Kuoda TravelReviews of kuodatravel.com

Urpi Herrera, our Kuoda agent, was amazing. She created a customized trip to Machu Picchu and the Gallapagos that was truly beyond compare. I have referred many friends to Kuoda because of the outstanding service that they have provided to us.

Great trip to Peru. Hotels were excellent and unique. Our guide was great and the driver got us through unmarked mountain roads with ease. Have recommended Kuoda to our friends.

Best planned and trip experience we have ever enjoyed!!

Great company. Appreciate the team and especially the owner - we had a complaint and she cared so much that she went out of her way to take care of our family.

Absolutely the best trip thanks to Kuoda travel. Fantastic itinerary . Both Julie and Boris were brilliant guides . Caring , compassionate and knowledgeable, we always felt safe and excited to travel . Peru has it all . Scenery , people , food , culture and history . I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking of traveling there to use Kuoda to organize the trip of a lifetime

Kuoda Travel created the perfect vacation package for our group. The tour was tailored to what we wanted to do and see and was nearly effortless on our part. We were greeted by guides who escorted us everywhere (including guides who took us from the airport to our hotel and back in Lima where we were simply stopping overnight on our way to other adventures). Our guides provided valuable information during our travels between destinations. The experiences that were designed for us - meals in the homes of local families, visits to local farms and weavers, rain forest stay, boat trip to Taquille, visit to Uros Islands, and two days in Machu Picchu and other Incan sites, were unforgettable. The package was designed for our group of six - we did not join other groups for the majority of our trip (exception, two additional people were part of our Rain Forest experience). Transportation was provided everywhere we went via tour van, tour boat, and trains. Our tour van and tour boat only included our group. Our tour guides were knowledgeable, courteous and efficient. This was truly the trip of a lifetime. The cost may be more than booking everything on your own, but the experiences, peace of mind, and ease/safety of travel is worth the expense. I look forward to my next trip with Kuoda!

Exceptionally well organized trip with awesome communication and attention to details. I highly recommend!

After booking a Galapagos Islands cruise with Celebrity Cruises, an afterthought occurred. Why not add Peru's three regions to our itinerary. After learning about a friend's success with Peruvian company Kuoda Travel, we contacted Jesus Ramos, one of their travel designers. Peru's three regions are geographically distinct. They include the Pacific coastal area defined by coastal cities such as Lima. The rainforest in the Upper Amazon Basin with Puerto Maldanado as the starting point. Finally, the Andes where the Incas ruled with Cusco as the center. Jesus designed our trip to include all three. The Coastal Region - Lima Our Galapagos trip ended in Quito, Ecuador. From there, we flew on LATAM Airlines to Lima, Peru's capital and largest city. Kuoda met us at the airport and took us to the J.W. Marriott in the Miraflores district. The next morning, we met our Lima tour guide, Maritza Tarazona. Our first stop was Plaza San Martin in the central district. The site is distinguished by a statute of Argentinian liberator, General Jose de San Martin, that dominates the plaza center. The statue depicts the general on horseback, crossing the Andes to help Peru seek its freedom from Spain in 1821. Maritza then took us through the grounds, eerie catacombs, and many rooms of the San Francisco Church complex. As we walked, she pointed out numerous art pieces and paintings. One painting, in particular, was a 1656 Peruvian rendition of the Last Supper. What's unique is the unknown artist has the apostles dining on guinea pig, a Peruvian favorite. Just a slight modification from da Vinci's original! Plaza Mayor was our next stop, the historical center where Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535. Lima was critical to the Spanish Empire. It served as their South American capital for almost two centuries. The plaza is bordered by the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace with its carved balconies, and the Government Palace. We happened to arrive at noon just as the changing of the palace guard ceremony was occurring. It resembled a scaled-down version of Buckingham Palace's event. The final stop was around the corner at Casa de Aliaga. Mr. Aliaga was one of Pizarro's trusted lieutenants and was given this choice plot to build his mansion. Maritza took us through several of the rooms. Besides its colonial art and decor, the house is known for remaining in the same family ownership for 17th generations. The Upper Amazon Region The next morning we began our jungle portion of the trip. A Kuoda member escorted us to the airport for a LATAM flight to Puerto Maldonado. The town serves as the gateway to the Tambopata River and National Reserve. Jonathon, one of the RainForest Expeditions guides was waiting for us as we exited the terminal. Along with Boris, they would be part of the team leading us on excursions for the next several days. Our destination was the Refugia Amazonas Lodge, a three-hour boat ride up the Tambopata River. Kuoda organized everything with RainForest so all we had to do was carry our backpacks The guides provided lunch onboard and our luggage had been sent ahead. As we cruised up the river, wildlife sightings began to happen. The first was a white caiman nestled along the shoreline. Next was a brown capybara, the largest rodent in South America. Several bird species were also seen either on shore or flying overhead. Shortly, all of us were eagerly scanning the shoreline for a new sighting. We continued upstream for about an hour. Suddenly, Boris leaped from his seat, excitedly pointing towards the shore. With his other hand, he motioned for the driver to slow down. We followed the direction of his outstretched arm and saw the find of the trip. A female jaguar was lazily resting on the riverbank. Thinking the impressive sight would quickly vanish, we fumbled for our cameras. Fortunately, the cat stayed put so we had plenty of time to take pictures. The jaguar remained unfazed by our presence, seemingly preoccupied with us as well. Jaguars are the most prized wildlife sighting in the Amazon and largest of South America's big cats. We considered ourselves exceptionally lucky. Later, we learned there was only a 4-percent chance that we were going to see a jaguar. We had hit the jackpot! The Missing Wall Once we arrived at the lodge, the staff gave us the rundown on our stay. They also advised that we were in store for an intimate jungle experience. What that really meant was that our room came with only three walls! What should have been the fourth wall was the rain forest. There were no screens, sliding doors, or operable windows. Fortunately, the building sat on stilts, and that gap provided some sense of security. With mosquito netting draping our bed, at least flying insects weren't a concern. Even with the open space, our accommodations were suitable. We slept contently. But that all changed at early dawn when these blood-curdling howls were heard. The eerie cries were an unfamiliar sound and lasted for some time. Maybe that missing wall wasn't such a good idea after all! Later we learned that red howler monkeys were the culprits. The lodge provided a variety of daily morning and afternoon excursions. One of the best was a dawn departure to an upstream clay lick. Here, macaws congregate each morning. With their vibrant plumage and loud squawks, these beautiful parrots put on an impressive show. Second place went to a pre-dawn hike to the canopy tower. There we viewed an Amazon sunrise framed through the branches of majestic Brazil nut trees. The Andes Region After four days, we departed for Cusco to begin the last of Peru's three regions, the Andes and Inca heartland portion of our trip. A Kuoda team member met us at the gate. He then introduced Percy Ayala, who would be our private tour guide for the next five days. Cusco sits at the height of 11,200 feet, so altitude sickness is common. Kuoda arranged for us to be driven down from the former Inca capital to the much lower Sacred Valley floor. Our destination the first night was the Casa Adina Valle Sagrado Hotel, just east of Ollantaytambo town. Here we could begin acclimating to the Andes elevation before returning to Cusco. Percy guided us on a number of venues over the next several days. The first was the Awanakancha Living Museum where llamas, alpacas, and vicunas were on display. Here we watched traditional weavers busily creating exquisite alpaca products. The following day we also stopped at the traditional market in Pisac. That was our first exposure to the variety of potatoes grown in the area as well as the famous Inca corn. Some vendors were also selling packages of freshly-picked coca leaves. Our first tour of Inca ruins began at the Pisac and Ollantaytambo sites. As we walked amongst the ruins, it was hard to comprehend the craftsmanship of the Incas. While amazed by the magnitude of these massive structures, we had no idea we were just scratching the surface. Obviously, Percy was preparing us for the ancient city of Machu Picchu. We spent two days at Machu Picchu, a site never discovered by the Spanish. On the first day, Percy walked us through the ruins, explaining the purpose and history of the different buildings. The next morning, we hiked a portion of the Inca trail up to the Sun Gate. We then returned to Cusco for one last tour. Percy guided us through the massive downtown San Pedro market, the San Domingo Monastery and the nearby Cathedral in Plaza de Armas. We topped off the day with a visit to the Sacsayhuaman Incan military ruins above the city. Finally, it was time to say goodbye to Percy and conclude our tour of Peru's three regions. We ended our day with lunch at the Marcelo Batata Restaurant. The restaurant specializes in contemporary Peruvian cuisine. And since this was probably my last chance to dine on alpaca steak, I didn't miss the opportunity. We ended our 12-day, excursion exactly where we started in Lima. After experiencing Peru's three regions, one leaves impressed with its distinctive landscapes and charming people found everywhere. A perfect formula for any adventurous traveler. Good job, Kuoda and Jesus! See more at Adventurousnick.com