Andes Active outdoor Trips

As for a first contiki trip, I say it was incredible. My trip manager was so organised with our free time add on activities and made it such a fun trip from the pre travel day all the way up to our last day. The places we visit were beautiful especially being beginning of winter where we got the opportunity to see snow. The accommodation was lovely to stay in and close to the towns attractions. I recommend anyone looking for their first contiki trip or just to get away for a few days to try this one.

Machu Picchu was the obvious highlight but I really enjoyed everywhere we went in Peru with great food and scenery along the way. Arequipa is a beautiful city to explore and the Santa Catalina convent is really interesting. The Colca Canyon is stunning and seeing the condors was an added bonus. The Uros Islands were interesting and colourful and the homestay on Taquile Island was simple and comfortable. Learning about the way of life on Taquile was fascinating. The excursion to Maras and Moray was one of my favourite things along with the visit to Misminay where we had a lesson on stargazing. Machu Picchu is stunning and finishing off in Cusco with Inti Raymi was another highlight. Our tour leader Julio was fantastic - he is really knowledgeable and was very entertaining. He also went out of his way to help the group - I had an issue with my luggage not arriving and he was so helpful. Would recommend this holiday to anyone.

The hikes were excellent- beautiful views, varied terrain, and not too challenging. Our guide was the perfect balance of being informative with history, nature and culture without it feeling like school. Our guide was also excellent at managing group dynamics and meeting everyone’s needs. Lunches are picnics of French bread, local hams and cheeses w fruit- perfect for practicality and nutrition. Our guide made sure to accommodate the vegetarians in the group. The hotel was appropriate for the value, and it was very nice not having to chance locations throughout the week. Do be aware, it is a 3 star hotel, so if you like something more premium it may not be a fit. But the hotel was very clean and good food.

I loved the hikes on this trip, especially the gorge walk and the hike on day 6. Really enjoyed the week in the mountains with our group and spending the week in Arenas de Cabrales. Most hikes we did not see anyone so it was nice feeling we had the trails to ourselves. The gorge walk is very popular so there are other hikers, but it is a long walk so did not feel crowded. Really impressed with the hikes on the itinerary. I feel I could not do these hikes on my own and find some of these trails so being with an experienced guide with Exodus was the way to go.

Although the weather was challenging (very hot) our leader and our mountain guide made the most of the available alternatives. Our leader Gabi was sociable, extremely knowledgeable and always ready with a suggestion for activities or restaurants. The Penny Grand spa hotel was truly superb and I took the opportunity to have a foot and leg massage - heavenly!

This was a brilliant tour in every respect. Hery was one of the best trip leaders I've ever had. And the places we went and the things I saw made this a truly memorable trip of a lifetime. That said, it's not for everyone. Long days on bad roads were grueling, and some of the lodging was basic. But these things should not dissuade anyone from visiting this fascinating and beautiful country.