This is our first look at Machu Picchu - what an amazing trip!!!! From the moment we landed in Lima until our deparure from La Paz every day was wonderful. Aracari attended to our every need and really made our trip the trip of a lifetime!!!!! All of our guides and drivers were fantastic. We learned so much and came to appreciate Peru and Bolivia through the expertise of our guides.
We send a very big thank you to Juan, Hugo, Eduardo, Washington and, of course, Marcelo our wonderful guide in Bolivia!!!!!!!
Cecile, I thank you for helping Ken put this whole trip together as a big birthday surprise - it could not have been any better. I would highly recommend that anyone who would like to travel to Peru or Bolivia should contact Aracari!!!!!!
Thank you so very much!!!!"
Lynda and Ken Cabianca, Vancouver Canada Travelled to Peru and Bolivia with Aracari in February/March 2013
We just got back home and I wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our trip. I have to say that Aracari is really an amazing company. In an era where customer service seems to be a forgotten phrase, Aracari provides truly extraordinary service and commitment to its customers. Most businesses could learn a thing or two from Aracari.
I also want to mention that our guide, Fidel, was terrific, and we also really enjoyed our driver, Hugo. Of course, our itinerary was wonderful, and it’s hard to imagine more spectacular places to visit.
Some day we hope to return to Peru. Rest assured that if we do come back, we’ll look to Aracari!
Hal Manning Travelled to Peru with Aracari in February 2013
We had a blast. The trip was spectacular. I am so glad you kept after me to meet Nilda and go to the Center for Textiles in Chinchero. What a wonderful place. I was unable to pull myself away and we must have been there about 3-4 hours. I purchased a few items but mostly was struck by the beauty of the women and girls and the community built around weaving.
The Sol y Luna was breathtaking. An absolute home run. Ideal place for our 3 days in the valley. And rafting was also a blast.
Our guides were wonderful. Fidel and Carlos were smart, energetic, funny and warm. (As was our very knowledgable guide in Lima, the architect Mr. Jose Garcia Calderon). Carlos was wonderful when we said we needed to get away from the tourists and have a great hike off the beaten track. We negotiated a fee for the extended day and had a hike of a lifetime up above Ollytatambo. We saw no one else and many neglected ruins.
Fidel gave us great insights on MP and was so helpful in coming and going and locating bags. The food was really good and they would send someone to stand in the bus line for us while we ate breakfast!
MP was sensational and I am glad you told me that the Wayna Pichu climb was not particularly dangerous.... just strenuous. My son and I agreed that that was the highlight of the whole trip.
Many thanks!"
Sally Carton Travelled to Peru with Aracari in August 2012
I wanted to offer my thanks to you, and to everyone at Aracari, for making our time in Peru something my family will never forget. From the moment we landed at Lima, every detail of our trip was handled smoothly and flawlessly. Everyone we met from Aracari, whether representatives, guides or drivers, were warm, friendly, skillful and knew exactly what they were doing. We had wonderful conversations with them. Their knowledge deepened what we saw, and their care resulted in encounters and experiences that I know would not have occurred had we been on our own.
I've been thinking for the last few days of what "highlights" I should mention to you, but there were so many! The quiet of late afternoon and sunset over Lake Titicaca, the astonishing moment when we reached the pass between Patakancha and Lares and found ourselves in the clouds, the children we met on the trail, the moment when we climbed what seemed like the thousandth stone stair of the Inca Trail and first caught sight of Winay Wayna…
Thank you again for hearing so clearly what we were looking for. I will certainly mention your name to any friend who intends to travel in South America, and we will call if we're ever coming your way again.
All best, "
Carol Mithers Travelled to Peru with Aracari in May/June 2012
"Just returned from a 7 day trip to the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco and Lima... and our experience with Aracari was nothing short of excellent.
Our travel agent put together the perfect itinerary and our guides were friendly and knowledgeable. From the moment we arrived, everything was handled perfectly between airport shuttles, hotels, domestic flights, tickets, sight-seeing, etc.
I absolutely 100% recommend using Aracari's services. They made the trip exceptional."
Ms. Grace (ml_grace) on Tripadvisor Travelled to Peru with Aracari in May/June 2012
"The trek was very well organized. The equipment used was in good condition and good quality. The food prepared by the chef Libio had a good variety and was delicious. The porters were very friendly and polite. The service of the camp team was outstanding and the camping experience exceeded my expectations.
My guide Fernando was very professional and knowledgeable. He always made sure that trips were well taken care of. He was also attentive and tried to make sure that my Inca Trail experience was better - such as avoiding too many people, showing me the best sites. He was also very patient and helped me to take many photos. With Fernando's experience as a guide, I highly recommend him to other guests. He would definitely make the camping and Inca Trail experience a more enjoyable one.
Fernando is a very knowledgeable and very experienced guide. He managed to avoid the crowds so that we could have a more pleasant and authentic experience. He also paced our itinerary based on our physical condition while maximizing our experience here. Also his restaurant recommendations were great too - MAP Cafe, Pacha Papa in Cusco and Indio Feliz in Machu Picchu. Very delicious food and great atmosphere.
I don't think I could have enjoyed the trip as much if it had not been for Fernando ... and of course Aracari! I think it was worth paying the premium for Aracari for the whole arrangement. I really feel like I was treated like a Queen during the trip.
Muchas Gracias"
Ophelia Fung Travelled to Peru with Aracari in April 2012
I would like to say thanks for your special support and attention on our previous Thai Oil Trip to Peru and Argentina.
The side trip to El Calafate was also impressive for Mr. Goanpot and my family too.
All the clients are much impressed by Cuzco and Machu Picchu, they would all love to come back and spend a longer time in Cuzco and have more time to explore the city. The iguauzu part was more than perfect with Alex as our great local guide. He helped make the tour very special with all the support and service from Matias.
The last minute request tango show is their lifetime memory and greater than the previous experiences they have had.
Beyond wonderland – South America, place of wonderful experiences.
Thanks again indeed.
Warmest regards,"
Ramida Khon Khong and party Travelled to Peru and Argentina with Aracari in February 2012
There is only one way to describe our trip to Peru and Ecuador....FANTASTIC. It absolutely met my expectations and I want to go back again and again.
We did not give you much time and on top of that asked you to go outside your area of expertise to plan our trip to Ecuador. You did a great job and really focused on our wants and made excellent suggestions. I know with Val in US, me in Switzerland or whatever country I was traveling through, communication was a challenge. Your detailed and responsive emails allowed us to make decisions quickly and frankly towards the end we really felt comfortable and trusted your advise. So.... many, many thanks and I sure am glad I found you. Now the question is, can you help with travel to other parts of South America?? :-)
Here are some highlights ...
Loved the personalized guidebook with itinerary details and brief background on sites, etc. Very helpful throughout the trip and a nice reminder for the future.
Our Peru guide, Ruben, was good and adjusted to our pace.
Sol y Luna Lodge was wonderful, a sanctuary and one of the most beautiful places I have stayed at. The general service was excellent.
Our Plaza View room at Casa Gangotena was wonderful and the front desk staff was very accommodating. The hotel is very beautiful and has a great location.
Our Quito guide, Pablo, was very knowledgable and entertaining. Quito has beautiful sites especially La Compania Church and Museum Casa del Alabado, one of the best archeological museums I have ever been to and it should not be missed by anyone.
Aaaahhh...... Galapagos! Cormorant Cruise was simply the right choice for us. It was the right size boat with the right number of people, spacious cabins and veranda, excellent activities with the right pace, good food and friendly staff. A few of our favorite crew members were Captain Isaac, Chef Javier, first mate Manolo, Omar the "towel artist" and Harry Jimenez, our incredibly knowledgeable naturalist guide who not only was entertaining but also made us feel safe while snorkeling with sharks!! We were very sad to leave the boat and really wanted to stay longer. Only regret...that we did not do the seven day cruise.
Hacienda Zuleta was the perfect place to end our trip. It is in a beautiful location and has a rich history. The service was excellent and the staff was very nice.
I should mention our good drivers in Peru and Ecuador. The airport checkin and transfer services were also good.
Well, that's it for now from me but I'm sure Val will have additional input. I hope the above comments/feedback helps and feel free to contact me with any questions.
Again, thank you for putting a wonderful trip together for us Cecile.
Best,
Maxine"
Maxine Ghavi and party Travelled to Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with Aracari in January 2012.
I have been around the world and never have I encountered such a professional and knowledgeable service. Ruben was an amazing guide and an even better person. Aracari is lucky to have him on the team. Also, the porters were simply spectacular at their job and incredibly helpful. We will always cherish this experience as unique.
Thank you!!!!
Sebastián Castro CNN iReport Aventurero Trekked along the Inca Trail in November 2011 Programme Broadcast on CNN en Español on the 6th and 8th of December 2011.
As well as the selection below, you can see more of the team's photos from the trek on their facebook page, here.
