⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Karina and Alex Made Our Trip to Peru Truly Extraordinary
We have traveled to many parts of the world and had many wonderful guides, but our experience with Karina was something truly special.
Karina met us at the airport and was with us from the very beginning of our trip, introducing us to the region and taking us to Maras and Moray before getting us to the train for Machu Picchu. From those first hours together, it was clear that she wasn’t simply going to show us the sights. She shared the history, culture, traditions, and everyday life of the region in such a personal and engaging way that we immediately felt connected to the place—and to her.
We had a very good experience with Roger as our guide at Machu Picchu. He was insightful, shared incredible history with passion, and navigated lanes and lines to maximize our experience. Our boys learned a lot from him and he kept their interests. Rosa was helpful coordinating and assisting us along the way. We appreciated both of them and everything they contributed to our trip.
But Karina was the heart of our experience in Peru.
She rejoined us for two of the most demanding and memorable adventures of our trip: hiking Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain. She hiked right alongside us, encouraging us, teaching us, laughing with us, and prepping us in mind, body, and spirit at the start of each journey.
What we will remember most, though, was how genuinely she cared for our family. When our son Henry became fatigued after that first hike, Karina immediately noticed. She looked after him with such attentiveness and kindness that it went far beyond what we would ever expect from a guide. As parents traveling far from home, that meant an enormous amount to us.
Karina has an extraordinary ability to make you feel as though you are experiencing Peru with a friend rather than simply touring it with a guide. She connected with each of us in different ways, and by the end of our time together, saying goodbye was genuinely difficult. She is an exceptional ambassador for Peru, its people, and its culture.
And then there is Alex, our incredible driver. He deserves every bit as much praise.
Some of the terrain and roads we traveled were genuinely harrowing, yet Alex was absolutely impeccable behind the wheel. He was calm, careful, patient, and extraordinarily skilled. Not once did we feel unsafe. Beyond his driving, he was kind, caring, funny, and wonderful company. We had excellent conversations during all those hours on the road, and he became an important part of the experience rather than simply the person getting us from one destination to another.
The mountains, lakes, archaeological sites, and landscapes of Peru were spectacular. But after traveling all over the world, we can say that the level of personal care we received from Karina and Alex stands apart. Long after we have forgotten the details of individual stops, we will remember how these two people made our family feel.
Karina and Alex didn’t just help us see Peru. They are a huge part of why we fell in love with it. We cannot recommend them highly enough.