Peruvian Soul

This hotel was a jewel. It's tucked in a narrow street and you don't know how beautiful it is until you go through the door. The patio is the first thing you see and it's so pretty-lots of seating and firepits for cool nights. The restaurant is right off the rear and the bar as well, both of which are great. Our room was perfect for us. A comfortable king size bed, several bottles of water throughout the room, space for our clothes, and coffee/tea if we wanted it. The room was very clean and the waters were replaced several times each day and there is also a filtered water fountain in the lobby. Everyone was very friendly and personable. We had a spa treatment our last day (massage and then they hyperbaric chamber--so great!) and that was wonderful. The lobby has a neat little room off to the side that has waters, teas, and coffee for you. The restaurant was great too--we ate breakfast there each morning which included a delicious buffet with fruits, oatmeal, breads, salads, fresh juices, and coffee or you could order from the menu. They also served lunch and dinner, and everything we ate was yummy. The bar staff was so friendly and made drink recommendations for us. We loved sitting at the open window at the bar and watching the activity on the patio. The location was great--within walking distance of so many restaurants, shops, market places. The entire vibe was wonderful and we would definitely stay there again.

This was one of the best things we did. Seledonia was so much fun and although she couldn't speak much English and we couldn't speak Spanish, we could communicate wonderfully through smiles, laughter and gestures. She took us, along with our guide, to a local market that was incredible. All the vegetables, fruits, spices, meats, potatoes--it was mind blowing. And so beautiful!! We picked out the items we needed to make our dinner and then walked to her restaurant, Mama Seledonia's. We chopped and diced and had a grand time. We also got to make Pisco Sours, a delightful cocktail that was delicious. We had so much fun shaking those and dancing around. Our first course was a lamb stew that percolated on the stove while we chopped more veggies and spiced our filets for the main course, a delicious Peruvian-Asian fusion dish served with rice. We sauteed all that up on an open flame and didn't burn the place down. For dessert we had fresh fruit, fresh cheeses, and this amazing bread that we dipped in some sort of magical melted chocolate drink. The whole experience was absolutely incredible. We laughed and hugged and had the absolute best time. Her whole staff was so friendly, even though you know we were in their way (the restaurant was open for business). We met her husband and 2 of her children and they were delightful as well. We loved it so much, that later that week when we met up with some of our retreat group members, we all went to dinner at Mama Seledonia's and it was by far one of the best meals we had while in Peru. I highly recommend you do the cooking class.

The lake was so pretty and our guide was a very passionate young man who loved the outdoors and taking us on our kayak journey. We were given wetsuits and taken to the water to start paddling. It was a very quiet lake, we were the only people on it for the longest time. Our guide told us about all the mountain ranges, the different birds that are there, some of the history, and at the end I jumped off and went swimming. The water was so refreshing! Oh, we also so flamingos. It was a great trip. Not very strenuous at all. After kayaking, we went back to shore and showered (they have a rudimentary outdoor shower) and were given a wonderful lunch cooked totally outdoors in a clay oven. It was so good, along with fresh fruits. Again, the people there were so kind and friendly. We were lucky and the weather was perfect!

This was a lot of fun--ATVs are a great way to get around! We had a little "training" session first before heading out and then we followed out guide off to Moray to see the Incan Experimental Lab. There wasn't much traffic and he went slowly so we didn't have to worry about keeping up. He gave signals to us when to change gears and when to slow down/stop. We were able to stop and take photos and ask questions. The Experimental Lab was incredible to see--the ingenuity of the Incans is mind blowing. We were there for about 15 minutes and then we went back the way we came and dropped the ATVs off. The whole ATV experience was probably 1.5-2 hours. We definitely enjoyed it. We then got back in our van and went to the Maras salt flats. There weren't many people there as it was late in the afternoon, so that was nice. The salt flats are beautiful, and the reflection of the sun just enhanced their beauty. Julio, our trusty guide, filled us in on the history, past and present, and it was fascinating. We saw some women actually scraping the salt into piles to let it dry. On the way out, we bought some salt to bring home with us. Definitely worth visiting.

A beautiful setting right on the ocean. The acocmmodations were very luxurious and scenic.

Hotel was super clean, the staff was very helpful and friendly, and the breakfast was amazing. Thank you, everybody!

Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion has truly amazing food! We couldn't believe the level of cuisine that was offered to us at every meal. Staff was friendly and helpful. The accommodations were scenic and clean. We really enjoyed our stay.

The accommodations, food , and staff were all amazing.

Unfortunately we were here only briefly, so I don't have many details to share. I will say that the hotel staff went out of their way to prepare a box lunch for us, since we had to leave before breakfast started. That was greatly appreciated!

We enjoyed walking the Sacred Valley. Being outside and personal with the sites was engaging.

This visit was a blast! We had fun with our docent, Gabriel. He was funny, entertaining, and very knowledgeable.

What a lot of fun! It was nice to share an experience like this with other travel groups from various places around the globe.

Pictures don't do justice to Machu Picchu! The amizing constructions surrounded by inspiring mountains and valleys takes your breath away!

The only way to truly appreciate the Nazca lines is from the air. I'm glad I did this, but I won't do it again.

This is the most beautiful and memorable hotel I have ever been to in my entire life! Every room is a beautiful private bungalow, only accessible by canoeing down the Amazon River. The meals were not only included, but Michelin Star equivalent. They also offered excursions every day to make the trip more memorable (canopy bridges, boat rides, exploring the rainforest, etc.)

Very beautiful hotel. Beautiful Spanish influence, surrounded by views of the mountains. There is also a restaurant on site that is very delicious.

Beautiful hotel with fun bar on top, making it easy to mingle with other guests! The staff was also incredibly kind, as they made us a "To-Go Breakfast" to make our stay more enjoyable, while preparing for an early flight (you need to give them 24+ hours of notice).

This is an incredibly beautiful hotel!! Nothing but luxury. Staff was so kind, including all reception workers and waiters. It made travel to the Little Galapagos and the Nazca Lines incredibly easy. The hotel also offered free usage of bikes and kayaks! Forewarning, there are gates all over this community (all homes and hotels), giving the impression that it's not safe to travel outside of the walls of the hotel. If you're hoping to lounge at the hotel, it's perfect! If you're hoping to explore the city, I would recommend visiting another town.

Very comfortable pillows and delicious breakfast.

Incredible experience all the way from welcome-drinks to the dinner. Absolutely wonderful experience.

This was one of the coolest travel experiences I have ever been on!! Gabriel was the best guide as he made it very fun and interactive. Incredible sense of humor.

This was a surprising experience, as I assumed it was a walking tour of the islands. In reality, it's a beautiful boat tour around the islands, finding penguins, star fish, birds, and sea lions. Absolutely incredible experience!!

Our bus from Puno to Cusco was very comfortable, the tip was not very exhausting from travel. We had frequent stops at places with historical importance.

This was a very beautiful experience. The view from the rrestaurant was mesmerizing. We had a 3 course vegetarian meals with variety of dishes made from Quinoa.

This Inca ruin's shows the engineering excellence from their times. The view early in the morning was very beautiful.

I cannot express how I feel in words. Machu Picchu is an amazing city between beautiful valleys, and a layered architecture. Each layer had something unique and filled with historical stories.

Fantastic hotel. Lovely room, with lots of storage space and a very comfortable bed. Breakfast was one of the best we’ve had travelling through Ecuador and Peru over 6 weeks!

Lovely stay in the centre of Cusco. Surprisingly quiet in our room although we were at the front of the hotel. Food was good and staff were all very friendly.

Fabulous hotel! A little walk from the centre but the advantage was that it was very peaceful. Staff were very nice and we would have to give a special thank you to Juan in the bar/restaurant. He was one of the most helpful members of staff we came across during our 6 week South American adventure! Our room was really lovely. Very comfortable bed, good shower, lots of space for our belongings, no noise from neighbouring rooms, stutters made it nice and dark at night and we really slept well. Lunch and dinner in the restaurant were excellent and great value. Our experience at breakfast was a little haphazard but I think it was down to the inexperience of the staff and the language barrier. Food quality was not a problem, just trying to communicate simple needs like toast and butter!

Fabulous peaceful location and the view from the garden was stunning! Rooms were clean and the beds were very comfortable. We slept really well. The gentleman at Reception was very helpful and spoke good English. We found the public areas very cold, but our bedroom was warm. Food was not good.

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Staff, room, food all 10 out of 10!

Stunning location and decor. Food was absolutely wonderful. Our room was really comfortable and all the staff were very kind.

We enjoyed our stay here. Lovely room overlooking the river at the back of e hotel. The staff were all friendly. Breakfast was adequate and the evening meal (included with our booking) was very tasty. Right in the centre of Aguas Calientes so handy location wise I don’t think you could ask for more!

Wow! This was one tough climb! I knew it was going to be a challenge, but nothing can quite prepare you for the ascent over the first few hours. Glad I did it for the sense of achievement, but it’s definitely something people need to give serious thought to before signing up for it! For me, this was the only way to see the view from the Sun Gate ( I now know it’s possible to do this again from Machu Picchu site) and to be honest, the view of the site was not as mind blowing as I had expected. It was so sunny and so far away that I couldn’t really appreciate it. If I had the choice now, I would have skipped the 1 Day Trail and just walked to the Sun Gate from Machu Picchu.

Loved our visit to Machu Picchu. It’s one of the most fabulous places on earth! Nothing can prepare you for the experience of standing there with all the magnificent mountain peaks around you.

We enjoyed our visit to the Larco Museum and it was worthwhile having a walk in the historic centre. I don’t think there would have been any advantage in staying any longer in Lima. One full day was enough to see the essentials.

Beautiful city. We loved wandering about here and the Monastery of St Catherine was superb!

Stunning scenery and great to see the Condors flying.

Long journey but the scenery was lovely. The visit to the hot springs was the least enjoyable part of our holiday in Peru.

One of my favourite days! The Uros Islands was great, but Taquile was even better. Stunning place!

Nice to see the Camelids all together, although the tapestries were by far the most interesting thing at the location. Pisac was fabulous. Really enjoyed the stop there and would happily visit again if we had the opportunity.

Loved this day. The walk was very pleasant and Ollantaytambo was really interesting.

Very interesting activity! We both enjoyed it.

Fascinating place. Our guide made it very interesting and we appreciated his knowledge.

Lunch was magnificent! One of the tastiest and varied meals we had in Peru. Highly recommend it to others.

A historic hotel situated twenty minutes (by foot) from the historic center of Cusco. Our room was very nice and comfortable, however, wifi was extremely poor in the room. It was stronger elsewhere in the hotel. We did not have enough time to make use of the restaurant for any meals, yet, the hotel did put together breakfast boxes for our early morning departure, and they were amply sufficient.

This is a popular hotel in the Colca Canyon. We booked it particularly for the hot springs and the spa, both of which were nice, the hot springs more so than the spa. The restaurant is very good, serving a full breakfast and offering local dishes for dinner. The staff were welcoming and helpful.

We were able to find our guide easily, and he helped us with our transfer to our hotel. Along the way, he shared some thoughts about Lima, and its surrounding neighborhoods, all of which were useful. He pointed out various places of interest, and restaurant types that we could consider. He also gave us tips on how our process would go when we returned to Lima airport, to transfer from our domestic flight to our international flight, as we would be doing that on our own.

Our guide, Nancy, was awesome! She was punctual, friendly and engaging. More to the point, she figured out very quickly what we wanted to see and experience, and how we wanted to go about doing it. As such, she made on-the-fly adjustments that had us walking through the neighborhoods instead of driving through them, while also showing us to more off-the-path sites and sights, that were better aligned with our interests.

Our guide, Cesar, was also amazing! He was enthusiastic and eager to share his knowledge and affinity for Cusco with us. Cusco and its surroundings are historic, beautiful, and widespread. Cesar helped us maximize our time and our experiences by adjusting our itinerary ever so slightly, enabling us to see and do more than what we had planed. His recommendations for restaurants were on point.

We wanted to get our hands dirty with the local community, and this experience got us to do just that. From working with textiles to digging up crops, to dancing and sharing a lunch, this was an immersive, personal experience that was really impactful. Pisac is a large archeological site, and it would take more than a day to explore it all. However, our specific hike was tailed to our wants, and we spent a few hours on a 4km trail that got us to incredible vistas and historic sites that were well explained by our guide.

Olly (for short) is a small town that offers up a lot of sights and experiences. Situated about halfway between Cusco and Machu Picchu, and a stop on the railway between the two, it is easily accessible. There are serval Inca sights to see, and I appreciated getting to ones that were on and off the main tourist circuit. The town itself is very scenic, with a lively marketplace and historic center.

The cooking method, and explanation, are good experiences. And the lunch that follows is very good! This is a more commercial enterprise and less personal than I would have preferred. There was a missed opportunity for this to be more inclusive with a tour of the farm (not just the distillery and beanery that were targeted for sales) and to have more interactions with the staff.

The salt ponds are a wondrous sight. The scale of the development is impressive, and the photography opportunities here are vast, with different colors and elevations to point your camera at. However, that's all this is - a view of some salt ponds.

Like the salt ponds, this is a limited experience. The history of the place is fascinating, and the photography opportunities are good (albeit less so here than at the salt ponds). If you are already in the Sacred Valley, this is a worthwhile stop. But if you are only in Cusco, I wouldn't make the trek to visit these exclusively.

The National Reserve is vast, and unspeakably beautiful. I would say the same of the Sacred Valley as well, but the landscapes here are totally distinct, with different wildlife and vegetation. You can take photos and videos endlessly here, and still fail to capture the magnitude of the area. If you're driving from Arequipa to the Colca Canyon this is a super worthwhile route to take.

Getting to the starting point for the hike is an adventure in and of itself. It is in the middle of nowhere, in what's already the middle of nowhere! The hike itself is relatively short, but it is steep. If going in the midday sun, bring a lot of water - and trekking poles, though not strictly necessary, are helpful. The fortress itself isn't much, but the viewpoints from it, are spectacular and worth the effort to get to, both in the drive there, and the hike.

We had spent several days with our guide, Antonio, already, so he was familiar with our travel style, and our preferences for food and drink. As such, he was able to curate a food tour that was particularly aligned with our tastes (quite literally). We had a great time eating our way around Arequipa, combined with a nice walking tour of the city, and Antonio's lecture points.

Awesome boutique hotel in Lima

The room was lovely and clean, but the experience at this hotel was strange. They wouldn’t give my husband and I each a key card for the room because they ran out of keys, but we both wanted to come in and out of the room at different times. We had terrible service at the restaurant (for example they brought out the wrong order for me and didn’t bother to correct it after I mentioned that the order was wrong, and service was slow), and the food wasn’t very good. They also put the wrong charges on our room and it took a while to correct. I also found the vibe strange - it felt like a hunting lodge meets wellness retreat.

Great hotel - amazing room, staff/service, and location.. The pool is beautiful, the hotel offers free kayaks/paddleboards, and there’s a free museum on site. Great food at the restaurant.