Luxury Peru & Galapagos Islands Trip Review: Cusco, Inca Trail, Huayna Picchu, Sacred Valley, Islands Cruise, Snorkeling, Hiking

Review by traveler

Bill K.

7.4.2022

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Peru

Galapagos / Ecuador

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

The itinerary was fantastic. With one exception, every activity exceeded expectations and there were so many things we did that were true "bucket list" experiences that it's hard to keep track! I think our travel agency knew the best companies, operators, and vendors to work with. The tour guides were true experts and everything was first class. The one day that didn't work out as well was the first day when our flight was late and we had to rush to the dive shop to get gear fitted, so some of the activities we hoped to do (hiking, kayaking) were canceled or abbreviated, through bad luck more than anything else.
Jason was a big help planning travel, making adjustments, and advising on insurance. Thank God I got the trip cancellation insurance because I had to rebook all my flights the day before I left because of cancellations.
Some of the activities surprised us with how strenuous they really were. I wasn't sure I was going to make it but with our guide's encouragement I was able to do the big climbs. On one hand, I didn't feel like the strenuous nature of the via Ferrata, Inca Trail trek, and Huayna Picchu climb was fully presented in the itinerary. On the other hand, if it had been I might have been a reluctant and could have missed out on three of the most spectacular experiences on the trip.

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

What stands out on the trip for me is our time on the Galapagos Islands cruise, snorkeling and walking on the islands and learning about the natural history from our guides.
Snorkeling with sea lions, watching the marine iguanas feed, swimming next to sea turtles. Hikes on undisturbed islands that are sanctuaries for all kinds of diverse wildlife.
The Via Ferrata in the Sacred Valley was incredible and walking among the Inca ruins was way more engaging than even I expected.
The time we spent with our guide in Peru really made the trip special. Not only did we hear a lot of fascinating history but we also got to learn what it was like growing up in Cusco, the mix of cultures, and the challenges they've faced from the pandemic.

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

First and foremost, start training early if any activities involve trekking or climbing around the Inca ruins. You need to somewhat fit. I do strength training but I'm overweight and have poor cardio. Doing those activities would be challenging enough, if they weren't already at 8-11,000 ft in elevation. I managed, but lots of hikes would help, but probably stair climbing would have been the most useful.
Our trip was two weeks. I think I would have inserted one extra "down" day to relax at one of the nice spa hotels they booked us in. Our schedules were pretty tight much of the trip and I regretted not being able to spend one day at one of those nice hotels reading, going for a swim, having some cocktails. I was so tired at the end of each day and often had to get up early so I didn't really drink much or eat a lot.
I'm glad I packed my DSLR but didn't need to pack the binoculars as I only used them once or twice. One fleece was fine but I almost never wore shorts and wish I'd had another pair of jeans.
I wish I had been more on top of communication issues. We only found one SIM kiosk in the airport which we passed on. I could place calls to the US but couldn't place calls to Peru. I had problems connecting via WhatsApp to our travel agency initially so I relied on email when issues came up. I should have gotten all the WhatsApp numbers ahead of time and tested them out, and done more research on where to get SIM cards.
In Peru, don't use hotel ATMs. They charge $6 fees. The banks didn't charge any fees.

Travel Company Comments:

We thank you for your 5-star review of our service and are happy in the knowledge that you had a great trip. It was also great to meet you and your son here in Cusco. Trips that combine both Peru and the Galapagos, by nature tend to be fairly active and busy. In the case of your trip, this was a son and father trip where a high level of active outdoor adventure was also incorporated into the schedule. For anyone else reading this review, we would always recommend allowing for the maximum amount of travel days possible, including half days of downtime or even full days. This is especially important when combining high-energy outdoor activities in the trip. To ensure that our clients fully understand the activities that they'll participate in, we always send comprehensive information in our itineraries. Of course, we are happy to elaborate further on all of the activities included, but it is also important to ensure that you as the clients are healthy and fit to undertake the activities included in our programs.

Once again, thank you for your review and all of the team here hope that you had a fantastic trip to Peru and the Galapagos.

Best Regards,

Paul

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