A flawlessly organized Peru trekking adventure combining the solitude of the Salkantay Trail with the magic of the Inca Trail.
The whole Peru Trip was an amazing experience! The trip was perfectly organised and we we had two weeks we will never forget!! The combined Salkantay and Inca Trail is an experience I can recommend to everybody.
It was an amazing experience to walk through the remote Peruvian landscape. The first days on the Salkantaytrail we didn’t see more than 20 people a day!
There was no low point.
The organization of the trek was perfect, our guide Manuel and his team made us feel comfortable, gave us plenty of food. The guide was very skilful. By choosing the right camping sites on the Inca Trail we experienced not many other people (in high season!).
Thanks a lot! Next time we go to South-America, we will surely contact Andean Trails again!
A flawlessly organized Ecuador and Galapagos journey filled with comfort, wildlife, and unforgettable underwater encounters.
Thank you for arranging a brilliant holiday for us. We had the most wonderful time. It was my personal holiday of a lifetime and lived up to all expectations and more.
Everything was really well organised and we felt completely looked after all the time.
Tom’s suggestions and help beforehand were much appreciated, including your time in re-assuring us about all sorts of things.
We have to say that your choice of company on Galapagos was just brilliant.
We also greatly enjoyed your choice of hotels in Ecuador – particularly El Monte – to be highly recommended.
We’ll be sending you a video of the hammerheads sharks we saw when snorkelling. Thank you once again.
Outstanding communication and expert planning made Andean Trails the clear choice for a perfectly organised South American adventure.
Tom always got back to us really quickly, answered our questions clearly and gave us lost of really useful information and details. We were very impressed.
It gave us so much confidence in Andean Trails, unlike other replies we got from other agents, which were also much slower.
We decided to travel with you because of Tom’s efficiency and friendliness.
A spectacular Galapagos cruise aboard the Anahi, filled with fearless wildlife and stunning volcanic landscapes.
The Anahi was very special because of the guide and crew.
The landings on the volcanic desert islands and the fearless wildlife were highlights. The two small towns were very forgettable.
We wanted to see it all and we really did!
An extraordinary off-the-beaten-track trek through Argentina’s remote valleys, blending adventure, culture, and genuine local connection.
– What was the highlight of your holiday? Was there a low point?
The trek was the highlight. The highlight was the fact that we were the only people not from the local community on the trail. The night spent under canvass in the river valley was amazing. It was magical.
I did struggle a bit with the altitude (not actually altitude sickness). I was a bit breathless which affected my walking. I found it difficult to eat on the first two days but that did pass. I had an upset stomach and suffered from nausea – had to take tablets to keep it all under control…
The two guides for the trek, Lucia & Uli, were amazing. They produced excellent meals at lunch and in the evening. They were both very easy to be with. They were knowledgeable and I trusted both of them completely. The organisation of the trek was excellent.
We stayed one night with Paula (the wife/mother of the two mule men). We were made to feel very welcome. The guides appeared to have a comfortable relationship with Paula and her family. We felt well looked after by all of them. (Think the two men found us rather amusing).
When we stayed in Nazareno we ate in the local cafe. We met two teachers from the local school who were delighted to find three foreigners in the village. They would have liked us to come to the school and meet the children. The teachers did not speak English but that did not seem to matter… Pancho said that the people of Nazareno were very resistant to the idea of tourism – the government had apparently proposed building a hotel there. They are certainly resistant to ‘mass’ tourism but I suspect that they would have fewer reservations about people travelling on foot like us. He was very conscious of the need to find a comfortable balance between bringing people (and money) into the area without changing things too much.
A beautifully organized Ecuador adventure combining the Galapagos, Cotopaxi, and cloud forest for a seamless, responsible travel experience.
Thanks for helping us plan such an amazing trip! We had a wonderful time with very few hiccups during the week!
Highlights: the Galapagos and the boat crew, the cloud forest hikes, the hacienda in Cotopaxi, the lovely guides and tour leaders throughout.
Food was fantastic. Guides were fantastic. Organization and transportation were always spot on. Hacienda Porvenir was spectacular! The boat was great and very comfortable.
And the cloud forest lodge was a very cool experience.
I felt like we stayed in places that were locally-owned and helped to employ people in the community. The guides were all local and knew a great deal of their areas of expertise, so it felt awesome to tip them at the end and know that the money was going to help people that will turn around and teach more foreigners about Ecuador. Not once did I feel like we were in a situation that encouraged water waste or consumption of plastic bottles. The conservation efforts were apparent throughout.
Next time, I will stay longer in Ecuador and add on Otovalo!
Thank you, Tom, for everything!
A breathtaking private journey through Peru and Bolivia, highlighted by a remote Salkantay trek, vibrant culture, and perfect organisation.
The absolute highlight was the private Salkantay trek. We loved the trekking through the beautiful mountain landscape far away from the crowds, with absolutely amazing crew of the local agency: our great guide Elvis who strived to provide us with the real Andean hiking experience, and our fabulous cook Cezar who spoiled us with fantastic 3-course vegetarian meals!
Everything was very well organized, fully in line with the agreed program of our trip – all pick ups & guides were super professional and always on time. A special notion to all organizers in Cusco who were very attentive and taking great care of us, and to our guide in La Paz who offered us very interesting & refreshing city tour.
Food was great, our absolute highlights were ceviche and everything cooked by Cesar during our trek; as a special notion – we requested vegetarian meals and this request was fully observed in all places.
In each place we had guides from local agencies who often took us to places where we could meet and support local artisans & people from local communities. We especially liked the visit at organic coffee farm run by the female cooperative in Peruvian cloud forest.
Most of our trip was the private tour, with however few exceptions like the group visit at Lake Titicaca and semi-private drive in Uyuni; next time we would go 100% private tour that allows to fully tailor the trip to our interests and pace.
Peru & Bolivia were always on our bucket list and we’re very happy to finally make this dream come true. Landscapes with mountains & deserts, great history, as well as contemporary local culture & food are absolutely fantastic!
Andean Trails was recommended by Responsible Travel – we were looking for an agency that is expert in organizing trips to South America and also can offer a tailor-made private experience – our expectations were fully met, and our agent Kat helped with many recommendations that made our trip even better.
Thank you once more for organizing such great holidays!
A superbly organized journey showcasing Andean Trails’ consistent excellence, reliability, and seamless travel experiences.
I must mention that dealing with Andean is / has been a superb experience. Things have gone so smoothly both on this trip & previous one. One needs to deal with others to put a value on your service , arrangements, & your suppliers !
A flawlessly organized self-guided Patagonia adventure combining freedom, efficiency, and unforgettable trekking experiences.
We wanted to give some quick feedback on our holiday (Self guided Patagonia 17 March – 01 April 2018). We had an amazing time – thanks for everything. We found the whole thing well organised, and very efficient. If we’d tried to set something similar up ourselves we would have had to spend many hours researching, booking, etc, and likely would have spent more time waiting around whilst there or say doing the W in an non-optimal way.
We’ve been asked by friends about which company we used, and we have been recommending you.
A thrilling Patagonia adventure combining Ice Cap trekking, luxury lodges, and breathtaking mountain landscapes.
The highlight was the Ice Cap definitely, it is a unique experience. There wasn’t really any low point. The Martial Montes trek was very nice landscape wise (and for a bit of a rest too …) but did not really have any objective – I am more used to go for a trek with a target – it would be nicer if it was possible to reach the Martial glacier for example.
The guys were really nice though so please don’t feed this back as any complaint.
The accommodation was perfect. We did not quite realize how posh our W trek was – we are not used to stay in 200 USD a night facilities but it was a nice luxury for once on a holiday ….
What would I do differently next time?
We wanted to do too much in too little time. It would be nicer to have a bit of time off in El Chalten for example before moving onto the next trek. Retirement is quite close though so if/when we do something similar in the future it would be more interleaved with days off.
We wanted to visit the highlights of Patagonia plus the Ice Cap and the three places we visited are those (or we went to Puento Moreno too). I knew about Andean Trails from the past when looking to do the Inca Trail and it provided us with the flexibility we needed this time – we use Exodus otherwise most of the times and they have just a fixed and too expensive for the length of it itinerary. Also the Ice Cap trek was the main driver here – when I saw the email about it, I just thought this is the thing to do in Patagonia – that’s the way I usually decide .
A luxurious off-the-beaten-track Patagonian escape offering breathtaking scenery, warm hospitality, and unforgettable experiences.
The hotel is spectacular. The setting, the views, the comfort , the activities and above all the staff – brilliant. An off the beaten track destination, an out of this world experience, and unforgettable memories. I felt privileged to be there and didn’t want to leave.
A flawlessly organized Namibian adventure highlighted by a challenging barefoot dune crossing and unforgettable desert landscapes.
I just wanted to say thanks for the fine organisation on this trip.
We learned a lot on how to make future trips out of this experience.
The bare-foot dune crossing was tough but something to be remembered for a lifetime
Everything else was just tip top organised from accommodations to timing of events, guides etc…
Thanks again!
A thrilling Patagonia adventure of trekking, ice hiking, and breathtaking scenery, flawlessly organized for an unforgettable experience.
We had the trip of a lifetime. I hear that expression all the time but never really thought it real to say until now. It was fantastic!
Highlight of the holiday was the view of the Three peaks and the lake in perfect weather conditions. It was also the ice hiking which was totally thrilling and lots of fun.
Our guide, Danny, was simply awesome. Great sense of humor, very knowledgeable, good company, calm. We felt lucky to have him with us.
The Refugios and the one night in the tent were very clean and the beds comfortable. The tents were great and sleeping bags and mats were provided – despite no-one being able to sleep due to the noise of the wind (crazy!) Some Refugios were better than others but all were very comfortable with enough amenities
Food was adequate/fine. Don’t think I’ll be having mashed potatoes any time soon but absolutely nothing to complain about. The first Refugio we stayed in was the best (sorry, name eludes me)
The route was good and everything went to plan (bar the boat which no-one could have foreseen) Only emergency internet at that specific Refugio though so possibly a good idea not to try and leave from here as plans difficult to change.
Not sure about the local community benefitting but certainly in P Natales I felt we helped by shopping, eating and drinking there! Surely just having visitors in the area helps the economy and educates people how to behave in a Natural Park?
We chose this place as we wanted to see if it was as beautiful as we had been told. And YES it was!
We chose Andean Trails as the itinerary could be flexible to our time schedule and the amount of time we wanted to spend walking. (Which was great)
Overall an absolutely fantastic trip which will be very difficult to top so if you have any other ideas for next year, please let us know!
A flawless Patagonia adventure combining EcoCamp luxury, breathtaking treks, and unforgettable experiences across Chile and Argentina.
The trip was truly brilliant. We were unbelievably lucky with the weather – when we needed good weather (e.g. when hiking up to three towers, andean crossing) we had it!
The EcoCamp exceeded all our expectations (I am assuming you have been there so I don’t need to tell you about it!). Our guide was just great – very experienced, knowledgeable and fun. We had a full group of 12 and enjoyed everyone’s company. We would both say that the trekking portion was truly awesome and very special – the highlight of our trip – not that the rest of it wasn’t great.
Everything was as it was supposed to be – we were met/picked up according to the schedule.
The hotels were also great – we loved all the locations and the hotels themselves. At the last hotel in Buenos Aires (Legado Mitico) they were unbelievably fun and helpful. They let us stay in our room until 4pm among other things.
A breathtaking Patagonian trek filled with challenge, beauty, and respect for the pristine natural world.
Thanks for everything, it was an amazing trip and the place is only part of heaven if it’s not heaven itself, I hope humanity will keep it safe.
What was the highlight of your holiday? Was there a low point?
Certain steps were very hard . I wish we had more details about the expected difficulties. But to be honest, every step was worth it.
How would you rate accommodation/ food/ guides/ overall organisation?
Between 1 poor-10 excellent I will rate it 7.
Did you feel you benefitted the local communities?
The local community, in general is very nice. And yes, I think we did. They are very welcoming. Need a lot to built the area for tourism with careful environment protection as they are persistently emphasising on in the national park
What would you like to do differently next time?
I would give it another day for the last 2 days. The people who might not be as fit as the guide, like Nasser.
Out of interest why did you choose the places you visited and why Andean Trails to organise your trip?
Personally, I am interested in seeing every beautiful part of the planet blue. Nasser searched google for mountain trips and found your company highly rated .
But Alan, thank you for everything. Again, it was an amazing trip. We might be in touch in the future for another trip, may be somewhere else.
A wonderfully run Galapagos cruise with superb service, delicious food, and unforgettable wildlife experiences throughout.
The crew was terrific – treated us all with respect, good humor, and interest and answered our questions patiently. The chef aboard (Victor) was fun, an excellent cook, and kept us well fed, including with hearty snacks after walks or snorkel trips.
We believe we got significant value for the cost of the trip and saw every bit as much as the expensive trips that were anchored at the same locations.
In all, we were very well pleased with the trip and will highly recommend it and Andean Trails.
A perfectly organized five-week adventure through Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, blending remote trekking, rich culture, and unforgettable encounters.
Nick – Kathy at Andean Trails did a brilliant job of helping us to plan our itinerary in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. During 5 weeks of travelling every single thing which we had booked through her worked perfectly.
Ali – The extended Condoriri Trek was absolutely wonderful – untrodden trails, stunning mountains and glacial lakes, and super friendly guide and arrieros.
Katie – The one day version of the Inca Trail allowed us spend more time exploring away from the crowds, and still visit the Macchu Picchu site with (almost) no one else there.
Clara – My highlight? Cocktails on a roof terrace in Sucre after several days of dusty overland travel in Bolivia. Oh yes!
Freddy – We met so many fantastic people in Bolivia, so friendly and keen to show us their beautiful country.
An exhilarating Torres del Paine trek filled with camaraderie, breathtaking scenery, and the joy of shared adventure in Patagonia.
5 *****
It was very memorable – reaching the lakeside at Torre del Paine after the trek through the valley; exhausted but exhilarating. The small group bred a camaraderie that added to the wealth of experiences.
The hotels were a level below what we might have chosen for ourselves but we could never haver reached such locations or enjoyed ourselves so much if not for the group experience.
A once-in-a-lifetime Patagonia adventure through three national parks, filled with breathtaking scenery, great company, and seamless organisation.
Going to Patagonia really was the trip of a lifetime for us.
Getting to visit all 3 national parks was most welcome. (We even got 2 days of sunshine in Ushuaia!). And we loved the hotels you suggested in Buenos Aires.
The scenery is unmatched, the hikes were well chosen and just arduous enough for us, our local guides and our driver and host guide were superlative, and our fellow group members were huge fun to be with, and a welcome diverse lot from several different nations.
The staffs at our base camps were first rate, looked after all our needs and provided good and more than ample food for us.
We enjoyed the estancia overnight very much.
We felt that Andean Trails did a good job of making sure we knew what to expect.
An unforgettable trekking journey through Peru’s Santa Cruz and Huayhuash ranges, featuring spectacular mountain scenery, flexibility, and expert local guidance.
The Santa Cruz – Ulta trek was good acclimatization training for Huayhuash and we were glad we did this trek first. The four young Americans with us were good company.
The high camp below Yanayaku Pass across from Contrahierbas and the pass itself, and the earlier close-up sight of Alpamayo from the base camp side were the scenic highlights for us on this short trek.
Huayhuash is in a different league scenically and physically. It is really spectacular. It’s also not for the beginner trekker. We really liked our own small trip and flexibility we had in altering things with Rodolfo’s suggestions and knowledge.
Rodolfo was absolutely terrific in every way. He is an excellent organiser and guide and very worldly in his knowledge and views.
So all in all we are very happy with AT and your on-ground operations in Peru. Again, Rodolfo was terrific in Huaraz and on the trail.
A rewarding high-Andes trek filled with challenging climbs, unspoiled scenery, and breathtaking “reach the pass” moments.
There were a number of “reach the pass and see spectacular landscapes open up” moments; those were probably the high points.
I would highly recommend both the circuit and your company to anyone interested in that kind of experience (some strenuous hours, no-frills travel style, spectacular unspoiled landscapes).
