Travel Review: Best Peru Tour, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Friendly Local People,...

I'd name two: Inca Trail, which was fantastic, and the hospitality shown by the local people (tour guides, agents, drivers, hotel staff, or simply locals).

I was in a group of 3 at Inca Trail (me + a couple). With the privilege of nearly like a private group, we expedited the 4-day itinerary to 3 days. The trail guide worked along with our pace and was very flexible/ considerate/ knowledgeable about customizing the schedule. The group decided to stay at Aguas Calientes on the 3rd night. The arrangement allowed us to fully enjoy Machu Picchu (i.e. avoided the crowd and climbed Wana Picchu as well as Machu Picchu mountain). Despite missing one extra porter, the guide and porters hired a horse at day 1 and and 'borrowed' a porter from another group. They (the guide, cook/chef, and porters) tried their best to ensure our trip was most enjoyable. There were 2 big groups (with nearly 15 tourists each) started about the same time as us. The super fast Swiss trekkers spent so much time simply waited for the rest to catch up. Our trail guide could explain sites so well, connect historical events, and talk about cultural issues. The cook/chef was excellent. The porters worked so hard.

Then, I have met so many interesting local people. Just to name few, 2 Lima airport pick-up drivers were polite, puncture, and knowledgeable. They provided excellent explanation about local. The day 1 briefing took place as soon as I arrived. This made me feel so comfortable with knowing what'd happen throughout my trip. The Cuzco agents were so considerate and friendly. When I had a hard time to adjust to the altitude, they came in person to make sure I was ok. They offered to adjust my day tours to make sure I could enjoy the most. The stay at Cuzco was fantastic; the hotel staff was genuinely nice.