Erika (our guide) and Adrian (our driver) provided my wife and I with a wonderful trip to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. They met us at the airport upon arrival in Cusco, and got us checked into our hotel. The next day Erika provided us with a terrific tour of Cusco, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, and Pisac. They dropped us off at our Sacred Valley hotel, and then picked us up the next morning so we could visit Ollantaytambo, the terraces at Moray, and the Las Salineras Salt Mines. There happened to be a festival at Ollantaytambo on the day of our visit, causing causing unexpected restrictions on vehicle access to the city. Erika and Adrian successfully navigated through the obstacles, and got us where we needed to be with no lost time, in addition to seeing the town full of people celebrating and wearing traditional Peruvian clothing.
The next day Adrian got us to the train station, and after a great trip on the Hiram Bingam, Erika met us at Machu Picchu where she escorted us on a tour of the Citadel. The next day, after asking for our preferences, Erika led us on a hike up Huchu Picchu, then to the Sun Gate, then the Inka bridge, after which we took the train back to Cusco. This was just in time for Halloween, which we learned from Erika is a very big deal in Cusco! Per her advice, we went back to the town square that evening, and saw what was like new year's eve in Times Square, but with hundreds of adorable Peruvian children in the most elaborate costumes we have ever seen.
Erika and Adrian were both outstanding hosts. They were on time for each pickup, and changed the plans every time we asked. We observed that Adrian cleaned his car each day, so we had a good view of the landscape at all times. Erika's grasp of the history of the area is first rate, and she communicated that information in a very enjoyable manner. She made the trip easy for us, and inquired often about our needs and desires regarding the itinerary.
The itinerary itself worked very well. The hotels were first rate, and included places (e.g. the Aranwa in the Sacred Valley) that we would never have found on our own. Terry was our contact for the initial planning for the trip, and is an excellent communicator, keeping us apprised as the trip was being planned, and answering our questions very promptly and completely.
I highly recommend this company for any Peru travel. I will certainly be engaging their services for our next trip there.
After I first contacted Juan at Amazing Andean Adventures, the customer service and response was exceptional. Juan replied to my e mail immediately and had suggestions and answers to my questions right away. His attention to detail and customer service is above and beyond what you might expect. My husband and I had a wonderful time from the minute we arrived in Lima, then again arriving in Cusco. Our guide met us at the airport upon arrival, we were taken to our beautiful hotel and had the afternoon to relax. The next day our guide picked us up at the hotel and we had a tour of Cusco. The next day we went to the Sacred Valley and the next to Machu Picchu. Juan, our guide, was extremely knowledgable and helpful the entire time. We were afraid that we would not have much time to ourselves, but that was not the case. Juan allowed my husband and I to explore on our own as well as giving us a tour. We enjoyed lunch and dinners on our own as well. This is the perfect trip for someone who wants a private guided tour, but also some free time to be independent. The hotel and all the arrangements were splendid and I highly recommend Amazing Andean Adventures and Juan and his professional staff.