I can’t say enough good things about Kuoda Travel. We typically travel independently but decided to use an agency because of some of the complexities of planning a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu. We wanted things to go smoothly and to make the most of our time there. We worked with Tom, who very quickly put together a plan for us. Everything we wanted was covered, plus many thing we hadn’t thought of. The hotels were good and the prices reasonable.

Our visit to Peru was planned perfectly, and from the moment we arrived in Lima we were well taken care of. But you really get the measure of a tour company when things go wrong. A protest and strike shut down the train service to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu village) on the morning we were supposed to travel there. There is no road to Aguas Calientes, so our schedule had to be re-worked. Everything had to be changed within a few hours – train tickets, bus tickets, hotel reservations, Machu Picchu tickets … everything. It all happened behind the scenes, while we continued to enjoy our trip (on a slightly different schedule). Had we been there on our own, I honestly don’t know how we would have managed it.

I would especially like to recommend our guide Holger, who was extremely knowledgable and personable. I expected to see a lot of beautiful scenery and learn a little about the Incas. I didn’t expect to experience so much of the unique culture of modern-day Peru. It is a truly unique place, and Holger brought it all together for us. Also, our driver, Juan, who got us everywhere we needed to go, safely and on time. And of course, Jason, who worked behind the scenes and made it possible for us to go to Machu Picchu in spite of the strike.

I highly recommend Kuoda Travel to anyone planning a trip to Peru.