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Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca

Peruvian food, culture, and history aren’t just things I love—they’re a part of who I am. As a proud Cusqueñian, I carry my roots with pride and love sharing my culture with others.

I've lived and worked in the U.S., where I made amazing friends and had some great experiences. Before that, I worked on cruise ships, which gave me the chance to travel all over the world and see so many different places.

I’ve also explored Peru from top to bottom—north to south—and with every trip, I fell more in love with my country. That’s why I decided to settle back in Cusco, the place where I was born.

All these adventures taught me how important great service really is. I found my passion for travel—and for helping people create unforgettable journeys of their own.

My goal isn’t just to plan trips—it’s to help others fall in love with Peru the same way I did.

How did you get involved in travel?

"I started working in tourism at a young age while I was finishing university. I was always fascinated by the stories my clients shared about their travels, and I dreamed of exploring the world myself. So when the chance came to work on a cruise ship, I didn’t think twice—I jumped at the opportunity!

That amazing experience opened the door for me to work in the USA, which I was thrilled about. I made great friends there and really enjoyed my time.

After all my adventures abroad, I felt a strong pull to reconnect with my roots. So I traveled around Peru and completely fell in love with my country all over again. That’s when I knew—I wanted to settle down here in Cusco and share my passion for travel with others.

Now, I get to do what I love every day: helping people create perfect, personalized trips that show off the magic of Peru.

"

Top itineraries and travel advice
Luxury itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Liz Karen

Wery nice and smoothly planned trip in Peru
Peru | Dec 20 - Jan 2, 2026

Kristjan
Kristjan K.
Estonia | Reviewed on Jan 06, 2026
Wery nice and smoothly planned trip by Liz. We had an option to see Amazonas, hghlands, the desert and ocean during the same trip. It was amayzing. We had many planned tours on the road and all the guides were very professional and it was easy to interact with them. The guides in Cuso, Machiu Piccu and Pisac were just outstanding! Read more

Wery nice and smoothly planned trip by Liz. We had an option to see Amazonas, hghlands, the desert and ocean during the same trip. It was amayzing. We had many planned tours on the road and all the guides were very professional and it was easy to interact with them. The guides in Cuso, Machiu Piccu and Pisac were just outstanding!

Hotel Reviews
Dazzler Miraflores by Wyndham
Lima

Very nice hotel - good breakfast (wide selection), nice rooms. Pool on the roof available but a bit small :)

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Eco Amazonia Lodge
Las Piedras

Very authentic and well equiped Lodge! Everything needed was there. Very good food and drinking water always available!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
It was hot in the lodge - some cooler would have been good to have in the room.
Tika Wasi Casa Boutique
Cusco

Nice boutique hotel in Cusvo in very good location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
A bit cold in the rooms! Heaters were helping a lot!
Pucara Machu Picchu Hotel

Average hotel in Machu Picchu. Rooms were a bit chilly, breakfast selection rather moderate.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Qalasaya Hotel
Puno

Average hotel in very good location in Puno. The selection during the breakfast was a bit limited. Rooms were chilly and during the night turned to be cold.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
EcoLogic 3/3: Flight to {{end_location}}
EcoLogic 3/3: Flight to {{end_location}}
Peru

The logistics from Amazonas to Puerto Maldonado was nice and safe. All well planned!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shared Larco Museum
Shared Larco Museum
Lima

Interesting tour through the history of Pery based on the collection of the art.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide was running the exhibition through quite fast :)
Transport
Flight to Puerto Maldonado: EcoLogic 1/3
Flight to Puerto Maldonado: EcoLogic 1/3
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ecologic 2/3
Ecologic 2/3
Puerto Maldonado

Amazonas tour was very well organized!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Amayzing guide in Amazonas
Transport
Private Half-Day Walking Tour: Sacsayhuaman, Cusco City & San Pedro Market
Private Half-Day Walking Tour: Sacsayhuaman, Cusco City & San Pedro Market
Cusco

Nice walking along the Ika road from Sacsayhuaman temple to Cusco city.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very professional guide leading the tour
Transport
Shared tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines Tour
Shared tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines Tour
Cusco

Very well planned and interesting tour throughthe Inka`s built Terraces and Salt Mines

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very professional guide
Transport
The Route of The Sun:  {{start_location}} - {{end_location}}
The Route of The Sun: {{start_location}} - {{end_location}}
Peru

Interesting and comfortable trip by the bus

Quality of Experience
Food
Good food included in the restaurant by the road to Puno
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Very comfortable transportation - toilet and drinks included.
Shared tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo & Train to Machu Picchu town
Shared tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo & Train to Machu Picchu town
Peru

One of the most interesting tours covering different temples built by Inka`s

Quality of Experience
Food
Lunch breal in the nice open air resturant was positive surprise!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Led by the guide who has very wide knowladge about the history of Inka`s and Peru in general
Transport
Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour
Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour
Puno

Well packed trip on the lake of Titicaca. Floating islands is very different and worth to visit. Nice walking and lunch in Taquile island.

Quality of Experience
Food
Very good soup and fish was served!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Again, the guide was nice and professional
Transport
Shared Ballestas Islands & Paracas Nature Reserve
Shared Ballestas Islands & Paracas Nature Reserve
Paracas
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco  (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)
Peru

Stunning views, exciting walking in Machu Picchu

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide was professional and very nice, taking us through the MP, showing us the best details of the area.
Transport
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca

Blessing in disguise.
Peru | Dec 24 - Dec 31, 2025

Justin
Justin S.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jan 03, 2026
This was more than I expected! The entire trip was well conducted and communicated the entire time using “KimKim”! We were blessed with clear weather which allowed the crew to truly appreciate our time. Alexandra was a blessing! Her knowledge and enthusiasm gave us a tremendous boost of comfort. We would travel anywhere with her again! Read more

This was more than I expected! The entire trip was well conducted and communicated the entire time using “KimKim”! We were blessed with clear weather which allowed the crew to truly appreciate our time. Alexandra was a blessing! Her knowledge and enthusiasm gave us a tremendous boost of comfort. We would travel anywhere with her again!

Hotel Reviews
Pullman Lima Miraflores
Miraflores, Lima

Wake up early to truly enjoy this city and what this hotel has to offer!!

Authenticity & Character
It was clean and I like that it felt safe!
Location
Close to the ocean!
Staff
Very accommodating and always said hello!!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Enjoy the buffet and walk to the beach!!
Aranwa Sacred Valley
Urubamba

This was a hidden paradise!

Authenticity & Character
Make sure you have a few days here!! The spa is totally worth the visit!! I got the leg massage and felt great afterwards!
Location
I love that you travel down an unassuming dirt road to arrive in this beautiful villa!
Staff
They were not just there, they wanted to know who we were and wanted to share their experiences and knowledge on how to make our trip better!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Get a garden facing room to see the Alpaca, and enjoy the bird songs in the morning!
Hilton Garden Inn Cusco
Cusco

The food was next level fantastic!

Authenticity & Character
The laundry was a huge blessing after a few days of big hikes!
Location
Don’t take a taxi!! WALK!! It’s .7 miles to get to the center of town, and the views are spectacular! If you have kids still in elementary school there’s a massive trampoline and bouncy house steps away for 5 Soles they get their jitters out from traveling!!
Staff
Super friendly!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Extremely clean! I wish we were able to open the garden doors in our room to let a cool air in.
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Jan 05, 2026

Hi Justin,

Thank you so much for this lovely message! 😊

I’m really happy to hear the trip exceeded your expectations and that everything went smoothly. Clear weather always makes such a difference, and Alexandra will be so touched by your kind words.

Thank you for traveling with us. It was a pleasure being part of your journey, and we’d love to welcome you back anytime.

Warmly,
Liz

Machu Picchu and MORE!
Peru | Dec 24 - Dec 31, 2025

mette
mette w.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jan 01, 2026
My family group of 15 just got back from a week in Peru. We met with our tour guide Alexandra Toledo in Cusco, She took us to view Pisac while on our way to Aranwa Hotel in Sacred Valley. From there we toured Chinchero, Moray, Maras and then to Aguas Calientes via Peru Rail Vistadome. Machu Picchu was the most magical experience. The beauty of the mountains is breathtaking. We spent our last two days back in Cusco before flying back to Lima, visiting the beautiful city squares, markets and... Read more

My family group of 15 just got back from a week in Peru. We met with our tour guide Alexandra Toledo in Cusco, She took us to view Pisac while on our way to Aranwa Hotel in Sacred Valley. From there we toured Chinchero, Moray, Maras and then to Aguas Calientes via Peru Rail Vistadome. Machu Picchu was the most magical experience. The beauty of the mountains is breathtaking. We spent our last two days back in Cusco before flying back to Lima, visiting the beautiful city squares, markets and Saqsaywamam. The experience with kimkim.com was really great. They were super accommodating and patient with us. Our guide Alexandra felt like part of the family!! !!!!FIVE STARS!!!!

Hotel Reviews
Pullman Lima Miraflores
Miraflores, Lima
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Aranwa Sacred Valley
Urubamba
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Gringo Bill's Boutique Hotel
Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hilton Garden Inn Cusco
Cusco
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco  (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV
Peru
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Flight from  {{start_location}}  to Cusco & Private tour to The Sacred Valley
Flight from {{start_location}} to Cusco & Private tour to The Sacred Valley
Peru
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private tour to Chinchero, Moray, Maras  & Observaroty Train to Aguas Calientes
Private tour to Chinchero, Moray, Maras & Observaroty Train to Aguas Calientes
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Machu Picchu Tour (Private Guided Tour) AM
Machu Picchu Tour (Private Guided Tour) AM
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Cusco City Tour & San Pedro Market
Private Cusco City Tour & San Pedro Market
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Jan 05, 2026

Hi Mette,

Thank you so much for this lovely message! 😊

I’m really happy to hear that your family had such a special time in Peru. It sounds like a beautiful journey from start to finish, and I’m so glad Machu Picchu was as magical as it should be. Alexandra will be absolutely delighted to hear your words—she truly loves what she does, and it means a lot that she felt like part of the family.

Thank you for trusting us with your trip and for the kind feedback. It was a pleasure being part of your Peru experience, and we’d be more than happy to help again anytime.

Warm regards,
Liz

KimKim makes travel for family group pleasant and enjoyable
Peru | Nov 22 - Nov 28, 2025

G
Gerry P.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Dec 03, 2025
First of all, this our 2nd time to use KimKim for a trip. They certainly have made traveling more enjoyable, and in actuality, cost efficient!
We were working with Liz Karen for quite a while. She is knowledgeable about the various options for a Cusco trip which helped us make our decisions.
Since we started many months prior to traveling, we really appreciated Liz Karen’s patience and creativity. We end up with 9 iterations of our trip, and she helped with all the information we needed...
Read more

First of all, this our 2nd time to use KimKim for a trip. They certainly have made traveling more enjoyable, and in actuality, cost efficient!
We were working with Liz Karen for quite a while. She is knowledgeable about the various options for a Cusco trip which helped us make our decisions.
Since we started many months prior to traveling, we really appreciated Liz Karen’s patience and creativity. We end up with 9 iterations of our trip, and she helped with all the information we needed to have a good trip.
When we finally arrived, our in country help was Oscar! That guy is really patient, but I also think he knows how to build in the perfect amount of time for each of the outings. He kept us on pace, especially with our reserved luncheon at Ollytantambo and with the rather complicated 2 day trip for Machupicchu with buses and trains and other hotels, he made it easy. He really allowed us to enjoy ourselves and masterfully moved us around. To where we needed to go at what time we needed to be there.
We had a 6 day trip from USA, all in Cusco/Aguas Calientes area. With 11 people including 2 grandparents and 1 grandchild, the private tours and travel were of necessity, and here is where KimKim does so well. That’s the really service we appreciate because we get to enjoy the trip and the sights!
We stayed at Tika Wasi in the San Blas area of Cusco, which was a perfect funky hotel with nice courtyard area and the surrounding area is comfortable and plenty of food alternatives.
Definitely want to make sure you are acclimated to the altitude as not sure we could’ve done machupichu in the 1st couple days, pretty rough already.

Hotel Reviews
Tika Wasi Casa Boutique
Cusco

Very nice comfortable boutique in San Blas. Breakfast was good, along with the courtyard area. No televisions in rooms, which is nice to have, but then again we were so tired that probably didn’t matter. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable about the area, and even helped me fix one of our luggage zippers!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Right at the edge of the area. Far enough away from noise and hustle, yet close enough that we could walk everywhere
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pucara Machu Picchu Hotel

Can’t beat a hotel right downtown, such convenience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco  (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)
Peru

We simply travel to go find out about places, so we certainly got out fill of being in the area long enough, but then to add this really awe inspiring mountain top city basically in the middle of nowhere was simply breathtaking. Not to mention the climb up to go down to the part of the circuit 2A we went on. Oscar was helpful getting us around as he did all week.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private tour to Pisac: Andean Animals
Private tour to Pisac: Andean Animals
Cusco

This was pretty neat, and really helped us understand where we were geographically: very high up in the Andes! So awesome! Was cool to see the local animals and birds, and see the countryside.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Half-Day Walking Tour: Sacsayhuaman, Cusco City & San Pedro Market
Private Half-Day Walking Tour: Sacsayhuaman, Cusco City & San Pedro Market
Cusco

This was basically filler and a get to know the area excursion. I think our group was too big to make it special, as no one paid much attention and went off on their own anyway.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private tour to The Sacred Valley: Maras, Moray & Pachamanca
Private tour to The Sacred Valley: Maras, Moray & Pachamanca
Peru

Basically it was all about the Pachamama, as we are a family that loves to eat. Learning a bit more about the indigenous culture, in that setting at El Albergue was fantastic. The distillery and the coffee roasting facilities were a nice surprise.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Dec 10, 2025

Hi Gerry,

Thank you so much for your wonderful message — it honestly made me smile. I’m really happy to hear that the planning process went smoothly for you and that all those iterations paid off in a trip you truly enjoyed. It means a lot to know Oscar took such good care of your family and made everything easy, especially with a big group.

I’m also glad you enjoyed Cusco, Aguas Calientes, and the charm of San Blas. And yes — acclimatization is definitely key!

Thanks again for choosing us for the second time.
Warmly,
Liz

Excellent Peru trip.
Peru | Nov 22 - Nov 29, 2025

Erin
Erin M.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Dec 02, 2025

Andriel was an amazing guide through the sacred valley.
I appreciate the KimKim team for organizing everything, booking all transportation, checking into our flights for us, etc. it made travel worry-free.
The itinerary was spot on.

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Dec 10, 2025

Hi Erin,
Thank you so much! I’m really happy to hear you loved the Sacred Valley with Andriel and that everything felt easy and worry-free. So glad the itinerary was a great fit!
Warmly,
Liz

Machu Picchu Rotary trip
Peru | Oct 20 - Oct 24, 2025

Aur
Aur B.
Hong Kong SAR China | Reviewed on Dec 01, 2025
It was a lot of travel to go back 500 years in history to Machu Picchu but I will never forget it.
I especially liked how knowledgeable our tour guide was of the history of Machu Picchu and was easily able to answer all of our detailed question
Booking me in the hotel on the square in Cusco was great as the view of the square ( spent hours people watching) and the Christ Statue glowing at night overlooking the city. Later touring Pukamoqo hill, a place that was already considered a...
Read more

It was a lot of travel to go back 500 years in history to Machu Picchu but I will never forget it.
I especially liked how knowledgeable our tour guide was of the history of Machu Picchu and was easily able to answer all of our detailed question
Booking me in the hotel on the square in Cusco was great as the view of the square ( spent hours people watching) and the Christ Statue glowing at night overlooking the city. Later touring Pukamoqo hill, a place that was already considered a spiritual site by the Inca civilization I was very interested in learning it was donated to the city in 1945 by Palestinian Arabs who migrated to this part of Peru as a refuge after the Second World War.
I loved the ancient Andean sacredness that was prevalent all around the country
Thanks for the opportunity to briefly experience the culture and want to go back for more in depth indigenous food and cooking classes.

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Dec 10, 2025

Hi Aur,
Thank you so much for your kind message. it truly made me smile. I’m really glad you enjoyed Machu Picchu, Cusco, and the whole Andean vibe. 😊
Whenever you decide to come back for those food and cooking experiences, I’ll be excited to help you plan it.
Warm hugs,
Liz

Fantastic trip!
Peru | Oct 15 - Oct 28, 2025

deborah
deborah c.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Oct 31, 2025
Fantastic trip! Liz helped me put together a custom trip tailored to our wishes and found ways to keep the costs in check with our budget. In addition, the two times we had questions while on the trip, Lizbeth was incredibly responsive and assisted us immediately. We enjoyed visiting Arequipa, Colca Canyon (which included a homestay with a lovely couple), Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Rainbow Mountain, Machu Picchu and Lima. In each location, we enjoyed tours - some private and some in small... Read more

Fantastic trip! Liz helped me put together a custom trip tailored to our wishes and found ways to keep the costs in check with our budget. In addition, the two times we had questions while on the trip, Lizbeth was incredibly responsive and assisted us immediately. We enjoyed visiting Arequipa, Colca Canyon (which included a homestay with a lovely couple), Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Rainbow Mountain, Machu Picchu and Lima. In each location, we enjoyed tours - some private and some in small groups. Our tour guides, especially William in Cusco, Jaqueline in Machu Picchu and Julie in Ollantaytambo were fantastic and went above and beyond by sharing additional information about Peru, it's culture and people. We learned so much from each one. Our biggest highlights were Machu Picchu - seeing 3 different circuits as well as the Inca Bridge and Huayna Picchu Mountain hike - and Rainbow Mountain. We'd highly recommend working with Kimkim, Andean Travel Experience as they did an awesome job!

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Nov 07, 2025

Hi Deborah,
Thank you so much, Deborah! I’m really happy to hear you had such a wonderful trip. It was a pleasure helping you plan it, and I’ll be sure to share your lovely words with the team and guides. 😊
Please take care!
Liz.

Wonderful, diverse experiences in Peru
Peru | Oct 6 - Oct 21, 2025

Carol
Carol G.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Oct 28, 2025

Guides Daniel in the Amazon, Nataly in Cusco and Javier in Machu Picchu were all exceptional. Highlights for me were the stay in the Amazon, with the wildlife sightings and cultural experiences, and our day in Machu Picchu, being in the citidel and then hiking to the top of Waynapicchu. Unforgettable. I also loved the Urban Cooking Experience with chef Patrick in Lima - wonderful!

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Nov 07, 2025

Hi Carol,
I'm so happy to hear that! It sounds like you had such an amazing time — I’ll be sure to share your kind words with Daniel, Nataly, Javier, and Chef Patrick.
Please take care!
Liz.

Karen Robinson review
Peru | Oct 6 - Oct 21, 2025

K
Karen R.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Oct 27, 2025
LizKaren and Lizbeth were very responsive to all of our questions and I really appreciate this. The trip was great and all encountered people - guides, drivers, hotel & restaurant staff were so kind, polite & professional. Nataly and Daniel were exceptional. At Novotel, Mayara (a hotel staff worker) was exceptional and made the hotel stay 5 star! Overall, many of the days were too full and too long. The Lima tour day was too hurried to enjoy either the Larco or the historic old... Read more

LizKaren and Lizbeth were very responsive to all of our questions and I really appreciate this.

The trip was great and all encountered people - guides, drivers, hotel & restaurant staff were so kind, polite & professional. Nataly and Daniel were exceptional. At Novotel, Mayara (a hotel staff worker) was exceptional and made the hotel stay 5 star!

Overall, many of the days were too full and too long. The Lima tour day was too hurried to enjoy either the Larco or the historic old town. I recommend removing one of the 2 events. I would keep the cooking event.

I would recommend spending the night in Iquitos rather than the Lima airport hotel. It was a super long day and our night in the hotel was about 4 hours. Too short to really enjoy the first day with Nataly . Again, I would remove one of the stops between Cusco and the sacred valley lodge. (The fancy lunch dining was very nice but happened very late in the day and we were beyond hungry & tired). We started very early in Lima, and ended the day quite late at the very beautiful Arawana hotel. We all would have enjoyed more time to enjoy this place.

I would have liked 2 days in Agua Caliente to have time in the town and time to perhaps do a second hike in Machu Picchu. Again, we arrived late in Agua Caliente with an early start planned the following day.

Cusco was wonderful. The waking tour with Nataly was great and we did not take the rainbow mtn tour and our day staying back exploring Cusco on our own was nice.

It’s hard to know how much is too much and what to drop off the plan or whether to add days. But generally — making the days shorter so travelers can enjoy the evenings where they are would be better. 20 minutes in a museum or at a stop is like zero minutes in my opinion.

Additionally, it would be great to have dining recommendations close by especially in places where we have a short night.

Also providing tipping recommendations ahead of time would be beneficial. We spent a lot of time talking about who gets a tip and how much is appropriate.

Again, I did not do the planning coordination with Doug and KimKim, so I am not complaining. I am just saying that next time I will be more mindful of the tours/plans per day and lengths of the days along with how many nights per place.

I loved having the driver and guides , hotels and tours set up for just us 8 and would totally work with you on a different adventure. Peru is an amazing adventure!

Hotel Reviews
Novotel Cusco
Cusco

Great location, nice room, nice lobby and very nice staff

Authenticity & Character
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Aranwa Sacred Valley
Urubamba

What’s to say —- it’s a 5 star hotel and worthy of it

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Oct 29, 2025
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback — it truly means a lot. I’m really happy to hear you had a great trip overall and that you felt well taken care of, especially by Nataly, Daniel, and Mayara at the Novotel. They’ll be so happy to hear your kind words!
I also really appreciate your honest suggestions about the itinerary. We’re sorry the airline changed its original flight times — with the initial schedule, there would have been more time to rest and enjoy each place.... Read more

Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback — it truly means a lot. I’m really happy to hear you had a great trip overall and that you felt well taken care of, especially by Nataly, Daniel, and Mayara at the Novotel. They’ll be so happy to hear your kind words!

I also really appreciate your honest suggestions about the itinerary. We’re sorry the airline changed its original flight times — with the initial schedule, there would have been more time to rest and enjoy each place. Your comments are very helpful and will guide us in improving future trips.

It’s wonderful to know Peru left such a positive impression on you, and I’d love to help you plan your next adventure here someday!

Warm regards,
Liz

Liz Karen plans trip’s beyond your imagination!
Peru | Oct 6 - Oct 21, 2025

Douglas
Douglas B.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Oct 25, 2025
Liz Karen, from the start, was wonderful at helping us plan our trip. It started out with just information gathering for two, to a well planned down to every detail trip for 8. Her speedy response to our questions, her suggestions for where to stay and what to do, her scheduling of planes, vans and boats to get us around the country were perfect. Lizbeth was our trip contact if we had any questions while we were in Peru and she never let us down!
The Pacaya Samiria Lodge on the Amazon was...
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Liz Karen, from the start, was wonderful at helping us plan our trip. It started out with just information gathering for two, to a well planned down to every detail trip for 8. Her speedy response to our questions, her suggestions for where to stay and what to do, her scheduling of planes, vans and boats to get us around the country were perfect. Lizbeth was our trip contact if we had any questions while we were in Peru and she never let us down!
The Pacaya Samiria Lodge on the Amazon was a unique experience and may not be for everyone (no hot water, limited electricity) but we all LOVED it. Daniel, our guide, took us hiking in the forest, swimming IN the Amazon, fishing for piranha's, seeing: pink dolphins, owl monkeys, black collared hawks, egrets, an anaconda, toucans, three other types monkeys, too many birds to list, and so much more. Meeting the locals and seeing the sun set over the Amazon…I could just go on and on. The Sacred Valley portion was guided by Natalie and again more experiences that were beyond our imaginations. Lovely farm to table lunch that was prearranged. The traditional Pachmanca in Ollantaytambo was delicious.
The hotel, Aranwa, was fabulous!
I would recommend a day there just to relax in the middle of your journey. Off to Machu Picchu, the bucket list item on the trip, and another great guide, Jacquelyn, friendly hotel and great restaurants to be found.
Cusco! Natalie, once again, showed us the sites and did not disappoint. Foodies will love this town. Mother Earth changed our trip to the Rainbow mountain area into a lovely day with the locals in the snow. Our guide, Yari did her best to show us the unique terrain, animals, and ancient ruins. Over all this was a trip we will talk about for ever!

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Oct 27, 2025
Hi Douglas,
Thank you so much for this beautiful review! It truly means a lot to read how much you and your group enjoyed your time in Peru. I’m so happy to hear that everything came together smoothly and that you had such memorable experiences in the Amazon, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
It was a real pleasure helping you plan this journey, and I’ll make sure to share your kind words with Lizbeth, Daniel, Nataly, Jacquelyn, and Yari — they’ll be thrilled to know they made your trip... Read more

Hi Douglas,
Thank you so much for this beautiful review! It truly means a lot to read how much you and your group enjoyed your time in Peru. I’m so happy to hear that everything came together smoothly and that you had such memorable experiences in the Amazon, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.

It was a real pleasure helping you plan this journey, and I’ll make sure to share your kind words with Lizbeth, Daniel, Nataly, Jacquelyn, and Yari — they’ll be thrilled to know they made your trip so special.

Thank you again for trusting us with your adventure. I hope Peru will always hold a special place in your memories!

Warm regards,
Liz