23 Apr 2023
The tour company made this trip very easy and memorable. I was very limited on time, and had to make a flight from Cusco back to Lima on the night of the tour. Oswaldo, the tour operator, even went to pick up our luggage from the hotel and met us back at the bus station so we could go straight to the airport. Service on this tour was impecable from booking till completion. Communication is started from the time the tour is confirmed till the very end. This is the best tour company ever.
We got picked up bright and early at the hotel. We were driven 2 hours to Ollentaytambo to hop on the train to Aguas Calliente. The train ride was amazing. The views were beautiful. Words don’t do it justice. The staff on the train were super helpful too. They are extremely receptive to their passengers. Once at Aguas Callientes I met my Machu Picchu tour guide Edwin. We took a bus from Aguas Calliente up to Machu Picchu. We saw people hiking it and I know I would be done for the day just after the hike up. That bus leaves you fresh for the Machu Picchu experience. Once in Machu Picchu, you take a tour all over Machu Picchu. Edwin listened to what we wanted to see and tailored the experience to what we wanted and to my physical capabilities. He gave me plenty of time to rest but kept talking during all the rests. I learned a great deal about Machu Picchu. I’m a big guy in my 40’s that lives at sea level. The rests that the tour guide took made the trip enjoyable. We had told the tour guide we wanted to try Cuy (Guinea Pig) but probably wouldn’t have time since it took 40 min to prepare. Edwin arranged with the restaurant to have it prepared and ready for us when we arrived. He called the restaurant to let them know we were on our way down so it would be ready to eat when we arrived. I won’t ruin the Cuy experience for you by giving my opinion. Everyone should try to explore different cultures. I say give it a try.
The trip back to Cusco was easy as well and basically a reverse of arrival journey. We had one exception. From Ollentaytambo we took a Perurail bus back to Cusco which was easy and comfortable. . Oswaldo, the tour operator, had picked up our luggage from the hotel and met us at the bus stop so we could make our flight back to Lima.
This trip was a once in a lifetime experience and it was made easy on this tour. I tried to research everything on my own but got so frustrated with all the rules, coordinating and hassle of doing it. This tour took all of my worries and concerns out of the equation and let me focus on having a memorable experience. I truly recommend this tour.