Inca Trail & the Amazon Rainforest

Customer Reviews

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  Brian Cooper

  · November 15th, 2013
  What a trip -- the memory will live with me for the rest of my life and am so glad that I walked the trail. Have wanted to do it for a while but other committments have always got in the way. Great group and have made many more new friends. Go for it -- you will not regret it. WONDERFUL.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Walking through the Sun Gate to see the Ancient ruins of Machu Picchu below you after toing for the previous few days through, sun, rain and whatever the weather had to throw at you. The support from all those in the group tomake sure that everyone made it. A wonderful moment that even brought a lump to my throat and the joy of everyone within the group as having made it. Hugs all round. So worth it.What did you think of your group leader?BRILLIANT. As simple as that. Wilbert Ramos -- if you get him on your trip you will have an amazing time. Words really cant describe how good he was. Inspiartional and yet knew what to do in all circumstances and his knowledge was second to none. I think I will leave it there as to add any other words would probably dumb down how good he really was. Thanks you.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Enjoy what ever is thrown at you. It will be worth it and you will be rewarded.As far as the trail is concerned, make sure you have plenty of batteries for your camera. I took both a compact and an SLR with zoom lense but to be honest the latter was probably a waste of time and adds extra weight to what you have to carry. By the way -- buy a plastic poncho as they really are worth it and will cover your day pack at the same time without adding a lot of weight to your daypack by carrying a coat.Is there anything else you would like to add?Thank you for a wonderful holiday. It was everything and more that I had hoped for and have some truly wonderful memories and smashing photos which will get looked at on a regular basis. Will definately book with you agin  
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  Trip date: November 2013
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  Karen Reeve

  · October 25th, 2013
  What an amazing experience! A very busy trip but everything from the fantastic scenery on the Inca trail, great food, a leader that not only was very knowledgeable but couldn't have looked after us better made it all so worth while.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?So many loved the whole jungle experience. The scenery on the Inca trail especially the third campsite on top of the mountain and seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. All the work put in by the porters, chefs etc on the Inca trail which we couldn't have done without! The homestay was a nice relaxing way to end the trip.What did you think of your group leader?Our group leader Ollie was brilliant! He was so helpful and knowledgeable! Everything from him making sure the group was in the right place at the right time, to organising our luggage, sharing his knowledge of the places we visited, making sure we could all complete the trek at a pace that suited us and always having a good sense of humour all helped to make this trip so much better!Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Read the trip notes carefully. Enjoy the walk and take it at your own pace and listen to your leader. Don't get duty free at Lima airport as it will get confiscated at Madrid. There is a lot packed into the trip so don't expect to much time to relax but well worth it. You are going to get wet, muddy, sweaty, hot and cold during the trip but don't worry it will all come of your clothes in the wash when you get back!Is there anything else you would like to add?Loved the trip! Could have done with another day in Cusco to see the sights. The 7kg luggage limit is quite hard to pack for especially with the weather being so changeable so needs really careful thought. It was easy to acclimatize to the altitude with the time in Cusco before the trek which I have not always had on previous trips.
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  Trip date: October 2013
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  Julie Thomas

  · October 17th, 2013
  Unforgettable first view of Machu Pichu, but exodus could do better.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?I initially booked this holiday for May, but due to an ‘admin error’, exodus somehow failed to buy me an inca trail permit before they all sold out! I was not impressed (in fact when they told me, with only 3 months to go, I was very upset), and was forced to reschedule my holiday to later in the year.That said, the Inca trail and Machu Pichu were fabulous; I will never forget that first sight of Machu Pichu and the feeling of having finally made it there. It was a real pilgrimage, with each successive Inca site on the trail or fabulous view of mountain tops through the clouds building up to that final arrival at Machu Pichu.The homestay on Amantani was magical and a welcome change of pace and chance to relax. The sound of the jungle at dawn.What did you think of your group leader?Wilbert was friendly and knowledgeable and worked very hard to ensure that everyone in the group was OK and had what they needed, especially on the trek, despite having more than the average number of medical issues to deal with amongst the group! Wilbert was good at setting a pace on the uphills that we could all manage, with frequent stops for everyone to catch up, and he gave us tips to help with the altitude. He even started playing an Andean flute to accompany us on the last stretch up to Dead Woman’s pass, which was surreal! On occasions, eg in Machu Pichu,  it might have been better to get a local guide with more fluent English or to let one of our two Inca trail guides tell us about a site on route – I found myself listening in to other groups or talking to one of our trail guides and learning more, more quickly.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?On the trek, Exodus is good at setting off after the other tour groups, and consequently we frequently had the trail and the Inca sites on the way to ourselves. Arriving at the sun gate in the afternoon also meant there were fewer people and no queue to get through. The food on the trek was great, and the birthday cakes (*3) a much appreciated surprise. In fact the food in all the restaurants was pretty good, although priced for tourists. The hotels were all good (apart from Lima which wasn’t as clean as you’d hope for), especially in Cusco; some of the rooms had lovely views. The homestay on Amantani was lovely, with 3 guest rooms of 3 beds set around a courtyard and simply but beautifully furnished. If you pay the single supplement you do not get a dome tent to yourself, but a single man tent which is much lower – it was hard to avoid bumping my head or touching my feet on the inner layer, that said, I am 5’10 and per person there is more room inside than in a shared dome tent.There are a few areas where exodus could do better. The website and staff make a big play of going back to Machu Pichu at dawn the day after the trek to beat the crowds and spending a full day there, which was the main reason I chose exodus. We didn’t get there at dawn but a couple of hours after, when there were already a fair few other groups there. And then we were told we had to leave at 12.30 to get back to Aguas Calientes in time to get the train back to Cusco. So I felt my time in Machu Pichu was more like a half day than a full day and was consequently very rushed – I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to in the main site, and there would have been no time at all to climb Huayna Pichu or see the moon temple. Some people had to queue for 45 minutes to see Intihuatana. It seems a shame to go all that way and not get chance to see it properly.The website states that exodus use their own ‘chemical loos’. It’s a bucket lined with a thick bin bag with a seat on top. And it gets grim. I had to request it was put up on the first two nights (after initially being told it had been left on the bus) as I didn’t fancy the night-time (Diamox/squits-induced) trip up the hill in the dark to the squat-toilet shed. On our free day in Cusco Wilbert organised a trip to the Inca site at Pisac which was spectacular, and other stops on route such as the animal rescue sanctuary (including condors), the view over Cusco and Sacsayhuayman from the Jesus statue and various tourist shops/markets and viewpoints. I would have liked an extra day or two in/around Cusco to see more of the sacred valley sites such as an actual visit to Sacsaywayman and the nearby sites, Pisac market, Ollantaytambo, time to visit the Qoricancha or artists’ quarter in Cusco, or just time to sit and relax with a coffee in Cusco’s main square. It was all a bit rushed, especially when you were supposed to be taking it easy when you first arrived at altitude. I would gladly swap all of the time in Lima (largely spent in traffic it felt like) for more time in Cusco.In the jungle, for ‘health and safety’, we all had to trek along for several hours with luminous orange life jackets strapped to our rucksacks for the canoe trip on the lake. Eventually we all ended up sitting on them. Even the exodus trip notes photo shows no sign of them. Better to give people the option of taking them or not, as the colour, coupled with the chatting and size of the group, rendered our chances of seeing animals much reduced. During the 2 days we saw two pairs of capybara, another large rat thing, a squirrel, some mackaws in the distance, small monkeys in the trees, processions of leaf cutter ants, some turtles and some caimans rapidly sliding into the water, but no giant otters, howler monkeys, toucans, sloths, brightly coloured frogs or other mammals, and not as many birds as I was expecting.Finally, there were a couple of days where we had breakfast around 7am but didn’t get any lunch until around 3-4pm – the day spent getting from Lima to the jungle lodge and the trip to Pisac.Is there anything else you would like to add?Things to take: Plenty of alcohol gel handwash and toilet roll (altitude can affect your digestion even in the absence of tummy bugs). Diamox. Head torch and spare batteries. Spare battery for your camera (or turn off the display screen to save battery). At least a 200mm zoom lens to get good animal shots in the jungle. Cold/flu remedies, decongestants, balsam tissues etc as you’ll be grateful of them when the group cold reaches you! Bin bags or dry bags (but keep insect repellent away from the dry bags). Merino wool tops to keep you warm even when wet/sweaty, also good for sleeping in. Ear plugs against the snorers and the dogs at the last campsite. Insect repellent for the Inca trail as well as the jungle. About £150-£200 for tips as everyone from bus drivers to baggage handlers to musicians as well as the guides and porters get them. Lima city tour cost of $40 per trip notes excludes entrances and tips (add another $20). Keep hold of 1 sol coins for tips, photos and toilets. Walking poles and rubber pole tips (worth duck taping them on as they come off). A down jacket (packs up small, very warm, good pillow). Metal water bottle (eg sigg) to use as a hot water bottle. Camelbak or similar water hose to keep the fluids up without having to keep digging a bottle out of your rucksack. I’d recommend using the local tour company’s duffel bag on the trek as it weighs nearly a kilo less than the exodus duffel bag.
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  Trip date: October 2013
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  Louisa Chambers

  · August 19th, 2013
  Unmissable. My partner and I went on this amazing tour in July / August 2013, if you like your holiday to be packed full of adventure you will love this trip.What did you think of your group leader?Our guide Fabrizzio was top notch and he really made the trip extra special. He was very attentive, knowledgeable and friendly, always willing to answer questions and go the extra mile. In our group we had vegetarians, and I have a nut allergy; Fabrizzio ensured we were all catered for throughout, including on the Inca Trail. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The Inca Trail is inspirational and the homestay is a wonderful experience.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?As well as your main luggage item remember to pack a spare duffle bag or other smaller soft bag which you will need twice on the trip. Pre travel, Exodus provided us with a complimentary duffle bag which we used for this purpose. When you go into the Amazon you won’t need to take your entire luggage with you, the bulk of your belongings will be stored safely by Exodus and you will take a duffle bag containing what you need for the jungle with you. Exodus will provide a small bag for you to use for this purpose in Peru. However, before you start the Inca Trail, in Cuzco you will be asked to pack your luggage for the trip (strictly limited to 7kg) into a soft duffle bag. Whilst you can borrow bags from Exodus out in Peru, it was much more convenient to have our complimentary Exodus duffle bag to use for this purpose. Your main luggage item(s) are again safely stored for you by Exodus until you return from the trek. A similar system of storing your main luggage will also be used when you visit Amantani Island. The need for a separate duffle type bag is detailed in the trip notes but not all members of our group had realised they needed a spare bag. The trip notes are fairly accurate in terms of the cost of food and drinks. If you avoid buying water from the hotels you can purchase it cheaper in local stores but on Amantani Island and in the jungle this is not always possible. As a couple, overall for food, drinks and some souvenirs we spent around $600.00. We changed some money at the airport, but you can exchange for a slightly better rate in Lima city (Fabrizzio showed our group the best place to exchange), and you will also have chance to exchange more currency into Sols in Cuzco. We were able to pay for items in US dollars in Lima and Cuzco. The quality of food throughout the trip exceeded our expectations and this was especially so on the Inca Trail where we were supplied with 3 full meals a day plus snacks and fresh drinking water; an amazing achievement considering the location and equipment available, our compliments go out to all of our support staff on the trail. I would recommend taking some snacks with you; we took cereal bars and some sweets just to keep us going on the long walks. This will also save you having to spend money when you are out in Peru buying snacks which tended to be quite highly priced. If you prefer fresh snacks you can pick up fruit at the local shops in Cuzco. The sun in Peru is very strong so hat, sun-glasses and sun cream are a must; you will find that you are out on excursions for full days most if not all of the time so make sure you take these items with you to top up during the day. Also remember insect repellent! In the jungle the accommodation was clean but as you can understand, quite basic. You don’t need to take bed linen but there is no electricity in the rooms so if you have a head torch take it; you will also need a touch for the night jungle walk and for getting around the resort. It gets dark in Peru at around 6.30pm. There is plenty of food, and hot drinks are available at the lodge. We were provided with wholesome packed lunches during the day. You can however purchase soft drinks or a beer at the resort (very welcome after a day in the heat!). The jungle is hot and very humid, but you may want to avoid talking shorts and short sleeved t-shirts in order to avoid being bitten, our group found it virtually impossible to avoid bites even with strong deet so covering up with clothing is the best way to go if you can. I would recommend taking no less than 50% deet repellent. After we left the jungle our guide arranged for our dirty clothes to be laundered in Cuzco before we set out on the Inca Trail, this was particularly useful and you could ask your guide about the service. Be careful about washing delicate or light coloured items though and check your washed items before paying. For the Inca Trail, you will need a warm sleeping bag – I took a four season High Gear one which was perfect, I wasn’t cold, even when we camped at 3850m. You will need layers, it is hot during the day in the sunshine, but the cloud can soon roll in cooling things off and it does get cold at night. The trip notes provide guidance and I would follow that; given the weight restriction lightweight kit such as down jackets are best for keeping warm. If you can, take walking poles because they really help on the steep sections of the trail which are stepped. Day two of the trek is by far the hardest, you climb over 1000m that day at altitude, the remainder of the walks are more manageable but you should be prepared for walking all day (we set off usually around 8am and reached the final camp for the evening at around 3.30pm). The trip notes mention the option of having a hotel on the final night of the trek, we didn’t opt for this but in hindsight I would have done. The camp site in the town on the final night is a little noisy and having to walk back from the lovely town to the prospect of a final night in a tent wasn’t that appealing, so if you can, it would be worth treating yourself to the hotel option. Again back in Cuzco our ever attentive guide organised a laundry service to clean our dirty items before we moved on the following day to Puno. The coach trip is broken up with stops along the way including a lovely buffet lunch and a visit to an Inca site. At the Inca site there is a small local market where you can pick up gifts and souvenirs at more favourable prices than in the towns but choice is not as wide. There is also further opportunity to buy locally made souvenirs on the floating reed islands at Lake Titicaca. The homestay on Amantani Island is an experience you won’t forget, the locals are so friendly and eager to please. Our family was very accommodating and we were well cared for throughout the stay. We had a get together in the evening involving local musicians, traditional dress and lots of dancing, it was brilliant.Is there anything else you would like to add?This was my first Exodus holiday and I have been impressed with the service I have received right through from pre travel enquiries with the sales team, to the end of the trip, I would have no hesitation in recommending Exodus to fellow travellers.
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  Trip date: August 2013
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  Kit Heasman

  · January 19th, 2012
  The best trip we have ever been on! Particularly well led by our local guide who was both well informed and good at his job, but also managed to have the human touch as well.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?1.  Giant sloth appearing above us in the jungle on the night-time animal hunt.2.  The clouds parting above Macchu Picchu What did you think of your group leader?Juan was outstanding.  He was well informed in all aspects of history, geography, wildlife etc but also fulfilled his role as group leader admirably, inspiring confidence as well as interest.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?When it says camping, it means high quality tented accommodation.  Equipment portering, tea in the morning and superb meals is  not what I normally understand by 'camping'......And don't be put off by the apparent length or altitude of the walk.  The guides will lead you through it whatever your ability!Is there anything else you would like to add?A description that we have used is that 'we felt looked after' on the trip.
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  Trip date: January 2012
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  Justyn Barbery

  · January 19th, 2012
  Absolutely fantastic trip, I enjoyed every moment of it. From the first minute to the last minute their was something to do, something to see, the whole trip was full of suprises and surpassed all my expectations. Peru is a exceptional place, Exodus do such a grand job, I came back from my holiday a different person, a better person. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The most insperational moment of the trip was the actual Inca Trail the whole walk was fantastic and was just ore inspiring. We has some amaizing views and the trail was great fun to walk along, around every corner and up every hill their was something different to see and do. The best part of the whole trip was after 4 days of walking, walking up the last few steep steps of the Sun Gate and seeing the classic Macchu Picchu veiw in the distance was brilliant. The whole group were speachless, and was good to have the whole group to make it to this point. I had carried a couple beers with me for 3 days (i bought some at the last place available) were quite heavy to carry, but was well worth it when I got to the Sun Gate I cracked one open and all the groip and myself had a swig, and all the other groups cheered and clap and thought what a good idea. What did you think of your group leader?What can I say, Fabrizzio was amazing. He did a fantastic job, nothing was every to much trouble. he was with us the whole trip, was a fountain of knowledge and always made sure we were ok and that we were safe.I could not of asked for anyone better. Also All the staff and leaders from all over the trip were brilliant. I especially thank the cooks from the Inca Trail who mustered up some fantastic 3 course meals. Do you have any advice for potential travellers?I learnt a fair bit from this trip, as it was my first big trip. Dont take to much, I did and didnt use it all. Make sure you take a very good 3-4 season sleeping back and liner (preferbly silk) It can get cold at night in the mountains. Walking boots for the trail, walkcing shoes for the excursions, I took sandals for the evening, but during the day it did get too sunny to wear them and some people burnt themselves..  A wide rimmed hat is essential, and a strong sunscreen (25+). Pack pleanty of imodium and dyralite nothing worse than getting a dodgy tummy, and if you can take some mint tea bags as they help settle the stomach greatly. Drink pleanty of water and gatorade whilst their, its very important to stay hydrated. I got sunstoke one afternoon and it was horrible. Is there anything else you would like to add?Dont even think about it, just book it... this trip was fantastic, if you dont do it, you will regret it for ever. The only thing I would like to say to exodus is that everything was fantastic, the only small problem I had was with the camping on the trail. the 'Thermarest' mats had come to the end of the life, they were no longer self inflated which meant we had to self inflate them by breathing in them, which has germ risks as other people would have done that before us, and also they have been used so much now that the flam inside them had compressed so they wernt as firm and compfy as they should have been, and some of them smelt really badly. But apart from that, it was all good.  
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  Trip date: January 2012
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  Timothy Isaac

  · January 4th, 2012
  This was my second holiday with Exodus and something I had been considering for some time and never booked it, I am so glad I did as it was an excellent trip. Everything was very well organised for us throughout the whole trip, which meant we did not have to worry about anything. You get a full and divers perspective of Peru all of which was extremely enjoyable. The group I was with was really good and we all got on well, the Jungle was an unforgettable experience and the scenery on the moonstone trek was just amazing. I can highly recommend doing the Moonstone trek as an alternative to the standard Inca trail.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?It would be difficult to pick just the one moment! The Amazon rainforest was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the jungle on the nature walks seeing all of the different animals and creatures that live there.  Reaching the top of the Accoccosa Pass on the Moonstone trek was amazing and well worth the effort. The views when on the tops of the mountains were incredible and we did not see a single tourist for the whole trek JWhat did you think of your group leader?Our guide Fabrico was really good, well organized and made all of our arrangements for us sorting everything out making our two weeks trouble free. He also looked after us well, and made sure we remembered to drink plenty of water and to put sunscreen/ insect repellent on. The local guides should also get praise. Emerson and Hugo in the rainforest were great and spotted all sorts of insects and animals we would have walked right passed. Even a 6m anaconda when we were canoeing on the lake.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?I can highly recommend doing the moonstone trek as an alternative to the Inca Trail; there are no real restriction of your luggage weight as it is carried by horses. The views when on the top of the mountains are amazing and we did not see a single tourist for the whole trek. Prior to getting to Macho Picchu you can book the Wayna Picchu mountain trail. The Climb is a bit of a hard slog but well worth the views at the top looking out over Machu Picchu (assuming the weather is good). It takes about 2 – 2 ½ hours to do the full loop including the Great Cave. Machu Pichu - best to opt for the hotel rather than camping, as this would have been less rushed. It was a bit hectic getting to the hot springs and then only having a hour to enjoy them before having to get back to the campsite for the evening meal. It would have been less of a rush to have booked a hotel in town allowing you to enjoy the hot springs followed by a meal in a local restaurant. ·         Good waterproofs are a must especially on the trek; mine were good and meant I was dry when we reached our tents in the evening.·         Some Euros would be handy for snacks if you are travelling via Europe (Madrid) ·         When you arrive in Lima change quite alot of dollars into soles straight away and get small notes (they give you 20s and 50s you need much smaller than that). The trip notes suggest you can use dollars (and you can) the exchange rate is not very good and we it was easier to use soles. ·         Don’t forget the Deet 50 or 100 a must for the jungle, sun screen and walking poles for the trek. ·         Pack as light as you can and be organised, work out what you need for the jungle and trek. It will make repacking your bags much easier as you are limited to what you can take.Is there anything else you would like to add?Gifts for the local home stay on Amanti Island - It would have been good to bring something from the UK rather than the market in the port. It was hard to chose an appropriate gift as you do not know if the family you will be staying with will have children or not! The reed islands were disappointing - it was extremely interesting to see how the islands were constructed and how the people live on the islands, but this was followed by the hard sell of their items (which were on offer everywhere) before the next boat load of tourists arrived. Tipping got somewhat tiresome as it was hard to work out who you had to tip and how much (Tour Leader, Local Guides in the Jungle, Titicaca, the bus driver to Puno, all staff on the trek).   You should visit Peru at least once in your life and this trip is a good way to see it.
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  Trip date: January 2012
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  Paul Cartwright

  · November 8th, 2011
  Fantastic holiday, this was the first Exodus holiday that I've been on and I'll certainly be booking another. The group I was with were really good, the trip into the Jungle was an unforgetable experience and the scenery on the Inca trail was amazing (the people from the group I've spoken to back here have all commented they wish they were back out there)! The trip was also really well organised, we didn't have to worry about sorting anything out.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?I have two really, one was climbing the steps and walking through the Sungate & seeing Machu Picchu, the other was seeing the sunset on the 3rd night camping - that campsite is at about 3700m right at the clould level, watching the clouds drift in and out revealling some amazing scenery.What did you think of your group leader?Our guide Fabrizzio was really good, well organized, looked after us and knew his stuff.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Wear some of your walking kit on the plane (I will for my next trip) and possibly with a change of underwear in your carry on luggage.  It didn't happen to me but a few of the folks in my group had their luggage go missing on the way to Peru, Exodus were very good at arranging for it to catch up but they were still without it for a day or two. Don't forget to take some euros to buy snacks if your going via a European airport (I forgot)!
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  Trip date: November 2011
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  Nicola Forster

  · November 1st, 2011
  Booked this trip in February and was so excited to go and it surpassed all of my expectations- so well organised, fantastic group and loads of amazing experiences well done exodus!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?It was the first real trek I had every done and getting to the top of dead womans pass on day 2 of the trek was a fantastic feeling. Arriving at the sun gate and waiting for rest of group to arrive and have our group photo was a special moment and one of the guys had carried a can of beer since the start of the trek which we all shared to celebrate seeing Machu Picchu for the first time!What did you think of your group leader?What can I say to do him justice as Fabrizzio was AMAZING such a star leader. Nothing was too much trouble, he had such a laid back style but was so informative and always made you feel that everything was taken care of which is just what you need on a trip like this. He was so friendly and would want him as my leader on every trip if possible!Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Book this trip! It's full on and you are always on the go but it's all worthwhile. The rainforest is fab def take a head torch! For the trek, a walking pole really helped me but I just bought mine in Cuzco for 40 soles (£10) and also a poncho in case it rains 20 soles (£5). When you go to lake titicaca they recommend you to buy a present at the port just before you go to your local family but I wish I had taken a present from home like others had such as luxury soaps,candles, games for the kids. My trip was recommended for solo travelers and I was lucky enough to be given single occupancy due to numbers in the group and this is something I would pay for next time as it's nice to have some time on your own at the end of a hard days trekking! Fab trip with fantastic memories and can't wait to get my next one booked!
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  Trip date: November 2011
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  Christine Schulz

  · October 30th, 2011
  This holiday certainly gives you a full and varied insight into Peru and I enjoyed all the different aspects of it. I'm glad I walked the Classic Inca Trail, but it's certainly not an easy option!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Walking the Classic Inca Trail and arriving at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate.What did you think of your group leader?Group leader was good.  It was a big group and he obviously assessed our individual capabilities and kept an eye on us.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Not a trip for the faint hearted, but well worth the effort. Is there anything else you would like to add?Peru is certainly a place to visit at least once.
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  Trip date: October 2011