Travel Review: Luxury Peru Tour, Cusco, Lima, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines, Ollantaytambo Hike

I would only stay one day in Machu Picchu.  I would have loved to spend another day in the hotel in the Sacred Valley and enjoy their spa and property as it was stunning!  I could have returned from Machu Picchu on the last train and spent the next day relaxing at the hotel.

I would NOT have done the Nazca lines.  From Lima, it is too long to travel (4 hours out, 4 hours back) for a 1 hour 10 minute ride!. I  did not realize we had only 1 stop in all of that travel. I would have spent another day in Lima exploring the Center City and other neighborhoods.

I may have liked to go on at least one GROUP tour to meet other tourists.  However, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu required a private tour as it allowed me to go at my own pace.

TRAVEL COMPANY COMMENTS:

Dear Karen,
 
Thank you very much for your feedback. We love to hear about our client’s trips as well as any constructive criticism that can be offered to help improve our services.  
 
I am very happy to know that you enjoyed the Ollantaytambo tour. I did this tour myself, and went into a similar stone house that you described, and it was a really eye opening experience to see how Quechua people lived day-to-day.  Also, the hotel you mentioned is one of my favorite properties anywhere, and I am so happy that you got to experience this unique lodge.
 
Regarding Machu Picchu, it is always my suggestion to spend 1 night and 2 days in Machu Picchu. We find that spending just 1 day can rush the experience, and leave travelers wanting more. I take age and ability into account with every trip I plan, including yours. The 2nd day in Machu Picchu did not have to be spent hiking. Our clients often use this day, to get up early before the crowd from the train gets there, and experience Machu Picchu in its more pristine nature. I did not include permits to hike Huayna Picchu, or Machu Picchu Mountain because I did understand that you were not hikers, but perhaps if I spent more time understanding your precise desires, then I would not have scheduled a 2nd day in Machu Picchu at all and for that I apologize.
 
The tours in Lima and Nazca Lines both sound like they are not up to the standards that reflect our values. I am very sorry that these guides showed you such a poor representation of what could have been an incredible experience. We are currently investigating these tours and guides, and will follow up with you when we receive their comments. Obviously your tour guide sleeping during the Nazca Tour is unacceptable. We will definitely be following up with more comments on this one.
 
As far as the logistics go for the Nazca Lines, I am always very careful to mention, that it is a lot of driving to get to Nazca, and the time in the air is actually not that long. However, often time, it is an important attraction for our clients, so when you said that this was something you wanted to do, I made it a point to include it in your itinerary.  Perhaps I misunderstood your desires here.
 
I am very sorry to hear that you got ill on your trip. We understand these things happen and we are always ready to jump into action and make the necessary changes when these sort of things do occur. As your consultant, I did not receive your email, but as soon as we received your livechat through our website, we immediately contacted several of our partners, and made the necessary cancellations. It is the industry standard to charge a cancellation fee as it requires a lot of time and communication to make the necessary changes, however, if you feel that this is an unjust charge, we are happy to refund the $50 per person amount.
 
Thank you again for your thoughtful feedback and once again, I would like to apologize for any shortcoming of your trip. We strive for excellence, so when we receive feedback such as this, we take it very seriously, and use it to improve moving forward. Perhaps there is a time next week that we can schedule a phone call to go over any remaining concerns you may have regarding the Nazca Lines, the cancellation fees or the rest of your trip. Please let me know a time that would work for you.
 
It was a pleasure working with you, and I look forward to helping you plan any future trips to South or Central America. Take care, and keep traveling!