Machu Picchu Tours & Treks — Premium Small Groups!

Dear TreXperience Team, Now that we have completed our trek, we wanted to provide some candid feedback about our experience. There were parts of the trip that we genuinely appreciated, but overall, we do not feel that the experience delivered the level of service, organization, or value we expected from a trip marketed and priced as “luxury.” We originally booked the Luxury Inca Trail and understand that the trail closure itself was outside TreXperience’s control. However, we were disappointed by how the change was communicated and managed. We felt we were advised quite late that the Inca Trail would not be available, and the shorter Luxury Salkantay Trek was initially presented to us as though we were receiving a significant discount. We later learned that the regular price of the Salkantay trip was already lower than the Inca Trail price. That distinction should have been communicated clearly from the outset. Communication also became increasingly frustrating as we approached our departure date. WhatsApp responses were often slow, including a period of more than 15 hours when we were trying to determine whether an earlier train could be arranged. When we first requested the earlier train, the response emphasized that we might have to pay additional charges rather than helping us understand the available options. We are therefore very pleased and appreciative that the earlier train to Ollantaytambo was ultimately arranged. There also seemed to be some disorganization within the office. Payment was requested quite late, despite the fact that we could have paid in person once we arrived in Cusco. Our bags were labelled with the name of the wrong guide, and Juan was told that I had not submitted a copy of Tim’s expired passport, even though I had, requiring me to send it again. We also think TreXperience could provide considerably better advice about pre- and post-trek logistics. We were travelling onward to Cusco after the trek, yet our original train was not scheduled to leave Aguas Calientes until 4:20 p.m. for Ollantaytambo, followed by a lengthy road transfer. For travellers continuing to Cusco, advice about the most efficient train and transfer options would be very useful when the trip is being planned rather than only when the guest raises the issue. There were also a number of aspects of the trek itself that did not meet our expectations of a luxury experience. On the morning of departure, breakfast was disappointing. The food appeared to have been sitting for some time and the coffee was cold. The guides and team also ate separately from us, which felt somewhat disconnected for the start of a private four-day experience. On the first night, it was extremely cold. Although the tent itself had been erected when we arrived, our bed had not yet been set up, so we had to wait in the cold while this was completed. The second campsite was particularly disappointing given that it had been described as a luxury campsite. It was essentially located in the backyard of a local home. A rooster began crowing at approximately 2:00 a.m., again around 4:00 a.m., and repeatedly thereafter. We could also hear loud noise from what sounded like young people partying nearby. More importantly, the bathroom facilities were not clean. There was fecal matter on the toilet rim and the shower was very dirty. This was certainly not consistent with what we would consider a luxury camping experience. We were also initially surprised on the first day when Juan told us that if we wanted additional drinking water, we could purchase it ourselves. Water was subsequently provided throughout the trek, which we appreciated, but the initial message was confusing and did not seem consistent with the level of inclusiveness we expected from a luxury package. Similarly, when the coffee experience was discussed the third day we were told that we needed to purchase coffee in order to participate in the explanation of the coffee-bean process. On a trip of this cost, small experiences like this should be included rather than creating another expectation to spend money. One of our strongest concerns was our overall experience with Juan’s communication style. We found him overly persistent and, at times, quite aggressive in the way he raised certain issues, particularly tipping and completing the evaluation. At the briefing, Juan told us that tipping is expected in Peru and stated that guides should receive 10% of the cost of the trip. He then went through expected tips for the different members of the trekking team. This contradicted both the information we had previously received from TreXperience and the guidance on your website. We found this approach very uncomfortable. We absolutely understand and support tipping for good service, and we did tip the team, but gratuities should remain discretionary. The repeated emphasis on expected amounts made us feel pressured and took away from what should have been a positive experience. Juan was also very persistent about us completing the evaluation after the trek, sending several messages asking us to do so. Taken together, these interactions left us feeling that there was too much pressure placed on us as guests. We want to be fair in noting that Juan is extremely knowledgeable about the region, the route and the history of Machu Picchu and gave good advice about taking our time and breathing through our nose. Our concern is not his knowledge or expertise, but rather the manner in which some of these interactions were handled. We do want to recognize the people who contributed positively to our experience. Lourdes was extremely friendly and clearly wanted us to be comfortable. She repeatedly offered to help, made coca tea for us in the mornings, and provided hot-water bottles for both nights we slept outside. We appreciated her kindness very much. At the same time, there appeared to be an imbalance in the guiding responsibilities. Lourdes did not know very much about the Sun Gate and indicated that Juan would explain it, which was surprising given that we had two guides. The chef, assistants, horseman and massage assistant were all very kind, and we appreciated their efforts throughout the trek. We are also extremely pleased that TreXperience was ultimately able to provide us with access to Circuit 1 and the Sun Gate in addition to our other Machu Picchu circuit. This was very important to us given that we had originally booked the Inca Trail, and we sincerely appreciate the effort that went into arranging it. Thank you as well for arranging the earlier train and for the lunch on our final day. The buffet was very good and was a pleasant way to finish the trip. Ultimately, however, we came away feeling that the overall experience did not justify its very high cost. We are a family of modest means and saved specifically for this trip because we believed the “luxury” option would provide an exceptional once-in-a-lifetime experience. In retrospect, we would have felt much better choosing a regular group trek, or potentially travelling with another company, rather than investing so much in the luxury package. We hope you will take this feedback seriously. We are not raising these concerns because everything about the trip was negative—it was not. There were wonderful people involved, spectacular scenery, and several things TreXperience did for us that we genuinely appreciated. But when a company charges a substantial premium for a luxury experience, the accommodation, cleanliness, organization, communication, inclusions and overall guest experience need to consistently reflect that premium. We would appreciate hearing your response to our concerns and how TreXperience intends to address these issues for future guests. Best regards, Pilar Martinez

We had a great time, Nice group. Our guides, Garry and Fernando were great. The food was very good. The porters do an amazing job!

El viaje ha sido estupendo, todo bien organizado y siempre nos han ayudado ante cualquier duda, los hoteles han estado bien, el de Puerto Maldonado una pasada, nos encantó todo. Edy, nuestro guía en el camino del Inca es muy profesional, un gran guía! Hizo que nuestra experiencia fuera mucho mejor. Recomendaría la agencia sin duda!