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Fast Facts

Rating:	based on 2 reviews
Full name:	Jesus Martel
Destinations:	Peru
Lives in:	Lima, Peru
Experience:	9 years
Company:	Peruvian Soul
Specialties:	Cusco, Machu Picchu, Amazon Rainforest, Culinary tours, tailor-made experiences, family trips

I discovered my passion for traveling when I was a child. Working in the travel industry has enabled me to pursue my passion, experience all that my country has to offer, and share my love for travel with others. I hope to have a long life to finish exploring Peru and its cultural and historical treasures. I'm very proud of my country, its people, its traditions, and all of its wonders. Let me invite you to join us for a memorable and wonderful journey in Peru.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"All destinations all over Peru. I mainly specialize in cultural activities and off-the-beaten-path experiences, which allow our travelers to have a close contact with the real soul of Peru."

How did you get involved in travel?

"I started my adventure of traveling in Peru when I was a child. Many years later, I started working in tourism professionally when I joined the Peruvian Soul team. Working in travel has given me the opportunity to reinforce and apply all the previous knowledge and passion I have for my country."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"I remember a time when I had the pleasure of traveling with a group of 5 students to Cusco, an emblematic destination in Peru. We all shared great moments learning about the history of Peru and the Incas. I learned from them and could also share my knowledge with them about Peru. "

Featured trips & expertise

Peru's Cities, History, & Lake Titicaca - 11 Days

Explore Peru's coast, mountains, and southern region in this 11-day trip. Start in metropolitan Lima, then continue to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire, to explore archaeological sites and the stunning Sacred Valley. Visit the famed Machu Picchu citadel, then keep going south to Lake Titicaca—South America's largest lake—to explore cultures who predate the Inca by millennia. Take a tour onto the lake to see the floating reed islands, textile weaving, and ancient stone ruins. Whether by plane or bus, you will be amazed at how quickly the landscape changes as you discover Peru.

History & Culture of pre-Inca Peru - 11 Days

From the coast to the mountains, explore Peru's pre-Inca cultures and ruins in this 11-day itinerary. Start in metropolitan Lima, then visit Pisco on a day trip to take a spectacular flight over the iconic Nazca lines. From here, head north up the coast to Trujillo to discover the Mochica pyramids, the mud-brick city of Chan Chan, and the Tucume pyramids of the Sican people. Drive inland through the cloud forest into the Amazonas region to see Gotca waterfall and Kuelap fortress, a walled Chachapoya structure known as the "Machu Picchu of the North". With over 5,000 years of architecture and civilization to experience, this trip is a must on any traveler's list.

Jungle, Mountains, & Machu Picchu - 9 Days

If you have an adventurer's heart, this 9-day exploration of Peru's jungles and mountains is perfect for you. Start in Lima and enjoy a diverse mix of architecture, world-renowned restaurants, and eclectic neighborhoods. Continue to Cusco—the capital of the ancient Inca empire—and explore narrow cobblestone streets, colorful markets, and ancient ruins. Get a rush of adrenaline as you bike, raft, and trek through Peru's mountains on your way to the Machu Picchu ruins—the iconic 15th-century royal Inca citadel. Continue to the Amazon rainforest for an unforgettable stay in a nature lodge deep in the jungle.

Dry weather in the ancient Inca City of Machu Picchu

Peru in May: Travel Tips, Weather, and More

In May, the rains come to an end in the Sacred Valley, making this a great time to visit Peru. Take advantage of the especially verdant scenery, light crowds, and numerous festivals before the high season kicks in. Find out what to do and where to go in this monthly guide.

Essential Peru - 12 Days

From the Colca Canyon to Machu Picchu, this 12-day itinerary takes you to Peru's major highlights. Fly over the Nazca Lines, some of the world's most impressive geoglyphs, before exploring Lima and the colonial city of Arequipa. Then visit Lake Titicaca, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley. Cap off your trip by walking in the footsteps of the Incas on a short hike to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain Adventure - 6 Days

Explore the essential highlights of Peru's Sacred Valley, including visits to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Then, journey through a land of wild desert landscapes, snow-capped peaks, and herds of alpacas to arrive at your ultimate destination: the rainbow-painted slopes of Mount Vinicunca hidden deep in the Andes.

Recent trip reviews for Jesus

Trip to peru, Peru - Nov 17 - Nov 25, 2018

Traveler: Julie R. - Local specialist: Jesus Martel

Our trip to Peru is one of our top 5 trips ever taken (and we have done a lot of traveling). In large part the reason this trip was so good is because of the excellent itinerary, seamless transitions and transportation to each of our destinations, and wonderful accommodations. We started our trip in Lima - we arrived in the morning after an evening flight from the states. We were picked up from the airport and taken to our hotel. From there we were on our own to explore the city which was easy to do. We stayed in the Miraflores neighborhood and explored that region on foot. We took a taxi to the historical part of the city. Taxis were easy to hail. On day 2 we flew from Lima to Puerto Maldonado where we explored the Amazon basin. We were met at the airport by our hotel greeting party and were taken by boat to our lodge - Inkaterra. Here we stayed in delightful cabins equipped with hamocks (as well as beds of course) where we could lay down and relax and watch the river flow by. From the hotel we were able to do several excursions led by our excellent guide, Michel. We saw all kinds of rainforest flora and fauna, walked across rope bridges in the rainforest canopy and learned about the food and medicinal gifts of the rainforest. We spent about 2 full days in the rainforest and one more would have been good but we were on a tight 9 day schedule. From the rainforest we headed to the mountains. We landed in Cuzco and then were taken down to our hotel in Urumbamba - lower elevation to help with adjusting to the altitude. The whole family took Diamox before getting to Cuzco and we all avoided altitude sickness. We stayed in a fabulous hotel called Sol y Luna. On our second day in the sacred valley we took part in the Llama pack project. This involved trekking and herding llamas up the side of a mountain. After a breathless but beautiful hike, we stopped for lunch with the llamas which was delightful and then trekked back down the mountain. This experience was incredible and I would highly recommend it to any travelers to the Sacred Valley. The local llama herders who were with us have some llama/alpaca wool souvenirs to sell. If you are interested, make sure you have plenty of cash for the larger items (the prices are a bit high). The next day was spent exploring the other wonders of the sacred valley to include Inka farming site at Moray and the salt flats of Maras. Our guide Danny did a fantastic job teaching us the history of the Inkas as well as modern Peruvian culture. From the sacred valley we took the trip to Machu Picchu. The train ride to Ollantaytambo was very scenic and a small snack and drink were served. After a night in the hotel we boarded a bus and headed up the death defying road to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu itself is indescribable and even more beautiful than pictures suggest. Danny again served as our guide through the site and let us take our time to take it all in all the while explaining to us one of the most amazing and mysterious civilizations of the world - the Inkas. That afternoon we made the trek back to Cuzco and spent the last day of our trip exploring this beautiful and culturally enchanting city. We were sad to leave this amazing country. All ground transportation was planned by Jesus. I bought the intra-country airline tickets (cheap) but Jesus helped me determine which flights to choose so the itinerary would work well. Reading the guide books, I found a trip to Peru intimidating but Kimkim and Peruvian Soul made it easy. The hardest part was deciding what we wanted to see - with only 9 days to see it.

Jesus Martel, local specialist, responded to this review:

Hi Julie,
Thanks so much for your kind words. They motivate us to continue working on creating the best trip experiences possible for our travelers and innovating so our clients have a trip of a lifetime.
I appreciate you trusting us and the work we do and hope you come back to Peru some time in a near future.
It was a pleasure to be part of your wonderful family adventure to our country!
Wish you the best for you and your family!
Greeting from Kim Kim and Peruvian Soul team!
Jesus Martel

5 days in peru: 5 different itineraries , Peru - Dec 14 - Dec 20, 2018

Traveler: Stephanie B. - Local specialist: Jesus Martel

I would say that the service received by Jesús Martel was beyond great. He coordinated a fantastic itinerary for our 6-day trip to Peru. Whenever I had a question, he replied immediately. If I needed a change in the plan and no matter how many questions I had, he replied promptly. In addition, he has a pleasant, positive and upbeat outlook and I would definitely recommend him to anyone and everyone. ¡Un millón de gracias, Jesús!
One of the guides who took us to historic downtown Lima and to... read more

Jesus Martel, local specialist, responded to this review:

Hi Stephanie!
We are really glad to know that you enjoyed your trip a lot!
This was by far a trip of a lifetime and we invite you to come back to Peru again some day! We will be more than glad to help you arrange another trip experience for you and your son or with your husband!

Wish you a very nice 2019 full of great experiences!
Warm regards from Lima,
Jesus