Aspiring Adventures

Aspiring Adventures

Aspiring Adventures
5
Multi-day ToursCultural ToursBike ToursHiking & Camping ToursPrivate Tours
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Aspiring Adventures specializes in unique, in-depth cultural and adventurous experiences. Please contact us for more information about exploring Peru and South America, mountain biking, cultural and community-based trips, foodie tours and custom itineraries. Explore the real South America with Aspiring Adventures! We've been listed here on Trip Advisor since March 2013. We are very grateful to have received so many wonderful reviews from some of our guests who've taken the time to share their experiences with the Trip Advisor community. We work hard to achieve this, and we can assure you that all of our reviews are real, and to prove it, we'd be happy to share contact details of the reviewers (so long as they've allowed us to), so that you can check our references before choosing to do a trip with us. If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact us directly via our website. Kind regards, Aspiring Adventures Team
Cusco, Peru

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles168 reviews
Excellent
161
Very good
5
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Jenna L
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
Wow! We are so grateful to Aspiring Adventurers for making our stay in Peru seamless! Every detail was accounted for, and we always felt extremely well taken care of and safe. Our guide, Naty, was an expert on every site, translated constantly for us, and even helped us shop for the best quality and cost of items. She went above and beyond for us. Our driver was also extremely hard working and kept the van super clean! We felt like royalty everywhere we went. We hardly waited in line. We got way more than our money’s worth. We will be contacting them again the next time we visit Peru.
Written 23 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

True3Blue
Ogden, UT5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
INCREDIBLE TRIP! Seriously this was a blast. We love being off the beaten path and this was it. Vitkos is awesome and there was NO ONE there. Seeing Yuraq Rumi (white temple rock) was so cool. Amazing what the Inka have done. Keep in mind that though this is off the beaten path, every place we slept, had amazing cell coverage. Im surprised how they get coverage everywhere in those mountains. Maybe some want to go and disconnect, if that’s you, turn your phone off. If you are like me and want to be off the beaten path, but still catch up on work, let family and friends know how amazing it is, this is it. It was unexpected, but we just have the AT&T international day plan $10 a day and you use your minutes and data on your home plan I believe, so we didn’t have to get a local sim or anything.
We hiked to amazing waterfalls, biked down beautiful winding roads from 14,160 foot elevation to a drop of 6,000 feet. We ziplined, did a ladder rung bridge, adventure crossing river in pull cart, it was just awesome and an adventure. Also rafted in the river, they had wet suits with a dry suit top, so it wasn’t bad at all. And the rapids were maybe a 3, it wasn’t crazy, just fun.
Machu Pichu was breath taking. It is HUGE! The amount of craftmanship is unheard of for todays standards. The hike to WaynaPicchu (mountain behind all the pictures) was super cool. 900 foot elevation gain in ½ mile 😊
From Katy and Steve booking and staying on top of things, to Aldo and his team on the ground, it was great! Really a trip your family would love. Our kids range from 11-16 2 boys and 2 girls and they loved it! Thanks again
Written 21 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michelle W
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
14 day tour guided by Aldo was an absolute blast. Everything taken care of in terms of accommodation, meals, tickets, all we needed to do was be ready on time each morning. Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Raqchi, Machu Picchu, Puno to name but a few places we visited, plus that amazing 72 km downhill bike ride which was AMAZING. My experience was life changing and humbling. We were able to stay with village families and that was definitely a memorable experience for all the right reasons. Aspiring Adventures provide you with an exceptional itinerary and guides who are passionate about their country & their culture. Aldo was superb.

Don't dither, trust me, you won't be disappointed if you book any tour with Aspiring Adventures.
Our tour was in 2015
Written 31 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Shelly, I'm so sorry for the slow response! It means a lot that five years after your trip to Peru you still care enough to help us out with a review in the middle of the pandemic when we needed all the help we could get! You'll be happy to know things are on the improve in Peru, and Aldo, Katy and the rest of the team are starting to get back to work. I hope things are going well for you and Grant, and we hope to travel with you again someday... does Ecuador float your boat at all? We are all about getting in there in 2022 and will be sharing itineraries and dates soon! Cheers, Steve
Written 22 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kamilkrosno
Aberdeen, NJ11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
Steve and Katy from Aspiring Adventures have really outdone themselves on this trip. A group of us visited Ecuador and Galapagos, Steve & the team really went above and beyond to make this a once in a lifetime adventure. From white water rafting through the Amazon to spending a night at a indigenous village sharing food and culture with the locals. We then headed off to horse back ride and enjoy the beauty of a authentic hacienda farm. After that it was luxury of bigger cities and off we went to Galapagos. And thats where the real magic happened. The symbiosis of people and animals that can't be found anywhere else in the world is astonishing. Aspiring Adventures
Written 23 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review Kamil! Words like 'life changing' and 'adventure of a lifetime' are just what we like to hear! Ecuador makes it easy - with so many amazing different landscapes and activities so close together, it's easy to put together a fantastic trip. We really enjoyed sharing it with you - thanks again for travelling with us! Cheers, Steve
Written 21 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Debra W
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
The entire Sacred Valley was amazing, but the salt mines were fascinating to us. Justino did such a great job of giving us the history of what we were seeing. He kept if fun and interesting. We had travel logistic nightmares which required multiple reschedules of flights, accommodations, trains, etc and they went above and beyond to make sure we were still able to see and do everything we had planned. Can't recommend highly enough to anyone to travel w/ this company.
Written 28 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Deb for your kind words, we are really happy you have enjoyed your time in Peru and we hope to see you again in any other destinatination we manage! Cheers, Lupe and the entire Aspiring Adventures team!
Written 9 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Doug H
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Friends
Are you kidding me! From day one of our adventure, with Aspiring Adventures, it was game on! From rock climbing La Piédra to chill in a hammock, fly boarding and jet skiing, to taking a chopper to a premier steakhouse for lunch, Steve and Katy‘s team pulled out all the stops! The accommodations and dining experiences were phenomenal, and the coordination was impeccably done. Thanks Steve and Katy!
Written 27 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RezaDu
Plano46 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Friends
Steve and Katie and their entire staff were EXCEPTIONAL!!!!! Truly amazing experience. Service was outstanding. All of them were so friendly and fun. They had thought through every detail and executed on every aspect of the trip from the hotels, restaurants, transportation, and excursions. WOW! Cannot wait until I book another trip with them.
Written 24 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Ray, We give you a beyond a 5 star rating too - travelling with you was a blast and we can't wait to do it again! Thank you for noticing all the work we put in and taking the time to comment on it now. You are awesome and we are so proud to have helped you in the huge achievement of summiting Cotopaxi! Cheers, Steve
Written 21 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

RMarino222
New York City, New York22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Couples
I cannot say enough about Aspiring Adventures! I had emailed Katy to ask about some of her tours and in the end, my husband and I had a personal tour guide (Chema) and driver (Ronaldo) for the time we spent in the Sacred Valley. Chema is the most remarkable tour guide I have ever had. He cares so deeply for his country and it shows in everything he says. Ronaldo was wonderful as well.

These are the following private tours that were arranged for us:

Amaru-Pisac custom one-day trip: Your guide and driver will meet you off your flight into Cusco, and you’ll head straight for the village of Amaru, high in the Andes above the Sacred Valley of the Incas (1 – 1.5 hours). Here you’ll enjoy a pachamanca (earth oven – delicious!) lunch, before heading off to hike across the mountains to the ruin of Pisac (3 hours approx.) Your guide will show you around the bristling Inca fortress, then you’ll head down through the charming cobbled town of Pisac to Urubamba, a 45 minute drive through the Sacred Valley and drop you off at your accommodation. - This was a very memorable experience. The pachamanca lunch was incredible and the family that hosted us were so warm and welcoming. We ended up not doing the hike because we were still adjusting to the altitude but the tour of the Inca fortress was a highlight of my trip.

Ollantaytambo custom half-day trip: Your guide and driver will pick you up at 9am this morning and drive you to Ollantaytambo, perhaps the most perfectly preserved of all Inca towns, a maze of cobbled alleyways and sun-drenched plazas presided over by a spectacular, llama-shaped ruin. You’ll have ample time to explore with your guide before we drop you off at the train station in time to take the 1.27pm train to Aguas Calientes. - This was a great day and the ruins are amazing. Chema walked us through the town and the ruins and then we had him join us for lunch near the train station before we boarded the train to Macchu Pichu. (Note: If we had to do it again, we would have had Chema come to Macchu Pichu with us because the tour guide we had there was terrible and we know that Chema would have made the experience 100 times better)

The South Valley one-day trip: The South Valley, just outside Cusco, is little known to foreign tourists, but it’s popular with Peruvians and Katy! It’s a brilliant place to sleepy villages, mad churches, and charming ruins, and enjoy the fresh air and mountain scenery. - This was the only tour that we were slightly disappointed in. We still had a great day but it wasn't quite what we expected and most of the day was spent driving. One of the highlights of the day was stopping at a local market that was far from the touristy area, so we got a real authentic experience. We were the only americans there! We stopped at an Incan ruin that was phenomenal and Chema's narrative was so informative and memorable. Then we went to visit the Andahuaylilas church that was pretty cool to see but i'm not sure it was worth all the driving. We visited the pre-Incan ruin which was pretty cool. The best part of the day was the picnic that we had in a little covered area by a lake. Ronaldo set up a table and an incredible traditional Peruvian meal. We got back to Cusco around 2pm, even though i had expected it to be a full day tour. It wasn't a big deal because it left us time to go shopping in Cusco.

Half-day trip: Gastronomic Cusco tour: Peru is all about food, and so is this tour! We’ll take you to the markets, stores, restaurants and street corners where it all happens, and along the way we’ll sample many of the products and platos that make Peru’s cuisine so delicious and unique. - This was amazing! Chema took us to his favorite tamale stand in the middle of town and then to the market and to a bunch of different restaurants throughout the city to sample all the foods that Peru and Cusco are known for. And Katy came to meet us for our last meal, which was really special. We could barely move by the time the tour was over but it was well worth it.

All in all, I can't speak highly enough about Aspiring Adventures and the trip they created for us.
Written 4 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cannot say enough about Aspiring Adventures! I had emailed Katy to ask about some of her tours and in the end, my husband and I had a personal tour guide (Chema) and driver (Ronaldo) for the time we spent in the Sacred Valley. Chema is the most remarkable tour guide I have ever had. He cares so deeply for his country and it shows in everything he says. Ronaldo was wonderful as well. These are the following private tours that were arranged for us: Amaru-Pisac custom one-day trip: Your guide and driver will meet you off your flight into Cusco, and you’ll head straight for the village of Amaru, high in the Andes above the Sacred Valley of the Incas (1 – 1.5 hours). Here you’ll enjoy a pachamanca (earth oven – delicious!) lunch, before heading off to hike across the mountains to the ruin of Pisac (3 hours approx.) Your guide will show you around the bristling Inca fortress, then you’ll head down through the charming cobbled town of Pisac to Urubamba, a 45 minute drive through the Sacred Valley and drop you off at your accommodation. - This was a very memorable experience. The pachamanca lunch was incredible and the family that hosted us were so warm and welcoming. We ended up not doing the hike because we were still adjusting to the altitude but the tour of the Inca fortress was a highlight of my trip. Ollantaytambo custom half-day trip: Your guide and driver will pick you up at 9am this morning and drive you to Ollantaytambo, perhaps the most perfectly preserved of all Inca towns, a maze of cobbled alleyways and sun-drenched plazas presided over by a spectacular, llama-shaped ruin. You’ll have ample time to explore with your guide before we drop you off at the train station in time to take the 1.27pm train to Aguas Calientes. - This was a great day and the ruins are amazing. Chema walked us through the town and the ruins and then we had him join us for lunch near the train station before we boarded the train to Macchu Pichu. (Note: If we had to do it again, we would have had Chema come to Macchu Pichu with us because the tour guide we had there was terrible and we know that Chema would have made the experience 100 times better) The South Valley one-day trip: The South Valley, just outside Cusco, is little known to foreign tourists, but it’s popular with Peruvians and Katy! It’s a brilliant place to sleepy villages, mad churches, and charming ruins, and enjoy the fresh air and mountain scenery. - This was the only tour that we were slightly disappointed in. We still had a great day but it wasn't quite what we expected and most of the day was spent driving. One of the highlights of the day was stopping at a local market that was far from the touristy area, so we got a real authentic experience. We were the only americans there! We stopped at an Incan ruin that was phenomenal and Chema's narrative was so informative and memorable. Then we went to visit the Andahuaylilas church that was pretty cool to see but i'm not sure it was worth all the driving. We visited the pre-Incan ruin which was pretty cool. The best part of the day was the picnic that we had in a little covered area by a lake. Ronaldo set up a table and an incredible traditional Peruvian meal. We got back to Cusco around 2pm, even though i had expected it to be a full day tour. It wasn't a big deal because it left us time to go shopping in Cusco. Half-day trip: Gastronomic Cusco tour: Peru is all about food, and so is this tour! We’ll take you to the markets, stores, restaurants and street corners where it all happens, and along the way we’ll sample many of the products and platos that make Peru’s cuisine so delicious and unique. - This was amazing! Chema took us to his favorite tamale stand in the middle of town and then to the market and to a bunch of different restaurants throughout the city to sample all the foods that Peru and Cusco are known for. And Katy came to meet us for our last meal, which was really special. We could barely move by the time the tour was over but it was well worth it. All in all, I can't speak highly enough about Aspiring Adventures and the trip they created for us. Response from Steve W, Owner at Aspiring Adventures Response Rejected — 29 Oct 2019 Gee, I think this is the most detailed review I've read so far for our day trips - thank you so much for taking the time, RMarino222! You and your husband did four private day trips with us, and I really appreciate that you've provided some feedback about each of those trips with us. I'm delighted that Chema was the most remarkable guide that you've ever had - he's a great guy eh, and we're lucky to have him on our team :) For anyone reading this review, please note that the Machu Picchu tour was not provided by us - RMarino222 had booked that tour elsewhere and we had nothing to do with that portion of their trip (in case you're wondering!). This is one of the reasons why we like to be involved in the whole trip design and delivery rather than just some parts, as we never know who else is involved and how it'll play out. RMarino222 - I'm sorry that you didn't have a great experience at Machu Picchu, and if you ever come back to Peru, let us make it better for you! You're right about our South Valley trip - it should have been a full day (returning more like 5pm rather than 2pm). Not sure what went wrong there - perhaps because two of our your other three trips were half-day trips the guides got confused and took you back early. I'm not sure, but usually this trip is a full day. I'm glad you made the best of it though and used the time to do some shopping - good on ya! Haha, I'm really chuffed that you had a great day on our Gastronomic Cusco trip and that you had the opportunity to meet Katy too (she's Peru's biggest food fan and can't help herself but join up with groups doing our foodie trips!). Thank you for traveling with us, we hope to share another adventure with you some day! Kind regards, Steve, Aspiring Adventures
Written 7 November 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

tonibowler
Redland City, Australia3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2014 • Couples
 Paul and I have travelled to many parts of the world but this Holiday has been the most exciting adventurous and inspiring we have ever had, Aldo our guide has been the most knowledgeable, considerate, thoughtful and helpful person we have travelled with.  He has encouraged us when we were getting tired, helped me up steps and over rough paths, given Paul that extra help when he was struggling on Wayna Picchu.    Aldo has  been fun, has got a great sense of humour,  loved to share stories with us and we will miss him. 
Katy's choice of restaurants and accommodation has been outstanding, I think this could be called a Food and Adventure tour.  We have seen the best of Peru thanks to Aspiring Adventures and I have already got a few friends who are thinking of doing this tour, I have done a daily blog and many friends and family have enjoyed our travels.  I have a problem with heights but I did the zip line with my eyes wide open and loved every minute, did the drive from Ollyomtambo to Santa Theresa hanging out the window taking photos of the crazy road.  Saw every Inca ruin and loved them all, the Salt ponds were amazing, I do think the Thermal pool could be done after the zip line as my body was buggered but realise it would be too hot with the sun and thermals pools, so happy with your choice.
Paul loved the bike ride down the mountain with the Ronald and Aldo. Loved the lunch on guinea pig and the visits to some of the most beautiful churches, the drive up Savred Valley was amazing also. Cusco is a great place start and to finish at Puno and a visit to Lake Titicaca a dream I have had for many years.
Anyone thinking of visiting Peru should check Aspiring Adventures itinerary and price and then look at the others and realise that this company has the best package. Our 14 day Classic Tour was inspiring
You have made a couple of Aussies very happy with amazing memories,  just have to go home and bore the family with our million photos
Written 12 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Toni and Paul, thank you kindly for your detailed review of your Peru Classic trip. I'm delighted that you rate this as your favourite trip of all time - what an honour! How awesome that you gave the zip line a go. I love hearing from guests who've had a new experience such as that! I was glad that we had the opportunity to meet in person before you booked - please do let me know if you're in my area again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about our guides and your Peru trip - we look forward to hearing from your friends and showing them a great time as well! Kind regards, Steve @ Aspring Adventures
Written 2 November 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Krivers1
Tallahassee, FL4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Family
I read all of these fabulous reviews and thought Aspiring Adventures would be the perfect company to book our family trip to celebrate my stepmoms 60th birthday and first out of country travel. She has always wanted to go to Peru. Our party consisted of my stepmom, 68 year old father, brother and sister in law (35) and myself (41) and my son (9). We began to plan and settled on a mix of adventure and luxury. The first night I chose to switch hotels to the Belmond Monasterio (highly recommend!) and it was perfect. Because it was close to departure Aspiring Adventures advised we would not receive any credit for our other hotel. Understandable but unusual since they supposedly work with the other hotel often.

When we landed in Cusco our guide Justino picked us up. We were transported in a roomy luxury coach which was perfect. We checked in at the Belmond hotel and took it easy getting acclimated. So far so good.

Day 2 we took the same great coach on the road and traveled to the sacred valley. Along the way we stopped at a local village for a weaving demonstration and also saw the salt mines. This was all great but I started wondering about Justino’s attention to our party. I have traveled the world and used many tour companies. He was disengaged and did not provide background as to where we were headed, never asked is we needed to stop for restroom breaks and did not provide snacks or water for the hours long ride. In fact when we asked to stop, he seemed annoyed and constantly asked if we had money to pay for water. It was as if he just wanted to get from point a to point b. That night hotel was great - the Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel. Gorgeous property and we all wished we had more time there to enjoy the grounds. We ordered room service with the understanding that it was included as a meal on the trip. But when checking out Justino pointed to the desk and said we needed to pay for the meal. At this point I am wondering if he is pocketing money from the company...?

Day 3 - This is where things start going downhill (literally)! We woke up to a small, run down van with bikes and a stretcher on top for our biking excursion. We made our way 2+hours on dirt roads up a mountain and began to get equipped. It was clear that Justino was friends with the tour operator (they went to college together) which was fine except that no one talked to us and instead they spent the ride speaking Spanish to each other. When we got out to get our equipment on my bike didn’t fit me at all to the point that I did not feel safe to ride. When we looked around we noticed all of the other tours were in nice big vehicles like the ones we had the first 2 days and people were given leg and arm protection. When we asked, our guide dismissed us and said that was unnecessary. About 30 mins in my stepmom fell and banged up her leg and knee. So much for unnecessary! My son decided he wanted to try to ride about an hour in so he got suited up. We were riding on a very busy road with big trucks passing fast and on the side of a mountain so of course as a mom I was nervous. I was in the van and when the group with my son took off the driver stopped to pick up a bag of food from someone he knew in town as I am watching my son speed around a corner and a big truck approach us from behind. Justino is the front seat and I literally have to yell at them to go catch up since our van was supposed to be the rear protection for the group. As all this is happened I realize that I left my son and my passport at the previous hotel. I thought shouldn’t be a big deal for the company to have someone bring it to me. Justino acted like it was the biggest inconvenience, had a friend do it and then charged me $80usd.

That night we are al exhausted. 3 out of our group of 6 got car sick in the tiny hot van on the way to our hotel. No a/c and dusty windy mountain roads. Again, no water provided and no concern with how we were all doing. We pull up to our “hotel” for the night. The power was out, there was no a/c and the cicadas were so loud you couldn’t sleep. The showers were disgusting with no hot water. We tried to sleep but it was a very rough night.

Day 4- We are greeted with an extremely small taxi. What happened to the dedicated transportation in large vehicles!?!? No a/c, hot and crowded. We toured a coffee plantation and this was a highlight. The owners were so great and hospitable. From there we went to the train station to travel to the base of Manchu Picchu. We had a decent but very late (4:00pm!) lunch after a full day in a cramped taxi. Our hotel was decent (we were happy to have a/c) but we were all exhausted from all of the uncomfortable rides and no sleep the night before.

Day 5 - Manchu Picchu did not disappoint. We were up early and had a great visit. The hike up was worth it and my stepmom was thrilled to be able to experience it. Once again though, Justino seemed disinterested and did not give us a thorough tour as I would have expected and we all were looking forward to learning about the site. That night we traveled back to Cusco. Our hotel in Cusco was awful and I am so glad we didn’t start our trip there. The Andean Wings is located on the Main Street. We could hear every horn blowing (starting at 4:30am) a long with church bells for 5 am mass. Another long night.

Day 6 - our group split up with my son and sister in law opting for a cooking experience and the rest of us for whitewater rafting. The feedback from the cooking was that it was OK. The experience took place in someone’s home with a small kitchen that did not provide enough room for everyone to participate. Rafting was very fun although long and we were rushing to get back to town as we flew out this day. I mentioned to Justino that we would like a late checkout so we could quickly shower post rafting before our international flights. He came back and said the hotel would charge us $60 to checkout at 5. Keep in mind this hotel is only $90 for a night and they were in no way full. Also this is the same hotel that had not provided a refund for rooms we did not use earlier in the week. I agreed but then when we were running late and needed it until 6pm they tried to charge us another $60. At this point I was fed up and just ready to be home.

I am glad that our family went on the trip together. Peru is a beautiful place and we had some wonderful experiences however it could have been so much better with a different guide who was excited about his/her job and passionate about customer service. I thought that is what we were getting with Aspiring Adventures but sadly it was not. The transportation was not as advertised. The service was poor and the accommodations were unacceptable. Spend your money with another company!
Written 22 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow, Krivers1. We’re so sorry you’re so unhappy! We work hard to create great experiences for our guests, and this, our only one-star review in more than ten years in business, is utterly out of step with our 140 previous reviews, of which 132 are five-star, five are four-star, and just one is three-star. First and foremost: Justino is a guide of many years standing, whose professionalism and honesty are above question. For him to suffer the ignominy of being publicly accused of stealing, by our guest, on our Trip Advisor page, is the worst thing about this very upsetting review. Justino offered repeatedly to pay for your dinner at Aranwa and you told him you preferred to pay with your credit card, to save the hassle of separating included drinks (water and soft drinks, which we cover) and non-included drinks (alcohol, coffee and juice). We provided filtered drinking water in our vehicles for you to fill up your personal water bottles with, but you preferred to buy water in disposable plastic bottles each day. Justino offered more than once to pay for the water you bought; somehow, unfortunately, it seems this came across as ‘constantly asking if you had money to pay for water.’ Justino did not spend the entire ride to Abra Malaga talking Spanish with your bike guide, Raul. They didn’t even sit together. Let the record show: we have investigated every one of your allegations about Justino, and they are unfounded. We stand by him 100 percent. In fact, we have investigated every single one of the complaints in your review, and are satisfied each one is either factually incorrect, or a misinterpretation of us doing our best for you as something sinister. This was quite a surprise – when you receive a litany of complaints this long, you think there must be something to complain about, and when we started investigating, we were braced for bad news. Instead we have come out happier than ever with our team and our trips, but more shocked and saddened than ever by your review. To address each of your complaints in detail would be such a massive undertaking that we’ve decided, for the sake of (relative!) brevity, to just address the three title points, to give an overview of our perspective. 1. Awful customer service We’ve reviewed all our pre-trip contact with you and have identified one thing we wish we’d done differently: we should have stated explicitly, on the phone or by email rather than just within your written itinerary, that one night of your otherwise four-star trip would be in three-star level accommodation. This was a mistake on our part and we apologise unreservedly. When you got in touch requesting a private, custom trip, there was, as is usual, some back and forth by email as we settled on the details. You specifically mentioned a desire to do the coffee tour in Santa Teresa (and it’s great that you did it, and loved it!). Another thing we agreed on was four-star accommodations. In all the back and forth on this and other details of your trip, we failed to spell out to you that the choice had to be made between four-star accommodation on every night of the trip and visiting the coffee farm, as the closest four-star accommodation to a coffee-growing area is four hours away. We should have put the choice to you; instead we assumed you’d prioritise experience over accommodation. (Part of the reason for this is that we love the lodge you stayed at, which is solid three star, with charm and atmosphere in bucketloads. We’ve sent many other guests there before; none have complained, and many have said it was a highlight of their trip.) We also assumed that you would notice the several times we mentioned it within your itinerary: in mid-December, before you even booked your trip, we sent you an itinerary that included ‘rustic eco-lodge near Santa Teresa’ as that night’s accommodation. On August 21 we sent you an itinerary specifying the names of all the accommodations, including that one. Four days before your trip began we sent you a link to the website with photos of your room there and the comment ‘three star. This is by far the highest-level accommodation in the area; there is simply no other option on this night. We’ve booked their best rooms for you – check them out at http…’. So we did what we usually do, and what has been effective with previous guests, to set your expectations. In hindsight it is clear that we should have been more alert, allowing for the fact that you were not like other guests we’ve worked with, who tend to be highly engaged with the trip planning process. We have learned from this and will be sure to fully set expectations for all future guests. In the months before the trip we got the impression you were extremely busy. We had to follow up multiple times to get the information we needed, and your responses were extremely brief. Still, as always, we went out of our way to provide exceptional customer service. We cheerfully accommodated last-minute requests to add bikes and change accommodation. When you announced that you were swapping your husband out of the trip and bringing your nine-year-old son instead, we immediately and unquestioningly accommodated, with no charge (though it did us cost money and time to make the changes), and significant follow-up work (some of which you knew about as you had to provide some assistance, signing a form to change names on airline tickets; you’ll remember we went to a lot of trouble to make sure that problematic process worked seamlessly). This high level of customer service by our office staff continued during the trip itself. For example our ground manager, Mayli reunited you with items you left behind in hotels at least twice. The case you mention, of the passports you left at Aranwa, is a good example of the work that goes on behind the scenes in a tour company, and of which you are, understandably, not aware. You were certain you’d left the passports at reception so it took several calls from Mayli, and a couple of hours, for Aranwa staff to find them, tangled up in your bedsheets. By this time your driver was far away and had to be paid for his time and fuel to drive over to pick them up. Next we had to get them to Aguas Calientes on the next day, as you needed them to get into Machu Picchu. There is no road to Aguas Calientes. It is only accessible by trains, none of which have a parcel service. Train tickets sell out in advance, so even buying a ticket and physically taking your passports to you was not an option. So, Mayli was left with no choice but to do the impossible. It took her most of a day, significant stress, asking a friend a big favour, and coordinating having your passports driven from one point in the Sacred Valley to another to get this to happen, but she did it. We spared you the details, leaving you to misinterpret the matter as ‘not a big deal’. 2. Awful transportation On most days we used the Mercedes Sprinter that you were happy with. There were two exceptions: The ‘small, rundown van’ on Day 3 was a 15-seater Hiace. This vehicle is older than others we use, but there are few vehicles in Cusco that are both accredited to carry tourists, and set up to transport high-end bikes, and among those there are, we prioritise safety and reliability over appearance. The stretcher was on the roof because for first-aid reasons we always carry one on days where there are outdoor activities, and that’s where it fits. It’s never crossed our minds to consider the aesthetics of that before; it will in future. The air conditioning didn’t function well in this vehicle that day because one of the back windows was kept open by a group member. The ‘extremely small taxi’ on Day 4 was a 7-seater Starex. This is a local service we choose to use in Santa Teresa as a smaller vehicle, and a driver with local knowledge, improves guest experience of the dusty windy mountain roads you mention. 3. Awful hotels We’re so sorry the hotel we booked for you in Cusco wasn’t to your liking. What we see as ‘characterful colonial hotel right in the heart of town’ obviously translated in your experience as ‘too old and noisy,’ and that is fair enough. However the big issue was with the eco-lodge we stay at outside Santa Teresa, the one non-four-star accommodation on your trip. On September 11, just four days before your trip began, when you emailed to say you wanted to change hotel for your first night in Cusco, we first tried to call you and then, when we couldn’t connect with you on the phone, emailed you saying we ‘wanted to touch base – about your expectations of the trip in general and hotels in particular – and see what we can do together to make sure your trip matches your expectations.’ We then listed all the hotels we’d booked for you, with hyperlinks to room details on their websites, and special attention drawn to the lodge in Santa Teresa, as quoted above. Sometimes it can be frustrating, trying so hard to communicate something and not getting through. I’m sure that’s how you were feeling that evening in Santa Teresa, and on the other occasions on the trip when you publicly berated Justino, but unfortunately, no matter how valid your frustration at the time may have been, this creates a stressful, negative working environment for our staff, which in turn is frustrating for us. We also feel hurt, that after months of work to set up and execute a trip for you, this massive takedown of a review is by far the longest message you’ve ever sent us. We’re trying hard not to take it personally, and reading the one other Trip Advisor review you’ve ever done is helpful with that – also one-star, furiously worded, and with incorrect expectations that arise from assumptions about how things should be, rather than the information provided to you by the business you’re reviewing. We know the trip deserved better than a one-star review. We hope you feel better soon. Peace, Steve and Katy
Written 3 October 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

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