Kuoda Travel tour of Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley
Executive summary:
My wife and I arranged a 5-day, post-cruise tour of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley with Kuoda Travel based in Cusco, Peru. The choice of Kuoda was based on a combination of on-line reviews and, most importantly, the recommendation of Oceania cruisers who had used them before. In a nut shell, Kuoda fulfilled our wish list of things to see & do as well as the style of touring that we like. The details of this trip were so well covered we always felt at ease.
The logistics of the entire 5-days were arranged impeccably! Each and every step of the way was covered down to the finest detail and there was only one very minor delay (it did not affect our tour). In fact, at the end of the tour we had a – what could have been – a severe problem with Peruvian Immigration. Kuoda provided a manager to help us solve that problem leading us through the bureaucracy every step of the way.
We would not hesitate to use Kuoda again (we are in the nascent stage of planning a trip to the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands) and would strongly recommend them to anyone who travels to South America. They may be a bit more expensive than others but the added cost is well worth the comfortable feeling that you have knowing that you and well protected in all phases of a wonderful trip. As Mery, the owner, describes it “…Luxury is not defined by expense or excess. Luxury is about helping you to have the experience you crave and taking care of the nitty-gritty logistics so all you need to concern yourself with is enjoying your trip”. That was absolutely fulfilled on our trip!
A huge THANK YOU goes out to the entire Kuoda team. But a special thanks goes out to those with whom we had direct contact:
Jesus Ramos, Alex Baca, Jason Ayerbe and our guides and drivers: Ophelia & Eberth (sp??), Lillian, and Manuel. (Sorry, but I’ve forgotten some names)
Outstanding Tour Company!!
We just completed a six-day tour of Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. We worked with Kuoda over nine months to plan our tour of Machu Picchu, which included all of the aforementioned spots. The company was the best we have ever used! They sought information about what we would like to do, and then designed an itinerary to meet our interests. We were met with guides at all stops, and our guide accompanied us from Cusco throughout the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. We had lunch at a hacienda one day and at Casa de Aida, prepared by Ms. Aida. We also enjoyed a trail ride and cooking lesson.
Our hotels were locally owned and operated, and they were excellent. The hotels will be reviewed in the hotel section of the Trip Advisor site. We highly recommend Kuoda to anyone planning a trip to Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia. They have just established an office in southern Florida. On our last day in Cusco, the founder and president, Mery, stopped by to check in with us about our trip.
Lima, Cusco,Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu
Kuoda planned a 5 day 4 night trip at the end of a cruise. The whole team did a stellar job planning ever detail. Their team on the ground are wonderful, friendly and accommodating. Would definitely recommend them.
Peru – Cusco, Sacred Valley and Macchu Picchu
Kuoda is an amazing travel company to work with. Their choice of hotels, activities and restaurants were beyond our expectations. Our guide Santiago was knowledgeable, engaging and full of great recommendations. I highly recommend working with them and will use them again when making plans in South America.
The true test of a travel company is how they adapt when things go wrong and Kuoda was more than up for the task. We missed our connection to Lima (airline’s fault) and Kuoda could not have been more accommodating by quickly adjusting our itinerary and assuring us that the trip would still be amazing. Their quick service and ability to make us feel taken care of really set a great tone for the entire trip. When our luggage did not arrive (again the airline’s fault), Kuoda was also fast to get us to markets so we could purchase what we needed and were relentless about following up with the airline and making sure that our luggage found its way to our hotel – Kuoda was amazing.
Typically when you go on a vacation where you miss flights and lose luggage, you might consider it a disaster. Not with Kuoda and not on this trip. We were taken care of every step of the way and the Kuoda staff could not have been easier to work with. It really was a trip of a lifetime and Kuoda deserves all the credit.
Two Trips One to Peru Last Year and a Second To Ecuador and Galapagos this year
We were very pleased with the great service from Kuoda Travel. The people are wonderful and the company makes sure they send people out to try the hotels and restaurants and you can count on a great experience because of it.