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1= Very poor 5=Average 10=Excellent
Please note we no longer list testimonials on this page (we now only list testimonials on the specific hike page!)
Route Choquequirao
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? 10 Felix was an amazing guide, full of knowledge and ready to answer any questions we had. Herbert and Santiago prepared wonderful meals and always had a smile. The trip was probably the most phenomenal experience I've ever had.
How were your meals? 10
What did you think of the route? (Choquequirao) Very difficult but well worth the effort.
What was the highlight of your trip? Wandering through the ruins as the mists filtered through.
Any other comments : The trek was probably the most epic experience I've ever had. Felix, Herbert and Santiago were amazing.
Sarah, USA, email: sleslie05@yahoo.com, January 2008
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Route Choquequirao
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? 10 The trip went above and beyond my expecatations. Felix was extremely knowledgable about Peru and its history. Herbert was an AWESOME cook. I want to take him home with me.
How were your meals? 10
What did you think of the route? (Choquequirao) Difficult but so worth it. Enjoyed the stops along the way. The people were all extremely friendly.
What was the highlight of your trip? The ruins or Herbert's food.
Any other comments : Felix was an awesome guide and very patient. And Herbert is the man!
Adrian, USA, email: adrian.schulte@gmail.com, January 2008
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Route Crossing the Cordillera Vilcabamba
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 9
How would you rate your guide? 8 (Eulogio)
Great trip. Guide is very knowledgeable about local plants and animals, and friendly. He could improve his English.
How were your meals? 10 Victoriano was an amazing cook.
What did you think of the route? Great route, very diverse. I highly recommend it, just make sure you are in good shape.
What was the highlight of your trip? Experiencing such a wide part of Peru from the jungle to the high altitude tundra.
Any other comments : Good company, good service. I recommend it to all. I would totally book with them again.
Chris, USA, September 2007
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Route Crossing the Cordillera Vilcabamba
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 9
How would you rate your guide? 9
Awesome trip! Very well done! The meals were great, the trek epic and the guide very good.
What did you think of the route? Awesome! Great views, very difficult day 2. Enjoyed the contrast of mountains and jungle.
What was the highlight of your trip? Chris getting altitude sickness. The views.
Ben, USA, September 2007
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Pictures from the community of Chaullacocha, near Lares, which we support through the part employment of a bilingual (Quechua/English teacher). 5% of your trek price goes to assisting this community and another like it. To visit Chaullacocha, contact us.
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Route Choquequirao - Machu Picchu (Great Ruins Real Adventure)
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? 10
It was the best trip of my life.
How were your meals? 10
What did you think of the route? Tough trek, excellent guide - Miguel!!!
What was the highlight of your trip? Machu Picchu
Any other comments : Best service ever!
Andrei Komarov, PhD Biology, Biochemistry, USA
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Route Choquequirao - Machu Picchu (Great Ruins Real Adventure)
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 9
How would you rate your guide ? (Miguel) 9
The trip was well organized and everything worked well.
How were your meals? (Cook Victoriano) 9
What did you think of the route?It is not as popular like the classic inca trek and not as crowded and still really interesting and different.
What was the highlight of your trip? Yanama Pass
Anna Sablina, USA, PhD Vireology, 23/8/07
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Route Choquequirao - Machu Picchu (Great Ruins Real Adventure)
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 8
How would you rate your guide? 9 Miguel was very knowledgable, always friendly and solved all problems on the fly.
How were your meals? 9
What did you think of the route? Just the right level if difficulty for a group with a 2 year old.
What was the highlight of your trip? Yanama Pass, beautiful weather, amazing views
Aleksey G. Kovalyov, USA, software engineer, 23/8/07
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Route Choquequirao - Machu Picchu (Great Ruins Real Adventure)
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? (Felix) 10
This
was the most amazing experience of my life. I chose Apus Peru because
the website conveyed a philosophy of tourism that was both genuine and
unique, and the trek was both of those things, largely in part to Felix's
guidance, knowledge and demeanor. There were so many beautiful moments
out in the
mountains, I felt that our trek was truly unique and meaningful, not just
a routine for the Apus Peru staff, all of whom were wonderful.
Did
trip meet your expectations/was the trip well described on the website?
Yes, I felt that the description on the website was a good representation
of what we did, although the changes were welcome and really spoke to
the particular nature of this trek and of our group.
What
did you think of the route?
Life-changing, spectacular, so varied: we must have passed through
tens of different microenvironments and climates, every day was such a
rewarding challenge, both physically and emotionally. I feel so lucky
to have taken this trip, to have had such a wonderful team guide us through
the Andes with such graciousness and welcome.
What
was the highlight of your trip?
Day 4, climbing from the Rio Blanco campsite up through the Cloud
Forest and Victoria mines to our coldest and highest campsite. This day
was very challenging; there may have been a personal epiphany reached
on this day. The following morning Felix guided us to a lookout point
that provided phenomenal views of the Nevado Sacsarayoc.
Any
other comments?
I'm missing the mountains and Cusco, so wonderful this experience
has been. Victoriano was a wonderful cook and a great dancer and gracious
soul. Wilson kept everyone in good spirits and brought a youthful hilarity
wherever he went. For example, when approaching the Camino Llactapacta
the morning after partying late into the night at La Playa, Wilson says,
"Okay cuchihuatos, enjoy the suffering!" Wilson gave each of
us Quechua names and stumped us with his riddles. But most of all, Felix
really made the trek as amazing as it was.
He always had the group in mind, included us in Andean traditions, and
made such an open atmosphere of friendship such that one couldn't help
but catch his enthusiasm, listen intently to his many lessons, and try
to relate on some level to what is meant by the apus.
Sharon Wu, Great Ruins and Real Adventure, August 2008
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Route Choquequirao - Machu Picchu (Great Ruins Real Adventure)
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? (Felix) 10
Couldn´t have wished for a better guide, knowledgeable, approachable and great fun. The trek was amazing and the cooks were both talented and top blokes. The addition of Wilson was an added bonus, a great guy.
Did trip meet your expectations/was the trip well described on the website?
Yes And more.
How were your meals? 9
Route name Choquequirao to Machu Picchu What did you think of the route?
Words fail me for many parts of the route. The section between Choquequirao and the Salkantay where we had the route almost to ourselves was aparticular highlight, but too many other parts stand out to mention them all.
What was the highlight of your trip?
Several, the breathtaking scenery, the amazing route and a group of people (guides, cooks and trekkers) who couldn´t have been more fun to trek with.
Kevin Dixon, UK, Great Ruins and Real Adventure, August 2008
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Route name - Choquekirau
How did you hear about our company?
web recommendation. I really liked how detailed your web site was and even though we didn't actually do any alternative treks or activites their inclusion on the web site gave me a great feeling for your company. It was also very convenient for us that we could choose the departure date since we had a limited time frame. Although I didn't think it would matter much to me when I signed us up, in the end it was wonderful to be a "private" tour (although to be fair, it seems that all the groups that are on the same itinerary sort of end up as one large group since they share the route and the campsites).
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 9
How would you rate your guide? 9 Jerson definitely learned our style as the hike went on and adapted to better help us out. We appreciated that a lot. We loved hearing about plants and animals on the hike. We also really enjoyed Jerson's helping us learn some Quechua.
How were your meals? 9 It was nice how our cook noticed that we gobbled up the chilis and lime the second day, and after that offered it every lunch and dinner. He also realized how much Gabe liked popcorn, and it showed up several times! The guinea pig made us feel very special and we really appreciated it.
What did you think of the route? Stunning. Gabriel really enjoyed the plantation at Chiquisco and the jungle on the ascent to the ruins. Katrina was enamored of the wide open grain field on Cachora side of the river and the "arroyo seco (?)" in the valley before the river. We were saddened by the trash, although I guess not surprised. I can't do justice to the ruins themselves, but luckily they've been described many times before by others. I would also mention that the trail itself was very nice; well maintained, wide, soft (even if it was steep!).
What was the highlight of your trip?
Conversations such as they were when Gabe and I and Jerson and Erasmo and Facundino were all together at meal times. An immense feeling of pride in my son and happiness that we were able to do this together. The heavy mysterious fog enveloping our campsite on the third morning at the choquekirau camp. The mesmerizing steep waterfall one can see across the canyon as you're ascending to Choquekirau. The realization that my high school Spanish could still serve in a pinch. Sleeping outside under brilliant Southern hemisphere stars for a few hours at Chiquisco. Memorizing a Quechua song. Seeing a soaring caracara at Choquekirau.
Katrina & Gabriel (11 years old), USA Choquequirao Trek
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Route name Ausangate
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? 8 Felix paced the walk well and gave excellent comment on glacial (natural) elements, cultural and political which gave an informative experience.
Did trip meet your expectations/was the trip well described on the website? I knew it would be hard, but the spectacular scenery made it easy.
What did you think of the route? Without acclimatization the trek would have been more difficult.
What was the highlight of your trip? Climbing up to the Glacial Lakes/Glacier on the southern side of Ausangate. the quiet disturbed only by the song of ancient ice, and vision dazzled by sunlight on dancing water.
Any other comments? Spend time to learn about Apu Ausangate, and go for it! Thanks Apus Peru , Ariana and team.
David & Jo, Australia, July 2007
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Route name Great Ruins and Adventure
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 10
How would you rate your guide? 9
How were your meals? 8
What did you think of the route? Excellent
What was the highlight of your trip? Macchu Picchu, Abra Apucheta pass, Valerio making us Cuy!
Extra comments: Everything was great. We loved the flexibility of being able to start when we wanted and not have a rigid itinerary. Felix was a very good guide and made sure everything was taken care of. He knew how to get things done and he did a nice job teaching us about the flora and area. We also thought Valerio was awesome (positive attitude and VERY hard worker). The food was very good, especially for camp food, although a bit too much oil/fatty ingredients. Thank you!
Karen, USA, Great Ruins and Real Adventure June 2007
To see Karen´s pictures go to Shutterfly
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FOR MORE TESTIMONIALS, PLEASE VISIT Testimonials 2
APUS PERU Adventure Travel Specialists - Email: apusperu@westnet.com.au
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© A.Svenson 2005. The design, content and photographs (except where noted) are 100% original. The majority of our treks were designed by Apus Peru.
