Inca Trail & The Amazon Rainforest: Peru Trekking Holiday

Our Clients’ Reviews

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Average Review Rating: from 73 reviews.

Alison Parry

INCA TRAIL & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written December 2008
A really great trip to see the highlights of Peru but be prepared as this is a full-on itinerary for the 2 weeks.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
So many good bits-
The Tambopata Jungle lodge is the perfect place to start the trip. Waking up naturally listening to the dawn chorus as the sun rises was brilliant.
Seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. Having walked there over a moderately challenging terrain and at altitude made it even more special.
The stay on the Amantani island surpassed all my expectations. I was very dubious about a homestay as I really didn't know what to expect and as I speak very little spanish, communication I thought would be a problem but its a beautiful place with friendly, hospitable and generous people.
What did you think of your group leader?
Rene was great group leader. His peruvian knowledge was fanatastic and very keen to pass on lots of information to us.
Throughout the trip there were other guides for the island and jungle sections. However of particular not would be Wilson on the Inca trail. He was very considerate to all but I especially appreciated his assistance (and I know others did too) when I/we weren't feeling too well.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
This trip is full-on with a busy itinerary for the 2 weeks so be prepared, its not really a holiday. There is lots of travelling, all be it on lots of different modes of transport (boats, planes, buses, trains), lots of early starts, and as said in other reviews lots of packing and repacking so try and be organised as possible. Having an additional bag I found helpful for organising and when leaving luggage behind in storage.
Take Sols rather than US Dollars as everywhere took Sols. Most places (restaurants, shops etc) did accept dollars but exchange rates varied but generally much more favourable towards Sols. I found it a little difficult to change Dollars other than in Cusco.
Take plenty of wet wipes. Handwashing soap powder also useful as other than Cusco don't really get the chance to get laundry done and clothes worn in the jungle will probably be needed for the Inca Trail. My head torch and spare batteries were invaluable. Needed for the stay in the Jungle and Amananti island as no electricity, and obviously for camping on the Inca trail. Lots of layers of clothing and clothing for all weathers, sun hat and a warm hat- the temperature and weather varied greatly on our trip with very hot, humid and wet weather in the jungle, sunny days and cold nights on the inca trail and on the Island.
A good personal first aid kit including rehydration solution/salts, diacalm tablets or similar. Alot of our group did get ill in varying forms (including myself). Again be prepared. Some little snacks/museli bars can be good to sustain energy if not feeling like eating properly. We were given lots of snacks on the Inca trek but having something familiar easily digestable from home was sometimes what was needed.
And lastly a large memory card for you digital camera- spare batteries too (recharging can be difficult with limited places with electricity), there is so much to see and photograph on this trip.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This is a great trip which covers a lot of Peru in a short space of time. Overall I thought it was brilliant trip however as most of the trip is at altitude (other than the jungle and Lima) this should really be considered when booking. I hadn't realised how high Lake Titiccaca was at 3800m (although I realise it is clear in the trip notes!). I had concentrated on the altitude for the Inca Trek. The altitude is quite physically challenging and tiring. Flying into Cusco at 3400m after the jungle is hard to adjust to. On the free day in Cusco some of our group went to the Sacred valley (at a lower altitude but a long day) whilst others stayed in Cusco and did the historical sites there. I would really go with how you are feeling as to which you do (both got good reports within our group). Possibly in our group those that did go to this lower altitude faired better illness wise overall through the trip, maybe helping to acclimatise.
The Inca Trail is quite challenging mentally and physically at times with the undulating terrain and altitude. It was also quite hot during the day at times when we were there (November) which added to the challenge especially getting up to Dead Womens Pass! The next day the Runquracay pass is nearly as high so be as fit as you can be.
I wasn't keen on the Uros island visit. I felt it was just very touristy. I would have preferred to arrive earlier on the Amantani island to spend and do more time there.
Frankie McAllister

INCA TRAIL & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written November 2008
It was a great trip and it really crammed a lot into the two weeks - there was also a great diversity of experience (and climate!).
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Like almost everyone, the big moment was arriving at the Sun Gate and seeing the classic view of Machu Piccu in all it's glory. Winya Wayna was also pretty spectacular and we were able to see it in complete peace with no other groups or tourists about - it's a really beautful place. I also really enjoyed climbing Waynu Piccu the next day. Other than that, the sun on the Tambopata river in the morning or cutting the engines and drifting on the Tambopata at night, with complete silence. I also enjoyed the long drive across the Alto plano passing by people working in the fields, seeing the small village markets and just watching people in ordinary everyday life.
What did you think of your group leader?
Rene was great - very reliable, very knowledgeable and hugely patient and good humoured. He provided a reassuring and motivating presence when people got ill (me included!) and didn't know if they'd be able to carry on as well as just being on hand always to help, advise or answer questions.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Because the trip is so packed timewise and you spend time in different activities and climates, you end up spending a LOT of time packing and repacking and sorting your luggage - you also frequently end up doing it in the dark or semi-dark. Therefore I'd recommend getting your luggage really really well organised (and minimized) before you go so that you know exactly what you've got and where it is, it saves a huge amount of time and stress later. Definitely bring something for rehydration/stomach bugs for the trek too, because lots of people got ill. As for clothes, bring lots of layers. It's still the easiest way to cover all bases and you frequently go from freezing mornings to blazing hot sunshine at lunchtime and back to cold again - base layers, mid layers and fleeces plus woolly hats (and sun hats) and gloves - I didn't really find a down jacket to be necessary if you've got a windproof waterproof to wear on top of all the fleeces. Also, one girl brought stick on heat patches, which she found were great. Do bring metal water bottles that can double up as hot water bottles at night too. Also be aware that although you can do laundry at Cusco after the jungle bit, you don't have time to do laundry after the trek and before the trip to Puno the next day so you will be stuck with your filthy smelly trek clothes. Therefore make sure you've either got something clean left back in your main luggage or that you've got things that really can be handwashed and dried overnight even when it's cold. Bear in mind to that arrival at Cusco after the trek is quite late - 9.00 p.m. earliest but can be later if the train is delayed (10.30 p.m. for us with a 5.00 a.m. wake-up the next day). Other than that, have fun!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
At Amantani Island, there is an evening where the group joins in with the various hosting familes and has music and dancing - you will need to have a group party piece so start thinking about it early! Our group let the side down badly as we couldn't come up with anything! Amantani Island is very beautiful and the hosts are kind and very welcoming, but it can be an awkward evening if you find communicating without a common language difficult. I personally wasn't keen on the Uros Islands part of the trip either - it made me a bit uncomfortable as it seemed very commercial and artificial and I wasn't sure that the maintenance of the 'traditional' way of life of the islanders by means of tourism instead of traditional means didn't invalidate it and make it a bit exploitative.
Roger Smith

INCA TRAIL (MOONSTONE TRAIL) & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written November 2008
A thoroughly enjoyable trip with some hard physical challenges on the Moonstone section
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The sheer scale and emptiness of the mountain scenery and the knowledge we had actually crossed it on foot
What did you think of your group leader?
Both Rene and Neri were excellent, great choices for this type of trip
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If going on the Moonstone Trek gather good advice beforehand and be prepared for a real physcical challenge
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I thought the pre-trip advice for the Moonstone walk from Exodus UK was inadequate. The implication was that the Moonstone walk was "Moderate" and well within the compass of anyone - irrespective of age who was reasonably active! I believe this was a significant underestimation. Everyone of our party of 5 was challenged by the terrain/altitude combination and the weather conditions were good. Advice on equipment should also have specified heavy duty boots with aggressive grip soles.
The advice given by our Moonstone Guide Neri before and during the trek was excellent, realistic and supportive - have her write briefing notes for people considering or going on this walk.
Katherine Ellis

INCA TRAIL & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written November 2008
Amazing variety of activities, which whilst not physically relaxing made for a fantastically mentally relaxing break. The two weeks felt like about three months, but in a good way.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The whole group making it up to Dead Woman Pass in one piece. And, of course, arriving at the Sun Gate with the first view of Machu Picchu.
What did you think of your group leader?
It took a while to get to know him well as due to the stucture of the holiday he wasn't really leading us in the jungle. However, as he was our main guide on the Inca Trail we got to know him better then. From a personal point of view he looked after me very well on the one afternoon of the trek that I couldn't keep the contents of my stomach in......
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Jungle:- There is no electricity in the jungle - this was not clear in the Trip Notes! Head torches are a good idea. Don't worry too much about the "packing into a small bag" bit for the jungle. This did not seem to be very strict and you were not obliged to use their bags, but some of them were quite large. However, the point is that you should only take into the jungle what you need for those 3 nights. Echoing the comments below, the packing and re-packing becomes quite tiresome; it's best to be organised as much as possible before you leave.
Trek:- The weather could be anything (we had driving rain and storms to hot sunshine) - layers, and trousers that zip off into three-quarter length or shorts are a very good idea for the trek. A drinking bladder with a tube helps you to sip water as you go - you won't want to be having to stop to get a water bottle out of your bag to have a drink. Hand sanitiser is a must, and wet wipes (or similar) very useful too. Take re-hydration salts in your first aid kit. If you're ill (as I was one afternoon), even when you're over the bug you'll need to be properly re-hydrated to be able to feel like you can continue.
The Trip Notes give the impression that you'll be OK with US dollars. However, we found that (particularly on the trek), local currency was needed. Change US dollars into local currency in Peru (we did some whilst waiting for our bags at Lima airport). And try not to get given a note of more than 50 sol - in remote areas even 50 sol was difficult to get change from.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The stay on Amantani Island was a little wierd. Our family was lovely, with three gorgeous boys, the middle one of which enjoyed practising his English. However, it's just not really our thing to be put up by complete strangers. It was a long journey to get there (though our bus had to take a detour because of riots and the journey was therefore actually quite interesting: over the high plains and through remote villages). However, after the Inca Trail, anything was going to feel like an anti-climax. It seemed to us that this part of the holiday was not really in keeping with the rest of it.
I agree with earlier comments about the difficulty of the trek. It really does deserve a harder rating than "Moderate" because of the altitude.
Several members of our group suffered from diarrhoea to varying degrees. It wasn't clear what caused it, but "be prepared".
Anthony Horabin

INCA TRAIL & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written October 2008
Overall I had a fantastic holiday and enjoyed meeting all the other members of the group. The Rain Forest section is very relaxing and a good start to this hectic holiday. The two days in Cuzco are great to help acclimatise to the attitude. We spent both days exploring this fascinating city. The Trek is hard but the view of Machu Picchu on the final day is worth all the effort. Lake Titikaka is aimed at the tourist, but that is what I am so enjoyed every minute of it.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
This had to be after trekking for four days to arrive at the Sun Gate and see Machu Picchu in all its glory in front of me. I just had to sit down and admire the view and comtemplate what I had achieved.
What did you think of your group leader?
Fabrizio was very laid back but managed to organise everything without fuss. He was knowledgable and explained about the Inca culture in great detail with a passion for the subject.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take the correct travel plug. Plenty of spare batteries for your camera because mine ran out on the third day of the trek and there are no mains sockets at 3900m. Also take plenty of probiotics, it helps to ward off any upset stomachs.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Only one thing spoilt this truely fabulous holiday. After trekking for four days the last campsite in Machu Picchu city is a disgusting, mosquito ridden hell hole. I suggest that you sort out a hotel instead and enjoy a comfortable nights rest. I would suggest that Exodus take this on board and change the holiday to hotel lodging instead of using this campsite. The additional cost to the holiday far out weighs the the experience of sleeping by a river which keeps you awake all night!
Gareth Bellamy

INCA TRAIL & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written October 2008
Overall, an excellent holiday. The jungle was great, although the conditions made it pretty tough work. The Inca Trail and Macha Picchu was amazing. Our time at the lake was ok, but it's one part of the trip that I wouldn't have minded missing.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
I think some would argue that my most inspriational moment was in a karaoke bar in Agues Calientes, however, the Inca trail, particularly the third and fourth dat of walking were both spectacular. The scenery was gorgeous, with mountains and valleys surrounding us the whole time and the occasional Incan ruin popping up for us to explore. Even the persistent drizzle on the last day of walking, couldn't take away from the beauty of our surroundings.
What did you think of your group leader?
Rene was superb. As a "senior" guide (in his opinion) he was extremely knowledgeable about everything, always ready to provide us with another tidbit of information to whet our appettites, or answer some random query we had. On top of this, he was extremely relaxed and friendly and by the end, he felt more like another member of the group than our leader.
Our other guides, particularly our assistant guide on the trek and our guides in the jungle, were generally excellent.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
There wa a little bit of an epidemic of stomach troubles during the trip, that seemed to affect most of us to different extents. If I could recommend anything, I'd be prepared for the fact that you might get a bit ill and take with some stomach medication just in case. It might also be worth watching what you eat and avoid having too much fruit (which is difficult when it tastes so good, especially in the jungle).
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I had a great time and would recommend the trip to anyone who's interested. The trip is a little demading, but not overally so, and it's definitely well worth the effort.
Jonathan Tinker
INCA TRAIL & THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

Written September 2008
A great holiday - lots to see & do means a lot of travelling and moving around; but then you don't fly half way round the world to sit on your backside and do nothing!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Inca trail was the highlight - the main event we went for; after 4 days hard slog, it was amazing to come out at the Sun Gate overlooking the ruins at Machu Picchu
Also really enjoyed the Amazon - hot & humid, but worth all the sweat! don't go expecting big things - you'll hear more than you see. The noise the howler monkeys make is weird (if not a little spooky)
The homestay on Amantani Island was rather humbling; the family made us very welcome, and cooked amazing meals from nothing; they have very little but welcomed us 'gringos' into their homes
What did you think of your group leader?
Ceaser was good fun - the odd sentence got 'lost in translation' but that just added to the fun. He managed to meet the demands of most of the group, most of the time - no mean feat!
He worked very hard, always first up and last to bed. He has a real passion for his country and culture. He organised things exceptionally well - the logistics of getting people and luggage from place to place on time was fantastic!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
In The Jungle
Wear Long sleeves & tuck your trousers into your socks
A torch is an absolute must; no electricity at night - only candles to light your way....
Weather was dry when we went (August) and good trainers would have been fine on the trail (even though I took my hiking boots)
Don't worry too much about re-packing; the bags they supply to take into the jungle should be plenty big enough and there's no weighing - anything that you don't take with you gets kept in safe storage (in your Exodus kit bag) at Peurto Maldonado
Use a good insect repellant (we used 100% DEET - although keep it away from synthetic clothes & rubber / plastic as it will melt it!)
On the Trail
Don't worry too much about altitude; yes, it's quite hard work but everyone in the group managed the trek. It's well paced with frequent stops and guides front & back who work to the pace of the group. Aside from a bit of a headache and tiredness you should be fine
Remember to still use your inspect repellant on the trail
Don't worry about the loos - Exodus provide his 'n' hers portable dry chemical toilet tents!
Walking poles are a must; you're generally either going up or coming down sometimes very steep, big steps. There is very little 'flat' ground
Keep well hydrated - I'd recommend a bladder & drinking tube system
You will pack all you need for the trail into your Exodus kit bags - take a spare bag with you to pack everything else in that you are not taking with you on the trail; this is left in Cusco & you collect it on your return
Although your weight limit for the bags the porters will carry is 'only' 10Kgs - this is actually more generous than it sounds and we didn't come close to the limit. Pack sensibly & you'll be fine
If you get the chance climb Wanu Piccu (the big mountain behind the ruins) for exceptional views (assuming a clear day!); but it's limited to 200 people at 07:00 & 10:00hrs only per day - we joined the queue as soon as we got into the ruins (open 06:00) & just made the 07:00 slot (otherwise we'd just get the tickets & return for 10:00). Allow about 1.5 hours to go up & back down - but make sure you have a head for heights: lots of narrow, steep steps with sheer drops.....
Go to the hot springs on your last night campling; you'll be ready for hot water by then. It's a bit of an 'experience' but good fun to sink a beer in the thermal baths!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
There is a lot of travelling and a lot of early starts on this tour - be prepared for it! and a lot of packing / repacking your gear so don't take lots of things you're unlikely to need
The hotels were a bit hit and miss, depending on which room you got - the second time at both Cusco & Lima were much nicer rooms than the first time; just generally could have done with a bit of modernisation.
There's chance to get laundry done in Cusco (before & after the trail) which is useful; take advantage of this & you'll have to pack less!
Sacred Valley trip from Cusco is worth it - good to prepare for the trail ahead; nice lunch & a bit of spare time to do the only real market shopping available
Although it was intersting to go to Lake Titicaca & we enjoyed the Island homestay with a local family, on reflection, it does seem like a lot of effort (i.e. virtually 2 full days travelling there & back). As we had very little spare time with the itinerary, it might have been better to have a spare day in Cusco instead?
Be prepared for some desperate poverty in Peru; people in mud huts with no water / electricity in the rural areas, and shanty towns on the edges of the cities. However, we found it to be safe & the people friendly.
Beware of the in flight meals on Iberia from Madrid to Lima - take a sandwich instead!!
Help each other out in your group; share things around - after a couple of days you'll all be best of friends. We were sad to leave our group at the end of the holiday; met some great people!
The tipping situation starts to wear a bit thin as the holiday goes on; The tour leader & the porters work really hard for their money; but everyone from bus drivers to local guides to boat drivers are looking for tips - it might only be a 'few quid' but it does mount up & not all foreign tourists are like the rich Americans that locals seem to think!! Having said that, you can pick up goods in the local markets for very good prices with a bit of haggling....
Most of all, just 'got with the flow' and you will really enjoy this holiday. Worth all the effort and early morning starts!