. Apparently, he is a seasoned campaigner and his experience as well as his supportive and happy demeanor really did him credit. I cannot sing his, and all the porters praises high enough. Many, many thanks for a making it a trip of a lifetime!
Martin and Andrea
Singapore
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Trek
August 2009
I did a lot of research before choosing a Machu Picchu trek outfitter and I am so glad I went with AWR. From the first email 10 months before our travel date until the day of the trip, they were amazing with every attention to detail and helpful with suggestions and advice along the way.
What did you like best? I liked the way the tour was organized. It was great to have a menu of items to choose from to personalize the itinerary the way we wanted to what best suited our needs and focus.
My personal highlights were getting to the top of Dead Woman's Pass. It seems surreal to me now that I even did it. It was the hardest thing my mind and body has been through to date. But it was also one of the most rewarding things I have done. It was so emotional reaching the summit nearly 15,000 ft. unbelievable and so beautiful. Also reaching the sungate passing through, and seeing all of Machu Picchu down below...words really can't describe it. The Andes are so amazing.
I will definitely use AWR for another travel adventure in the future and will also recommend you to friends and family 100%!
Sarita
New York USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Trek
July 2009
Thanks again for your help with planning our trip to Peru. We had a fabulous vacation. Everyone with the outfitter was extremely helpful and friendly. The agents in Lima and in Cusco were great help! Our tour guides along the way were informative and had great personalities. Machu Picchu was truly breathtaking and we had 2 beautiful days while we were there. The Amazon was quite the experience....especially the night walks! Our guide there was awesome! And the food at the lodge was fabulous and everyone there was very helpful. We especially enjoyed our afternoon lounging in the hammocks!
So we just wanted to thank you again for helping us plan this trip! It was an absolutely amazing trip and experience and a big part of that was all the planning you helped set up before we went and with the guides and folks we met along the way!
Erin
Wisconsin USA
Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu and the Amazon Rainforest
June 2009
AWR is a great company and both my trips (Africa 2005 and Peru 2009) were perfect. Their website is well laid out, easy to use.
Ian
Texas USA
Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu
May 2009
I just wanted to commend you for your service, and in particular your contacts on the ground in Cusco and at Machu Picchu. Our trip was fantastic and our organized transfer to Ollantaytambo was brilliant, in no small part to the efficiency of your agent in Cusco, our driver to Ollantaytambo, and our guide at Machu Picchu, who was terrific.
Dennis
Brisbane, Australia
Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu
April 2009
We will use your services again! The best experience was the Inca Train and climbing Wayna Picchu. Our favorite moment: When my daughter first saw Machu Piccu from the Inca trail she said "this is so beautiful, it can't be real".
Wes
Idaho, USA
Inca Trail Express Trek to Machu Picchu
November 2008
Adventures within Reach were very organized and helpful. They took all of our requests and packaged them nicely so that we had an enjoyable and worry free trip! The outfitter was very organized and helpful in all aspects. Felt very well taken care of at all points of the trip. Highlight of our trip would be Aguas Calientes and Machu Pichu.
Annalee
Canada
Train to Machu Picchu, Arequipa and the Colca Canyon
July 2008
We had an amazing experience and loved the trip, even with the curveballs (hotel). Thanksfully, the outfitter stepped up and straightened it out.
Paul
Connecticut, USA
Train to Machu Picchu, the Galapagos
June 2008
The guide we had for the Maras/Moray tour was amazing. She was so knowledgeable. She took us through the back country and we got to see people plowing with oxen. We stopped at a Chinchero. She even took us to a local's market and helped us play 4 sapo games as well as gave me a recipe for chicha. We also had a gourmet lunch under a cabana. River rafting was fun. Everything worked and the company was well organized. Our raft guide was great..
Linda
Colorado, USA
Train to Machu Picchu, Maras/Moray day tour, the Galapagos
June 2008
I just wanted to let AWR know that I had an AMAZING trip. I don't think the trip would have been so wonderful if it were not for the excellent services and organization of AWR.
Anna
New York, USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, May 2008
Everyone was friendly, on-time and very helpful! The buses that they provided were comfortable and clean!
One morning we woke to the sound of a harp. An old man had come to the camp in hopes of earning money. Our guide said that the man was too old to support his family in other ways, so he taught himself how to play the harp and plays it to anyone who he meets. It was a wonderful way to wake up in the morning at 12,500 feet in the Andes!
Jennifer
Ohio, USA
Quechua Trek and Inca Trail Express in July, 2007
Thank you for a memorable experience. I really enjoyed our trip. All the guides were friendly, entertaining and knowledgeable. Our drivers got us all wherever we were going safely. No one was lost or forgotten, although at times we were hard to herd away from the shops. The food was all very good.
Barb
Ohio, USA
Quechua Trek and Inca Trail Express in July, 2007
I really appreciated the opportunity to visit the Quechua villages along the way and to camp in their communities instead of crowded camp sites with dozens of other hikers. Meeting people along the way was the best part of the trip. Everyone was warm and friendly and made us feel welcome. The children in particular were lovely! They were as curious about us as we were about them. And, as with everyone else, they were welcoming. Everyone wanted to sing to us! A delight!
Our main guide, Wilfredo Huilco, was wonderful. He was patient with our slow pace and our endless questions. He looked for ways to make our trip even better. His passion for the land and for the people came through and really made the trip for us. The fact that he is an accomplished musician was a wonderful bonus! He made us feel that he was welcoming us into his home, a place he loves and wants to share with others. His knowledge of the Inca, the history of the Spanish conquest, of Hiram Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu and of more recent archeological discoveries and theories was most impressive. He was able to help us see and understand the past and the present and to share with us his dream of the future for Peru.
An image burned into my mind: We had just topped Inti Punku (the Sun gate), breathless and anxious for our first look at Machu Picchu...only to find it totally socked in with fog. Zero visibility. Our guide, Wilfredo, climbed upon the wall and pulled a flute from his backpack. There, framed in profile by a window in the stone, he sailed a clear, haunting melody down the mountain into the fog. Incredibly, as he played, the fog began to thin and pull back in shreds and finally to allow us our first glimpse of magnificent Machu Picchu.
Nancy Ball
Ohio, USA
Quechua Trek and Inca Trail Express in July, 2007
The best part about our travel was meeting the "locals" during our time on the trek, and having Wilfredo with us as our guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable about Peru, it's history, people and traditions and he was able to both educate and entertain us with his stories and commentaries. Having him on our trip is what made a wonderful trip into a truly extraordinary experience.
Suzanne
Ohio, USA
Quechua Trek and Inca Trail Express in July, 2007
The outfitter did a good job organizing all the logistics well. Special thanks to Wilfredo (our main guide) who did an outstanding job beginning to the end. Also,Juan (assistant guide for the trek) did a nice job making sure all the logistical elements were synchronized perfectly. Thanks to AWR for making our vacation a success!
Sam
Ohio, USA
Quechua Trek and Inca Trail Express in July, 2007
Thank you so much for organizing our recent trip to Peru. The trip was fantastic! Explorandes handled everything perfectly. We didn't have to worry about any of the details, because they took care of everything and told us what to do when needed. The customized trek that we took was above and beyond my wildest dreams. As we hiked across the Andes mountains, we met native Quechua people. We did not see any other hikers. Quechua children sang for us along the trail, which was a real treat. We visited schools in two villages, and spent the night in a Quechua village. The food on the trek was fantastic!!!!! We all wanted to take the cooks home with us. Our main guide, Wilfredo Huillca, was exceptional! He was extremely knowledgeable, and his English was very easy to understand. He always had a smile on his face, and he was very patient with our slow pace.
On the first day of our trek a group of Quechua children saw us coming on the trail, so they waited for us. They were curious about us. Our guides asked them to sing for us. They sang a few songs. It was very special.
Kimberly
Ohio, USA
Quechua Trek and Inca Trail Express in July, 2007
Our cook was great!! The porters brought us basins of hot water to "freshen up" every evening after we arrived in camp and every morning as soon as we popped our heads out of our tents. Were they ever attentive! Narciso, our guide, was great identifying all the different flowers and plants along the way. Sometimes he would walk along with us, sometimes he gave the 3 of us some "space" to walk alone together. He introduced us to people along the way and showed us how the locals lived. He never hurried us along. He set a good walking pace.
Diane and Dave
Maryland, USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in May, 2007
Our guide for the trek was Elkin; he was absolutely fantastic. He and the crew made the trip! He set a pace that worked for us. But he always kept us moving so that we made our lunch spot and camp on time. His knowledge of Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Inca trail and the Inca civilization was astounding! He seemed to know just when to stop and give us a little "fun fact." We started on the trail with a guide and left the trail with a friend! We always felt safe, cared for, and comfortable.
The porters and crew were fantastic. It is hard to image, even after watching them, how they transport all of the gear and provisions along the same trail that we are barely ascending! It was humbling!
Personally, I thought the “goal” was Machu Picchu and I did not realize how much I would enjoy the Inca trail. Elkin (plus being with Nancy and Tim) made the Inca Trail fun. Our motto was, "Look up, my friends look up!" Elkin said this several times on the first day because we were, of course, looking at the stones on the trail and trying not to trip!
AWR’s information was very helpful. Your timely responses were appreciated. Thanks to AWR for having this great service! We loved our trip and believe that it is an adventure of a lifetime.
We feel so fortunate to have connected with Adventures Within Reach and Explorandes. (We loved their "private" camp at Km88.). We have heard stories from others about their experiences and they don't even compare to ours......It was a truly phenomenal experience.
Brenda
Colorado, USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in June, 2007
Our cook was great!! The porters brought us basins of hot water to "freshen up" every evening after we arrived in camp and every morning as soon as we popped our heads out of our tents. Were they ever attentive! Narciso, our guide, was great identifying all the different flowers and plants along the way. Sometimes he would walk along with us, sometimes he gave the 3 of us some "space" to walk alone together. He introduced us to people along the way and showed us how the locals lived. He never hurried us along. He set a good walking pace.
Diane and Dave
Maryland, USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in May, 2007
There were six other hikers in our group on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek. The guide, Harry, was excellent. We had good interaction with the porters also. On the last day of the Inca Trail, we got to the sun gate at 4:30 p.m. after crowds left; it was really neat. We went back to Machu Picchu early the next morning for the tour, before crowds came. Great!
The day hike to Huchuy Qosqo was a good warm up for the trek! This hike gets to 14,000 feet. The guide was Rueben--wonderful guide! I had the city ticket for entry into 16 attractions, museums, and churches. It was great and I did most of them!
John
California,
USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in May, 2007
Our trekking guide, Narciso, was very concerned about the environment and about historic preservation. He made a point of picking up every bit of trash that previous trekkers had carelessly left along the trail. He also encouraged the local children at Llactapata to look after the ruins that were near their homes. He was also very generous, sharing his lunch or fruit with local people along the trail and sharing a great wealth of knowledge with us.
The transfer agent in Lima was a lifesaver. When our plane from Miami arrived two hours late and we missed the flight to Juliaca, he had already checked into options (all other flights to Juliaca for the next two days were booked full) and had a plan to get us on our way.
Eugene, USA
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in May, 2007