This was our first visit to Peru and Karikuy made it easy and enjoyable. There are a lot of tour groups and wasn’t sure which to choose. I must say our experience with Karikuy was excellence. They met us at our hotel a day prior to the beginning of our tour to review all the details. All the arrangements were well coordinated and all our guides and drivers were prompt and courteous. The guides were knowledgeable and there English was good to very good. I would definitely recommend Karikuy if you plan on traveling to Peru
When we got to Machu Picchu, having spent a brilliant 4 days with Jesus and Willy, our two Karikuy trek guides we were greeted by a guide from another another trekking company exclaiming we had one of the best guides of them all. This, we believe was truly the case. Right from the Salkantay briefing with Vidal through to our final farewell meeting with Willy in Plaza de Almas we couldn't fault the care and connection we felt. We both hadn't acclimatized to the altitude as much as we'd have liked due to a cancelled flight into Cusco. Our fears were allayed as the guides led from behind and explained exactly how we were going to approach this magnificent trek taking into account everyone's ability and 'state' (we were the oldest couple in our group!). The knowledge of the land, ecology, culture and history was obviously deeply held by the guides. Their way of explaining properties of plants, the symbolism of the animals, the geology of this part of the Andes and importantly the ways the Quechuan and Inkas population lived were explained in an accessible and personal way. All abilities in the group were cared for and by the end of the second day, after climbing up and over the salkantay pass, at 4,600 metres, we really started to feel like a family. The food, and various accommodations kept us going (although I wished i had paid for a warm shower on the second evening!). It was reassuring to see how the tour put money back into some of the communities we were trekking through, where we were greeted with smiling welcoming faces. Finally, if you are willing to get up at 4 oclock it is well worth the slow trek up to Machu Picchu in order to get there before the bus crowds appear...we were treated to a dawn of clearing clouds...it did literally take the breath away. We can't thank the karikuy staff enough, especially our guides, Jesus and Willy, enough for the care and attention, and most importantly, the love for this land that they shared. This trek was truly the best value for money.
My brother and I booked a trip for 8 days in Peru and it was the best! Oscar met us at the airport on our first day there and he was very kind and informative. All of the excursions were taken care of which really took ther stress out of the trip. We only had one issue when we got to Aguas Calientes but it was taken care of very quickly. Everyone we talked to was very helpful. Great company!
Several years ago I read an article about the Salkantay Trek and really wanted to do it. It was a last minute decision, but everything worked out really well. Our guide, Wellington, Cameron our hotel the night before to explain the trip to us. The entire trip was great. The guides were great, the cooks prepared excellent meals, the accommodations along the trek were sufficient. Our group was great, and we had a lot of fun. We will definitely return to Peru.
We were extremely happy with our tour. Firstly the communication with you before we set off was excellent. Every time I had a question you replied immediately and explained everything clearly. During our Lares trek everything ran to clockwork - always transfers awaiting with our names. Our guide was amazing- he was very enthusiastic, informative and encouraged everyone. It was nice that we were a small group of four. The porters and cook were friendly and when we arrived at the camp sites the meals were ready, we’d bowls of hot water by our tents, we were awoken with cups of tea! The chef’s cooking was incredible- delicious and copious! The trek in itself was stunning. Breathtakingly beautiful scenery and no other trekkers. We did not want it to end! It was also good value for the amount we paid. We highly recommend Karikuy Tours Peru.
What an amazing tour with Karikuy Tours. Our guide was knowledgeable and fun. Our accommodations were very comfortable in beautiful surroundings. Our meals were delicious. We saw more animals than expected in the forest on the hikes and boat trips. We're in our mid 60's and were able to do everything on the tour. We would recommend the 5 day tour to Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge to anyone interested in a jungle tour.
I did the Inca trail and it was the most amazing trek of my life and I live in Alaska! I lost my phone the day before my trek, and all the guides and fellow travels were so helpful and amazing. Then sent me tons of pictures. I was the only female traveling alone and everyone took me under there wing. It was such an educational and motivating trek. The guides were very helpful. I already have plans to take my sister and brother in law in 2020!!
We originally enquired with Karikuy to arrange the Salkantay trek for us but ended up asking them to organise a trip which would take in all the places that we wanted to see in Southern Peru in the limited time we had available. They did an excellent job in putting the whole thing together and ensuring that we were met and picked up from a variety of places as needed. The quality and locations of the hotels they booked us in was excellent and on all aspects of the trip the guides were passionate and had excellent knowledge of the history, geography and flora and fauna. Our trip included Paracas, Balletas Islands, Huacachina, Cusco, Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley, Salkantay Trek, Arequipa, Colca Canyon and Lima
Could you please share this with our guide Gilber who excellent at what he does. We really enjoyed our tour with Gilber who is very knowledge of the history which allowed to leave with a better understanding of the culture and definitely some very interesting facts on Machu Picchu. Gilber loves his job and it showed. He is highly professional and was also very kind to us during the entire tour. Thanks again!
We did the 5 day Salkantay Trek and loved it. The views were spectacular and the company did a great job with accommodations. The food was filling and delicious. Our guide Elias was fantastic and made every effort to make the trek enjoyable even adding additional information about the Incan and Peruvian history along the way. I would highly recommend this trek using this company. It was worth every penny and showed us some of Peru’s most beautiful landscape and culture.
We were really happy with this tour. Rossi our guide went to lengths to explain to us in English everything and was great fun during rest times too. She was happy to answer all our random questions and we couldn’t appreciate her more for making sure we were one of the first people at the Machu Picchu iconic photo spots.
I absolutely had the best time hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I have to thank Karikuy Tours for that experience! Our guide Rosie, was truly a great addition to our hike. She wanted to make sure that we had the best time while hiking. She was very informative and also very caring. She never tried to push us harder then we could go. She always stayed behind with us! The food was absolutely amazing. I had no idea they were going to feed us so well. I would definitely consider this tour group if you’re thinking about hiking Machu Picchu!
I am working as an Au Pair in the United States and a dream came true traveling to Peru! This company made me really feel like everything was organized so I could just go with the flow kind of way. Our Tourguide, Ed did an amazing job he encouraged to push yourself he was funny and strengthened the group. Really nice atmosphere awesome group of people and exciting but challenging program on our jungle tour. We could experience the jungle climb waterfalls,pet a little monkey, taste fresh fruit from the jungle and more! It’s really worth it so don’t doubt yourself, go and be adventurous! Julia,19
We were most pleased with Karikuy Tours. Oscar Marin L. de G. Gerente of Oscar Adventure was most accommodating. He met us at our AirnB and briefed us on our itinerary for 3/21/19. He met us on that date at 5:30 am to take us to the train station. The train ride was great. I lost my camera and tickets when getting off the train. The young lady who met us arranged to get the bus tickets to Machu Picchu printed. At the train station PeruRail took care of reprinting the train and last bus ticket. I would highly recommend Karikuy Tours to anyone. Thank you. Charlie Kenny and Joe Tana Hyattsville MD USA and Cuenca Ecuador
Good company for maachu picchu tour. Oscar came to my hostel the night before to go over the next days itinerary. There was a bit of confusion once I got to mauchu picchu but once they got it sorted out was fine. Oscar was great and i recommend them
Amazing trek, guides, food, and experience! Very thorough de-brief and everything went smoothly from beginning to end. Guides were great and let the group kind of facilitate pace and staying together or doing your own thing. I ended up joining another company (can't remember the name but yellow porters) so they may partner with other companies to coordinate based on availability and people booked.
Thank you Karikuy the 4 Day Inca trail was Spectacular! great guides, great food and beautiful country. Can't say enough good things. Anyone that wants to visit Peru should definitely set a side a good amount of time as there is so much to see. I thought the weather was going to be unpleasant at first in October but it was great with some drizzle here and there. The Inca Trail has epic views so don't forget to pack a good camera. Thanks to everyone at Karikuy Tours for making this trip unforgettable!
I did the Salkantay Trek solo and joined one of Karikuys groups. What an incredible time it was! The scenery is nothing short of spectacular, this was complimented by the guides personalities as well as the porters and I was in a high spirited group which was also a plus. I would say the price was average for this kind of trek but I felt I got every pennies worth with the service. Equipment was in good shape and the meals were very good. Don't forget to drink the Coca Tea for the altitude, this trek was very challenging but felt like such an accomplishment at the end, Will be coming back to do the Inca Trail with Karikuy in the future!
I hiked the 5 Day Salkantay Trek and from the start booking online was a breeze. Karikuys was always around to answer my question and I feel I got what I paid for. The trek itself was beautiful and the guides were top notch and informative. The meals were good and Machu Picchu was spectacular. No doubts on recommending this company, you are in good hands.
My husband, son and I had a fantastic experience. The trip was arranged flawlessly. The guide, Mario, met us in the hotel the night before (we had to change the meet time since we booked a day trip to Sacred Valley last minute, the agency rescheduled the meeting at a later time, everything was done through emails!). He came to meet us in the morning and brought us a bag to put our stuff in for our private porter, and carried our bag to the bus. We met the rest of the group and started the hiking. My husband and I were the slowest in our group (because we were the oldest!), there was always a guide and sometimes both guides staying with us. Mario would stay one step behind my husband to make sure he didn't fall down the steep steps! He offered to hold my husband but my husband insisted to walk by himself. They kept offering me to carry our backpacks and shared their drinks with us.The porters were all nice and amazingly carrying a "mountain load" of stuff and still walked like a puma. In my second day near the end, since we were so behind the group and it was getting dark and cold, two porters walked back to meet us and brought hot tea and sandwiches! I was amazed by the quality and variety of the food they cooked on the way, though most of them was carbs - which I read it should be! The view on the trek was beautiful and people we met were all humble and nice. I feel like I am connected with Peru and the Inka people! Overall, it was a great experience and we all want to go back! Other feedback: I think I read somewhere that the guides are supposed to have oxygen bottles for emergencies, but they didn't. Also it was not clear in the instructions that we have to carry our own pads - they are really light, and it wasn't an issue for us since we hired a private porter. But it will be good if it can be explained explicitly in the instructions. We also didn't know that we can hire porters for a day or two instead of all 4 days -- again this doesn't apply to us as we need a porter for the whole trip -- but it will be good to know the info ahead of time.
The Lares trek was absolutely phenomenal. Views were as of they were in a painting and my fiancée and I had so much fun climbing and chatting with our guide. We went in the low season so it was just us on the tour but it was great because we got to go at our pace instead of waiting for stragglers. The trail was well kept (but challenging!) and the places we stayed were great. The food though was fantastic. Our chef (and his wife who is in the picture) were great and made us traditional food that we were definitely impressed came out of the few things he had. It was also great not to have to carry everything we had, but just a day pack which was a benefit to the Lares trek. The train ride was interesting as well and we got to learn a lot just from sitting in the train. But all of that doesn’t compare to the tour we had from our guide inside Machu Picchu. We got to see a double rainbow over the ruins and we learned so much about the Inca people. The whole trip was amazing!
My husband and I went on the 2 day tour of Machu Picchu, with a sunrise climb of Waynu Picchu (pictured). Karikuy Tours took care of us from start to finish. They came to our hotel in Cusco about 6pm the night before to meet with us in person and answer all of our questions about what to bring and what to expect. They also give you all your tickets for the multiple buses, trains and entry points you go through and explained each one. I was pretty nervous catching the multiple buses and trains and finding our accom so I really appreciated this level of service! About 5am the next morning, a tour shuttle bus came to our hotel and picked us up. It took about 3 hours to drive to the train station. It took a bit of time to pick up all these other people from their hotels (which frankly is very annoying, long and tedious but it happened on every tour I went on so I think this is the standard in Cusco). From here, we boarded the train. We sat in economy but honestly I was super impressed with how clean and comfortable the train was. The ride to Aguas Calientes (the town at the bottom of Machu Picchu) was gorgeous and there’s windows on the roof so you can even see up! We were served drinks and snacks (all included) on our train ride. There was some confusion when we got off the train. Our guide was late to turn up so they sent someone else who spoke absolutely no English. Downloading an app onto your phone that works without wifi is a MUST. Fortunately, we managed to peek over this girls shoulder and see our names were written down on a piece of paper - sheer luck! Once our English-speaking tour guide turned up 15 minutes later, things got much easier. He arranged for a person from our hostel to take all our luggage back to our room (remember to lock your bags and keep all your valuables on you, I got to the hostel to find my bag completely open but nothing taken thankfully - but it’s not worth the risk!). Our guide then escorted us through Aguas Calientes, showed us the location of our hostel, and then took us to the bus that would take us up to Machu Picchu. He even told us the best side of the bus to sit on for the greatest view! The buses are comfortable and it takes 20-30mins to get up narrow winding roads. Our guide then accompanied us through the gate to Machu Picchu, showing us what tickets we needed to be scanned. It was pouring rain when we arrived and a complete whiteout. Despite this, we had an amazing time with our tour guide. We had a guide all to ourselves - just the two of us! He spoke amazing English and answered all our many questions, he was incredibly knowledgeable. You cannot go to Machu Picchu without getting a tour - there is soo much to learn! If somehow you find your own way to Machu Picchu, there are plenty of guides waiting outside the gates who speak great English and you can book on the spot. Our guide took us to get our passports stamped with the special Machu Picchu stamp! After our tour, he then left us, but not before explaining when and where to use all our remaining tickets. So helpful! Fortunately the whiteout cleared after 4 hours, and after exploring the wonder that is Machu Picchu by ourselves, we took the bus down the mountain and walked to our hostel. I don’t have high expectations for hostels, but no one in the hostel spoke English (this is when that app comes in handy!). Our bags that they were holding were also unzipped. The next day we took the bus back up the mountain ourselves to climb Waynu Picchu. We had much better weather this day and the view was simply amazing! However, when it was time to head down, all the bus drivers had gone on strike! We didn’t get refunded for our ticket, and my poor husband had busted his knee during the climb, so he had to hobble for over 2 hours down the mountain. There were loud protests in the square of Aguascalientes when we got to the bottom, but they weren’t violent thankfully. We ran to our hostel, grabbed our things, and just made the train with 5 minutes to spare. At the train station, a man from the tour company was waiting for us to drive us back to our hotel - thank goodness there were no other people in the car or multiple hotel stops, we were exhausted! All in all, the tour company were great compared to going it alone, but there were still a few cons. 3.5 stars.
My boyfriend and I did the sunrise 2 day tour of Machu Picchu with the second day morning hike up Huayna Picchu. I cannot imagine with the lines and number of people doing this tour any other way than having someone arrange all the various transportation, know when to get into line and what to expect. My only criticism was the lodging. They put us in the Denny's hostal in Aguas Calientes that for one of the two days had NO RUNNING WATER> Not ideal after a long day of sunshine, sweat and crowds. But overall, good experience. Karikuy's Response: Thank you for the review! Unfortunatley Aguas Calientes suffers from water shortages, all hotels and most hostels store water for emergencies but if the hotel or hostel is full these only last a couple hours. We apologize for the inconveniance, it is not a situation we can control and is up to the local government and utility company to remedy.
I just returned from Peru, having finished the 4 day/3 night Salkantay Tour. From start to finish the tour was flawless, obviously meticulously planned out. The staff was excellent and the meals were more than adequate. Our lead tour guide, Nealto (or Neil, or "Coach" - sorry for the bad spelling) was a standout. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable about the trail as well as local and historic Inca customs. He also demonstrated that he genuinely cares about each individual person's needs and treated every single person with the utmost respect and kindness. I hope that he receives the recognition that he deserves.
I was trying to set up the train, van , bus and hotel and tickets to go to Machu Picchu and after a month I realized that's really complicated. After a research I found Karikuy, and they do everything for me. Everything that they offer is 100% real. They help , explain, guide and communicate to you all the time. Amazing Team . I Loved and enjoyed Machu Picchu - Thank You Karikuy
I couldn't recommend Karikuy highly enough! From the research stage, to planning and booking tours, accomodation and activities Karikuy helped us at every step of the way!
Even while we were in Peru Karikuy was working behind the scenes to ensure that our trip went to plan.
We were in Peru when the flooding tragedy recently began, and Karikuy had a back up travel plan ready for us, before we even knew there would be an issue on the roads we were travelling on.
Karikuy listened to the kind of trip we envisioned, and matched us with some really excellent local tour guides.
Even during minor hiccups on our trip due to lost baggage and a quick trip to the medical centre to remove about half a sea urchin from my foot, Karikuy ensured our tour guides knew where we were and helped us get back on track.
You can really do all the research you want yourself, but there is no way to beat the local knowledge to be gained from the team at Karikuy.
Exploring Peru surpassed my expectations - not only because of the amazing people, history and vastly changing landscapes but because Karikuy helped us plan such an epic holiday!
My boyfriend and I did the Jungle Adventure with Karikuy in March - BEST EVER! When I was looking up Machu Picchu treks I either found them way to expensive or not very fun. I also was really nervous doing 4 days of full trekking. Starting from the bike ride down the mountain, trekking, ziplining and everything in between it was amazing. Our tour guide JJ was really fun and very knowledgable. Food is great and they cater for vegetarians so my boyfriend didn't go starving. The hostels/homestays were great. I have and will continue to recommend this to everyone I know doing Machu Picchu Trek.
My brother and I completed the Salkantay Trek between March 31st and April 4th. Our guide, Aurelio, was extremely friendly, knowledgeable about the area and the local culture, and fostered a great camaraderie among our group, which consisted of 17 people from five different countries. The food and accommodations were great given the environment, and the chefs did a phenomenal job mxing up the meals from day to day. Peru was the most beautiful country I've ever visited, and the Salkantay Trek allowed us to see a little bit of everything. I've already recommended to a friend and will surely be recommending this company to several more.
I selected Karikuy Tours Peru for my Machu Picchu tour because of a number of reasons. First, they had many tour options available. Second the price was the best. Now that I have completed the tour, I'm really glad I went with them!
The communications by Claudia Timana was outstanding! She explained everything and very quickly answered all of my email questions. Also when I had a quick question, the online chat support was super helpful. The accommodations were good. All of the employees at the hostels were very helpful and friendly. The meals were amazing! Everyone one of them. The meals were preordered and I ate things I normally would not order otherwise. The tours were on time and arranged perfectly.
Finally, our tour guide Jimmy was so gracious and such a good guide. He really knows his history and culture and was passionate about the Peruvian way of life. They are proud people rich in history.
Jimmy was awesome!!!
Thanks Karikuy! You made this the best trip yet.
Peru was my 28th country to visit. So I have past tour experience to compare :)
We trekked the Salkantay Trek with Karikuy Tours on the 19th to 22nd April 2017. Our guide Caesar met us promptly at our hotel the night before and explained everything in good English and we were picked up in the morning full of confidence. The company was really professional, Caesar was so great, caring and knowledgeable and the group number was only 15 with 9 nationalities. Weather was fantastic and views amazingly class to the highest mountains and glaciers. We were not disappointed. The meals were incredible for the facilities.
We would not hesitate in recommending this company and this Trek.
I would recommended the Karikuy tours Salkantay trek to anyone who enjoys the great outdoors and hiking. You get to see the real Peru and many of its beautiful sights on this trek. It is challenging in parts but that makes it very rewarding at the end of each day. I'd say an average level of fitness would be fine to do this trek, as the guides are great and there is a one at the front of the group and one at the back, so if you want to take your time and soak up the sights and atmosphere then everyone is accommodated and can do it in their own time. In brief I would say it has great guides, spectacular scenery, and even good food provided along the way!
LinkMy son and I did the sunrise machu picchu tour package in late January. When you consider the logistics involved with all the different "moving parts" necessary to get us to and from Cusco, various pickups and deliveries, it was amazing that everything came off without a hitch. From the guides through the sacred valley and machu picchu, to the hotel arrangements, and the pretravel checkins the night before each trek, things went flawlessly. Thanks Karikuy and Oscars Adventures.
My boyfriend and I had the most amazing time doing the Eco Amazonia 3 Day Tour. Our guide Alex was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make sure that we had a great experience. The food was delicious and freshly made, including fresh fruit grown in their self-sustaining ecosystem. The lodge itself is beautiful, and we loved our romantic cabin. Getting to feed monkeys by hand, as well as see all the animals via motor and paddle boat was an adventure we will never forget. I highly recommend this to anyone able to make the trip!
I wanted to let you know how very pleased we were with our Lares trek. We really liked our guide, Vladimir. He was informative, good natured and good company. The cook, Nico, provided us with outstanding meals and was also good-natured and kind. We liked the serenity of the Lares trek and decided that, in the end, that was the perfect trek for our group. All the transfers were seamless and our hotel in Agua Calientes was beautiful and delightful. Vladimir gave us a wonderful and insightful tour of Machu Picchu. In short, it was an amazing experience that went like clock-work. Thank you for providing us with an extraordinary experience on our Mother/Daughter trip that we will remember for a lifetime.
We would like to thank Julio Cesar Tello at Karikuy for all of his assistance with the planning of our trip to Peru.
The whole trip was absolutely amazing. All our guides and drivers were great and very helpful and informative, our travel connections were great and our overnight stays were delightful.
Our group chose the “Southern Circuit” and then customized it in order to see more points of interest we were interested in seeing. We were very pleased with the ability to customize our tour and see more than we thought we would be able to see.
We will definitely recommend Karikuy to others who are planning a trip to Peru. Our trip was absolutely incredible.
The Adams group
Hello Julio I hope you are doing well! I traveled with your company two years ago in August on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We had a wonderful time, and I wanted to say thank you again for your guidance. Your company is great, and the guides were fantastic. I attached a photo from our trek! This was from the first day.