Peru adventure vacation and inca trail reviews

  Climbing Mountains   May 10 2012

Review by Erik Ersser (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Apr 22 2012
Our trip was everything I expected, and much more! Plenty of hiking & cycling all over the Andes..Machu Picchu is mind boggling - and the top of Machu Picchu mountain itself lent a perfect backdrop to propose to my now-fiance! Thanks Active! We'll be looking for you again somewhere else in the world!

  Not even traveler's diarrhea will stop us!!   May 8 2012

Review by Monk Mann (Reno, Nevada, United States) for Jaguar Apr 8 2012
We missed the Lares hike, but everything else was wonderful. Machu Picchu was the highlight.

  Awesome, the trip of a lifetime!   May 4 2012

Review by Brenda Constantino (Foothill Ranch, California, United States) for Jaguar Apr 8 2012

  Awesome, the trip of a lifetime!   Apr 24 2012

Review by Matthew Cring (St Thomas, Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands (U.S.)) for Jaguar Mar 11 2012
The trip to the Andes, as well as the rainforest, was truly the trip of a lifetime. Our guide Arturo was a wealth of knowledge along the trip, and very friendly as well. It was like having a friend along that knew everything about the history, architecture, and culture of the area. The hike through the Inka Trail was especially difficult for me, just due to my incredible fear of heights. Our guide on the trail, Gerson, was amazing at trying to keep my mind of the the heights when we were walking along the steep ridges. He stayed by my side and never made me feel bad about my fear. I would never have been able to do it without him, and I'm grateful for that. The rainforest, and especially the lodge, were also spectacular. We were successful in seeing several species of monkey, pirhana, and countless large insects. Thank you all for a great trip!! -Matt from St. Thomas

  Amazing experience!!!   Apr 23 2012

Review by for Jaguar Mar 11 2012
Active adventures provided a challenging and educational experience. Our guides, especially Arturo, went above their job descriptions to make sure we had the full Peruvian experience. I am very grateful for that.

  Will be asking for commission for my rave reviews!   Apr 10 2012

Review by Jo-Anne Walker (Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand) for Jaguar Mar 11 2012
My Jaguar journey far exceeded expectations, was great value, educational, well organized and such a lot of fun. The Active guides were outstanding, Arturo went above and beyond the call of duty on every single occasion, mixing his finely tuned sense of humor with required empathy or support whenever required. He is indeed knowledgable and an impressive man of high calibre. Gerson impressed with his huge knowledge but even more admirable was his patience and support of team members whenever or wherever he was needed. ... One slight criticism ... Occasionally our guides were not totally prepared for the weather extremes and had to stand in t shirts in pouring rain or on the top of a hill in hail or howling wind... I realize probably not a ' do or die' situation but a $2 poncho works wonders. This is a very small flaw in an otherwise well oiled machine. Another slight annoyance, but who knows how it could be changed, the rare occurrence of a hot shower in our hotel in Cuzco, this hotel otherwise worked perfectly for our home away from home, however a hot shower, even a time limited one, is an essential wind down after a long physical day and more often than not someone had been there first, alas luke warm at best. Call me thick but I didn't totally understand the concept of leaving our larger bag in storage at our hotel and use our smaller sports bag for each individual 4 day journey. A friend who had earlier walked the Inca Trail ,explained the concept more fully and I was perfectly prepared and very happy with how the system worked. However, I didn't fully understand this concept from the website, maybe eliminate the information that we would use the porters special bags for the Inca trail, maybe this is too much info and makes the 2 bag concept confusing..... Or maybe it's just me!!! I was just so happy to have been so well cared for by such outstanding guides that I have already sold the Active South America to 2 kiwi friends and will definitely become a repeat customer. Cheers Jo-Anne Walker

  Peru - Jaguar trip 2012   Mar 30 2012

Review by Zeo Kurtovic (Evanston, Illinois, United States) for Jaguar Mar 11 2012
Much, much, much more beautiful than I could imagine. Great country, great nature, great people!!!

  Awesome, the trip of a lifetime!   Mar 29 2012

Review by Ines Kurtovic (St Thomas, Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands (U.S.)) for Jaguar Mar 11 2012

  Lares Trail is phenomenal, highly recommended.   Mar 1 2012

Review by Trip Zorn (Leawood, Kansas, United States) for Jaguar Jan 15 2012
Great trip. Met wonderful people, guides and other travellers. Lares Trail is phenomenal, highly recommended. - TZ

  An introduction that inspired me   Feb 2 2012

Review by Maria Rosenfeld (New York, New York, United States) for Jaguar Jan 15 2012
Peru is one of the most beautiful, fascinating, adventurous, warm countries that i have ever visited. This was an introduction that inspired me to learn more about this country and explore the rest of South America.

  Awesome   Jan 5 2012

Review by Kirk Meier (Westminster, Colorado, United States) for Jaguar Dec 18 2011
The people, the places, the things, all a great experience! Couldn't have had a better guide! Thanks Arturo!

  I loved the places we visited in Peru on this Jaguar trip!   Nov 14 2011

Review by Gail Young (Boise, ID, United States) for Jaguar Sep 25 2011
Machu Picchu was everything and more that I expected, and I loved all the towns and places we visited. I was particularly impressed with the Andes - I had not thought specifically about how impressive and beautiful they would be. The people were so colorful and industrious, warm and welcoming. The fumes from diesel fuel were difficult to deal with when walking around Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Puno - most all towns with vehicles, but otherwise I enjoyed all of the exploring that we did. We were definitely kept active, and I enjoyed the variety of activities. I loved the Lares Trail, but would also entertain the Classic Inca trail if I do come here again. The altitude did have an influence on my appetite, sleep and energy levels - particularly by the end of the two weeks, so I would take extra measures in the future to combat my altitude fatigue! I would definitely recommend this trip for the adventurous, active soul! What made this trip so fantastic, besides the places we visited, was our guide!! Sally is absolutely the best and most top notch guide that I have ever had on a trip! She was not only so organized, patient, responsible, mature, active and in great shape, but she was so knowledgeable about all aspects of Peruvian culture, the traditions, the history, customs etc. She was fun, funny, always available, knew and was well-liked by everyone we linked up with on the trip - other guides, restauranteurs, hoteliers etc. etc. I cannot say enough about what a treasure and gem she is. She definitely made our trip even more worthwhile!

  An Amazing Adventure!   Nov 8 2011

Review by Denise Graves (San Francisco, California, United States) for Jaguar Sep 25 2011
I've been wanting to visit Peru and Machu Picchu for many years, and signed up for the Jaguar trip, which included Machu Picchu, the Amazon and Lake Titicaca. Active did not disappoint. Having travelled with a number of other companies before, this was the most well-organized and fulfilling trip so far! To begin with, the home office personnel were incredibly responsive and the information provided was comprehensive. Once in the country, I felt like I could not have been in better hands with our group guide as well as the other local guides along the way. Our group guide was not only highly professional and a complete pleasure to be around (for days on end!), but was also an absolute wealth of information -- from the history, culture and politics, to the incredibly diverse plant and animal life. I chose the Lares trail, which involved traversing through villages and over mountain passes where we encountered local people where they lived and worked their land. Our time in Lake Titicaca also involved a soccer game with the locals, as well as dancing in the local attire and a home stay. As a result of having more interactions with the local people in their environment, I enjoyed a more intimate experience compared with my other trips. I feel like I was able to connect with the Peruvian people and the country, and left more enlightened about both. Overall, nicely balanced in terms of activities and very well organized/professionally executed. I would do it again, and definitely recommend this trip to others! I only wish that I would have had the time to visit the Galapagos as well! Heartfelt thanks for an Amazing and Active Adventure!

  Peru was a blast!   Oct 28 2011

Review by Jay Austin (Seattle, Washington, United States) for Jaguar Oct 2 2011
We spent two weeks hiking, biking and exploring all of the amazing things Peru has to offer. Our guide Carlos was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and fun. It was a great group and a great trip.

  Jaguar - this was a fabulous trip.   Oct 25 2011

Review by Donna Hiller (Boise, Idaho, United States) for Jaguar Sep 25 2011
I can't say enough good things about it. Peru is so beautiful. Sally was so knowledgeable and establishes such good relationships with all her clients and everyone she participates with. Everything was run right on time. All the activities and logistics were so well organized. I feel you go above and beyond in your service and will definately use you again for trips.

  It was great, wonderful trip.   Oct 24 2011

Review by Dave Lindsay (Boise, Idaho, United States) for Jaguar Sep 25 2011
It was great, wonderful trip.

  Awesome, the trip of a lifetime!   Oct 24 2011

Review by Deme Dellairo (Meridian, Idaho, United States) for Jaguar Sep 25 2011

  Perfect Peru   Oct 21 2011

Review by Guy Lamoureux (Bonnyville , Alberta, Canada) for Jaguar Sep 25 2011
Just finished the 14-day Jaguar trip. What an awesome time we had. Everything was well organized and where it was supposed to be when it was supposed to be there. I have done 2 other "adventure tours" before and the activities, food and accommodations on this one were by far the best. Can't say enough great things about our leader and substitute mother, Sally. She arrived every day with a big smile and boat load of enthusiasm about the days activities and her countries marvels, history and culture. She was always looking out for us and like all good mothers, had eyes in the back of her head. She even knew when we snuck out of the hotel late to get one more Pisco Sour and watch the Peru / Paraguay football game with the locals. Despite the fact our group of 8 came from widely different backgrounds, and 4 of us came on our own, we connected instantly. Everyone looked out for each other and I now consider myself to have 7 new friends. We are already talking about new adventures together. Great Job Active South America and Sally.

  Where do I begin....   Oct 14 2011

Review by Terry Watts (Abingdon, Oxford, United Kingdom) for Jaguar Sep 11 2011
The way Cynthia looked after our group made a trip of a lifetime outstanding. Every aspect of the trip over delivered on my expectations... mountains, jungle, lakes and lovely people. My only regret is that now I know what is on offer and don't have the time or money to do more trips!

  The Great Escape   Sep 25 2011

Review by Chris Smith (Chicago, Illinois, United States) for Jaguar Aug 14 2011
My roommate, Ethan, and I decided (very last minute!!) to travel to Peru together before we started first our full-time careers. We signed up for the Jaguar trip just seven days before it departed. We loved every minute of the trip, our guide, our fellow travelers and the culture of Peru. I would definitely go back and wouldn't do it without Active and their fantastic approach to adventure travel.

  Great trip well organized; was a blast!   Sep 25 2011

Review by Ali Esmail (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Aug 14 2011
Great trip well organized; was a blast!

  Bucket list and Beyond!   Aug 28 2011

Review by Ingrid Thompson (Dundas, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Jul 31 2011
From arrival to departure - this trip was beyond expectations. Yes, it was active, but we were so well taken care of - thank you Arturo. Thank you for your sense of humour, understanding, knowledge and intuition. The biodiversity was incredible. The views forever imbeded into our memories; the people welcoming with an obvious belief in family and friends; the food an exceptional gastronomical experience we didn't anticipate. I miss ceviche and the opportunity to continue tasting over 2,000 potato varieties and pisco sours from the Amazon. Active does it best - thank you!

  An Amazing Adventure   Aug 28 2011

Review by Kevin Thompson (Dundas, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Jul 31 2011
A wonderful experience. Arturo was lots of fun. The trip was well organized and we were spoiled beyond what we expected.

  All we had hoped for   Aug 20 2011

Review by Mark Smith (Congleton, Cheshire, United Kingdom) for Jaguar Jul 24 2011
Sally, our new mum, guided us through each part of the adventure. The trail was a fantastic one off my bucket list. The adventure began and did not finish for the whole trip. Each guide we had helped us and the local Peru people are very proud of their history. We met like people and made friends that we enjoyed sharing our adventure.

  This trip was one to remember.   Jul 15 2011

Review by Gabby Castro (Conifer, Colorado, United States) for Jaguar Jun 26 2011
As my semester abroad came to an early end in Chile, I was looking to go to Peru and see Machu Picchu. Active just sort of popped up and I went for it (with the help of the Active crew). I wasn't sure what to expect and I have been to some pretty cool places before, but this trip was one to remember. Yes, it rained AND snowed during the "dry season" but Sally didn't let it keep us down. She took care of any glitches before they even became glitches and was always there to answer questions or just talk to. Maybe one day when I grow up and actually have money I can come back and do another active trip...because I already know it'd be worth it.

  An Amazing journey with like minded people.   Jun 21 2011

Review by Ann Cowan (Queenstown, New Zealand) for Jaguar Mary Thompson May 8 2011
An Amazing journey with like minded people. At times the Inca Trail was extremely difficult but what a feeling when you reach the saddle on that 2nd day. The whole group has bonded and we all helped one another to fulfill the journey of a life time. Then the floating island and the people on Lake Titicaca - again nothing similar have I seen - a must see. The night on the Island was a challenge and you just realized how fortunate we are to be able to travel and learn about these people. They all so poor but extremely happy.

  Peruvian Pride   Jun 9 2011

Review by Craig Howard (Franklin, Massachusetts, United States) for Jaguar May 22 2011
We were blown away by Peru and its diverse cultures. The hikes were challenging, the food was amazing and the guides shared a love and passion for their country that made us fall in love with Peru. We'd love to return someday.

  Peru - a remarkable place!   Jun 9 2011

Review by Marcel Quimby (Dallas, Texas, United States) for Jaguar May 22 2011
Trip to Peru with Active South America was fabulous! Hiking the Inca Trail, visiting Machu Picchu (and other Inca sites), seeing Cusco, biking in the Andes, seeing the rainforest, canoeing in Lake Titicaca and visiting the Uros and other islands in the lake were all remarkable opportunities to see unique and beautiful places as well as getting the know the remarkable Purevian people. Wish I could have stayed for a month!

  This was a perfect trip for Helen and myself.   Jun 6 2011

Review by Colin Maber (Attenborough, Nottingham, Notts, United Kingdom) for Jaguar Mary Thompson May 8 2011
This was a perfect trip for Helen and myself. We are keen travellers and we like to think of ourselves as being "active". This trip was certainly active and suited us down to the ground. To be able to travel, in the knowledge that the trip has been well planned and that our guides are always on hand made for a stress free experience. The mix of walking, sight seeing, cycling and even a dose of kayaking resulted in a brilliant introduction to Peru. Thank you for the opportunity!

  Jaguar - Worth the Thirty Year Wait   Jun 3 2011

Review by Michelle Hook (Grand Island, New York, United States) for Jaguar May 15 2011
I have dreamed of going to Machu Picchu for thirty years and I am so glad that my dream was fulfilled with Active Adventures. What a bonus to also go to the Amazon Jungle and Lake Titicaca. The whole trip was a visual banquet and Sally, our guide, made evey step of the way an utter delight. Every detail was taken care of. All we had to do was get up each day ready for adventure! I am already excited about choosing my next trip with Active!

  An Awesome Experience   Jun 3 2011

Review by Dennis Lampson (Gardnerville, Nevada, United States) for Jaguar May 15 2011
The Jaguar trip exceeded our expectations in every way!! Sally, "Mama" is an amazing tour leader - friendly, calm, competent, knowledgeable, organized and attentive to every detail. Each aspect of the trip - hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, experiencing the Amazon rainforest at Refugio Amazonas, and the beauty of Lake Titicaca with its unique islands and people - was filled with amazing sights, activities, and friendly guides. We would be remiss not to mention the wonderful Peruvian food we enjoyed everywhere we went! It is delicious! Active South America really takes care of its clients and we thank you for a trip of a lifetime!

  awesomeness   Jun 2 2011

Review by Rachel Niccoll (Tappan, New York, United States) for Jaguar May 15 2011
Well this is the second great active trip for me. Weka in New Zealand Nov 2010 was awesome with an O. To meet up with 2 friends I made on that trip on this Jaguar was incredible. You can really make friends for a lifetime. we are alreay planning out 3rd trip together. Thanks Active

  Jaguar, as usual, up to the best in standard.   Jun 2 2011

Review by Michael MacNevin (North Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia) for Jaguar May 15 2011
As usual, up to the best in standard. Great new friends, well organised and very informative. Food was to die for while the contrasts within Peru have to be seen to be believed.

  Great way to see all Peru has to offer!   May 30 2011

Review by Erika Zabler (Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States) for Jaguar Apr 17 2011
Our trip with you in Peru was one of our best ever! We were so lucky to meet new friends, share tasty and authentic meals, and hike and explore the nature and wonders of Peru!

  Jaguar trip to Peru was awesome   May 26 2011

Review by Susan Halpern (Manchester, Massachusetts, United States) for Jaguar May 1 2011
Of course, I wanted to take this trip to see Machu Piccu, and it was amazing! However, I didn't realize how much fun I would have visiting Cusco, the jungle and the family on Amantani Island in Lake Titicaca. Staying with the family was an eye opening experience - an opportunity of a lifetime to spend time with people who are not of my world. Unforgetable!

  May 1-14, 2011 Jaguar Adventure   May 25 2011

Review by Colleen Drenckhahn (Phoenix, New York, United States) for Jaguar May 1 2011
Where do I begin? Every part of this wonderful adventure offered through Active South America was fantastic. I have dreamed of visiting the various sites in Peru since I was a teenager (30+ years ago); this trip surpassed all my expectations. Arturo was a phenomenal guide: I feel that I speak for everyone in our group when I say that we truly appreciated his historical knowledge, technical prowess, infinite patience, positive attitude, and most of all...his choices in restaurants! Arturo is a definite asset to his profession. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather the entire trip. Machu Picchu was even more magical and magnificent than I had ever dreamed. Julio, our little group's Classic Inka Trail guide was a joy to be with. His infectious laugh and in-depth knowledge of the trail and surrounding areas made our trek interesting and fun. The side trip to Paulo's traditional Inka-style home was a pleasant surprise appreciated by us all. It helped bring history to life, and his hospitality warmed my heart. I must mention the outstanding service provided by the Porters and Cook: they made this trek so enjoyably relaxing. There was always much merriment in the camp and on the trail. Gourmet meals and snacks (minus the parakeet seed trail bar, that is ;-) were a definite delight on the trail. Having tea and hot wash water delivered to your tent was another luxurious treat that they spoiled us with. How will I ever be able to camp on my own again?? For me, the trek ended all too soon on Day 4 at the Sun Gate at dawn. I remember thinking...how can they possibly top this experience? I was about to find out. The Amazon Jungle portion of the trip gave us accommodations that were extravagantly relaxing. Once again, we had beautiful weather, which helped bring about our numerous monkey, parrot, caimen, and insect/spider/scorpion sightings; including several javalina and capybaras. The greatest thing of all, and the least expected, was our jaguar sighting and subsequent photo opportunity! The big cat sat on the riverbank long enough for us to get numerous close-up shots of it. Arturo was as happy and excited to see it as we were. What a fantastic experience to see this beautiful cat in its natural surroundings!! On the final leg of our journey we traveled to Puno and Lake Titicaca where we once again enjoyed beautiful, mild weather. The boat trip and kayak outing to the various islands helped emphasize just how large the lake is. After a long Upstate New York winter, it felt great to be out on the water again. I was literally and figuratively on top of the world! Regarding our family stay: both Jennifer and I were pleasantly surprised that our family accomodations were so luxurious. We had our own beds, in a cozy second floor room with a balcony that had the most spectacular view of the lake. Julian and Lucia's house was warm and welcoming...and provided us a cultural experience that we will never forget. Another experience that touched my heart and warmed my soul was when Arturo took my "toy bag" on our hike to Pachemama mountain. The two of us had such fun handing out the pencils, paper, and various toys to the little kids. They truly appreciated our little gifts of friendship. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the food experiences throughout our trip: They were awesome!! We visited a variety of local restaurants and markets. I can't say enough about the amazing variety of dishes that comprise Peruvian cuisine. Fresh fruits, vegetables and meats/fishes. There was something for everyone. Portions were good sized, and always served with a smile. The chicken and Alpaca in Cusco was outstanding...the trout and kingfish in Puno: fantastic...the seafood in Lima was scrumptious. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful their desserts were! If you are a bread-lover, beware: their breads are so delicious and tasty...BUT are usually only served at the morning meal! They had a sweet bread that we tried in a market in Cusco that I could have eaten all day long...it was SO good!! From the tastly cuisine to the phenomenal scenery, friendly people, and spectacular wildlife sightings...this trip most certainly surpassed all my expectations. My thanks to: Arturo, Julio, Daniel, Frank, Oswaldo, Julian, Lucia, and everyone else who made this the trip of a lifetime! May all your travels be filled with sunshine and gentle breezes! Colleen Drenckhahn

  May 1 2011 Jaguar Trip   May 19 2011

Review by Jenn Wurl (Houston, Texas, United States) for Jaguar May 1 2011
This trip was AWESOME. Arturo is a great guide! We also had Julio as our guide for the Classic Inka Trail who was also incredible!

  Cynthia was a fabulous trip leader.   May 6 2011

Review by Carol Gates (Lake Placid, New York, United States) for Jaguar Apr 17 2011
Cynthia Valaquez(sp) was a fabulous trip leader. Our group of 10 met up in Cusco, a delightful city and after a few days of exploring, hiking and biking we went on to climb the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, an amazing journey in itself. It took 3 nights and 4 days...the porters were incredible and the food was delicious. Machu Picchu is a dream city in the clouds of the Andes mountains. No picture does it justice. Now I understand the word "mystical". We also went to a lovely jungle lodge in the Amazon Basin and to Lake Titicaca where we visited several islands, kayaked, and spent time with a family on Amantani Island. The Uros reed floating islands were like nothing I have ever seen. I have a real feeling for the country of Peru and its wonderful people after this trip with Active South America.

  Jaguar....Trip of a lifetime   May 6 2011

Review by Susan Walsh (Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada) for Jaguar Apr 17 2011
Cannot say enough about how well organized and thought out this trip was. Cynthia was the most amazing guide and we grew to love her. Hope we can return the host role and have her come to Canada and stay with us. I have over 1000 pictures and will share them and some of our experiences

  Peruvian Paradise   Apr 14 2011

Review by Mike Verdirame (Greenport, New York, United States) for Jaguar Mar 13 2011
The Jaguar trip was an awe inspiring journey through one of South America's jewels. From Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail to staying with the locals on Lake Titicaca, this voyage to Peru was outstanding!

  Many challenges, many adventures, awesome guide, lots of fun!   Apr 9 2011

Review by Karen Jokinen (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Mar 13 2011
It was a great trip. Many challenges, many adventures, awesome guide, lots of fun!

  This trip took the guess work out of everything.   Apr 3 2011

Review by Christyn Gaa (Puyallup, Washington, United States) for Jaguar Mar 13 2011
This trip took the guess work out of everything. It was completely well organized, down to the smallest detail. Our guide was amazing and worked so hard to make everything perfect. I would reccomend this trip to anyone who enjoys being active in the outdoors and has a passion for culture.

  The best thing I have ever done!   Mar 31 2011

Review by Kristy Woodward (Burbank, California, United States) for Jaguar Mar 13 2011
I signed up for this trip as a single, which both excited & terrified me as I had never travelled abroad alone. Upon arrival in Cuzco and after meeting our guide & the group I would spend the next 2 weeks with, I was immediately put as ease. This was an awesome experience! The people were great. The trip was so well planned. And the experiences were once in a lifetime. I will definitely recommend Active to friends & family and I hope to join Active again on another trip!

  A responsible company which has something great to offer.   Feb 28 2011

Review by Raymond Girardin (Churchill, Manitoba P.b 894, Manitoba, Canada) for Jaguar Jan 16 2011
Hi, My trip to Peru (Jaguar trip) and Galapagos (Tortugua trip) were EXCELLENT from all points of view. 1- great guiding 2- great exploration 3- great ACTIVE rhythm 4- great group dynamic and I should say that the staff, mainly Sally (Jaguar trip), care a lot. At beginning because of the altitude with a negative physical reaction I ended up dehydrated, in addition I lost my luggage. The Cusco staff of Active and Sally took very good care of me and what could had been disastrous turn up to be great. I owe much to Sally. Muchas gracias. I wish I would be thirty years less! The Galapagos part was more smooth, mind you I had much difficulty with the snorkeling at first. I received the proper help and guiding. I have learned to love snorkeling. At Galapagos Pablo and Ted and the office staff (a young women) were very nice people. Pablo was also very knowledgeable. Nothing but the best! I am working at Parks Canada as a guide interpreter and I can recognize competent people in the field of guiding. I am coming back with the strong impression that Active South America and its staff is a responsible company which has something great to offer. Ciao

  Amazing experience   Feb 15 2011

Review by Mark Hanson (Melrose, Massachusetts, United States) for Jaguar Jan 16 2011
The trip was fantastic.

  Change of plans - Jaguar comes thru!   Feb 15 2011

Review by Dal Hunter (Reno, Nevada, United States) for Jaguar Jan 16 2011
Politics being what they are around the world, we found ourselves on a Friday night in Argentina redirecting our Condor trip at the very last minute to the Jaguar excursion. A strike prevented travel to southern Chile, but Active South America did a superb job of redirecting our itinerary to join the Jaguar group in Peru. We had a great adventure exploring Peru, particularly the Lares Valley in the company of our passionate and fabulous guide, Sally. It was an entirely different trip - and equally as great as we expect Patagonia to be on our next trek to South America!

  Peru with Sally ROCKS!!   Feb 7 2011

Review by Sara Costello (Baltimore, Maryland, United States) for Jaguar Jan 16 2011
This trip lives up to its billing. It was active, very do-able, made the culture accessible, VERY well organized by the guide Sally and just really fun!!

  Peru! Que Chevere!   Feb 6 2011

Review by Tyson Stagner (Walnut Creek, California, United States) for Jaguar Dec 26 2010
They say that in Peru you become awakened. I must say I have seen what they mean. From the moment you step off the plane, you cease to be an American or an Aussie, or wherever you are from and become a Peruvian. The people welcome you as one of their own. The culture makes you want to be a part of it. Our guide, Arturo was the best. When my luggage was lost, he himself became as tenacious as a jaguar to get it back.

  A mystical experience   Jan 13 2011

Review by Carol McConnell (San Antonio, Texas, United States) for Jaguar Dec 26 2010
It was a really wonderul experience. We thoroughly enjoyed participating in all the activities. The highlight was the trek to Macchu Picchu. I also thoroughly enjoyed the kayaking. The jungle trip was enjoyable, not exactly active, but rest and relaxation. The guides, particuarly Arturo, was outstanding. The bottom line is would I do it again - you betcha and with you guys. Thank you very much

  a wonderful experience   Jan 13 2011

Review by Michael McConnell (San Antonio, Texas, United States) for Jaguar Dec 26 2010
I completed this trip with my wife, Carol, and I endorse her comments entirely. Arturo is a unique individual and everyone in our group loved him and respected him. He was the key essential to the overall success of the trip

  Active does it again.   Dec 14 2010

Review by John Ridgley (Mableton, Georgia, United States) for Jaguar Oct 31 2010
After having an awesome time on our Active New Zealand trip we were anxious to do another trip with Active. We eventually decided on the Active South America Jaguar trip to Peru. Apparently we weren't the only ones happy with Active since the rest of our group had also selected this trip based on their New Zealand experience. We couldn't be more happy with our trip and our tour guide Sally. The level of planning and execution that goes into the trip is incredible. The food that was prepared while camping truly was a gourmet experience and all the local restaurants we went to were wonderful. Even though the locations we visited were trip of the lifetime type of places the thing I most enjoyed about the trip was the cultural immersion that our guide provided. Her passion for her home and her desire to show us the real Peru gave us a very special experience. We are already looking into out next Active trip.

  Our Peru Adventure   Dec 13 2010

Review by Jennifer Ridgley (Mableton, Georgia, United States) for Jaguar Oct 31 2010
We made a video of our trip http://vimeo.com/17228859

  Wonderful Jaguar Experience   Dec 12 2010

Review by Emilie Corcoran (Lincoln, California, United States) for Jaguar Oct 31 2010
This was truly an awesome trip. Not only did we see beautiful scenery but we felt like we experienced life in Peru. Our guide, Sally, could not have been better. She was amazingly organized and took extremely good care of us. We loved every minute of our adventure. Thank You Active South America!

  The trip was fantastic!   Nov 15 2010

Review by Angela Fenwick (Thornhill, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Oct 10 2010
The trip was fantastic! Our guide was wonderful - definitely a trip of a lifetime!

  Awesome! Fabulous trip - Great place, Greater guide!   Oct 7 2010

Review by Claire Howells (Tonbridge, Kent, United Kingdom) for Jaguar Sep 19 2010
Awesome! Fabulous trip - Great place, Greater guide! All the people in our group were lovely and we all got on really well. I was a bit nervous that we'd not be up to the trip physically, but whilst we were challenged, we still had a great time. Best time ever!

  A huge smile appears on my face when...   Oct 6 2010

Review by Amy Legg-Rogers (Windsor, Colorado, United States) for Jaguar Sep 12 2010
A huge smile appears on my face when I think about the amazing things I experienced and the wonderful people I met in Peru.

  As a single person travelling alone I highly recommend this trip   May 10 2012

Review by Jacqui Nielsen (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Apr 22 2012
Excellent trip! Peru is a beautiful country with fabulous people. An incredible culture rich experience. Our Jaguar trip was well organized with a fabulous tour leader. Arturo handled with ease anything that was thrown at him. Requests for doctor visits, requests to visit sites not included in the itinerary and even meal requests were all handled with good humour and a smile. He made the trip experience just that much better as we literally had nothing at all to worry about. As a single person travelling alone I highly recommend this trip.

  A Memorable Adventure!   May 9 2012

Review by Steve Ivaniszyn (Bonita Springs, Florida, United States) for Jaguar Apr 22 2012
From the shores of Lake Titikaka to the Inca Ruins to the Amazon jungle, this was a well orchestrated, fun trip. I was hoping it would be active and it lived up to my expectations. The trip went oh so smoothly thanks to our fun loving, caring guide Arturo. He's the best! Thanks for the memories!

  Good, really enjoyed it   Apr 25 2012

Review by Sophia Jeng (Portland, Oregon, United States) for Jaguar Apr 8 2012
The trip was well organized and our trip leader, Yohn, was incredibly accommodating (I'm a picky eater and all he could say was "No problem!"). The itinerary was well balanced with some active time (hiking/walking), down time (shopping or down hill biking) and alone time (free days and time in between activities and meals). Peru is a gorgeous country with varied landscapes (I went on the 10 day trip so missed out on the Lake Titicaca portion) and delicious food. If there was one bit of false advertising in ASA's blurb about this trip, it would be the notion that we would return home energized and refreshed. In fact, I am currently experiencing post vacation blues and wish I was back in Peru! I consider myself an active person and I felt that this trip was perfectly balanced-- giving me some heart pumping days while not making me feel that I was in boot camp. All our guides (Yohn, Olga-Machu Picchu, Frank- Amazon) were knowledgable and provided fantastic insight. A perfect blend of learning a new culture/history and being active!

  Good, really enjoyed it   Mar 28 2012

Review by Cassandra Ralls (Dayton, Ohio, United States) for Jaguar Mar 11 2012

  Awesome trip   Feb 27 2012

Review by Mark Wiley (Olathe, Kansas, United States) for Jaguar Jan 15 2012
We had an incredible time and the weather was great. The only complaint I had was after I got home - Make sure the water is boiled :)

  This was our second trip through Active   Nov 28 2011

Review by Ryan Howell (Stamping Ground, Kentucky, United States) for Jaguar Oct 30 2011
This was our second trip through Active, and we had a great time on both trips. Active really helped us out with reservation changes when our flight got cancelled to Lima on Friday night and our group was supposed to meet at 12 on Sunday, in Cuzco.

  Peru!   Nov 26 2011

Review by Doug Kerr (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) for Jaguar Oct 30 2011
I had a fantastic time on the Jaguar trip. The activities were fun, the local guides were great... I saw far more on this trip than I ever would alone. The food in general was superb and outstanding on the trek, credit to the chef, way more than I expected. Made some good friends. A really awesome adventure!

  Good, really enjoyed it   Nov 1 2011

Review by John Hammer (Wellesley, Ontario, Canada) for Jaguar Oct 9 2011

  Inca Steps   Oct 8 2011

Review by Sneeze Atkinson (Offley, Nr Hitchin, Herts, United Kingdom) for Jaguar Sep 11 2011
A well-organised trip in amongst the chaos that is Cuzco. How all our bags made it from one trip to another never ceased to amaze us!! Must of been the well-oiled team at Active South America :) Peru is a beautiful country with stunning scenery and very passionate people, especially when talking about their ancestors. This was especially so with our guides, Julio, Cynthia and Paula in the Amazon, who were all very knowledgeable. For all the Incas' incredible masonry skills, with perfect joints and geometry, the "bloody Inca steps" (Julio's joke, which made us laugh) were a real challenge and will never be forgotten - a great holiday, thank you.

  Fantastic experience   Sep 18 2011

Review by Natalie Moore (Ulladulla, New South Wales, Australia) for Jaguar Aug 7 2011
Our Active South America trip to Peru was amazing. The scenery was breathtaking, the personal service highly appreciated, the planned activities loads of fun, the meals of high quality and delicious, and the experiences awesome. A big thank you to Yohn for making it such a fantastic trip.

  Good food, guides were excellent.   Sep 4 2011

Review by Cecil Bergen (Copley, Ohio, United States) for Jaguar Jul 24 2011
Was a great trip. Machu Picchu hike was beautiful. Liked 90% of the trip. Would change trip to Puno. I think flying there would be better. 7 hour drive is too long. Also bike riding is too short.

  Eco Tourism is a Way to Give Back   Aug 11 2011

Review by Lynn Howard (San Diego, California, United States) for Jaguar Jul 24 2011
I fell in love with the people of Peru. They work hard to maintain their culture and language. In this fast paced technologically advanced world we are losing sight of what matters most: community, pride in our differences, family relations, hard work and a love of the land and what it gives back to us. On this trip I felt immersed in all of it. Several times I felt that "overwhelming feeling of well being" that makes you know that you are alive and involved. I've already recommended this trip to my ACTIVE friends.

  The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu were great.   Jul 29 2011

Review by David Epp (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) for Jaguar Jun 19 2011
The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu were great. Jualio our trail guide(spelling ?) was excellent and very knowledgeable. The bike ride to Cloud Lodge was great fun but concerned about safety for novices. The Amazonia visit was bit disappointing due to cold and wet weather. Very few animals. Need to cancel on Lake Titicacca was disappointing but appreciate reason (due to civil unrest). Yohn did a good job of finding alternate activities. People need to be aware and prepare for cold temperatures when in Peru highlands ... and Amazon basin as was our experience. Will recommend Active to others.

  I will remember it for the rest of my life.   Jul 28 2011

Review by Kat Sucic (Tucson, Arizona, United States) for Jaguar Jun 19 2011
The trip was really awesome, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. The only reason that I gave it four instead of five stars is mostly due to my own personal preferences and chance occurrences. If we were talking about the trip to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail (and our guides), I would have to give it six stars--it was phenomenal! Now as for the rest of the trip, there was too much car travel. I am particularly susceptible to motion sickness and the trip to the jungle especially would have been a MUCH better experience if we had at least a flight back. Additionally, the bike ride was awesome, but way too long and probably not suited for the entire group. A shorter ride (2-3hrs vs 3.5hrs), better bicycle training, and an alternative option for the less experienced would help prevent a lot of grumblings and injuries. As for freak occurrences, the rain during the bike ride, the cold jungle, the sickness that followed, the raids in Puno that prevented us from seeing the ancient lake, and the snow and generally bad weather did not help the trip--but were by no means your fault. (Maybe having a more concrete back-up plan for each activity would be prudent, however). However, all in all, the trip was pretty amazing, with breathtaking views, physical challenges (see note below), and an intimate glimpse into a country's unique culture. Sidenote: As for the "activeness" of the trip, I think maybe there could be an option for a more strenuous trip. I felt the amount of energy I exerted during the Inka Trail was what I would have liked to consistently have experienced the entire trip, but instead it felt like the rest was a piece of cake. Maybe this has to do with liability or with the age groups, but it's just a suggestion :)

  Really good Jaguar trip   Jul 8 2011

Review by Lisa Desimone (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) for Jaguar Jun 19 2011
The Jaguar trip was really good. Unfortunately we had to make alternate plans for the latter part due to issues in Puno, but Yohn our guide did his best to fill in the gaps. Yohn was a great guide -- very personable and proud of his Peruvian roots. He made the trip memorable! I'd definitely travel with Active again!

  Excellent Guides good accommodation and it was active.   Jun 24 2011

Review by Patrick Burke (Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand) for Jaguar Mary Thompson May 8 2011
Excellent Guides good accommodation and it was active.

  The trip was amazing and challenging.   Jun 20 2011

Review by Kathleen Robertson (Austin, Texas, United States) for Jaguar May 22 2011
The trip was amazing and challenging. The Peruvian people from the various cultures that I had the privilege of visiting were very friendly and gracious. The parts of Peru on this trip were quite varied in landscape, livelihood, food and people. I was impressed that all the guides were from the local area, very proud of their country, well trained, and very helpful. Places, activities, people, guides, and food were great.

  Jaguar Trip   Jun 19 2011

Review by Ross Davidson (Auckland, New Zealand) for Jaguar Mary Thompson May 8 2011
Active is what the company is called and Active is how the trip is best described. A lot of activity and a lot of adventure packed into 14 days. A great experience and certainly a lot of varied activities that make the trip special.

  Our Awesome Guides!   Jun 17 2011

Review by Linda Davidson (Auckland, New Zealand) for Jaguar Mary Thompson May 8 2011
I can not say enough about our awesome guides Cynthia Valladares and Yohn Grajeda. They are each very special individuals who shared not only themselves personally with us, but they did everything in their power to share the best of their beloved Peru with us. Thank you Cynthia and Yohn, you made the whole trip very special for me. Linda, Auckland

  We would definitely take another trip   Jun 2 2011

Review by Dan Woods (San Luis Obispo, California, United States) for Jaguar May 15 2011
This trip was a gift to my 22 year old daughter upon her graduation from college. Just the two of us went and we both had a blast. We both enjoyed the trip immensely. Sally our guide was the best. Machu Picchu and the Lares trail were a definite highlight. The Peruvian Amazon river trip was a very close second. We would definitely take another trip with Active South America or New Zealand!

  Macho Machu Pichu   May 30 2011

Review by Russell Capel (Gloucester, United Kingdom) for Jaguar Apr 17 2011
Overall a fantastic holiday with a good diversity of activities and cultural education. Well organised with nice little touches thrown in that added value to the whole experience.

  Awesome, but needs some tweeks   May 14 2011

Review by Sheila Tansey (Michigan, United States) for Jaguar Apr 17 2011

  Fabulous Trip!   Apr 10 2011

Review by Denise Lauerman (Boise, Idaho, United States) for Jaguar Mar 13 2011
An incredible journey with a great group of people!

  Amazing Peru   Jan 25 2011

Review by Thomas Parker (Knoxville, Tennessee, United States) for Jaguar Dec 26 2010
Peru was nothing short of amazing. The same can be said for our guide, Arturo, who is everybody's best friend and can go from full crisis-solving mode to telling wonderful jokes and back again in the blink of eye whenever needed. The trip put together a whirlwind tour of the great and diverse offerings of the country. This is certainly one of our greatest family adventures. My only complaint is that this literally was not the tour that we ordered. We decided on and paid for the family trip, but that was canceled due to too few participants. With non-refundable tickets to Lima in hand, we were offered and accepted an abbreviated alternate tour, which had a few special challenges for kids such as a bicycle several sizes too large and nights that were altogether too short. That said, the challenges were overcome and the awesome experience remains.

  Like living for 2 weeks on the Discovery Channel   Oct 21 2010

Review by Catriona McDonald (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) for Jaguar Oct 3 2010
Our Active vacation was like living for 2 weeks on the Discovery Channel - we loved it!

  Peru is awesome so here are thoughts on making the trip awesome   Oct 16 2011

Review by Fiona Kemp (West Leederville, Western Australia, Australia) for Jaguar Sep 4 2011
It is a great trip and Peru is a magical country. I just feel there are a few things that need tweaking and possibly different levels need to be offered so everyone has an awesome time. Some of the hotels were very average (and I'm referring to the bigger cities like Cusco). As I had been solo traveling for three weeks before hand and often stayed in hostels, it would be good to have hotels that had comfortable beds. Excellent meals on the hike and we tried some very nice restaurants. It was nice not to be restricted to a tiny menu like some other tour groups were! I would recommend your trip to others, but I would give them more info on the level of activity on the tour. I know I am unusual in the amount of exercies I like to do and the amount I like to fit into a holiday, but I had hoped that this may have been the tour that could give me this, especially given the price of the tour. But please don't get me wrong, I did have a wonderful time with wonderful highlights like hiking to 4700m with my pack, seeing Machu and paddling Lake Titicaca.

  Jaguar - A good overall experience for sure.   Jun 6 2011

Review by Kim Kadish (New York, New York, United States) for Jaguar May 1 2011
A good overall experience for sure. One thing I do appreciate about Active, is the type of people who travel. I enjoy the strong personalities and no bull-shit approach. Everyone meshed very well. You guys are lame to think that we should hike the Lares (Lazy trail). Liz spoke up for the group since we were all pissed that we were not given the Incan trail option. You led on prospective customers in believing that was possible. After purchasing the trip, you then did a bait and switch. I will be frank, that was the impression on us all. So, you might want to be CLEAR in letting people know that you need at least 6 months advanced notice for people to do that option. AND, if you do have the Lares trail for people, give them the option of the springs or REAL hiking. Hire two guides if people don't feel the need to be active; separate the groups. As much as the hike was brutal for me, it was worth it because we saw the most breath-taking beauty. As far as the hike, there should have another guide with Arturo. What happened? Sick or no show is no excuse. He was overwhelmed with taking care of all of us. Get someone who is solid. Period. Arturo worked his butt off. This trip definitely was not like New Zealand. Having one guide made it more fly by the seat of your pants experience. Arturo needs a satellite phone or some walkie-talkie. AND ANOTHER GUIDE to help him. And your city tour was an utter joke. We paid 80 bucks to have some woman sit in a cab (ok, a personal driver. It felt like a cab) with us. She had very little to offer in terms of knowledge of history and culture. She was polite however.

  Beautiful Country, Company rough around the edges.   May 21 2011

Review by Betsey Runnberg (Folsom, California, United States) for Jaguar May 1 2011
We are so glad we decided to explore Peru. The country was beautiful and our tour guide, Arturo was wonderful. The views of Machu Picchu and on the Lares Trail were wonderful. Some things like people getting sick, thus slowing hiking progress and a washed out campsite causing us to have to hike into the dark to find a new campsite could not have been prevented, but were handled well by our guide. Some other areas that could have been better managed were disappointing. We were supposed to have 2 guides, but had only one for the whole trip since someone called in sick and there was no back-up plan. I thought an established company should have a protocol for this, and even if there was a delay, a second guide should have been provided by the second day of the trip. This would have helped a lot during the unavoidable situations listed above. Another issue was that we originally signed up for the Inca Trail, but were put on the Lares Trail due to limited permit availability. We did agree to the Lares Trail, which has several routes. When talking with Active SA planning the trip we made it very clear that we wanted a challenge and beautiful scenary. We were not notified of our trail route until 8 pm the night before leaving on the trail. At that time, it was explained to us that we would spend half of the first day waiting around at some hot springs in a small town before starting the short trail to the first campsite. So, in effect, giving us only one full day of hiking. When asked why that route was chosen, our guide said it was the easier route. This was an unacceptable reason seeing as how we flew all the way down to SA for the primary purpose of an amazing hike, not an easy one. The good thing was that our guide, Arturo, accomodated our wishes and changed the route at the last minute to a more strenuous first day hike that would take us through some amazing terrain. The next day was an amazing and worthwhile hike, but was flawed due to our porters going to the wrong site for lunch since they had not been effectively informed of the switch. We were able to eat our trail bars for lunch and another hiking group gave us some bread and soup. This situation could have been avoided if our initial concerns and motivations had been considered when planning the route and then again prevented by explaining the trek plan to us before the night before the hike. I also think that staying in Aguas Calientes an additional night to see more of Machu Picchu would have been great since that place is soooo amazing you can't see all of it in one day. Ollantaytambo is a beautiful little town that we just slept in and left, but there are some beautiful hill ruins that I would have loved to venture around in rather than spend a free day in Cuzco, which is a hectic loud city. Our time in the amazon was great. We loved the lodge, and our guides were very skilled. Overall, we had a great trip, but there were things that went wrong that could have easily been prevented by better communication and back-up plans. We do want to go to Peru again, but will research other guide companies as well.

  Severely disappointed   Jan 6 2011

Review by Jennifer Gutbezahl (Somerville, Massachusetts, United States) for Jaguar Dec 19 2010
I took your Tortuga trip in the Galapagos a few years ago. It was the first time I'd done a group tour, and I was a bit apprehensive. But Nick White was wonderful, and it was such a delight to be able to depend on someone to take care of the little details that can detract from one's enjoyment of a vacation. So when I was considering visiting Peru, I really didn't consider any other companies - if I went, I was going to go with Active. Well, the one thing I can say about this trip: It gave me an even greater respect for Nick and all that he did. The guide who led our trip, Carlos, was clearly underprepared and was given insufficient support from the central office. He often seemed confused, stressed, and uninformed about the specifics of the trip. He also seemed to have a great deal of difficulty keeping to a schedule. I recognize that things do not operate the same way in Peru as they do in the states. However I did notice that whenever we were working with one of your subcontractors, things went a lot more smoothly. Also, a Gap Adventures group was on a trip that almost exactly paralleled ours, and we consistently saw them leaving hotels at the time WE had been scheduled to leave while our group waited 30, 60, or 90 minutes for our guide or a vehicle, to arrive. As I tend to be an active journal keeper, I'm able to provide a day-by-day description of issues that arose: Day 1: Sunday, Dec 19. I arrived at Cuzco airport expecting to be met by a guide. After spending about 25 minutes looking for the Active sign, I decided to catch a cab - at that point I heard someone calling my name, and met Carlos for the first time. He dropped me off at the hotel, leaving before I had gotten a room or a key, saying he'd be back to meet the group at noon. The group gathered in the lobby at noon. We had plenty of time to introduce ourselves before Carlos showed up at 12:30. The visit to the market and lunch were both very good, and then we headed to Saqsayhuaman. When we got there, we discovered that we did not have admission tickets. Carlos first asked if anyone knew if the tickets were included or we were supposed to buy them ourselves. We all said they should be included. He asked if we'd mind paying for them and he'd try to get money from Active to pay us back. He then left us for about half an hour while he made phone calls to try to sort it out. He then said we might have luck at a different entrance and walked us up the car entrance to another gate, where we were in fact, able to get tickets. We got back to the hotel about 6:30, and Carlos told us to meet in the lobby for dinner at 7:30. The entire group assembled by 7:25 and we waited till about 8 for Carlos to show up. Dinner was fine. Day 2: Monday, Dec 20. Carlos had told us we were being picked up at 8 am. We all brought all our bags down to the lobby at 8. Carlos was there at 8, however, he told us that he'd forgotten to tell us that we were only taking the things we would need for the Inca trail, and we should leave the rest at the hotel. The packs we were supposed to take on the trail (for those of us who were renting packs) were not at the hotel yet. He handed out garbage bags and told us to put our Inca stuff in these. The bags & the bus showed up at about 9:30. The bus was not big enough to hold the bags, so these were put into a car belonging to Carlos' cousin. Due to the disorganization of the packing, several people ended up not bringing items that they needed on the trail - this probably would not have been an issue if we had had sufficient time to pack in our own rooms. Our bags were not in Ollatambo when we arrived, but did show up during dinner. Day 3: Tuesday, Dec 21. We were scheduled to leave at 8 am, but the bus didn't arrive till after 9:30. We did a short bike ride, and then went hiking among the ruins. We were supposed to go biking again after the hike, but Carlos pointed out that it was difficult and time consuming to take the bikes down from the top of the bus, and so suggested that we skip it. Carlos was not going to hike the Inca trail with us, but said he'd meet us at the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu on the morning of Day 7. Day 4, Day 5. No problems. Despite rain, varying levels of fitness of the group, and exhaustion, Julio & Romulo (our guides) did a great job. Tents, meals and departures were all on schedule. Day 6: Friday, Dec 24. This was probably the most inexplicable day of the trip, and would have benefited from both preparation & flexibility. We were awakened at 3 am, and rushed out of our tents. The porters took down our tents as quickly as possible - mine was taken down while I was in the bathroom, before I had finished packing. My personal items (glasses, contact lenses, toothbrush, and feminine hygiene products, a Swiss army knife, etc) were still in the tent - they were never returned to me. After a very small breakfast (one pancake, the only small meal we were served on the trip), we moved to the restaurant to get out of the rain. At this point it was about 3:45, almost two hours before the checkpoint opened, and it was pouring rain. Everyone was crowded into the restaurant for over an hour for no reason we could discern. After this we hiked down to Machu Picchu in the rain. We didn't see Carlos anywhere. We were supposed to spend a couple of hours at the site, but given the rain (and the fact that we'd been hiking in the rain for three days) our group requested a shortened tour and then the opportunity to go someplace indoors. Julio did a great job of getting us to the highlights and providing context in about 45 minutes, and then we caught a bus to Agua Caliente. We arrived at about 10 am. Still no Carlos. We were all very hungry (having only had a small breakfast seven hours earlier), and wanted lunch, and then to return to Cuzco. However, we were told that we were scheduled on a 4:30 train, and that we would be ordering lunch at 1 pm. This, despite the fact that we were in a restaurant that would, presumably serve food at any time. Most of us ended up buying food. And we played cards for several hours. Carlos showed up at 1, providing a long-winded apology and a more long-winded explanation about how it wasn't his fault that he was only showing up now. We asked if there was a way for us to head back to Cuzco earlier than 4:30 - he said no. We arrived back at Cuzco at about 9:30, and had dinner starting at 10:30. Day 7: Saturday, Dec 25. Our free day. No problems, although several of our group were pretty sick. Shawn in particular was feeling awful and talked to Carlos about seeing a doctor. He said she probably just had "slow digestion" and that it was common. Day 8: Sunday, Dec 26. We gathered in the lobby for the bus which was supposed to leave by 9 am, but showed up at 9:30 and left about 10. At the airport, after we had each checked in separately (Nick had printed us boarding passes, which saved a lot of time), Carlos told us that he didn't have money for airport tax, and we'd have to pay our own, but he'd pay us back. On checking in, several of us noticed that our return flight was at 2 pm. Because we'd gotten such a late start (the Gap group had taken a 9 am flight), and because the rains had washed out part of the road, we ended up not getting to the rainforest lodge until well after dark. Yuri and Aldo (our rain forest guides) did a good job of providing us with information about the amazon, and of finding interesting animals and plants (especially after it got dark). Day 9: Monday, Dec 27: Shawn was significantly sicker than she had been. Our guides at the lodge, Yuri and Aldo, did a great job of explaining things and finding cool animals for us to look at. Over dinner, Carlos gave another long apology speech to the group, and explained how none of the problems were actually his fault. He told us we would be leaving at 7 the next morning to catch a noon flight. Yuri told us that we could sleep in, as we were catching the last flight of the day, around 2 pm. Carlos seemed confused by this. Day 10: Tuesday, Dec 28: We had breakfast at 7:30 and left the lodge about 8:30, getting to town at about noon. Carlos told us we'd have a tour of the town, then catch a plane at 2, then get a box lunch on the bus. We suggested that since we had a couple of hours to kill, and we were all hungry, it might make more sense to have lunch in town, but Carlos indicated that there was no flexibility in this. At the airport, Carlos told us again that he didn't have money for our airport tax, and we'd have to pay our own. We returned to Cuzco about 4:30 pm, and Shawn insisted on seeing a doctor. She was immediately put in a decompression chamber, and told she was too ill to fly all the way back to the US, but would fly to Lima the next day. Karen (her partner) would fly with her. At dinner, Carlos told us we were leaving at 8 the next morning. Day 11: Wednesday Dec 29: My phone rang at 6 am, telling me the bus was here. I thought perhaps it was for the Gap group (as they seem to be heading out earlier than us) but I was told, no, it was for Active. So I jumped up and got into the shower - the phone rang again. It was Carlos, going into one of his long winded apologies. I told him not to bother apologizing, just to tell me if our bus is here or not, because if it is, I want to wash out the shampoo, and if it isn't, I want to go back to bed. He says it is, and starts explaining how it isn't his fault. I hung up and got back in the shower. He called again & I told him I really didn't want to talk to him. Finished my shower, and got all my bags downstairs by 6:30. None of our group was there. Carlos said the bus was actually for Karen, who was catching a 7:30 plane - even though Shawn wasn't going to be leaving till noon. Karen said she wasn't leaving without Shawn, and both Carlos & the Cuzco office were completely unhelpful - she ended up having to go to the airport to change her ticket. Carlos explained that he'd been up all night with Shawn & Karen (who later told us he hadn't been), and so he needed to go home & pack and spend some time with his family - he got back about 9:30. The bus, on the other hand, had shown up on time at 8 am. We had a long ride to Puno - we were able to get out an bike for about an hour; the itinerary had promised a longer ride, but I guess since we'd started to late that wasn't really possible. It was a really nice bike ride though. There was probably a lot of interesting information we could have gotten about the are we were riding through (it was a very varied landscape and included a number of villages and urban areas) but Carlos slept through most of the ride & so was unable to provide any commentary. Day 12: Thursday Dec 30/ Day 13: Friday Dec 31: No real problems. Oswaldo, our guide in Puno & on the islands was great, and the folks who put us up in their homes were just wonderful. At dinner on Friday Carlos gave us about 4 different times to meet to leave for the airport. Day 14: Saturday Jan 1: We met in the lobby at about 8 am, and pretty much everyone in our group wanted to do the Lima tour. Shawn & Karen had already pre-paid for it, and were planning to meet us in Lima - we were all looking forward to seeing them. They had made it very clear to Carlos and to all of us that they wanted to do the tour. And 9 of the 10 remaining people in the group also wanted to do the tour, for a total of 11 people. Some of us hadn't pre-paid, but Carlos assured us that wouldn't be a problem. Carlos took us to the airport and gave a long speech about what a wonderful time we'd all had & requested that we all give him a good recommendation, and say good things about Active to all our friends. When we got to Lima, we found Shawn & Karen. Supposedly they had called both Carlos & the Cuzco office multiple times, trying to find out where the tour met, but couldn't get any information. And it turns out the car they sent would only hold 9 of us, not all 11 of us. So two people had to miss the tour. It's not clear if they will be charged for it or not. The tour was good; Vanessa did a fine job of explaining things. Overall, the itinerary was well-planned, and your subcontractors were all great. But there needs to be a good deal more organization and communication between the Cuzco office, the guide, and the people who have paid a lot of money for the tour. The office really needs to do a better job of ensuring that there is someone involved with the tour who is capable of handling logistics, and of being flexible enough to take care of emergencies as they arise. This person also needs to be supported by the main office when things become too complicated (for example, when one of guests becomes extremely ill) so that they can continue to do a good job for the rest of the visitors. Again, I'm very disappointed. I had great hopes for this trip, and have recommended Active to a number of friends in the past. Several others on this tour were also returning Active customers, and all of them commented how poorly this compared to their previous Active experience. I hope you'll make the necessary changes to ensure that future trips go more smoothly.

  Ensure that primary Active guide is up to task.   Jan 6 2011

Review by Shawn Smith (Richmond, Virginia, United States) for Jaguar Dec 19 2010
Trip was not up to my expectations in comparison to experience with Active NZ. Guide in SA was not well organized. Carlos tried, but he was not a good guide.