Luxury Machu Picchu Tours & Vacations

This was my first booking through Zicasso and their recommend agent in Lima. Our journey was a 17 day trip which included Lima, Arequipa, Chivay (Colca Canyon), Puno (Lake Titicaca), Cusco, Sacred Valley, and of course, the most amazing of all - Machu Picchu!  The itinerary was great, hotels were wonderful (especially the breakfasts), and the transfers/logistical arrangements were all spot on. Our travel agency provided a helpful and friendly representative in each location who met us, took us to our hotel, briefed us on the activities for the following day(s), and made sure we were taken care of every step of the way. The price was very competitive and fair. Service was A+. While we were "on our own" in terms of setting our own itinerary, our agency hooked us up with different small group tours (usually 15 or less people in a minvan, except for the long haul transfers, which were on a comfortable bus) at each location to see the sights. We had a private guide for Machu Pichhu. This approach combined the economies of group tours with the freedom of individual travel. All the guides were fantastic and we enjoyed meeting new people each day.

Traveling to Machu Picchu via Vistadome was next on the itinerary.  The train was first-class---very comfortable, with excellent service.  The vistadome allows passengers to see the amazing views of the Andes while en route to Agua Calientes and Machu Picchu.  Upon arrival I was greeted by our guide who arranged for bags to go to the hotel, and led us to the bus that takes you to Machu Picchu.  I knew Machu Picchu would be amazing and it didn't disappoint. No words really to describe its beauty. I opted to go back the second day without a guide to continue exploring on my own.  

After a return train trip to Cuzco, I left the following day for an all-day bus ride to Puno that included stops at varied and interesting sights--a beautiful church with painted ceilings, a colonial bridge, a pre-Incan temple, at the top of the pass (over 14,400 feet), a tasty lunch buffet where we were serenaded by Peruvian music and more. 

After an overnight in Puno, I was picked up at the hotel and taken to the dock for an overnight stay on Amantani Island.  Unfortunately, the transfer process broke down. These guides seemed to be subcontracted by my travel agency and had a different company name. The guide left me with the driver who was supposed to connect me with the group and the boat I was going to take.  The guide seemed overbooked, and the driver disappeared while I was buying gifts for the host family, and I was left wandering around the dock with a crowd of people and unmarked boats, not knowing where to go.  I finally asked one of the vendors to make a call and I eventually figured out which boat I was supposed to be on.  Once settled on the boat, I thoroughly enjoyed the visits to Uros and Taquile and the overnight on Amantani was fascinating and a wonderful ending to my Peruvian trip!

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We would highly recommend this Peru travel company to help you to organize your trip.  We came back from a two week-long trip to Peru a few days ago.  We have been independent travelers in the past so this was our first experience in being accompanied by guides for a good part of the vacation.  Paul from this agency contracted with the local tour operator to arrange transportation and guides.  His dossier contained everything we needed to know, including suggestions for tipping, places to enjoy a delicious meal, and more.  All of our guides  were very intelligent, passionate about what they did, had a great deal of pride for their country, and highly knowledgeable about the sites, history, culture, and traditions of their country.  We not only enjoyed the tours, but also learned quite a bit about the Peruvian educational and political systems through our discussions.  The guides were respectful and easy to share our time with.  My only complaint is that their English was so good that we were less apt to use Spanish, although that was counterbalanced by their willingness to teach us a little Quechua!  Special kudos to our guide who supported us when one family member became ill enough with altitude sickness to have to stay overnight at a clinic/hospital.  We traveled to Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley, and Puerto Maldonado.  While we enjoyed some activities in Lima, we probably could have shortened our three night stay there to either venture to another location or stay longer in one of the other places.  Cusco was simply lovely and we had great meals and tours there and in the Sacred Valley.  We were treated to a delicious lunch at a new place right outside of Moray.  We loved seeing Machu Picchu but also were glad that we stayed an extra day to climb Huayna Picchu.  Our stay in Puerto Maldonado was lots of fun--our days were full with many ecoguide-led outdoor activities, including a hot trek through mud to a boat ride (fun!!), a nighttime walk, a canopy walk, and boat rides (looking for caimans at night was a highlight).  Overall, we had an excellent trip which would not have been possible without Paul's help.  He listened well to our wishes, made suggestions based upon what we said, and arranged for wonderful accommodations for our family.  We suggest that you use this travel agency to book your next adventure.  And also highly suggest that you consider Peru as a fun and varied country to visit!