I am reborn! Simply the best holiday
I have ever been on
Reviewed 4 Sep 2008 by Steve Pullinger
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your
holiday?
Difficult one this, because our three weeks in Peru were
packed with such a wide range of experiences in diverse
environments. You catch you breath when the Condors float
effortlessly past you in the Colca Canyon. You cannot quite
believe how close you are to the Caiman and the Giant Otters
fishing in the early morning sun on a Manu lake nor does
any photo prepare you for the excitement of watching a Jaguar
search for its breakfast on the bank of the river. Cities,
towns, villages and countryside alike offer so much of cultural
interest and so much physical beauty that at times you feel
overwhelmed by the richness of it all. The scale and beauty
of the Andes is awesome and you realize that it can only
be for this reason that the Inca's managed to keep both
the trail and the city secret from the Spanish as you explore
a small part of them on the four day trek to Machu picchu.
When you get there you cannot quite believe how much of
this lost city has survived. However much you have read
or however many photos you have seen nothing prepares you
for the thrill of the real thing.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this
holiday?
Do try to be fit enough to get to Machu picchu via the Inca
trail and to spend a day or two on mountain bikes (we cycled
from Chinchero via Moray and Maras to Tarabamba and would
recommend it). Do not try to do the high altitude physically
demanding stuff too early on in the trip, even if you do
not get altitude sickness it takes a while to get used to
less oxygen. If you are pushed for time, spend as little
of it as possible in Lima - it is interesting and there
is much to do but we found the necessary day at each end
of the trip plenty to get a feel for the place.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people,
and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes is the short answer to the first part of this question,
it was clear from the start that our agent had given this
careful thought. As for impact on the environment, even
if you mitigate it by carbon off-setting there is no getting
away from the fact that you will almost certainly have to
fly to South America. We compounded this sin with some internal
flying (not just the 30 minutes over the Nazca Lines) which
is a temptation given the scale of Peru, limited time and
the astonishing views.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
From the gushing above, it is clear that I feel it was a
5 star holiday. Everything was brilliantly organized. The
accommodation - be it hotel, hostel, cabin or tent was clean
and comfortable and transport was safe and comfortable.
Our guides were well informed friendly and enthusiastic
and all the Peruvians we met (not just the professionals
with whom we were interacting) were charming, helpful and
welcoming.
I am reborn! Simply the best holiday
I have ever been on
Reviewed 21 Jun 2007 by Kirstine Wilson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your
holiday?
Too many to mention as Peru gave us so many unique experiences.
But if you have to pin us down I would say, seeing the sunrise
at the Temple of the Sun, Machu Picchu, staying with a local
family on the Island of Amantani, Lake Titicaca, sharing
their food and dressing up in folkloric costume for an evening
of dancing and Cusquena cerveza, Climbing the terraces to
wonder at the magnificent ruins and relaxing in the Plaza
des Armas with delicious pancakes and joyful children at
Ollantaytambo
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this
holiday?
Don't take too many clothes. There are plenty of laundry
facilities in the larger cities and hotels that will do
3 hour laundry service. Better to save space for all the
Alpaca hats, gloves, socks etc that you will end up buying!
There are ATMs all over the place, often in restaurant lobbies
or shops so getting money is never a problem. We found that
using Visa and Mastercard, we were charged 10 soles but
for using Maestro (ordinary debit card) we weren't charged.
We took no UK money or travellers cheques at all but had
some dollars for emergencies which are also widely accepted
across Peru. We found that 100 soles per day (less than
£20) was easily enough for everything we needed (food, drinks,
small souvenirs, taxis).
Get the biggest memory card for your camera that you can,
or a selection of smaller ones and download to CD while
you are in Peru. It only costs approx 6 soles (£1) to download
all your pictures to CD (approx 700 MB per CD). Make sure
you save some money back for the airport taxes. They quote
in Dollars but you can pay in Soles too. It was approx $7
US to travel internally from Cusco to Lima and approx $30
each to go from Lima to the UK.
If spending time in Cusco, get a visitor ticket (70 soles)
which allows you to visit local ruins at Saksayhuman, Qenko,
Tambomochay (we booked a half day trip with Andean explorers
, Av Triumfo for $7 US per person). Also allows access to
Pisac, Tipon and Ollantaytambo. Does not include entry to
Cusco Cathedral or the Temple of Coricancha. Includes entry
to some of the museums in Cusco but note that most are closed
on a Sunday.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people,
and minimized impacts on the environment?
I feel that we supported local people through purchase of
local handmade goods rather than purchasing factory produced
items. We also ensured that we gave tips wherever we ate
or drank (10%) and when our bags were carried (a couple
of soles) and that both our drivers and guides were given
reasonable tips following any tours that we went on.
We tried to buy large bottles of water and fill up smaller
bottles from these for taking out on day trips. But invariably
we needed to purchase more drinks whilst travelling and
it was quite difficult not to purchase plastic bottles.
While on the island we took pencils, paper and a head torch
and batteries for our host family which seemed to be well
accepted. We learnt later on that perhaps we should have
taken fruit as this is in short supply.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
An amazing experience and a real eye opener. Peru has such
a wide variety of climates and breathtaking landscapes and
the Inca sites and history are fascinating. The poverty
and housing conditions are quite a culture shock when you
first arrive but all the positive aspects of the people,
their easy going attitude and their kindness had much more
of an impact overall.
Very enjoyable. Amazon &
Peru tailormade holiday.
Reviewed 16 Sep 2008 by Helen Hooper
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your
holiday?
3 things: a. Completing the Macchu Picchu trek with our
two kids (9 & 11yrs) still talking to us! A really worthwhile
4 days. Inca ruins seen in full splendour--backdrop of steep
mountains fully clothed in sub-tropical vegetation, with
low clouds and brilliant blue sky to aid my, otherwise dubious,
camera skills. Lots of physical exertion and early morning
starts that gave the feel of a 'real' expedition. Only downside
was arriving to find MP filling with hundreds of goretex-clad
tourists up on the first buses from Aguas Calientes. You
can appreciate the splendour of the place by looking at
promotional photos before you leave the UK--I just wanted
to get out of there.
b. Eating in San Miguel market in Lima. Saved this delight
till end of holiday as hygienic food prep is not a speciality
of Peruvian markets. 3course vegetarian meal for 4 soles
(80p)--we shared 2 between 4 as they were huge portions.
Unlike the tourist trail restaurant fayre where, for what
reason I cannot fathom, chillies, spices and herbs have
been removed from all dishes making them bland unpleasurable
offerings, the meals in the marker were the 'real thing'--nice
and spicy!
c. Our first night hike at a jungle lodge. Armed with head
torches we set off down a small trail to discover tree frogs,
giant stick insects, a nest of tarantulas and then, not
2 metres away, at about head height, an emerald boa hanging
from a branch. Asleep--but the still having an adrenalin
effect from a knowledge delimited by the lore constructed
by children's adventure stories.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this
holiday?
Don't be persuaded to stick to the usual tourist trail.
Take a look at any company on the web--they all go to the
same places. Take more days in the Colca Canyon. Maps in
all places are difficult to find but some good walking in
the canyon that can be accomplished with/without a guide.
If at Yanque thermal baths go to family-run one just over
the old wooden suspension bridge rather than the posh one,
newly built that is about 100yds upstream in the grounds
of a newly built tourist hotel. Much more authentic and
their business has been hit badly as a result of a baths
with poolside bar and restaurant opening just upstream.
Grin and bear Titicaca--the money from visiting tourists
is obviously benefitting the community--just don't expect
to meet real people.
Pisco: still in a state of major demolition/rebuilding post-earthquake
so you can feel that you are benefiting the local community
here. Whether you're prepared to visit Paracas NP just to
benefit the local community should be well-considered though.
(nothing there--this is freely admitted by guides--since
'El nino' apparently--non-impressive rock formations and
a few turkey vultures).
Nasca: The Cemetery!! Kids loved it. But ourselves and most
on tour were less convinced by the site. Seemed as if piles
of stones had been covered by cloth and a skull unceremoniously
dumped on top. May have been a great find when first discovered
but most articles had been looted and what remains is unconvincing.
Arequipa: We recommend 'La casa de mi abuela': wow! good
rooms, beautiful gardens, nice food at reasonable prices,
wonderful buffet breakfast. (Arequipa was our favourite
town visited--less touristy than all the others)
Cusco: not advisable to stay more than a couple of days
unless you wish to spend lots of money doing organised trips.
Beautiful city but soon became overwhelmed with 'Dos soles
senora'... We were very bored. Wanted to walk up some of
the mountains overlooking the city but no tourist agency
will sell you a map. They only sell overpriced group trips.
Food better here though. Sandwich bar on street parallel
to Casa de campo (on way to plaza san blaas) does superb
(huge) veggie sandwich with hot vegetables, guacamole and
wonderful sauces (esp. rocotto) for 7 soles.
Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and
minimized impacts on the environment?
See above. I HOPE that some of the money we spent found
its way into the hands of local people. I THINK most of
the tourist agencies operating tours that we went on were
Peruvian and not US/UK company franchises. You do need to
step out of the tourist circus though to really feel that
your money is being spent in a beneficial way.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Please note: the following gradings are NOT related to the
organisation of our holiday which was exemplary--I would
recommend the tour operator wholeheartedly in this role
(4-5*). Holiday as a whole: Me: 3-4* but can appreciate
the kids who would give it 4-5* and my partner's 3*
We did have a great time. I just realised why I love travelling
and being whisked around the tourist trail isn't the reason!
I need proper adventure and real people. The kids haven't
stopped talking about it though. It is a safe place to travel
with kids. Whilst travel companies give you the usual safety
advice, I never felt threatened. We generally came into
contact with another family with kids in tow every couple
of days so the kids were able to play together and relax.
Read the operator's response here:
Many real tailor made options are possible at least with
us. Whoever thought for instance of hiking from the Colca
canyon to Cusco, an impressive expedition, or hiking off
the beaten path trails in the Colca canyon with our GPS
information and/or a private guide, or traveling with a
private guide for 2 weeks through Peru off the beaten paths?
The issue is that most travelers have little time and wish
to see all the main highlights giving that their priority
above exploring into the unknown. We can offer hiking off
the beaten path trails in the Colca canyon with our GPS
information or a private guide for instance visiting an
amazing pre-colombian village hardly visited and hidden
out of sight higher in the canyon. My personal experience
on the islands of both Taqule and Amantani is very positive.
I have met so many beautiful and authentic people with whom
I have shared wonderful conversations and volley- and football
games playing up into full moon lit nights! They love to
meet travelers and do games together, and this breaks certainly
the ice and leads to heart opening experiences. But you
need to speak of course Spanish, integrate with their way
of being, be able to make fun and be respectful at the same
time. The National park of Paracas is impressive, and this
is not only a personal experience as I have been many times
with clients over here; you need to step out at Lagunillas
and walk along the cliffs to for instance the beach of Minas,
climb a hill, and afterwards have some delicious tapas at
the tiny fisher village. It is amazing and beautiful, but
you should not stay in the car and explore walking, to enjoy
the steep cliffs, wind and shouting of the sea gulls. The
cemetery was a looted place, one big chaos of bones &
cotton that you can still see on old pictures in guidebooks.
Afterwards archaeologists tried to make the best out of
this completely destroyed graveyard, created some order
by putting mummies, bones and ceramics together and offering
the public a view of a few funeral chambers. Cusco is loved
by most travelers! It is such a special location and you
could say thanks to all the travelers there are so many
facilities for immersing in city life, shopping, Nova Andean
cuisine and enjoying culture all at the same time in this
the former capital of the Incas, it is a wonderful combination.
All local agencies we work with are Peruvian and so all
the income flows back to the Peruvian society.
We had a really great time –
as you advised us, 2 weeks was really too short a time to
do all the places we went to justice. But it was all good!
All local guides were good and knew their stuff. Rainforest
was really good – very friendly at lodge and guide
was very fun and knowledgeable. Reviewed 8 May
2008 by Paul Vernon
