Emily van der Waals review 20 Jul 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
As we came out of our dinner tent on the second night we all gasped, I saw what was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. With a huge valley opening up before us in front of our tents, the cloud sat below filling a huge valley with the mountains rising from the beneath the clouds! We looked up and the sky was just a carpet of stars - breathtakingly beautiful!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you layer your clothes, the temperature did vary alot during the day and also take trekking poles, they really helped!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
5* I really cannot rate anything higher - we were seriously impressed by everything!
Julia Radtke review 3 Jan 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of it really, Amazon, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca and of course the Inca Trail were all amazing places.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Check out the permit situation on Machu Picchu. We really wanted to do a couple of hikes up there which were free when we booked the holiday but needed a permission when we got there and our agency failed to inform us of it, so we only found out when we got there which was too late to get the tickets, which was very disappointing.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, it definitely did.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was an amazing holiday, probably one of the best ever! The country and people are amazing, the scenery breath taking and very different to wherever you are and the organisation of the trip was perfect, apart from the little hiccup with the permits in Machu Pichu itself, but everything else was arranged perfectly, a lot better than expected.
Leigh Hitzeroth review 21 Nov 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Sitting at breakfast on the Inca Trail overlooking the Andes - it was the perfect breakfast on a perfect trip!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Tom from the tour company gives fantastic advice - ask him for as much advice as you need. Also do your research - check reviews of the hotels and companies in your itinerary to ensure they are what you expect. Take plenty of bug spray for the Amazon!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. All the companies and guides emphasized the importance of benefiting the environment and local people. The local guides we had were exceptional in terms of knowledge and service.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent! Doing the Inca Trail was a spiritual experience. Our guide, Wilo went out of his way to point out orchids, great photography spots and had fantastic knowledge of the history of the area. He displayed a real pride in his heritage. The biolodge in the Amazon was incredible - we saw some beautiful animals (about 20 Macaws on a claylick one morning). We definitely want to return one day.
Annie Scott review 21 Oct 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Peru itself - we saw many challenging views and vistas - they were all so different it is difficult to give a rating on "Most memorable" - however the third day of the Inca Trail was probably the most memorable - incredible scenery, knowing that you had done the hard bit - and still have Machu Picchu to look forward to!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go with a well organised travel agent (which we did). Although organising things yourself would be cheaper it is so much easier to have everything well planned before you get there. The days we had free for our own planning were often half wasted with us organising things! We also spent a lot of money on extras - try and get as much pre organised so you know exactly what you will spend before you get there.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
In the Amazon rainforest definitely - and as Cusco's economy is totally tourist based if we don't go there the whole infrastructure would crumble. Visiting the Reed Islands on Lake Titicaca definitely did not minimize any environmental impact!! - but benefited them (apparently many of them live off the lakes in new houses!)
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Incredibly memorable - we saw mountains, plains; rivers, lakes; sweated under sun; swore under rain, fished in snowstorms! Travelled by plane, taxi, bus and train; the holiday was educational, energetic and restful! Peruvian people were welcoming, generous with their time, and so keen for you to learn about their history and geography - leaving a lasting impression.
Yevgeniy Stotyka review 12 Apr 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking throught the rainforest, seeing Machu Picchu appear when fog goes away.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
1. Go during a more dry season. Fog and rain can spoil good sights. 2. Take walking sticks. They help. 3. Head torch. 4. Take it easy when walking.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Despite the rain and the fog, I am glad I went. It was very good.
David Beech review 24 Jun 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Getting back home on the plane after the saga had been finished.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Not to book with this company.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Poor, there was a strike which was out of the holidays control but the help and information and flexibility of decisions that needed to be made were not completed in the best interests of me.
Read the operator's response here:
Thank you very much for your feedback. We apologise for any inconvenience caused due to the strike action which meant that there were no trains to and from Aguas Calientes and road disruption during the day at the end of your holiday.
We were made aware of the threat of a strike in Peru the day that you were due to travel out of the UK and contacted you immediately although the only information was that there was a possibility of a strike. Strike threats and actions are constantly evolving situations which mean that there has to be a degree of flexibility within the realms of what is possible. In group situations, arrangements have to be made to cater to the majority. In Cusco, once the strike was confirmed, a solution was offered, and accepted. On analysis, we believe that there was a misunderstanding over exactly what these arrangements were. This is an issue which we are looking into so that we can ensure that in future our clients will have the exact picture of what these changes are and what they involve as far as possible in the circumstances.
On the trail itself and in consultation with your guide you changed these arrangements in order to finish the trail early and get back to Cusco before the start of the strike and therefore catch your flights home successfully.
Anthony Spencer review 16 Sep 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The entire trail was amazing. As hard as it is to believe I enjoyed the trail more than Machu Picchu itself. It was amazing to be on the trail, felt like you were there by yourself. Allowed you time to get away, think, daydream and enjoy the surroundings. Once in a lifetime trip.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Enjoy the moment. I would definitely recommend exercising before taking this holiday. It isn't overly tough, but training will allow you more enjoyment from it. You won't be worried about the hikes each day and be able to focus on the holiday.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the trail gives you opportunity to travel through local towns and support the economy within each. We camped at campsites and the impact on the environment was small.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
One of the best trips I have ever taken. Once in a Lifetime!! The overall enjoyment from the guide to the group, then factoring in the surroundings was amazing. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. I feel very privileged to be able to have this experience!!
Tatsuya Goke review 24 Jan 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Friendship with all people in my trekking group. And of course, the sight of Machu Picchu at the end of the train on Day 4.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
You may want to have good rain gears if you are doing this in rainy season (Nov - March). I was glad I had a waterproof jacket and a pair of pants (rather than a poncho) as well as a pair of good boots (instead of trekking shoes).
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. We provided extra income for local porters. We did not leave any garbage (the trail was clean; garbage-free) behind.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Five-stars. The trail made the sight of Machu Picchu at the end much more rewarding. We had a really good mix of people -- from 9 year-old to 82 year-old, Asians, Europeans and Latin Americans -- we all made it to Machu Picchu! The guides did a good job of keeping the variety of people happy and managed to keep the group consisting of 22 people as a unified group! Camp meals were excellent -- much better than what I'd had with other adventure holidays.
Ben Watson review 8 Nov 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Finally reaching the sun gate on the last day of the trek and seeing machu picchu for the first time makes 3 days walking completely worthwhile.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Do some preparation beforehand so that you can fully appreciate the trek - it isn´t too difficult and a generally good level of fitness should see you through without any problems.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The nature of the trek means that there is little contact with the locals, however the camps and guides ensured that our stay was as friendly to the environment as possible.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic trek that was definitely one of the highlights of my travels in Peru.
Elizabeth Kowlessar review 17 Sep 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
As I reached the top of Intipata Inca site & caught my first glimpse of Machu Picchu with the sunrise hitting the Andean Mountains in the background, one true memorable experience I will never forget.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Have a larger gap in between connecting flights and do not believe any of what the airline operators tell you with regard to your baggage, check it at each stage is my biggest and most helpful tip.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Most definitely. We were encouraged to buy at the local markets we came across or specifically visited as we were told the money benefits the local community therefore my husband & i did just this. Also we abided by the rules set for walking the inca trail to ensure minimum impact on the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
9/10. The only reason it was not 10/10 was because our luggage was lost at the beginning on the holiday and we did not receive it till 4 days later & one of our flights was delayed for 18 hours so we lost a valuable day of our holiday.
Lauren Evans review 6 Jun 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The walking.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure they know where they are staying in Aguas Calientes before hand and drink lots of Coca tea.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It was difficult to tell as we were one of many guide groups and I didn’t feel that our group was any better or any worse than the others. Some of the porters, however, seemed to have better equipment but I did discover that the ones we used on our trip were better paid than some of the others and that the porters vary each trip.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
9 out of 10. The only downsides were, 1. that we did not initially know which hotel we were staying in in Aguas Calientes which meant that we couldn’t shower and relax straight away after the trek, 2. We were informed by our guide that we would be picked up at the train station and driven to our hostel in Cusco but there was no one to pick us up. After 8 months of travelling however, the holiday seemed very luxurious and very enjoyable!
Simon Pickworth review 14 Apr 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Probably the walk (Inca trail) itself and learning about the Inca culture, something I knew very little about before this trip.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Prepare physically for the hike as Day 2 on the Day 4 trek is quite difficult. Layers is the key for clothing cause temperatures change very quickly and there are many micro climates. A good rain jacket is key, as is the ability to keep ones shoes dry. There is plenty of time at Macchu Pichu at the end of the walk. Water tablets a good thing. Don’t worry if you forget something, virtually everything is in Cusco. Give yourself a good 3-4 days to acclimatise in Cusco too.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. And taking clothes that you are happy to leave behind/ give to local people is a good thing as well. I left with a lower bag weight than when I started as I gave a stack of stuff away as I went.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great trip. Was a good 6months of planning but entirely worth it. Cusco is a great city and can easily spend 3-4 days there. Hard going to Lima after Cusco as Lima is just one big big city of people, Cusco very quaint.
Graeme Cade review 10 Jul 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Days two and three of the walk. Day two was memorable because it’s very tough - you have to climb about 1200 metres (quite steep) but the feeling and views when you get to the top are fantastic. Day three is just a really nice walk, there's great scenery and lots of ruins. Machu Picchu of course is very impressive, but for me the walk there is the best part.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
At the end of the third day there's an option of taking a detour to a set of ruins called Intipata instead of going direct to the campsite. It only adds about 20 or 30 minutes walking but hardly anyone goes there so you have the place to yourself - definitely worth it. You don’t need much money with you, but it is normal to tip the porters, cooks and guides (normally at least $10), and Aguas Calientes is more expensive than other places in Peru. (Also just check there aren’t any strikes planned for when you're in Aguas Calientes as if there are it can be hard to get out!)
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The holiday definitely benefits local people in that it provides jobs for porters. Some of the porters are full time, others are local farmers. The environmental impact is limited to just a two hour bus ride from Cusco to the start of the trail.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The holiday was excellent - a fantastic experience. The guide (Raul Garcia Fuentes) was extremely helpful and the cook and porters amazing. It’s definitely worth trekking to Machu Picchu.
Caroline Udy review 16 Sep 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The 2nd day of the hike was most memorable.... and most difficult!! The views were amazing, hiking in the dark to get to Macchu Picchu early morning was great and the spectacle of the ruins viewed from the sun gate definitely made the hike worth it! The guide was excellent, as were the porters (very strong and so much stamina), and the cook was also fabulous, accommodating my vegan diet with no problem.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Very warm clothes, very warm sleeping bag. Allow a little time to acclimatise to altitude. Don't fall into feeling bad if you're not keeping up with the group, its really important to hike at your own pace.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the porters seem to be paid adequately (and they also have tips), and they are not allowed to carry too much. The environment is well respected and the local people along the trail were able to make a living by the tourists that hike through
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely fantastic, from the moment the booking began with Tom at the tour operator, to the transfer back to Cusco airport and our journey home, I cannot fault it!
Maria Moore review 7 Jul 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We booked the Inca trail via responsible travel. It was as expected brilliant! Amazing sites, great knowledgeable guide, safe and well organised.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Booking through responsible travel was easy as could book in English, they were very good in terms of being flexible with me with how to reach me as was currently in Africa and provided all they said to a good standard.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - porters were treated well and we abided by all trail rules not to litter, preserve the area etc.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great, thanks!
Joe Lian-Lloyd review 23 Apr 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Inca Trail itself was amazing, it was incredibly fascinating to learn more about the Inca culture, and see some of their stone craftsmanship.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I would try to ensure that you are in a group with people who speak the same language. I was the only native-English speaking person, with everyone else speaking Spanish. It became difficult to converse with people, and I missed out on a lot of the information the guide was talking through once it came to translating to English.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
From a cash point of view, there were people in the same group as me who paid less than half what I paid (some less than a quarter of what I paid when they booked directly through the agency in Peru), so I’m not sure how much goes to benefiting local people. All the groups along the trail were extremely conscious of minimising their impact on the environment and took care a long the way.
Read the operator's response here:
We donate a portion of our profits to local projects in Cusco - both to the communities our porters come from and also to Huchuy Yachaq (www.huchuyyachaq.org). This is in addition to making sure all of our staff are well cared for and paid appropriately.
Dana Zaludova review 7 Apr 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Inca Trial – Peru.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book it in advance, I used this operator, be prepared for a bit more walking but you can't really be prepared for the altitude, coca tea helps!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, tourism helps a lot, the people there don't have too much money.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great time, unforgettable.
Stuart Curzon review 8 Nov 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The achievement of finishing the Inca trail.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
10/10. Organisation was superb, the advice and help prior to the trip was top notch, and the whole experience from booking to holiday was extremely good.
Jackie Goldberg review 15 Jun 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Hiking for 4 days in a beautiful country.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring warm clothes! and make sure to go during the dry season.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic.
Kelly Hauptman review 26 May 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We absolutely loved our trip to Peru. I have to say that the hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was our favorite. It was so unique and very beautiful. We loved our guide and the group we were hiking with. Machu Picchu was amazing.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure that people really know the difficulty of the Inca Trail. There was an individual that had never hiked before and I think she was not aware of the difficulty of the trail. Just make sure it is explained well.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the money I'm sure helped go to the economy of Peru and we took our trash with us on the Inca Trail. The one concern was the second campsite after Dead Womans Pass and it seemed that the bathroom was so close to the stream, didn't know if this was the best thing for the environment?
Christy Smith review 6 Nov 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Coming up from the last steps to see Machu Picchu laid out like a jewel in front of me.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Definitely bring a water filter. Pack as light as possible. Buy a walking stick in Ollantaytambo. Bring lots of extra toilet paper and Pepto Bismol. Make sure you have extra batteries for cameras, since there won't be anywhere to charge them. Take a day in Aguas Calientes to recover from the hike-- we did and others we spoke to who left the same day they arrived were simply exhausted. Try to get back to Machu Picchu while refreshed to truly enjoy the place. Be sure you know where to get off of the train going back to Cusco; our ticket said 'Aguas Calientes to Cusco,' so we stayed on until the last stop only to find out our contact was not waiting for us. Apparently, he seemed to think that we were getting off at a different stop, but that hadn't been communicated to us, so we found our own taxi and managed to get our packs back on our own.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
For the scenery and accomplishment of the trip, it was spectacular. There were only two things that detracted from my experience. The water used for cooking was not filtered. Although I was scrupulous with my own water filter and the cooking itself was tasty, three out of the five people on our trip (including myself) came down with serious diarrhoea. Second, I'm a slow hiker and was constantly being chided by my guide to keep up with the rest of our group, which was a little frustrating. I was between 20 and 30 minutes slower than the rest of the pack, which I don't think was really out of line. I think my guide was trying to be encouraging-- he certainly was knowledgeable and personable-- but constantly being pushed to keep up detracted from my ability to really enjoy the scenery around me.
Read the operator's response here:
Firstly, we are glad that overall you enjoyed your Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. We are sorry to hear you had some problems and we've had a look into them.
The cooking water and drinking water are obtained from streams coming down from the mountains. The INC (The Government authority which is responsible for the Trail, distributing permits, campsites etc) has channelled some of these streams and installed taps of sorts for cooks to obtain and use water. Every single agency uses the water form these sources. Whether it is for cooking or drinking the water is boiled before being handed out or used, which is enough to kill any bugs.
At the pre-trek briefing that we give to all passengers, they are informed that if they wish, they can buy bottled water along the trek. There are a couple of points (near campsites) where locals sell water and other goodies (chocolates etc). We’ve noticed that quite a few people bring purifying tablets (they can also be bought in Cuzco) but it is also possible to buy water en route if you wish. We cannot provide bottled water en route - we would have to employ many porters to carry this and the price of the trek would rise considerably as well as increase the amount of plastic being produced and discarded in Peru. On our kit list which is sent to all trekkers, we recommend taking purification tablets as well as anti-diarrhoea tablets. Upset stomachs are, unfortunately, almost impossible to avoid on any trip or trek in Peru - we have been going for years and still suffer every time we go.
Regarding the transfer in Cusco, we apologise for the confusion and missed transfer. We checked with our transfer rep and he said was there to collect these 2 passengers at Cusco train station as well as the 3 other people booked on the same trek. The 3 other people were the met at the train station in Cusco and transferred in successfully. Jesus rang the hotel next day but missed the passengers. We are very sorry for the confusion caused with this missed arrival transfer and have now told Jesus that in a situation like this, he must contact passengers at their hotel as soon as possible after a missed transfer of any type. We will also endeavour to make it easier for people to find Jesus at the train station.
Regarding the guide, he is very experienced and a popular guide. We apologise if he came across as 'chiding' as in general he is a very genial fellow and gets good reviews from passengers. We have taken on board the comments and spoken to the guide and he will endeavour to remain encouraging rather than chiding.
Panagiotis Christakos review 5 Jul 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The end of the trek arriving at Machu Pichu has to be at the top of course, but I really liked the end of the third day, where we visited the ruins of Waynewayna next to the campsite. Truly impressive
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Plan for a few extra days in Cuzco and around the sacred valley, there is a lot to see apart from the trail.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The guides were very careful, however I have to admit that with all the groups camping together there were a lot of leftovers left behind. I did not see our cooking team doing this, but we did see other teams cleaning in the river, which they should not do.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent, from every aspect really, food, tent preparation and most important guidance in the trail and walking pace to suit all physical abilities.
Katharine Creighton review 20 Jun 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Watching the sun rise over Machu Picchu having trekked four days to get there!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring as much warm clothing as possible because it gets very cold in the Andes, and be prepared for blisters.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, all the porters were local and all rubbish etc was cleaned up everywhere we went.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely fantastic.
Sally Cranage review 4 Jun 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The amazing views - ranging from snow capped mountains to cloud jungle and of course the ruins. The food was suprisingly very good.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Give yourself time (4 or 5 days) to get used to the altitude before the trek as those mountain passes are pretty hard work! Remember to take warm clothes for the night and also enough money to tip the porters who work very hard.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Our guide was very knowledgable of the trail, plants and animals. He also advised us not to litter, pick plants or stand on the ruins. The porters work very, very hard but speaking to them they seem to appreciate having employment. They aren´t paid a great amount so its important to tip them.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
There are loads of different agancies in Cuzco offering similar treks but ours did seem to have particularly good guides, food and service. I really enjoyed myself and the trip was one of the the highlights of my travels in South America, despite being very tired by the end.
Matthew Smith review 2 Jun 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We didn´t really know what to expect since this trek wasn´t ´The Inca Trail´, but we loved every minute of it and were glad that it wasn´t the main tourist route. The most exciting part of the trip was seeing the amazing views of snow-capped Andean mountains from the high passes we crossed (4700 and 4500m a.s.l). However the most memorable part of the trip was meeting all the children and native farmers we passed on the way who were so pleased and intrigued to see us.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take plenty of warm clothing as it gets cold at night at 4700m. Also, some hill climbing training would help but the altitude/lack of air slows you down anyway. Take your time and enjoy it - don´t race and take some gifts for the kids. We chose crayons and paper and were amazed at how appreciative they were.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Absolutely. The local operator was excellant and the guide we had explained how they provide good wages and working conditions for the wranglers and chef that accompanied us. We also learnt that they helped fund projects in the communities we visited (such as an additional teacher in the school and reforestation) and saw the benefits first hand.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Totally amazing. We went to Peru hoping to see Machu Picchu. We saw Machu Picchu at the end of our Lares Trek (which was cool), but i´m glad we got to see and meet real people along our trek - that for me is something far more important.
Brian Jacobs review 27 Apr 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The cloud forest and the flowers. The race to the sun gate was a bit unnecessary, but fun non-the-less.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring your own food, and disinfectant wipes. The trail is not the place to experiment with your body's tolerance to the local flora.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We didn't buy food from locals. Everything was purchased in Cuzco. All the trash was carried out, so that was good.
Read the operator's response here:
There are no shops or markets on the Inca Trail itself. Every group which starts the Inca Trail must have all its supplies bought and packed before starting the trek, so that it can be weighed and checked - this also means the porters' pack weights can be monitored by officials. The food and produce is sourced at Cusco and surrounding markets. We use small, local shops rather than any larger chains, sourcing food grown locally rather than shipped in to encourage and support local farmers and markets.
The sun gate is the most congested part of the Inca Trail - almost every group and passenger trekking the Inca Trail wants to be at the sun gate for sunrise. Sheer numbers require an eary start to make sure people are in place for the sunrise over Machu Picchu - a magical moment that is a real highlight. We do offer alternative treks which do not take in the sun gate sunrise. It is a great place to see the sun rise and its popularity is reflected in that. It can get crowded - it is still a wonderful sight!
Claire Harvey review 30 Jul 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking the streets in the dark facing the very real possibility that we would have to spend the night on the streets.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I would not recommend this trip to any other travellers at all, I would advise them to book with an alternative company lest their trip turn into the kind of nightmare of incompetence ours did.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The hike itself was amazing, sadly the trip was ruined when we were forced to spend over five hours walking the streets of Aguas Caliente trying to find ourselves a hotel to stay in because despite having booked and paid for the night there over three months before, it seems someone forgot to book us a hotel and everywhere was booked as it was a national holiday. The next day when we were supposed to be collected from the train station and driven the hour and a half back to Cusco, again already paid for, we were instead forgotten again and had to take a taxi the entire way. Despite our small group having paid over 12 hundred pounds for the 4 night trip, the tour became a total comedy of errors.
Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for letting us know that the trek itself went well and you enjoyed it.
We apologise for the mix up over the hotel in Aguas Calientes after the trek. Our local staff were able to sort out the hotel problem & find an alternative. We apologise it took a few hours to do so due to it being Peru's main national holiday weekend. After discussing the hotel booking problem with our local office in Cusco we have already put measures in place to ensure this sort of mix up does not happen again. Our customers, who choose to stay a night in a hotel after their trek are now given a paper voucher at their trek briefing in Cusco, with the Aguas Calientes hotel name and address.
With regard to the train / bus combination returning from Aguas Calientes to Cusco, when our staff were called and informed that other tourists had filled up the bus and taken seats we had booked, our staff advised our customers to return to Cusco by taxi at no additional expense to themselves. We have also offered compensation for the hotel mix up.
Claudia Weiner review 31 Oct 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The trek to Machu Picchu.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Dress appropriately, in layers but dont bring too much. Save cash in soles to tip the porters because they really deserve it.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We used local guides and porters, and there were stringent rules while hiking the Inca Trail.
Keren Jones review 28 Apr 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The variety of the country - jungle, high mountains, desert and the kindness of the people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
You need your passport for the Inca trail (we were not told this and only were allowed on due to having photocopies of passports, a driving licence and lots of smooth talking/begging of the officials by the guide).
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - benefited locals as we gave tips direct to them and made donations to local charities, bought things from street/roadside vendors and stayed in small hostels. However, feel the tour operators should pay the porters on the Inca Trail much more than the measly govt. set minimum wage, which is still penutive for the efforts these guys go to and the hours they work. Also the porters should get life insurance on top of medical insurance. I hope we did not impact on the environment too much - tried to be really careful and not leave any litter etc.
Read the operator's response here:
Wages - The average wage paid by Inca Trail operators to their porters in 2005 was between 75 and 80 Peruvian Soles about US $23 (GB £12) for three and a quarter days work (most porters are back in their villages by 10am on the 4th day of the trek since they don't continue to Machu Picchu with the trekkers). This works out at about 22 Soles per day (US$6.5 per day). We pay our porters a basic rate of 100 Soles (29 Soles or US$8.5 per day). This complies with the Porter Law introduced in 2002 and approved by the Syndicate of Porters. We have also encouraged our porters to undertake a first-aid course (run by a local NGO) and over 90% of our porters have now completed this course.
Porters who have received their first-aid certificate also earn an additional 5 Soles per trek. Not only does this extra income help the porters financially but it also helps to make them more professional and differentiate them from the many thousands of "casual" porters. This increases their self-esteem and confidence. We have also agreed to pay our porters an additional 5 Soles if they participate in an environmental awareness course which will be arranged later in 2006.
To many people even a basic wage of 29 Soles (US$8.5) per day amounts to exploitation. By Western standards this appears to be low, however wages have to be seen in perspective, and in relation to what other people earn in Peru. Most of our porters depart on the Inca Trail at least 4 times a month.
(4 x 3.25 = 13 days work) earning about 500 Soles ( 4 x 100 Soles plus tips of about 100 Soles). This is just a little less than the wage of a professional school teacher in Cusco who earn between 600 and 700 Soles for working 22 days per month. Teachers in the villages earn much less than this, some as little as 350 Soles per month. It should be noted that teachers have to study for a minimum of 5 yrs at a university or institute and often have to work the first couple of years for wages between 150 and 250 Soles per month!! A master tradesman such as a carpenter may charge about 25 Soles per day for his services and a labourer will charge about 15 Soles. A farmer in the villages earn about 8 Soles per day so a porter can earn about the same as a village school teacher and has enough left over to pay a neighbour to work his fields while he is away on the trail. Most porters are land owners and do not pay rent, so their outgoings are fairly minimal. Some trekking companies pay their porters as low as 20 Soles per day. Even though this wage is on the low side, the low wage itself does not amount to direct exploitation. It is how the porters are actually treated on the trail itself and their working conditions where the real exploitation can be seen.
In 2002 the government actually passed the Porters Law which stated that each porter should be paid a minimum wage of 5.1 Soles per hour (about US$1.5). It has widely been accepted that this equates to about 100 Soles per Inca trail trek or 19.5 hrs work. At the time the reasons for introducing this law were politically motivated and had more to do with winning votes than actually looking after the porters' welfare. For this reason the law was largely ignored by the majority of companies in Cusco and the law was never been enforced. However in the last year porter welfare has become an important issue again (maybe since 2006 is an election year!) and the syndicate of porters has become more powerful so more companies are paying their porters 100 Soles or more.
Norman Meehan review 12 Dec 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking through the Sun gate and seeing Machu Picchu spread across the opposite hill in the morning sun was an overwhelming experience. Also the views into the valleys from the high passes were breath-taking and the geography of the hills and valleys was remarkable.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Spend time acclimatizing in Cuzco before going on the Inca trail. I would say at least three days - the pass on the second day of the trek is high (4200 m) and was tough mainly because of the altitude - at sea levelthis would have been a relatively easy 'walk-up' for a fit person.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Obviously there is environmental impact when thousands of people trek through the country side each month. However, there is employment and industry for locals because of this and I believe a net gain for locals. Machu Picchu is expensive to visit, but so it should be for rich foreigners. It is free for Peruvians on Sundays, and locals benefit from the money that foreigners introduce tot he local economies.
4. Any other comments?
It was terrific. Definitely a **** trip.
Linda James review 8 Jul 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Watching the shooting stars and Venus whilst waiting in the dark at the entrance to the Macchu Picchu gate at 0500am. Reaching Macchu Picchu at 0700 to watch the sunrise was exciting, exhilarating and with a massive sense of achievement after 4 tough days' trekking.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take a good sleeping bag and walking boots and listen to the advice of your guides who really know their stuff. As they say, it's not a race and 'the last is first'.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Many local porters were employed as part of our group and the finite number of visitors on the Inca Trail ensured minimum impact on the environment and the Trail itself.
Claire Smith review 18 May 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Finally making it to the top of the first pass on the second day and seeing the view. Seeing Macchu Pichu just before the clouds rolled in after sunrise!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take a warm sleeping bag and thermals - it is cold at night
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The Inca trail seems to be very well regulated now and the local company who ran the trek seemed fairly concerned about the treatment of the porters and not leaving any rubbish behind us.
Rosie Brownlie review 6 Apr 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Arriving at Machu picchu.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you're prepared for the altitude, rest for a few days before hand.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the porters were well looked after and the guide was very informative about the trail and all the environmental issues attatched to it.
Andrew Clapham review 1 Jun 2005
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Had a fantastic holiday - all arrangements went superbly - quality of accommodation and food much better than anticipated - very good value for money. The most memorable part was seeing condors flying over Colca Canyon.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't take too much luggage on Inca Trail - it's not as cold as the all the guidebooks say - can buy hats, sticks, gloves, sweaters etc at start of trail - very cheap in UK terms - not worth carrying!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Local people were superb and felt able to give them money without patronising them - small change to take their photos, buy souvenirs from them etc - without beating them down on price too much, buy local fruit/fruit juice etc - very refreshing/very cheap and benefits them. Impact on environment is unavoidable but seemed to be kept to minimum.
To update - I enjoyed Peru so much last year that I'm going back again this year with my wife - using this operator again. Thanks again for helping me to find an organisation which enabled me to really enjoy the adventure holiday of a lifetime last year - in the knowledge that they were putting something back into the country I got so much from. Thank you - keep up your good work!
Jacqueline Adnams review 1 Aug 2005
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The entire experience! Trekking in all weathers from hot sun to snow to torrential rain! Great fun, an extremely trying trek and you get the chance to sample typical Peruvian dishes and see many typical Peruvian towns and farms you would never had the chance to see. You also get to trek through many different terrains, such as the snowy Salkantay pass in one morning and hot jungle by the afternoon – incredible. Also, having the chance to visit the hot springs in Santa Teresa, rather than the usual ones in Aguas Calientes. We did both and the ones at Aguas Calientes are filthy, expensive to enter and crowded. The ones at Santa Teresa are clean, free and quiet – perfect! Of course, Macchu Picchu also – it is a great feeling after 4 hard days trekking to reach such a stunning site.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you get all the relevant information such as what to take, such as thermals, sleeping bags etc. The other people on the trek who booked through other agencies had no idea what to expect and were not prepared for what they got – i.e. snow, rain! We were also informed the trek was extreme and very hard work and this is exactly what we got, others were told they would be walking 2 hours a day, not 8! Also, make sure you acclimatize in Cusco for 3 days before the trek – this definitely helped! There were 4 girls on our tour who arrived the evening before and had terrible altitude sickness the first two days of the trek and it ruined their whole experience.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I felt it benefited local people due to the amount of tourism money that is brought into the country through treks like this. I don't feel we had any major impact on the environment, although, the amount of visitors to Macchu Picchu and the effects this is having on the site can be quite a worry.
Sandy Sorzano review 16 May 2005
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I enjoyed everything very much. The third hiking day was the most beautiful. It was my favourite day. Overall, however, the trek was fantastic – the crew, the food, the equipment, the schedules. I cannot complain about a thing.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring your own camping mattress for sure..
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I’m not sure about benefiting, but we certainly didn’t exploit the people or the environment.
Tanya Khara review 23 Mar 2005
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing a toucan flying through the trees of the cloud forest while we walked along a quiet part of the trail.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Try and go with a small group so you can make the most of the guides and not feel part of a crowd - maximum 8.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes because the numbers were controlled and the porters seemed to be treated very well - given rain jackets etc.
