PERU EXPLORER

Our Clients’ Reviews

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  peter frost

  PERU EXPLORER

  

  Written December 2011

  Had wanted to visit the "sights " of Peru since learning about the Incas as a schoolboy .This trip realised those dreams . 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Reaching the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu after 4 days on the Inca trail.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Mr Rene Calancha is an absolute star , knows everything there is to know about Peru or knows someone who can help.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Take your guides advice about the affects of both the strong Peruvian sunshine and altitude . They know best . Pack for all weather conditions

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Dont take too many spare clothes , laundry service at overnight stops is very cheap and very quick , hand it over before you go to dinner and it will be ready by the following mornings breakfast .

   
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  Brian Abraham

  PERU EXPLORER

  

  Written October 2011

  Met our expectations in almost every respect. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Walking through the Sun Gate (on a sunny day) after 4 days walking was one of those moments I hope not to forget.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Group leader Carlos was excellent, and kept (most) of the group going and enthusiastic when it would have been easy to lose cohesion. He joined in wholewheartedly and got many of us enthused about Peru playing Paraguay in the world cup.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  You need to pack everything for the range of weather expected, but don't take too much! Layers that you can you can use at different altitudes and in different climates are best. Good walking shoes are also fine for the Inca trail.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The view of the Nazca lines from the viewing towers was a disappointment, but this was the only downside of a fantastic holiday.

   
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  Tony Orhnial

  PERU EXPLORER

  

  Written October 2011

  The Peru Explorer package was very well organised and led, gave us a pretty comprehensive picture of Southern Peru and was good value for money.   Given the distances involved and the sheer scale of the programme, it inevitably involved a great deal of coach travel - it certainly wasn't a restful holiday!  We were lucky in that our group numbered only nine and we travelled in a coach which catered for more than twice as many people. The Inca trail was wonderful and, although we were by far (a good dozen years) the oldest people in the group, we managed the walking without much discomfort. And  we were tremendously well looked after by the ample contingent of porters, cooks and bottle-washers. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Waking up on the last morning of the Inca trail to find that llamas and alpacas had invaded the camp. 

  What did you think of your group leader?

  This was our first package tour so have no comparators, but Rene Calancha did a great job - way above our expectations. He was a mine of information about each area we visited and was always willing to help whatever the issue, and even "rescued" me when my fear of heights got the better of me! 

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Three things:

   

  • prepare your stomach for all eventualities - begin a course of pro-biotics before leaving;
  • book a couple of extra days in Lima at the beginning or end of the trip; and
  • if you're doing the Inca Trail, or similar, "train" for the long  ascents and steep descents before leaving so that you can devote your energy to dealing with the challenges of altitude. 

   

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Three niggles:

   

  •  the hotels were quite variable - some brilliant, and a couple barely three-star;
  • a bit more activity on the Amazon Basin leg of the trip would have suited us better; and 
  • another day in beautiful Arequipa would have been great

   

   
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  Simon Turner

  Trip of a lifetme

  

  Written May 2011

  Wonderful holiday, incredible local trip leader, lots of travelling 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  So many moments in the trip were amazing, Surviving the Inca Trail (Me not being that fit) and the jungle

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Our group leader Holget was an amazing group leader, local from Cuzco, always helpful, gave you enough information in small amounts.
  Helped us on the Inca Trail when we were struggling, loads of local knowledge, great knowledge of resturants

   

   

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  If doing the Inca Trail get used to walking up hills expecially steep hills, if you do the peru explorer trip altitude shouldn't be a problem as you get time to get used to it as you go along.
  It can be cold in the evenings on the trail, metal water bottles are useful, filled with the hot water they provide make a great hot water bottle.

  ** They do not supply automatically a sleeping bag (you can rent them from exodus or bring your own) **

   

  **## Dont buy large bottles (over 100ml) of Pisco at the airport if its going in your hand luggage, they will be taken off you at the next airport if your flight isn't direct ##**

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Dont expect a relaxing holiday here, but it is amazing, a true trip of a lifetime.

   

   
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  Julie Roberts

  PERU EXPLORER

  

  Written October 2010

  Wow! This was a full-on holiday that exceeded our expectations. We saw so much! It was all interesting, and amazing and we both enjoyed every minute. I don't think I can speak highly enough about it to do it justice! 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  So many...

  I felt priveledged to see the Condors fly........

  We went to Peru for the Inca Trail.....that was wonderful on it's own, but with Machu Picchu as the climax.....

  Climbing Wayna Picchu

  The Jungle and the sounds of the Jungle - an unexpected delight, I have to put Jungle's high on my to do list now!

  Drifting in a boat on the Tambopata under the stars in silence was magic

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Rene has to be one of the best. He was very professional, organised to a tee. We had trains, coaches, boats, planes, hotels, porters, guides, lunch stops, everything fitted together like clockwork. No wasted minutes at all. He kept us all informed, advised us, and was exceedingly caring. especially with those in our party that had 'digestive' problems, and mild AMS.He knew what traetment they needed for a speedy recovery. He wanted us all to get the most out of our time in Peru. We were very impressed by the depth of his knowledge,  he spoke well and was interesting, with a love for his country. Having his local knowledge, and contacts made our passage through Peru very comfortable, he knew great places to eat that we would never have found for ourselves. He was always available, and always willing to chat and have a laugh, but was also discreet. The drivers were good too, very careful. Most of the guides were excellent especially Chara who took us to the Uros, she was SO interesting and bubbled with enthusiasm.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

   

  Don't worry about the time spent travelling - we stopped often to look at something or other, be it wildlife, viewpoints or endlessly interesting Archaeological sites. The coach was comfortable, with a loo.

  You'l need Soles more than Dollars. There are ATM machines in lots of places. The guide knows.

  Buy from the ladies on the way round if you like something - they are cheaper than the towns and you may not see that item again. I missed one or two things by prevaricating - they don't cost much - buy it!

  There's lots of early starts, but this wasn't a problem because of the time change we woke early anyway. Although a busy holiday, we didn't feel tired at all!!

  Take lots of memory for your camera, and spare batteries, although you can charge them up - I took over 1000 pics  plus movies

  Don't overpack - you can get laundry done cheaply and quickly at the hotels and you'll need spare packing capacity for your purchases!

  Take all the things you are advised to. Two poles for the uphill stepped sections of the Inca Trail were good for me.

  We had an extra day in Lima at the end, because we booked our own flights and made a mistake. We were glad we did and would recommend it to everyone. It's a long journey coming out of the hot and sticky jungle and then going home. We had a relaxing day in Lima and the journey home wasn't so long.

  We were used to walking, having hiked a lot in the Lake District as well as locally - you need to be for the Inca Trail. You don't need to be super fit though.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  This was probably our best holiday so far(but it's vying with Everest Base Camp, also with Exodus). Peru has such variety, from desert to mountains to Jungle, and lots of history. Plus it has a beautiful coastline, we had a drive alongside it for many miles and all found it captivating.

  Every day had it's highlights:-

  Parabas we all enjoyed a lot;

  Learning about the Inca's all the way along;

  The wildlife, Rene was very good at spotting things.

  Spending a few hours on a Reed island on Lake Titicaca with some of theUros 

  Arequipa and the Ice Maiden and the Convent stand out too.

  Cuzco you'll want to stay longer.

  In fact everywhere we went we all said 'can't we stay here longer?', especially some of the hotels. But we couldn't have picked something to drop out of the schedule to facilitate that!

  I loved the Jungle and everything about it. No-one had any unpleasant experiences there with insects or anything. There were fireflies, and butterflies, and beautiful Macaws, and monkeys and much more. The guides there were great too, and were able to spot many things, we were all impressed when Elvis found the Anaconda! Wow! It was asleep so we were all able to get a good look.

  The Inca Trail was wonderful. One hard slog up to Deadwomans Pass, the rest of it was ok taken slowly, lots of steps, some big ones where my two poles came in useful, otherwise one pole or none are ok. The cloudforest was beautiful. Walking through clouds of Butterflies was lovely, the views..wow! And then the emotion of passing through the Sun Gate, and seeing Machu Picchu.We were well looked after, having some of the best food of the holiday, up a mountain!

   We'd go again if time and money permitted, and we'd recommend this holiday and Exodus to anyone. Thank-you Exodus.

  Julie and Simon Roberts

   

   
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  Sandra Maundrell

  PERU EXPLORER

  

  Written August 2010

  This was a fantastic trip, we saw and did so much we couldn't believe we were only there for 3 weeks. If you want to see as much of the country as possible in one short trip this has to be the one. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  We saw so many wonderful places that it is hard to say that one part was any better than another, they were all different. The visit to the floating islands on Lake Titicaca was very interesting and so unusual, the people were lovely and so keen to entertain us. We visited the Rainbow centre in the Sacred Valley, what a wonderful place, giving disabled children a chance of education and a brighter future. Machu Picchu was incredible, it is so vast and beautiful, and although we did not do the Inca trail, we did walk up to the Sun Gate which was an achievement for us! The final treat was the jungle trip which was a very different experience!

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Our group leader, Rene, was very knowledgeable and kept us well informed at every stage of the trip. He was very well organised so everything went smoothly but he was flexible and as far as possible fitted activities around what we as a group wanted to do. He was professional but very friendly and caring, with a good sense of humour, we could not have asked for a better group leader.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  This trip gives you a chance to see a great deal of Peru in a short time. The main advantage we felt it had over a most of the others we considered was the fact that it went gradually to the high altitude areas, this gave us chance to adjust and none of our group suffered from altitude sickness. Be prepared for a lot of travelling, some days more than others, but there are stops at places of interest and our drivers were amazing, we felt very safe with them at the wheel. Take clothes which you can wear in layers as the temperatures can change quickly and comfortable practical footwear is a must. A good insect repellent is essential particularly at Machu Picchu and a high factor, not less than SPF30, is definitely advisable.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  This is an amazing trip, I would not have believed it was possible to see and do so much in 3 weeks. There is not one part of it that I would have wanted to miss. All of the guides, exodus staff and local guides, were knowledgeable and helpful and they were all lovely people. The hotels were good, some were amazing and we would have liked to stay in them for longer, and the food that was included in the trip was all very good. Rene either took us to or suggested restaurants for meals that were not included and we had some fantastic meals at very reasonable prices, the local beer was also a favourite.

  In general we found that 'Peruvian soles' was the preferred currency especially for small purchases and it is useful to build up a stock of 1 soles coins as this was often the charge for the use of toilets (it is also useful for ladies in particular to carry a small supply of toilet paper with them as it is not always available).

  This trip is not a relaxing holiday, it packs a lot into a short space of time, but it is not a physically over-energetic trip, we are not young and fit but were able to cope with all aspects without any problem and took the option not to do the Inca trail as we knew this would not suit us. This meant that we had 3 days in Cusco, without the rest of the group, but there was a guide available who met us every day and made sure that we had all we needed. There were plenty of things for us to do to fill the time, he even suggested a show we could go to (which we would recommend to anyone who has time) and he escorted us to the theatre and back.

  The Rainbow centre in the Sacred Valley is an amazing place it is working hard to improve life for disabled children but is dependent on donations to keep going. There is information on the exodus website about the work of the centre & how to sponsor a child, we visited the centre and were very impressed by the work they are doing. I would urge anyone who feels they can sponsor a child to please consider doing this and go to visit the centre if you can during the trip. They really are doing an amazing job but need as much help as possible.

  The exodus staff we have encountered have all been very helpful right from the office staff here, we wanted to break our journey on the way back and they managed to arrange that for us, to the Peruvian guides & drivers used during the trip. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to see as much as possible in a relatively short time. Excellent!!

   
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  Elisabeth Cliff

  PERU EXPLORER

  

  Written June 2010

  Just as the brochure said: a comfortable exploration of the highlights of Southern Peru AND I was able to do the Inca Trail - the perfect combination that exceeded all my expectations.  Travelling in comfort and staying in good quality hotels made it possible to enjoy such a busy trip to the full. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  It's hard to pick out one in particular as there were so many, but here are a few: wandering round Sillustani was magical; being in the beautiful Sacred Valley for the festival of Pentecost at Ollanytaytambo, watching the colourful processions and dancing; talking with the children at the Rainbow centre; arriving at the Sun Gate on a glorious sunny morning, looking down on Machu Picchu and realising just what the Incas had achieved; sitting in the main squares of Arequipa and Cuzco just watching the world go by and finally, relaxing in the Amazon Rainforest. 

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Holger Davalos is one of the best; what an asset to Exodus and a great ambassador for Peru.  He was always attentive, enthusiastic, encouraging, informative,  endlessly patient  and has a lovely sense of humour.  He also led the Inca Trail trek and together with a great support team, ensured that we all made it round safely whilst benefitting from his vast knowledge of Inca history.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Read the trip notes carefully and check with the office if you are not sure!   Be prepared for all sorts of weather and temperatures - particularly if you are doing the Inca Trail; it rained every night while we were camping even though it was supposed to be the dry season, which meant it was cold and damp at night so take good waterproofs and lightweight thermal layers, a metal water bottle that can double as a hot water bottle, and a good torch.  It was also colder than usual in the Rainforest.   

  Take trekking poles for the Inca Trail; they really do help on such unforgiving terrain.   I have also found it beneficial to take gingko biloba when walking at high altitude plus soluble multi vitamin and minerals tablets -  they make the water taste more palatable too when necessary. 

  Be prepared to take loads of photos and being tempted to buy local goodies at every opportunity - the roadside stalls are often cheaper than the city shops so don't wait!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Just do it!  Peru is a wonderful country in every way - lovely people, great food, good hotels; history and culture; every sort of scenery - coastal desert, volcanos, snow-capped mountains, jungles.  Go for as long as you can, as soon as you can!

   

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