United Mice - Day Tour
United Mice - Day Tour
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
Full view

About
United Mice is a Day Tour operator founded in 1987 involved in Eco-Adventure Tourism in the south-eastern part of Peru..
United Mice - Day Tour
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravelers talk about



Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
185 reviews
Excellent
159
Very good
15
Average
4
Poor
3
Terrible
4
caitlin961
2 contributions
Aug 2022
We had an amazing time with United Mice on the Short Inca Trail during August 2022!
We originally planned to do this tour back in March 2020 but had to postpone due to the pandemic, so we were excited to rebook with them in August 2022 when we were finally able to do our trip. COVID hit this company hard, both personally and professionally, so United Mice is in the process of standing up its operations again. Because of this, it took a while to get in contact with them about our August 2022 tour, but we had a phenomenal time once we did!
Sol, who now runs the company and has 15+ years of guiding experience, guided us through the Short Inca Trail. She gave great detail on all of the sites, prepped us well for the hike / what to expect, and ensured we were comfortable with each step of the process. Separate from how objectively great of a professional guide she is, she was also incredibly personable and fun to hang out with.
I can't rave about Sol & United Mice enough and would 100% book with them again without a second thought (and would actually increase our tour length to spend more time with them!). I'll be recommending United Mice to all my friends who head to Peru in the future!
We originally planned to do this tour back in March 2020 but had to postpone due to the pandemic, so we were excited to rebook with them in August 2022 when we were finally able to do our trip. COVID hit this company hard, both personally and professionally, so United Mice is in the process of standing up its operations again. Because of this, it took a while to get in contact with them about our August 2022 tour, but we had a phenomenal time once we did!
Sol, who now runs the company and has 15+ years of guiding experience, guided us through the Short Inca Trail. She gave great detail on all of the sites, prepped us well for the hike / what to expect, and ensured we were comfortable with each step of the process. Separate from how objectively great of a professional guide she is, she was also incredibly personable and fun to hang out with.
I can't rave about Sol & United Mice enough and would 100% book with them again without a second thought (and would actually increase our tour length to spend more time with them!). I'll be recommending United Mice to all my friends who head to Peru in the future!
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TCubillas
Pittsburgh, PA139 contributions
Jan 2016
We coupled the Machu Picchu visit with a one-day hike of the Inca Trail (what most tour guides call the 2 day / 1 night Inca Trail hike in Dec 2015 / Jan 2016). This consists of a full day of hiking the Inca Trail on the 1st day, staying at the town of Aguas Calientes (many trying to change the name of the town to Machu Picchu City for marketing/tourist reasons) and then visiting Machu Picchu the 2nd day before departing back for Cuzco that afternoon. We booked this 2D/1N tour through the tour company, United Mice, who are based in Cuzco and therefore have native knowledge of tour rules, local laws, up-to-the-second regional news, etc. We were VERY pleased with United Mice.
We had already visited Cuzco / Machu Picchu a couple of times before, so we didn't want to do the most common Cuzco to M.P. trip by train route which we'd previously already done.
Also, the longer, more traditional Inca Trail hike of 4 days / 3 nights, where one actually sleeps in tents along the trail for a few nights, was a bit too long for us. a 4D/3N hike would require about 6 days in Cuzco/Machu Picchu region and the 2D/1N we did needed about 4 days in the Cuzco/MP area. Because of time constraints, we chose the shorter version of the hike, because we didn't have the time for the longer version, but wanted at least a taste of the Inca Trail.
Following is our rough itinerary / tips:
DAY 1 - Arrive into Cuzco in an afternoon flight from Lima. Not too much problem for me, my wife and two sons, with the altitude although a few do encounter altitude sickness. We had already toured Cuzco on a couple of previous occasions, so we simply relaxed and had a nice dinner at world-famous, Peruvian chef, Gaston Acurio's restaurant called "Chicha" just a couple of blocks from the main square (Plaza de Armas). Chicha was very good.
The 2D/1N hike was organized by a Cuzco-based tour group called, United Mice. They did an excellent job of getting us everything we wanted, including the Huayna Picchu hike on January 1st, 2016, which wasn't made available to the public by the Peruvian government until just a day before the hike. We were VERY satisfied with United Mice and the U.M. tour guide they provided, Walter.
DAY 2 - United Mice sent a taxi to pick us up at around 3 a.m. at our Wyndham hotel in Cuzco, and it took us to a van in downtown Cuzco which collected several tourists from a few of the Cuzco hotels before taking off for a halfway point between Cuzco and MP: The town of Ollantaytambo. For those that are interested, I understand that there are some Inca ruins in that town, and one can spend a day, or so, and stay at an Ollantaytambo hotel if they'd like to further explore that "Sacred Valley" area.
The drive to Ollantaytambo took about 1 1/2 hours by van. It stopped at a gas station once when a few of the passengers wanted to use a bathroom.
We boarded the train at Ollantaytambo (very comfortable cars each with a bathroom in each car), which served a small snack/drink for breakfast, and it dropped us off at mile market 104 to begin the hike. There is no train station at mile marker 104, so make sure you have everything you need for the hike (water, snacks, bug spray, sun screen, etc.) before you get dropped off. Use the train bathroom before you get dropped because, afterward, during the hike, you will need to use the great outdoors as your bathroom. :-) United Mice did provide us with a lunch box at the start of the hike for us to take on our hike (sandwich, a couple of fruits, granola bar, juice, etc.). If you want more to eat, make sure you bring some snacks (ie, trail mix, water, etc.) for an 8 to 8 1/2 hour hike - It can be done faster, or slower, depending on your pace. The tour guides will walk as slow, or as fast, as the pace you set, so don't worry if you think you'll be a slower hiker. They don't mind.
From there, at about 7:30 a.m., we began our hike of the Inca Trail and soon after the hike started, visited the Chachabamba ruins. The hike took us through some beautiful mountain vistas, very green, sub tropical flora and fauna We also saw a couple of pretty water falls along the way.. Some of the hiking was a little tough (relatively Inca stone steps) and some was fairly easy (relatively flat walk along the middle of these very "green" mountains. If one doesn't have trouble with the altitude, like we didn't, then the hike should not be too much of a problem. We each took a small/medium-sized back pack with all of the clothes / toiletries we'd need for the 4 days in Cuzco/MP. Don't forget to leave a little room in the pack for the lunch box / juice that you'll get from the United Mice, or whichever tour company you use.
By lunch time, we arrived at the Winay Wayna ruins - A very pretty series of terraces that were built for farming during the Inca years. We had lunch at the ruins while our excellent United Mice tour guide, Walter, explained the history of this ruin. In fact, along the entire hike, Walter added great commentary about the ruins, Inca history and pointed out many of the flowers (lots of different type of orchids, etc.) and fauna. He did a great job (in English, although we all understood Spanish as well and Walter also spoke the local Quechua language and I overheard him speaking in Japanese with a couple of tourist the following day in MP).
After Winay Wayna, we hiked for a couple more hours until we arrived at the very popular Inca Sun Gate where we got our first glimpse of the MP ruins from afar. It was still about a 1 to 1 1/2 hour hike from that vantage point, but the gorgeous sight of MP gave us that "boost" we needed to complete the 8 to 8 1/2 hour hike. That it was New Years eve, made that sight even more special. Some tourists that only visit MP, make the hike from MP to the Sun Gate to take pictures, etc. So, this is where the hikers that have either been on the 4D/3N or, like us, the 2D/1N hike first run into the MP-only tourists.
We arrived at MP around 4:30 p.m. which gave us about an hour to take some pics at the ruins before the last bus departed MP for the town of Aguas Calientes (about a 20-30 minute bus ride down a switch-back road. United Mice put us up an "okay" hostel-type hotel called Wiracocha Inn. It was nothing special, but very clean, warm showers in each room, and in the center of town - We were pleased with the hotel. The package also included a dinner that night which we had at a nearby restaurant with Walter, our tour guide. The dinner was nice but, again, nothing special. We were at AC on New Years eve but turned in early because we wanted to take one of the 1st busses up the hill to MP on New Years day, 2016.
DAY 3 - So, the midnight fireworks woke us up, but only temporarily and didn't really bother us. We were up at 4:30 a.m.. and in line for one of the 1st busses by 5:30 a.m. The hotel provided a boxed breakfast for us to take up to MP (included in the United Mice package). We left our backpacks at the hotel and only took smaller sling bags with the boxed lunch, our Go Pro / cell phone accessories, sun screen and bug spray (get a high DEET spray and the bugs won't bother you - We saw some tourists with multiple, big welts on their legs and assume they did not use bug spray - scary!) and wear pants, not shorts.
As previously mentioned, United Mice was able to get us on the Huayna Picchu mountain hike for that day. This is the mountain that sits in the background of 95% of the scenic Machu Picchu pictures one sees. There are 2 times one can choose to hike up HP: 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Of the couple of thousand tourists that are allowed to visit MP each day, only 400 (200 each time) are permitted to climb HP, but one needs to book at least a month, or two, in advance - the earlier one books, the better chance to get a slot. We were glad we chose the first time, because it was pretty and hot by the time the 10 a.m. group started. The hike takes about 1-2 hours up and the same to come down - depending on how in-shape one is. The views of the valley and MP along the way up HP are incredible and provides a different vantage point that many don't see. Great photo ops!
After the HP climb, Walter gave us a very good couple hour tour of MP and he was kind enough to take pictures of us along the entire Inca Trail hike and at MP, so we didn't need use our selfie sticks. :)
After the excellent MP tour and pics, we took the bus down to AC, tipped Walter for a job well done, and stopped for a quick bite of lunch (not included in our tour) before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo (train included in tour package). From Ollantaytambo, UM booked a taxi for the four of us (me, my wife and two sons) back to Cuzco - About a 1 1/2 hour drive back.
We stayed at the JW Marriott in Cuzco and the billing of one of the best hotels in South America was true to form. Excellent rooms, showers, facilities. We were too tired to wander too far, so we had a very good dinner at the Marriott restaurant.
DAY 4 - We had a ~3 p.m. flight back to Lima, so were able to fit in a quick trip to "Action Valley" (20 minutes outside of Cuzco) to try the tallest bungee in South America / 4th tallest in the world. This, nor the Marriott hotel, was not part of the UM tour package, so I review these in separate reviews.
All in all, a wonderful trip that was highlighted by both the Inca Trail hike and MP visit. I highly recommend this to everyone who is considering a trip to see the spectacular MP ruins.
We had already visited Cuzco / Machu Picchu a couple of times before, so we didn't want to do the most common Cuzco to M.P. trip by train route which we'd previously already done.
Also, the longer, more traditional Inca Trail hike of 4 days / 3 nights, where one actually sleeps in tents along the trail for a few nights, was a bit too long for us. a 4D/3N hike would require about 6 days in Cuzco/Machu Picchu region and the 2D/1N we did needed about 4 days in the Cuzco/MP area. Because of time constraints, we chose the shorter version of the hike, because we didn't have the time for the longer version, but wanted at least a taste of the Inca Trail.
Following is our rough itinerary / tips:
DAY 1 - Arrive into Cuzco in an afternoon flight from Lima. Not too much problem for me, my wife and two sons, with the altitude although a few do encounter altitude sickness. We had already toured Cuzco on a couple of previous occasions, so we simply relaxed and had a nice dinner at world-famous, Peruvian chef, Gaston Acurio's restaurant called "Chicha" just a couple of blocks from the main square (Plaza de Armas). Chicha was very good.
The 2D/1N hike was organized by a Cuzco-based tour group called, United Mice. They did an excellent job of getting us everything we wanted, including the Huayna Picchu hike on January 1st, 2016, which wasn't made available to the public by the Peruvian government until just a day before the hike. We were VERY satisfied with United Mice and the U.M. tour guide they provided, Walter.
DAY 2 - United Mice sent a taxi to pick us up at around 3 a.m. at our Wyndham hotel in Cuzco, and it took us to a van in downtown Cuzco which collected several tourists from a few of the Cuzco hotels before taking off for a halfway point between Cuzco and MP: The town of Ollantaytambo. For those that are interested, I understand that there are some Inca ruins in that town, and one can spend a day, or so, and stay at an Ollantaytambo hotel if they'd like to further explore that "Sacred Valley" area.
The drive to Ollantaytambo took about 1 1/2 hours by van. It stopped at a gas station once when a few of the passengers wanted to use a bathroom.
We boarded the train at Ollantaytambo (very comfortable cars each with a bathroom in each car), which served a small snack/drink for breakfast, and it dropped us off at mile market 104 to begin the hike. There is no train station at mile marker 104, so make sure you have everything you need for the hike (water, snacks, bug spray, sun screen, etc.) before you get dropped off. Use the train bathroom before you get dropped because, afterward, during the hike, you will need to use the great outdoors as your bathroom. :-) United Mice did provide us with a lunch box at the start of the hike for us to take on our hike (sandwich, a couple of fruits, granola bar, juice, etc.). If you want more to eat, make sure you bring some snacks (ie, trail mix, water, etc.) for an 8 to 8 1/2 hour hike - It can be done faster, or slower, depending on your pace. The tour guides will walk as slow, or as fast, as the pace you set, so don't worry if you think you'll be a slower hiker. They don't mind.
From there, at about 7:30 a.m., we began our hike of the Inca Trail and soon after the hike started, visited the Chachabamba ruins. The hike took us through some beautiful mountain vistas, very green, sub tropical flora and fauna We also saw a couple of pretty water falls along the way.. Some of the hiking was a little tough (relatively Inca stone steps) and some was fairly easy (relatively flat walk along the middle of these very "green" mountains. If one doesn't have trouble with the altitude, like we didn't, then the hike should not be too much of a problem. We each took a small/medium-sized back pack with all of the clothes / toiletries we'd need for the 4 days in Cuzco/MP. Don't forget to leave a little room in the pack for the lunch box / juice that you'll get from the United Mice, or whichever tour company you use.
By lunch time, we arrived at the Winay Wayna ruins - A very pretty series of terraces that were built for farming during the Inca years. We had lunch at the ruins while our excellent United Mice tour guide, Walter, explained the history of this ruin. In fact, along the entire hike, Walter added great commentary about the ruins, Inca history and pointed out many of the flowers (lots of different type of orchids, etc.) and fauna. He did a great job (in English, although we all understood Spanish as well and Walter also spoke the local Quechua language and I overheard him speaking in Japanese with a couple of tourist the following day in MP).
After Winay Wayna, we hiked for a couple more hours until we arrived at the very popular Inca Sun Gate where we got our first glimpse of the MP ruins from afar. It was still about a 1 to 1 1/2 hour hike from that vantage point, but the gorgeous sight of MP gave us that "boost" we needed to complete the 8 to 8 1/2 hour hike. That it was New Years eve, made that sight even more special. Some tourists that only visit MP, make the hike from MP to the Sun Gate to take pictures, etc. So, this is where the hikers that have either been on the 4D/3N or, like us, the 2D/1N hike first run into the MP-only tourists.
We arrived at MP around 4:30 p.m. which gave us about an hour to take some pics at the ruins before the last bus departed MP for the town of Aguas Calientes (about a 20-30 minute bus ride down a switch-back road. United Mice put us up an "okay" hostel-type hotel called Wiracocha Inn. It was nothing special, but very clean, warm showers in each room, and in the center of town - We were pleased with the hotel. The package also included a dinner that night which we had at a nearby restaurant with Walter, our tour guide. The dinner was nice but, again, nothing special. We were at AC on New Years eve but turned in early because we wanted to take one of the 1st busses up the hill to MP on New Years day, 2016.
DAY 3 - So, the midnight fireworks woke us up, but only temporarily and didn't really bother us. We were up at 4:30 a.m.. and in line for one of the 1st busses by 5:30 a.m. The hotel provided a boxed breakfast for us to take up to MP (included in the United Mice package). We left our backpacks at the hotel and only took smaller sling bags with the boxed lunch, our Go Pro / cell phone accessories, sun screen and bug spray (get a high DEET spray and the bugs won't bother you - We saw some tourists with multiple, big welts on their legs and assume they did not use bug spray - scary!) and wear pants, not shorts.
As previously mentioned, United Mice was able to get us on the Huayna Picchu mountain hike for that day. This is the mountain that sits in the background of 95% of the scenic Machu Picchu pictures one sees. There are 2 times one can choose to hike up HP: 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Of the couple of thousand tourists that are allowed to visit MP each day, only 400 (200 each time) are permitted to climb HP, but one needs to book at least a month, or two, in advance - the earlier one books, the better chance to get a slot. We were glad we chose the first time, because it was pretty and hot by the time the 10 a.m. group started. The hike takes about 1-2 hours up and the same to come down - depending on how in-shape one is. The views of the valley and MP along the way up HP are incredible and provides a different vantage point that many don't see. Great photo ops!
After the HP climb, Walter gave us a very good couple hour tour of MP and he was kind enough to take pictures of us along the entire Inca Trail hike and at MP, so we didn't need use our selfie sticks. :)
After the excellent MP tour and pics, we took the bus down to AC, tipped Walter for a job well done, and stopped for a quick bite of lunch (not included in our tour) before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo (train included in tour package). From Ollantaytambo, UM booked a taxi for the four of us (me, my wife and two sons) back to Cuzco - About a 1 1/2 hour drive back.
We stayed at the JW Marriott in Cuzco and the billing of one of the best hotels in South America was true to form. Excellent rooms, showers, facilities. We were too tired to wander too far, so we had a very good dinner at the Marriott restaurant.
DAY 4 - We had a ~3 p.m. flight back to Lima, so were able to fit in a quick trip to "Action Valley" (20 minutes outside of Cuzco) to try the tallest bungee in South America / 4th tallest in the world. This, nor the Marriott hotel, was not part of the UM tour package, so I review these in separate reviews.
All in all, a wonderful trip that was highlighted by both the Inca Trail hike and MP visit. I highly recommend this to everyone who is considering a trip to see the spectacular MP ruins.
Written February 1, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dianaazp
12 contributions
Nov 2014
Loved... Short inca trail perfect for the not so fit... One day of trekking with enough breaks to enjoy scenic views. Our tour guide was Fabrizio very knowledgable. The only problem i encountered was the day before the trek i could not find the business were we were going for our overview of the trip. Once found turns out sundays most business are closed... Other than that trip was awesome lots of great memories. Spent the night after trekking in a mice clean hotel in aguas calientes all arranged by united mice. Machu pichu in the morning after well rested night awesome!!!! Beat the crowds got there early... The people that take care of the inca trail could do a better job with the restrooms what they call bathrooms are just FOUL!!!
Take lots of sunscreen and wear layers and enjoy the trekk.
Take lots of sunscreen and wear layers and enjoy the trekk.
Written November 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben T
Austin, TX7 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
We booked a tour with United Mice for April 2020 which we had to cancel. We had already paid our $600 deposit. At the time, they said we could use our deposit at a later date. We are now ready to book our trip and they aren’t responding to emails or web site inquiries. I have been trying to reach them for weeks and no response (yes I checked junk folder). We lost $600.
Written March 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joanna A
2 contributions
Jan 2021 • Couples
Very disappointed in this company. We were very excited and had good communication when booking the tour last year. With COVID, our flight was canceled this past January 2021. I have tried getting in touch with the company through email and website without any response to get a refund or at least a credit for our deposit. They have not reached back. Will not be using this company when we do get a chance to go to Peru in the future.
Written February 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Joannaa.
We are very sorry that you haven't received our email, but we did answer your email. It maybe went to your spam box. We actually sent an email to all our clients who booked with us and gave them the option to postpone their tour due to the covid worldwide emergency health.
we are very sorry if this issue caused you any inconvinience
Best Regards
United Mice.
Written February 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TravelingChica1978
Los Angeles, CA4 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
We only chose to go on the Inca Trail with United Mice because they had passes for the date that we could do Machu Picchu. Milton's emails were always curt and not very friendly. More irritating than this though, were the emails were he would say that he needed me to reply IMMEDIATELY, I would reply immediately, and then I would ask for him to confirm that he had gotten the information (which he said was urgent and needed my attention or we would not be able to go on the trip) and he would never reply that he had received my "urgent" reply.
Anyhow we went with United Mice because they had passes for the date that we needed.
When we arrived in Cusco I got an email from Milton saying that I had been ignoring his emails and that they needed to do a emergency debriefing for our trip. This was completely false as I have been emailing with him literally the day before about getting passes for Wayana Picchu, and be said nothing about scheduling a debriefing. If he would have told us this, we would have been happy to block off time. We had actually booked another tour for that day because Milton never told us that he needed to meet with us. If he would've adequately prepared us and told us that a meeting the day before would be required, we would not have booked a second tour (a walking church tour of Cusco). Milton was then insinuating that it was my fault... That obviously there would be a meeting... But how was I to know that there would be a meeting if you did not tell me this? I am a surgeon- a highly organized person- do NOT miss meetings or appointments- and I did not appreciate having Milton: 1) drop a last minute meeting on me that he did not tell me about (nor was this noted in any of our email communication or confirmation paperwork); 2) say that he was trying to get in touch with me about scheduling the meeting, when he had been emailing me about a different issue the day before and had not asked about scheduling a meeting.
United Mice gave us a detailed list of things that we would and would not need and told us what to pack. But they did not tell us is that we would be carrying an additional shopping bag full of food that the company was supplying to us. I would have allowed more room in my backpack if they had told me that I was going to be caring a shopping bag up the Inca Trail.
Most annoying, our guide, Danny, left us on our day at Machu Picchu. He was supposed to give us a guided tour of Machu Picchu, as outlined in both the emails that we were provided, as well as in our orientation with Milton. Danny even confirmed this on the day that we were doing our hike. I asked who will be doing our tour of Machu Picchu, and he said "I will be your guide to Machu Picchu". On the day that we got to Machu Picchu however, we took a bus up to Machu Picchu from Aquas Calientes, and as soon as we arrived he said that he had to go back down to Aquas Calientes to purchase his train ticket back to Cusco. We were literally at the train station the day before. I do not understand why he did not purchase his ticket the day before (or when we booked out trip 2 months in advance). I suspect that he wanted to get home to his family and did not want to do our day tour of Machu Picchu. When I pressed him about our day tour - which was supposed to be included in the trip - he said that he was not able to do it because he had to purchase the train ticket. I had booked our tour 2 months in advance, he should have had PLENTY of time to book his train ticket in advance. He just didn't want to do it. We quite literally flew in from halfway around the world to see this wonder of the world, and our guide would not wait to do our tour. Because of this we actually had to hire an independent tour guide at Machu Picchu. This was an additional fee which was incurred by us, for a part of our package which was supposed to be included.
In addition, even though we booked our tour three months in advance, it appeared that Milton did not purchase our train tickets until the day before. This is after I had "urgently" Western Union'd him cash for all three of our tours. Because of this all of our train tickets were in separate cars. This was very challenging because my mom and sister do not speak any Spanish. They were relying on me for communication. My mom and sister were both afraid being on separate cars away from me. However because United Mice did not book our train tickets together, we were not able to switch our seats.
Overall, the entire experience was disappointing. I wish we had just gone with one of the larger competitors. I did Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail a few years ago and had a much better experience with a different company. I kept hoping that things with United Mice would get better and they never did. Leaving us on Machu Picchu without our day tour was really awful, as was just the overall attitude and poor planning. I would not book with them again.
Anyhow we went with United Mice because they had passes for the date that we needed.
When we arrived in Cusco I got an email from Milton saying that I had been ignoring his emails and that they needed to do a emergency debriefing for our trip. This was completely false as I have been emailing with him literally the day before about getting passes for Wayana Picchu, and be said nothing about scheduling a debriefing. If he would have told us this, we would have been happy to block off time. We had actually booked another tour for that day because Milton never told us that he needed to meet with us. If he would've adequately prepared us and told us that a meeting the day before would be required, we would not have booked a second tour (a walking church tour of Cusco). Milton was then insinuating that it was my fault... That obviously there would be a meeting... But how was I to know that there would be a meeting if you did not tell me this? I am a surgeon- a highly organized person- do NOT miss meetings or appointments- and I did not appreciate having Milton: 1) drop a last minute meeting on me that he did not tell me about (nor was this noted in any of our email communication or confirmation paperwork); 2) say that he was trying to get in touch with me about scheduling the meeting, when he had been emailing me about a different issue the day before and had not asked about scheduling a meeting.
United Mice gave us a detailed list of things that we would and would not need and told us what to pack. But they did not tell us is that we would be carrying an additional shopping bag full of food that the company was supplying to us. I would have allowed more room in my backpack if they had told me that I was going to be caring a shopping bag up the Inca Trail.
Most annoying, our guide, Danny, left us on our day at Machu Picchu. He was supposed to give us a guided tour of Machu Picchu, as outlined in both the emails that we were provided, as well as in our orientation with Milton. Danny even confirmed this on the day that we were doing our hike. I asked who will be doing our tour of Machu Picchu, and he said "I will be your guide to Machu Picchu". On the day that we got to Machu Picchu however, we took a bus up to Machu Picchu from Aquas Calientes, and as soon as we arrived he said that he had to go back down to Aquas Calientes to purchase his train ticket back to Cusco. We were literally at the train station the day before. I do not understand why he did not purchase his ticket the day before (or when we booked out trip 2 months in advance). I suspect that he wanted to get home to his family and did not want to do our day tour of Machu Picchu. When I pressed him about our day tour - which was supposed to be included in the trip - he said that he was not able to do it because he had to purchase the train ticket. I had booked our tour 2 months in advance, he should have had PLENTY of time to book his train ticket in advance. He just didn't want to do it. We quite literally flew in from halfway around the world to see this wonder of the world, and our guide would not wait to do our tour. Because of this we actually had to hire an independent tour guide at Machu Picchu. This was an additional fee which was incurred by us, for a part of our package which was supposed to be included.
In addition, even though we booked our tour three months in advance, it appeared that Milton did not purchase our train tickets until the day before. This is after I had "urgently" Western Union'd him cash for all three of our tours. Because of this all of our train tickets were in separate cars. This was very challenging because my mom and sister do not speak any Spanish. They were relying on me for communication. My mom and sister were both afraid being on separate cars away from me. However because United Mice did not book our train tickets together, we were not able to switch our seats.
Overall, the entire experience was disappointing. I wish we had just gone with one of the larger competitors. I did Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail a few years ago and had a much better experience with a different company. I kept hoping that things with United Mice would get better and they never did. Leaving us on Machu Picchu without our day tour was really awful, as was just the overall attitude and poor planning. I would not book with them again.
Written September 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz H
Seattle, WA14 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
My husband and I spent two weeks in Peru (Lima, Cuzco, Puerto Maldonado, etc.), and the 4D/3N trek with United Mice was our favorite part! I would second all the wonderful things that everyone else has said in other reviews. They handled all the logistics for traveling on the trail, our equipment and food, entrance to Machu Picchu, and transportation to and from Cuzco, and we didn't have to worry about anything. I don't think I know how to convey how much we enjoyed traveling with United Mice: the great service, amazing food, breathtaking views, etc. Hiking along the Inka Trail surrounded by the beauty of the Andes was just spectacular. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience. (Unless we go back to Peru, because we would for sure trek with United Mice again so it might be a twice or more in a lifetime experience!)
Our guide, Lizandro, was awesome. He was great to trek with and was so knowledgeable about the area, wildlife, and Incan history. Our cook, Antonia, was also awesome and cooked delicious meals (I don't know how she did it with trekking cookware!). We had fried yucca, alpaca, delicious garlic crusted fish, chicken, pancakes, etc. and popcorn and other snacks at tea time. They also catered to my peanut allergy, and adjusted the meals accordingly.
The schedule was great. We had three hot meals per day (no breakfast on the first day and no lunch or dinner on the fourth) and tea time, and plenty of time to explore the ruins along the trail. Lizandro always gave us a tour/explanation of the different ruins we visited. Most of the time we were the only ones hiking our part of the trail and often the only people at each of the ruins. The views were phenomenal! We hiked the farthest on the first day, 15km, then progressively less on each day, which was really nice. The third day we only hiked for the morning before we reached our campsite, and then we got to explore Wanaywayna.
There are many companies that do the Classic Inka Trail trek and campsites are often shared by other groups from different companies. It's a well traveled trail, so campsites are designated sites assigned to the different trekking groups. Our first campsite was just our group, and the second two nights there were other groups in the adjacent camping areas (as you get closer to Machu Picchu, there are more people).
One of the reasons I decided to go with United Mice is that they guarantee your trip even with just two people. Also, we were able to pick our own start day, which was great for our tightly scheduled trip. It was early in the season (we went in March), so there was only one another person in our group. In addition to our guide and cook, we had four porters carrying the tents and food stuff. I couldn't have been happier with everyone in our small group!
I was really worried about wiring money to the company for the deposit, because in the US, that's usually a sure sign that it is a scam. But it was totally fine. if you do your research, you'll find that many Peruvian companies do that (we did that for our Amazon trek through Wasai, which was also an amazing experience). So if you are like me, don't worry, they're a legitimate company, and you'll have a great time!
Many of the trekking companies offer very similar services. If you are looking at different trekking companies, know that for all of them, it's the same trail(if you do the Classic Inca Trail), similar schedules, and potentially the same porters, cooks, and guides, as they may work for several different companies. However, I can only imagine that the best cooks and guides know who the best companies are, so you don't want to go with a companies that cuts corners. I cannot speak for the other trekking companies, but I know that United Mice offer professional service, a good price, and a great trekking experience. You could spend a lot of time looking at all the different companies, but really, you should just go with United Mice, because they're great!
Our guide, Lizandro, was awesome. He was great to trek with and was so knowledgeable about the area, wildlife, and Incan history. Our cook, Antonia, was also awesome and cooked delicious meals (I don't know how she did it with trekking cookware!). We had fried yucca, alpaca, delicious garlic crusted fish, chicken, pancakes, etc. and popcorn and other snacks at tea time. They also catered to my peanut allergy, and adjusted the meals accordingly.
The schedule was great. We had three hot meals per day (no breakfast on the first day and no lunch or dinner on the fourth) and tea time, and plenty of time to explore the ruins along the trail. Lizandro always gave us a tour/explanation of the different ruins we visited. Most of the time we were the only ones hiking our part of the trail and often the only people at each of the ruins. The views were phenomenal! We hiked the farthest on the first day, 15km, then progressively less on each day, which was really nice. The third day we only hiked for the morning before we reached our campsite, and then we got to explore Wanaywayna.
There are many companies that do the Classic Inka Trail trek and campsites are often shared by other groups from different companies. It's a well traveled trail, so campsites are designated sites assigned to the different trekking groups. Our first campsite was just our group, and the second two nights there were other groups in the adjacent camping areas (as you get closer to Machu Picchu, there are more people).
One of the reasons I decided to go with United Mice is that they guarantee your trip even with just two people. Also, we were able to pick our own start day, which was great for our tightly scheduled trip. It was early in the season (we went in March), so there was only one another person in our group. In addition to our guide and cook, we had four porters carrying the tents and food stuff. I couldn't have been happier with everyone in our small group!
I was really worried about wiring money to the company for the deposit, because in the US, that's usually a sure sign that it is a scam. But it was totally fine. if you do your research, you'll find that many Peruvian companies do that (we did that for our Amazon trek through Wasai, which was also an amazing experience). So if you are like me, don't worry, they're a legitimate company, and you'll have a great time!
Many of the trekking companies offer very similar services. If you are looking at different trekking companies, know that for all of them, it's the same trail(if you do the Classic Inca Trail), similar schedules, and potentially the same porters, cooks, and guides, as they may work for several different companies. However, I can only imagine that the best cooks and guides know who the best companies are, so you don't want to go with a companies that cuts corners. I cannot speak for the other trekking companies, but I know that United Mice offer professional service, a good price, and a great trekking experience. You could spend a lot of time looking at all the different companies, but really, you should just go with United Mice, because they're great!
Written April 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Syanne P
London, UK6 contributions
Dec 2013 • Solo
I completed the 4d/3n Inca Trail with United Mice in early December. The name almost put off a few of us in our group, but we were all extremely pleased we stuck with them! The overall experience was tremendous and couldn't have asked for a more efficient and satisfying trek.
There were 9 of us trekking in total and Milton was our guide. When booking, United Mice sent over a thorough itinerary and in case anything was missed we had a step by step orientation a few days before the trek. It was during this I found out that unlike the other groups doing the trail we actually trek a few km further on the first day to reach an AMAZING campsite. Yes it makes the first day a bit of a long haul, but its well worth it when you reach the almost exclusive site at the highest altitude on the trail. It also makes each subsequent day of trekking easier and puts you ahead of a lot of the groups. So by the the third day you get an afternoon of rest before reaching the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu at sunrise (I'm pretty sure we were the 2nd or 3rd group to get there).
Their website gives a great breakdown of what each day entails but some of the highlights from united mice included a morning wake up call with coca tea delivered to your tent and once we were up and ready, we met in the dining tent for a warm breakfast to get us going. Every meal was beyond expectations - always a different tasty soup to start followed by a very filling and delicious varied main course, even a desert with dinner!
The porters and chef were astounding, we usually left well before them as they took the time to dismantle our tents. However they were quick to catch up and were always ready and waiting with afternoon tea and a snack at the campsite by the time we arrived.
It goes without saying that with whomever you trek with, the sights, views and landmarks along the Inca Trail are going to be breathtaking. However, it is a tough hike and for a tour company to make it as comfortable as possible honestly allows you to enjoy it to the fullest. Milton was great at keeping a pace suited to all in our group and gave us a thorough insight to all the sights and stops on the way. All the equipment was in good condition, though you may wish to bring your own sleeping mat for some extra padding if you're a fussy camper.
We reached Macchu Picchu bright and early and we're given a guided tour and opportunity to explore the ruins. For those who have opted for the extra hike up Huayna Picchu this is when you get to go, you may be thinking an extra 360m is the last thing you want to do by the time you get there, but assure you its worth it! Keep your pace, even the elderly day tourists managed to get to tackle it and the views are unbeatable.
After we had our fill of Macchu Picchu our group caught up with Milton in a bar in Aguas Calientes, "Macchu Pisco", for a well deserved Pisco Sour (my favorite one since my trip to Peru). Though tired and a rather scruffy by the end of it, it was the trip of a lifetime and we were all very glad that we trekked with United Mice.
There were 9 of us trekking in total and Milton was our guide. When booking, United Mice sent over a thorough itinerary and in case anything was missed we had a step by step orientation a few days before the trek. It was during this I found out that unlike the other groups doing the trail we actually trek a few km further on the first day to reach an AMAZING campsite. Yes it makes the first day a bit of a long haul, but its well worth it when you reach the almost exclusive site at the highest altitude on the trail. It also makes each subsequent day of trekking easier and puts you ahead of a lot of the groups. So by the the third day you get an afternoon of rest before reaching the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu at sunrise (I'm pretty sure we were the 2nd or 3rd group to get there).
Their website gives a great breakdown of what each day entails but some of the highlights from united mice included a morning wake up call with coca tea delivered to your tent and once we were up and ready, we met in the dining tent for a warm breakfast to get us going. Every meal was beyond expectations - always a different tasty soup to start followed by a very filling and delicious varied main course, even a desert with dinner!
The porters and chef were astounding, we usually left well before them as they took the time to dismantle our tents. However they were quick to catch up and were always ready and waiting with afternoon tea and a snack at the campsite by the time we arrived.
It goes without saying that with whomever you trek with, the sights, views and landmarks along the Inca Trail are going to be breathtaking. However, it is a tough hike and for a tour company to make it as comfortable as possible honestly allows you to enjoy it to the fullest. Milton was great at keeping a pace suited to all in our group and gave us a thorough insight to all the sights and stops on the way. All the equipment was in good condition, though you may wish to bring your own sleeping mat for some extra padding if you're a fussy camper.
We reached Macchu Picchu bright and early and we're given a guided tour and opportunity to explore the ruins. For those who have opted for the extra hike up Huayna Picchu this is when you get to go, you may be thinking an extra 360m is the last thing you want to do by the time you get there, but assure you its worth it! Keep your pace, even the elderly day tourists managed to get to tackle it and the views are unbeatable.
After we had our fill of Macchu Picchu our group caught up with Milton in a bar in Aguas Calientes, "Macchu Pisco", for a well deserved Pisco Sour (my favorite one since my trip to Peru). Though tired and a rather scruffy by the end of it, it was the trip of a lifetime and we were all very glad that we trekked with United Mice.
Written January 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Syanne,
Thank you so much for such a nice review.
We have shown it to Milthon and Lidio, and they are happy to know
you enjoyed the trek.
As a company with more than 15 years of experience, we cannot
make nothing but the best effort for our customers.
We hope you can come back some time soon!
Sincerely,
The United Mice Team
Written March 5, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Olivier M
Dubai, United Arab Emirates210 contributions
Dec 2019 • Solo
Had the fortune to find United Mice online after the travel agent recommended by my hotel let me down. They wrapped up a 4 days tailored trip in no time and pretty much everything was close to perfect:
- cusco tour with its surrounding sites
- rainbow mountains
- machu picchu
They also had great advice on how to plan the trip (staying only one night in aguas calientes for instance) which really improved the quality of my stay. Their guide Harold was with me most of the excursions, he is very knowledgeable and passionate about his job.
Highly recommended!
- cusco tour with its surrounding sites
- rainbow mountains
- machu picchu
They also had great advice on how to plan the trip (staying only one night in aguas calientes for instance) which really improved the quality of my stay. Their guide Harold was with me most of the excursions, he is very knowledgeable and passionate about his job.
Highly recommended!
Written December 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frederic A
Macon, France12 contributions
Jul 2017 • Friends
I was a bit retissant to send a down payment via western union from halfway across Europe to united mice but I am glad I did. The office is a bit off track in cusco and the orientation was too detailed and too long. We had to cut it short. Warning. Half of the stuff Sal you will want to experience on your own and will. The trip was amazing. Yes it physical no joke. But our guide Alex was well informed kept us into the hard pace sometime but also knew when to slow down. Great organisation. Amazing food from start to finish except our last meal at agua caliente. Horrible. Too bad to end in that note. But what a great experience on the last day to see matchu picchu. Just pure joy. Anyway. I highly recommend it but be prepare to walk and walk. Enjoy
Written July 8, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What does everyone do with their luggage while on the short treks?
Written August 19, 2018
ReservationsUM
Cusco, Peru
Hello Kelly,
Normally they, leave their extra luggage in the storage room of their hotel or in our storage room of our office.
Regards.
United Mice.
Written September 7, 2018
Are water bottles provided by the tour company for the 2 day 1 night tour? We're traveling with United mice.
Written June 28, 2016
Hello! I'm interested in either the 3D/2N or 2D/1N tour starting April 6th (permits are still available). (Wanted to do the Classic but April 5th dates are out and we can only arrive on the 5th). I was wondering what are the costs for 2 people? I was not able to find this information on the website. Thank you for your help in advance!
Written January 14, 2016
We paid 750 US dollars which included tickets to Wayna Picchu also. We spoke to other people later in the trip and they said they got it for 500 elsewhere. Maybe go and check with them in person and bargain. Worth every cent as far as i am concerned such an adventure. Hope that helps
Written January 15, 2016
Showing results 1-3 of 3
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.