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Betty Walsh - France |
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I've said on many occasions, that our trip to Peru and Bolivia was the very best I've ever had in my life. Of course, for me, my judgment is due to many factors: the great companionship of Alicia, Omar and Helmut, the pleasure of experiencing the warm hospitality of a Peruvian family; the action-packed, magnificent trip Explorandes put together for us. There is no way I expect ever again to enjoy such a wide variety of experiences and pleasures on a single trip, and I thank Explorandes for making it all possible.
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Lisa - United States |
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! Our trip was amazing; the country was beautiful and the care we received at the hands of Explorandes Peru was first rate. When it was discovered on our arrival in Cuzco that the passport no. I had supplied for Dana while we were awaiting the arrival of her NEW passport was the OLD number (the state dept. rep. had assured me it was the new one...) our local rep, Cesar, quickly, quietly and efficiently dealt with it, saving Dana's Inca Trail hike. He did the same when our flight out of Cuzco was cancelled at the last minute; staying with us and working Lan until he had us on the next flight out. When Dana was too sick to travel the morning we were to leave for the Sacred Valley, our guide Marta (and Cesar) assured us that this was our trip and that they could easily re-arrange the itinerary to accomodate a later departure. And they did it with smiles.
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Derek Harper - United Kingdom |
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I just wanted to thank everyone at Explorandes for a great holiday. We had a terrific time and visited so many memorable places. I have thousands of photos and hours of video to remember it all by.
Everything went very efficiently and we were impressed by the reliability of our guides, and the efficiency of the transport system! LAN was an impressive airline!
We owe our guides a great deal - it was always good to see a friendly face wherever we went. They sorted out all the issues such as entrances and checkpoints very smoothly. Above all, Harry made our Inca trail trip a wonderful success and deserves special thanks, especially for coping with our various different walking speeds!
Thanks again - if we return to South America, which is quite likely as there are many places we've yet to see, we will be planning to use Explorandes again.
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Dianne Garrels Munro - United States |
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Here are several excellent points about this trip that needed to be specifically addressed.
The itinerary was so intensive and diverse from ploughing a potatoe field to eating at Francis' parents home that made the trip extremely special. The guides were amazing, not only in their passion for the Inca culture and for Peru but in there dedication to making this an unforgettable journey for each and every one of us.
The trip to the school, high in the Andes, was a real eye opener. Future groups should be advised to purchase in advance, school supplies to give out to the kids (pencils, erasers, sharpeners, paper, colored paper, glue etc) as this would have been a really worthwhile gift. The purchase of children's toothbrushes, and paste would also be an asset. We did purchase food in the market to share with the kids and this was very welcomed by all the kids.
I cannot say enough in praise of Francis and Ruben. They both had very different styles and expertise but their skills were wonderfully complimentary to each other. Francis is a master of calm and problem solving and he encouraged everyone to their maximum, making the journey an amazing experience for each individual.
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Sonia Kazarova - United States |
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Greetings from Hollywood!
I do not know what you had in mind - but we were treated like family - like
royalty- and so cherished by your staff and countrymen. We are all madly in love with you, Explorandes, and the people and culture of Peru. I stand in quiet awe.
I am still so overwhelmed with the sounds, tastes, and visual feast that was our trip to Peru. Dalibor, Wilfredo, Hugo Pepper, and Andreas are our heroes. We feel that we have made new friends.
The weather cooperated and we were able to see more that we could ever have imagined.
107 species of birds (over 1% of the World's population), Cayman, Sloth, Tarantula, Giant Otter, 7 species of monkeys including - Red Howler, Woolly, Squirrel, Capuchin -- and countless diversity. This experience was a life changing one. I loved learning so much form our knowledgeable and patient guides. We loved them so much that we even wrote Andreas a song (Jungle Man!)
Each new day was like a separate trip, another life, a hand crafted gift.
From the choppy waves of exuberant sea lions, the dizzying elevations of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, to the Amazon Jungle's sluggish Madre De Dios river around Blanquillo, we were challenged and astounded.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
There is so much more to say that I will need time to process what has happened before I can fully express my gratitude.
I have been inspired to help preserve the Amazon and will contact you and Andreas regarding this in the next month or so.
I am back to my crazy work here in LA and I am looking forward to my next visit to Peru.
Love and kisses!
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Dick Stone - United States |
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Leylys Gutierrez is the best trip leader I have ever seen. He and his associate, Manuel Serrano, did an outstanding job. So many new and wonderful experiences everyday, buying vegetables in a market, plowing a field behind the old bulls. It just went on and on. His knowledge and passion for Inca history and culture is catching. He is a wonderful teacher. His ability to connect with people is unsurpassed. After the farewell dinner, there was not a dry eye. This man is a fountain of knowledge. |
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Phyllis Freedman - United States |
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First and foremost, credit for the quality of the experience goes to our two trip leaders, Leylys and Manuel. As I said in my toast to them at the farewell dinner, we were introduced to Peru and to the Inca culture through their enthusiasm, knowledge and humor. All along the way, we made detours from the written itinerary to enjoy little learning experiences Leylys and dreamed up and Manuel helped execute: making empanadas at a small bakery down a dusty lane in Pisac, an impromptu scavenger hunt during which each hiker had to purchase a specific food, in Spanish, in a local market for later donation to a farming family we passed along the road; having a healer from the highlands conduct a ceremony of blessing for all of us the night before the beginning of our trek. Leylys and Manuel were truly remarkable! They kept us safe (and we are no spring chickens), we had fun together and we learned so very much from them. We became a family. The other thing that must be said about Leylys and Manuel is that they have so much respect for the people and the land. Making sure the porters are not overburdened and receive a decent wage is one example. And through their interactions with the local people we could tell, even with a language barrier, that those dealings were based on mutual respect and even affection. |
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Vannesa Richards - United States |
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Just a short note to say thank you for all your help in organising my recent trip to Peru. Everything ran very smoothly and I was most impressed with the way it was all structured. My particular thanks to Jack Abanto for his collection and drop off work in Lima, he made sure it was an entirely stress free experience and his service was faultless. Thanks also to Carla, my tour guide in Lima, who was very friendly and generally excellent.
I´d also like to thank Esteban and the team in Cuzco for their efficient organisation in that city. Finally, a big thanks to the porters and chef on the Inca Trail - they really did ensure we were well fed and well looked after at everry stage of the journey.
It was an excellent trip and I shall have no hesitation in recommending Explorandes to any friends or colleagues who might be visiting Peru in the future. |
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Robert and Beth Dwyer - United States |
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We LOVED the Galapagos and Peru!!!!! What an amazing adventure! Each day brought something new and even more wonderful than the day before. We were so impressed with how Explorandes could arrange such a fantastic itinerary. Our guides were wonderful. Their ability to handle all the different personality types/ages/physical capabilities was great!
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Lesley Higginbottom - United Kingdom |
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I have just returned to the UK from a trek organised by your company... and would firstly like to say what a fantastic experience it was. The itinery was superb, the organisation was excellent and the guides friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I could not ask for more.
Many thanks. |
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Rosie Brooke - United Kingdom |
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Hallo Vicky,
We have just got back from Peru and I want to say thank you to Explorandes for a great trip. It was extremely well organised and the guides were superb. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Rosie Brooke
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Rick Cummings - United States |
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I cannot believe what a great trip on Lake Titicaca I just had. If I had known Explorandes is so good and you have so many trips, I would have booked more! Next time I get to Peru. In the meantime, I just wanted to let you know that Guido is an excellent guide. He was safe, flexible, fun and he brought so much knowledge to the trip. Also, I was really amazed at the great equipment your company provides. |
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Sophie Cowan - United States |
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Dear Vanessa, I just wanted you to know that my husband and I are very pleased with our guide Rafael and driver Mario. Rafael is one of the best guides we have ever had. He is very knowledgeable, very personable, very thoughtful and always thinking ahead what would be the best plan for the day. His excitement about the Incas and showing and telling us about it is outstanding. We are amazed to discover how extensive and how brilliant the Incas were. We are enjoying the picnic lunches, a surprise that they are so delicious and enjoyable. We certainly think that you have a first class travel agency and would definitely recommend it to our friends if they want to come to Peru. Probably some will want to after we tell them how interesting and how good the tour company was. Thanks again for all your help. |
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