Adventure Tours
3+ days
Recommended by 96% of travelers
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from
$1,217.95
per adult
Bioandean Expeditions
Bioandean Expeditions
4.5
Cultural Tours • Historical & Heritage Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Hiking & Camping Tours
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9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Full view
About
We are widely for ground breaking Responsible Tourism Initiatives We are a Licenced 100% Local Tour Operator Agency based in Cusco Peru and having a professional team in tourism our main goal is to satisfy utterly the visitors who choose to discover this part of the world. We mainly operate in the area of Cusco where we offer an ample diversity of tours classified as conventional tours and Expeditions to the Peruvian Amazon Jungle. We offers of course the visit of the sanctuary of machupicchu, a city tour of Cusco where you will be pleased about the wonderful streets, churches and the Natural Landscapes of this region
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
389 reviews
Excellent
315
Very good
42
Average
15
Poor
6
Terrible
12
Eva
3 contributions
Jan 2020
Together with two friends I booked the Salkantay 5D/4N trek through BioAndean expeditions. All in all we've had a great experience. The explanation provided to us in advance was very clear. They've also helped us beyond the basic booking of the Salkantay trek. We wanted to climb Huayna Picchu as well and stay in Machu Picchu all day (the regular tour would leave for the bus at 11am), so they explained the different options to us and in the end booked Huayna Picchu and an evening train for us.
On the day that we left there was some confusion though. Apparently not enough people booked with BioAndean so they grouped us with people who booked through Machu Picchu reservations. This was fine, but it would've been nice to know in advance. Now there was some confusion in the morning as to whether we were in the right place. The people who booked with the other company were told a different, later meeting time so we had been waiting from 4:30 to 5:15 before we were finally picked up. Also, they had told us we would receive our sleeping bags the morning of the trek, but since we were now brought to the office of MP reservations we didn't have them. Luckily, our guide Steven in the end got them for us, but it was a bit of a stressful start this way. Finally, on the fourth day apparently the people who booked with MP reservations could choose to do an extra hike that was not part of our booking. While they chose not to do it, for us it felt weird that we didn't even get this choice. Such differences between companies should be communicated better, especially if you group people from different companies together. Even if the extra hike cost more, we might have been willing to pay that money anyway, so in the future we'd advise you to please include everyone in these decisions.
Apart from those differences between the two companies we've had an amazing experience though! Apart from the trek being absolutely gorgeous, we felt incredibly lucky with our guide, Steven, who was not only very knowledgeable but also went out of his way to make us feel like a family. He really made sure everyone felt comfortable and he made the whole experience extremely pleasant. In addition, the cooks were amazing! They made so much food and it all tasted amazing. I'm a vegetarian myself and for every meal they prepared a tasty vegetarian alternative to the meat they would serve to the others. All in all it was a very good experience!
On the day that we left there was some confusion though. Apparently not enough people booked with BioAndean so they grouped us with people who booked through Machu Picchu reservations. This was fine, but it would've been nice to know in advance. Now there was some confusion in the morning as to whether we were in the right place. The people who booked with the other company were told a different, later meeting time so we had been waiting from 4:30 to 5:15 before we were finally picked up. Also, they had told us we would receive our sleeping bags the morning of the trek, but since we were now brought to the office of MP reservations we didn't have them. Luckily, our guide Steven in the end got them for us, but it was a bit of a stressful start this way. Finally, on the fourth day apparently the people who booked with MP reservations could choose to do an extra hike that was not part of our booking. While they chose not to do it, for us it felt weird that we didn't even get this choice. Such differences between companies should be communicated better, especially if you group people from different companies together. Even if the extra hike cost more, we might have been willing to pay that money anyway, so in the future we'd advise you to please include everyone in these decisions.
Apart from those differences between the two companies we've had an amazing experience though! Apart from the trek being absolutely gorgeous, we felt incredibly lucky with our guide, Steven, who was not only very knowledgeable but also went out of his way to make us feel like a family. He really made sure everyone felt comfortable and he made the whole experience extremely pleasant. In addition, the cooks were amazing! They made so much food and it all tasted amazing. I'm a vegetarian myself and for every meal they prepared a tasty vegetarian alternative to the meat they would serve to the others. All in all it was a very good experience!
Written February 8, 2020
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.
James
Toronto, Canada2 contributions
Dec 2019
I much preferred this trek to the inca trail. The landscape is more dramatic and the trek has more variety, although it lack additional sites to visit enroute. The trek is challenging. I did the five day trek with Bioandean Expeditions and I reccommend the five day overvthe four day trek as this leaves little time to fully visit te site.This trek was well organised with a guide, a cook and horsemen. There were three people in the group. The food was excellent up restaurant level meals using a two ring gas hob.
The guide Marcos was also excellent, taking great care of the group and explaining about the plants, landscape and of course the site.
This trek is not as popular as others and so you do not meet many other groups and the other groups also tended to be small. Highly recommended.
The guide Marcos was also excellent, taking great care of the group and explaining about the plants, landscape and of course the site.
This trek is not as popular as others and so you do not meet many other groups and the other groups also tended to be small. Highly recommended.
Written January 3, 2020
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.
CocosGeta
Princeton24 contributions
Apr 2014 • Family
This review comes from a slightly overweight 60 year old woman who never goes to the gym, does not jog, does not play any sports. But I must confess I have been hiking in high mountains every summer of my life. So, yes, while I am not in great shape, I am used to mountains.
My first and most important advice: take strong mosquito repellent. We used a lot of it but of a lower deet content and wore long sleeves and yet got totally disfigured by the bites. All the people we saw, of different nationalities, hence with different insect-repellents, had scary looking limbs.
You know the description from other reviews: you go down 1400m before you climb them back on the other side of the valley. The track is not easy but it somehow does not feel as exhausting as you'd imagine. That could be because at each point there is an amazing view, you are constantly in what to Europeans and Yankees seems like a botanical garden (plants we're used to seeing in a pot indoors are bigger than houses there). I strongly suspect that part of my strength came from the coca I was consuming through the tea with which we started our day as well as some chewing (coca leaves are sold everywhere).
I went there with Bioandean. Our group consisted beside myself of my 28 year old son, and another mother with a girl in her 20s. We took the 4 day 3 night trip instead of the longer one because of our schedule constraints. We definitely did not have enough time at the ruins but to a large extent it was the fault of the trip planning. If you can, do the longer trip but beware that that means another night in a tent. My son, being in great shape, gained more than an hour at each half day stretch, so for younger people who go faster, the 3 day trip could be enough.
The problem with our trip was that we got to the base camp for Choquequirao too late in the day and visited the ruins just before sunset, for only a few hours. It could have been longer had we tightened a bit the daily schedules to help us arrive to the base camp at least by noon.
One suggestion I have is to shorten the lunch breaks, especially on the first day, when you go down and it's not as exhausting. That would get you to the bottom of the valley early enough to cross the river and start the uphill track. There is a lovely camping place about one hour up the hill.
The meals Bioandean offers are absolutely fantastic and the cook we had, Santiago, was fit for a 3 star restaurant. He cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner, each with multiple courses, all fresh and delicious.
However, when you are tight on time and you spend a lot of resources to see unique ruins, you can forego a good lunch for a quick cold one in order to gain more time seeing what you actually came for.
We could have gotten to the higher camp ground for the first night had we: 1 not spent so much time up at the top after getting our of the car. 2. had a quick, sandwich lunch. We also waited in Cusco, in the car, for a long time to get the supplies. That could have been done on the eve of our departure.
I strongly advise you to ask that you start the descent as early as possible and spend the night on the uphill track. Insist on getting to the base camp at least by noon and off to the ruins immediately. And if possible, avoid a stop at the farm 1/2 way on the stretch from the car to the river. It is filthy! There is another spot for camping a bit higher; ask to stay there overnight. The two stops on the other side of the valley are both at lovely, clean farms.
Because we spent the night at the lowest point, the second day was the most difficult, with more than 2000m elevation gain (if you count all the ups as there are some downs!). The longer lunch break was welcome but there too, it dragged too long; had we not had to wait so much we could have arrived at the ruins earlier.
About Bioandean: overall we were satisfied with them and would recommend them. Our guide and helpers were efficient and very nice. Our tents were comfortable, the food, as I said, amazing. The schedule could have been planned better.
Another problem was that at Choquequirao we were again delayed by a lengthy lecture on the Incas. In principle, it would have been nice to sit there on the old walls and listen to the history. But, since we got there so late, spending half hour listening to something most of us knew from our preparations for the trip as well as having visited museums in Cusco, plus Machu Picchu. On the 4 day trip that lecture can be delivered during dinner the previous night when you have nothing to do.
We rushed down to the Llama terraces which should not be missed, and then back up to the ruins but did not have time to linger nor to see everything. We missed the upper part of the site and returned to the camp in the dark.
The area is beautiful and there's a lot to see (some terraces and ruins on the other side of the mountain from the Llama terraces) so if you can, spend two nights there and have a full day lingering among the ruins and taking in the landscape.
My first and most important advice: take strong mosquito repellent. We used a lot of it but of a lower deet content and wore long sleeves and yet got totally disfigured by the bites. All the people we saw, of different nationalities, hence with different insect-repellents, had scary looking limbs.
You know the description from other reviews: you go down 1400m before you climb them back on the other side of the valley. The track is not easy but it somehow does not feel as exhausting as you'd imagine. That could be because at each point there is an amazing view, you are constantly in what to Europeans and Yankees seems like a botanical garden (plants we're used to seeing in a pot indoors are bigger than houses there). I strongly suspect that part of my strength came from the coca I was consuming through the tea with which we started our day as well as some chewing (coca leaves are sold everywhere).
I went there with Bioandean. Our group consisted beside myself of my 28 year old son, and another mother with a girl in her 20s. We took the 4 day 3 night trip instead of the longer one because of our schedule constraints. We definitely did not have enough time at the ruins but to a large extent it was the fault of the trip planning. If you can, do the longer trip but beware that that means another night in a tent. My son, being in great shape, gained more than an hour at each half day stretch, so for younger people who go faster, the 3 day trip could be enough.
The problem with our trip was that we got to the base camp for Choquequirao too late in the day and visited the ruins just before sunset, for only a few hours. It could have been longer had we tightened a bit the daily schedules to help us arrive to the base camp at least by noon.
One suggestion I have is to shorten the lunch breaks, especially on the first day, when you go down and it's not as exhausting. That would get you to the bottom of the valley early enough to cross the river and start the uphill track. There is a lovely camping place about one hour up the hill.
The meals Bioandean offers are absolutely fantastic and the cook we had, Santiago, was fit for a 3 star restaurant. He cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner, each with multiple courses, all fresh and delicious.
However, when you are tight on time and you spend a lot of resources to see unique ruins, you can forego a good lunch for a quick cold one in order to gain more time seeing what you actually came for.
We could have gotten to the higher camp ground for the first night had we: 1 not spent so much time up at the top after getting our of the car. 2. had a quick, sandwich lunch. We also waited in Cusco, in the car, for a long time to get the supplies. That could have been done on the eve of our departure.
I strongly advise you to ask that you start the descent as early as possible and spend the night on the uphill track. Insist on getting to the base camp at least by noon and off to the ruins immediately. And if possible, avoid a stop at the farm 1/2 way on the stretch from the car to the river. It is filthy! There is another spot for camping a bit higher; ask to stay there overnight. The two stops on the other side of the valley are both at lovely, clean farms.
Because we spent the night at the lowest point, the second day was the most difficult, with more than 2000m elevation gain (if you count all the ups as there are some downs!). The longer lunch break was welcome but there too, it dragged too long; had we not had to wait so much we could have arrived at the ruins earlier.
About Bioandean: overall we were satisfied with them and would recommend them. Our guide and helpers were efficient and very nice. Our tents were comfortable, the food, as I said, amazing. The schedule could have been planned better.
Another problem was that at Choquequirao we were again delayed by a lengthy lecture on the Incas. In principle, it would have been nice to sit there on the old walls and listen to the history. But, since we got there so late, spending half hour listening to something most of us knew from our preparations for the trip as well as having visited museums in Cusco, plus Machu Picchu. On the 4 day trip that lecture can be delivered during dinner the previous night when you have nothing to do.
We rushed down to the Llama terraces which should not be missed, and then back up to the ruins but did not have time to linger nor to see everything. We missed the upper part of the site and returned to the camp in the dark.
The area is beautiful and there's a lot to see (some terraces and ruins on the other side of the mountain from the Llama terraces) so if you can, spend two nights there and have a full day lingering among the ruins and taking in the landscape.
Written February 28, 2015
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.
Monica S
1 contribution
Jan 2022
We did the 1 day hike up Humantay Lake with Bioandean Expeditions. Overall, we were pleased with the hike itself (be warned: it's pretty difficult due to the high elevation (14,000 feet) despite the short climbing time). We found the food (breakfast and lunch are provided) to be somewhat below-average compared to other restaurants in Peru but our main gripe was with the driver. He drove unbelievably recklessly, even for Peruvian standards, in the city and on mountain roads. We were nearly falling out of our seats the entire trip (over 3 hours in the bus) and I had a raging headache and back pain by the end. We were terrified the entire time. I'd still recommend the experience, but you are better off choosing a more reputable company.
Written January 7, 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.
dalpop
Garland, TX51 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
My husband and I (56 and 54) took the 4-day/3-night Salkantay Trek in July 2014. We did a lot of research beforehand to decide between booking early vs when we arrive. We were in Peru in the low season, so we didn't book our trip till we got to Cuzco. We were able to walk in at BioAndean (on the same street as our guesthouse) and book a trip that was leaving the following morning, which fit our schedule perfectly. We got super lucky to get the famous Jimmy Jhon as our guide--he truly made the trip worthwhile. However, we were booked with a party of 5 20-somethings from San Diego who were totally unprepared for the altitude and the strenuous nature of the trek itself (it truly didn't occur to them that there were no restrooms along the trail). Somehow, Jimmy Jhon kept his cool and kept us all headed the right direction, and never threw anyone off a cliff no matter how frustrated he must have been.
We were instructed to meet at a restaurant the night before we left to meet with our guide and get the duffel bags for our belongings. The duffels hold approx 7 liters of stuff, but your sleeping bag also takes up part of this space, so plan accordingly. Here's what I took for our trip:
trekking pants that rolled up to shorter pants
nylon shorts
cotton leggings
sock liners, trekking socks
1 long sleeve tee
1 short sleeve tee
1 long sleeve Columbia fishing shirt, UV protective, sleeves rolled up when it got hot
swimsuit (You'll want this at the hot springs at Santa Teresa) and a small towel
Patagonia fleece vest (zip up style)
REI anorak-style wind jacket with a hood (not lined, but double layered)
hat, scarf, trekking socks, boot liners, hiking boots. You'll want gloves, too, which we didn't have
toiletries; small pack Kleenex and a pack of Handi-Wipes
water bottle, refilled by cooks/porters daily (we just used a regular 'bottled water' bottle we'd bought in Cuzco, and kept refilling it)
sleeping bag/trekking poles (rented from our outfitter)
For the first two days I literally wore every article of clothing that I took except for the shorts and swimsuit, as it was very cold.
The 4-day trek begins at a trailhead closer to the summit, but the ascent is steep and the air is very thin so acclimatizing in Cuzco is a must. We were there 3 days before we left, and took regular aspirin (thins the blood) and garlic capsules to aid with altitude, and we drank coca tea and chewed coca leaves as often as they were available to us. We didn't take any type of altitude medication, and didn't find we needed it. If you move slowly during the acclimatizing process, chances are less that you'll get sick.
The girls in our group and I rented horses to ride to the summit, which took about 3 hrs. The guys all walked along with our guide. The scenery along the way is simply breath taking and well worth the exertion. We finally achieved the summit and posed for photos--and got snowed on!
Our cook, Santiago, turned out three 3-course meals a day for the seven of us, our guide, himself and his assistant and the porters on just a 2-burner camp stove. The food was excellent and varied, and we didn't go hungry. We didn't even need the snacks we had brought along!
In the mornings our porters would wake us up with coca tea and hot water to wash our faces. By the time we were up, dressed and ready for breakfast they'd broken camp and were nearly ready to get on the trail.
On the 4 day, 3 night trek you spend a night at a campsite on the mountain, a night at Santa Teresa close to the hot springs, and a night in AguasCalientes in a hotel arranged for by the trekking company--at least that's how our trekking company handled it. In Santa Teresa, our guide arranged a trip to the hot springs--a marvelous break after descending all day from the mountain. The next morning, instead of trekking to the coffee plantation as our itinerary called for, we opted instead to go ziplining--great fun! That took all morning. We then took a van ride to the hydroelectric plant, where we ate our last meal prepared by our cooks. The others of our party chose to ride the train to AguasCalientes (about $50 each) but we walked the last leg of the trip along the train tracks, about 15 km to town. It was a pleasant walk and we enjoyed the scenery.
This trek is hard, make no mistake--but the sense of accomplishment you feel when it's over is worth every step. The majestic views of the Andes along the trail are simply breath-taking. BioAndean was an excellent company to work with.
We were instructed to meet at a restaurant the night before we left to meet with our guide and get the duffel bags for our belongings. The duffels hold approx 7 liters of stuff, but your sleeping bag also takes up part of this space, so plan accordingly. Here's what I took for our trip:
trekking pants that rolled up to shorter pants
nylon shorts
cotton leggings
sock liners, trekking socks
1 long sleeve tee
1 short sleeve tee
1 long sleeve Columbia fishing shirt, UV protective, sleeves rolled up when it got hot
swimsuit (You'll want this at the hot springs at Santa Teresa) and a small towel
Patagonia fleece vest (zip up style)
REI anorak-style wind jacket with a hood (not lined, but double layered)
hat, scarf, trekking socks, boot liners, hiking boots. You'll want gloves, too, which we didn't have
toiletries; small pack Kleenex and a pack of Handi-Wipes
water bottle, refilled by cooks/porters daily (we just used a regular 'bottled water' bottle we'd bought in Cuzco, and kept refilling it)
sleeping bag/trekking poles (rented from our outfitter)
For the first two days I literally wore every article of clothing that I took except for the shorts and swimsuit, as it was very cold.
The 4-day trek begins at a trailhead closer to the summit, but the ascent is steep and the air is very thin so acclimatizing in Cuzco is a must. We were there 3 days before we left, and took regular aspirin (thins the blood) and garlic capsules to aid with altitude, and we drank coca tea and chewed coca leaves as often as they were available to us. We didn't take any type of altitude medication, and didn't find we needed it. If you move slowly during the acclimatizing process, chances are less that you'll get sick.
The girls in our group and I rented horses to ride to the summit, which took about 3 hrs. The guys all walked along with our guide. The scenery along the way is simply breath taking and well worth the exertion. We finally achieved the summit and posed for photos--and got snowed on!
Our cook, Santiago, turned out three 3-course meals a day for the seven of us, our guide, himself and his assistant and the porters on just a 2-burner camp stove. The food was excellent and varied, and we didn't go hungry. We didn't even need the snacks we had brought along!
In the mornings our porters would wake us up with coca tea and hot water to wash our faces. By the time we were up, dressed and ready for breakfast they'd broken camp and were nearly ready to get on the trail.
On the 4 day, 3 night trek you spend a night at a campsite on the mountain, a night at Santa Teresa close to the hot springs, and a night in AguasCalientes in a hotel arranged for by the trekking company--at least that's how our trekking company handled it. In Santa Teresa, our guide arranged a trip to the hot springs--a marvelous break after descending all day from the mountain. The next morning, instead of trekking to the coffee plantation as our itinerary called for, we opted instead to go ziplining--great fun! That took all morning. We then took a van ride to the hydroelectric plant, where we ate our last meal prepared by our cooks. The others of our party chose to ride the train to AguasCalientes (about $50 each) but we walked the last leg of the trip along the train tracks, about 15 km to town. It was a pleasant walk and we enjoyed the scenery.
This trek is hard, make no mistake--but the sense of accomplishment you feel when it's over is worth every step. The majestic views of the Andes along the trail are simply breath-taking. BioAndean was an excellent company to work with.
Written December 31, 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.
Sapper_Matt
Amherst, New York, United States7 contributions
Nov 2016 • Solo
For starters, this company is an agency, not the people that actually take you on the tour. I booked the Salkantay Trek 1 month in advance, only to find out when I arrived that they had cancelled the trip and I would need to go on a different trip as I had coordinated everything so I would be on Machu Picchu for my birthday.
Secondly, they charge double to triple the other local agencies and take ZERO responsibility or accountability for the people they send with these other companies. They tell you what you want to hear, knowing full well that once you are on your trip, there is little to nothing you can do to remedy the discrepancies in what they promised.
For example, never received any sort of briefing prior to the trek due to the office not being open, despite the hours on the door saying they would be. Next, they promised water each day of the Inca Jungle Trek. Day 1, no water. Day 2, hike 10 miles of the Inca Trail and got 1 liter of water. Day 3, hike 5 miles to Aquas Caliente and got 1 liter of water. Day 4, Hike up Machu Picchu, no water. The list of complaints goes on, but not worth the type space.
Lastly, when I returned to Cusco and asked for a refund of some of the funds. I was informed that it was my fault that tickets had to be changed due to me wanting to be on Machu Picchu for my birthday, not the fact that THEY cancelled my tour from day 1. I paid $400 for my Inca Jungle Trek, where the others in my group paid $200. The difference, I had the $60 train instead of the $10 bus. Wait.... it gets better, they requested the $2 birthday cake that I received the day before my birthday. Except it was the guide that paid for the cake out of his own pocket, not the Agency, though they still claim credit.
Spend your money elsewhere. There are much better companies in town that will provide exactly what they promise for an uninflated rate.
Secondly, they charge double to triple the other local agencies and take ZERO responsibility or accountability for the people they send with these other companies. They tell you what you want to hear, knowing full well that once you are on your trip, there is little to nothing you can do to remedy the discrepancies in what they promised.
For example, never received any sort of briefing prior to the trek due to the office not being open, despite the hours on the door saying they would be. Next, they promised water each day of the Inca Jungle Trek. Day 1, no water. Day 2, hike 10 miles of the Inca Trail and got 1 liter of water. Day 3, hike 5 miles to Aquas Caliente and got 1 liter of water. Day 4, Hike up Machu Picchu, no water. The list of complaints goes on, but not worth the type space.
Lastly, when I returned to Cusco and asked for a refund of some of the funds. I was informed that it was my fault that tickets had to be changed due to me wanting to be on Machu Picchu for my birthday, not the fact that THEY cancelled my tour from day 1. I paid $400 for my Inca Jungle Trek, where the others in my group paid $200. The difference, I had the $60 train instead of the $10 bus. Wait.... it gets better, they requested the $2 birthday cake that I received the day before my birthday. Except it was the guide that paid for the cake out of his own pocket, not the Agency, though they still claim credit.
Spend your money elsewhere. There are much better companies in town that will provide exactly what they promise for an uninflated rate.
Written December 3, 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.
lisa s
sao paulo2 contributions
Jun 2012 • Friends
Choquequirao is a less visited trail than the inca trail so we chose first to visit this place we did our tour in 5D/4N without rushing that much, we had a complete day in this breathtaking place, we liked the idea that we were the only people in this archeological site we spend one full day going from the foot of this mountain to the top exploring and listening to our tour guide Wilbert (yawwar is his quechua name) we suggeste to bring extra batteries for the thousand photos you will take.
We just finished our universite and we decide to explore Peru on our own, however when you dont speak proper spanish it can be very frustating to arrange things like that.
Once in Peru we talked with many agencies but none of them convensed us so we contacted a friend of us back in Brazil who already did this trail before for references, She highly recommended Bioandean Expeditions as local tour operator of Choquequirao trail and again she advised us to do it in 5d/4n.
We managed to contact this agency and we had a meeting with Rider the person in charged of this local operator and he explained step by step how this tour works.
To sum up we sixh had a private tour included Guide, cook horsemen and horses to carry all the equipment and food, our Guide Wilbert is a passioned guide when he had to explain about history and nature about choquequirao ,he even handle with a kind of book with historical pictures of the incas that made his explanations easier to understand if you go to choquequirao ask if your guide can be Wilber he is the best from our point of view.
The cook Miguel prepared us great food with a lot soup to keep us hydrated and with a lot energy for this demanding trek.
Do not take this tour as easy is very tough ( we arrange two extra horses just in case) and of course three of my colleagues got cramps after the second day. so they carried on by riding horses (we used a cable car to cross the Apurimacc river), Over all Choquequirao is the right place if you dont like crowdly treks
We just finished our universite and we decide to explore Peru on our own, however when you dont speak proper spanish it can be very frustating to arrange things like that.
Once in Peru we talked with many agencies but none of them convensed us so we contacted a friend of us back in Brazil who already did this trail before for references, She highly recommended Bioandean Expeditions as local tour operator of Choquequirao trail and again she advised us to do it in 5d/4n.
We managed to contact this agency and we had a meeting with Rider the person in charged of this local operator and he explained step by step how this tour works.
To sum up we sixh had a private tour included Guide, cook horsemen and horses to carry all the equipment and food, our Guide Wilbert is a passioned guide when he had to explain about history and nature about choquequirao ,he even handle with a kind of book with historical pictures of the incas that made his explanations easier to understand if you go to choquequirao ask if your guide can be Wilber he is the best from our point of view.
The cook Miguel prepared us great food with a lot soup to keep us hydrated and with a lot energy for this demanding trek.
Do not take this tour as easy is very tough ( we arrange two extra horses just in case) and of course three of my colleagues got cramps after the second day. so they carried on by riding horses (we used a cable car to cross the Apurimacc river), Over all Choquequirao is the right place if you dont like crowdly treks
Written June 23, 2012
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.
CelinaJ
Kerala10 contributions
May 2016 • Solo
I never write poor reviews, but my experience on the Choquequirao trek was completely unacceptable. Before writing this review, I contacted Bioandean in mid-May to express my concerns with the lack of professionalism and service on the trek. I still have not heard a response from them, not even to apologize or say that they took my claims seriously and would look into it. Their lack of response reinforces some of my concerns, and I highly encourage readers not to take an expedition with this company. I stayed in Cusco for 3.5 weeks and did two other treks with other companies which far surpassed Bioandean in terms of quality, service, and professionalism.
More specifically, to highlight a few of my concerns without writing an extensive list of all the issues:
- There were many issues with the guide, Sam, and his level of honesty overall, but during the day that we went to Choquequirao, Sam brought us to a hidden Inca tomb. He told us to be quiet and not to inform anyone of what we were about to see. He then proceeded to open up the tomb and pull out human remains. I cannot even express how shocking such behaviour from a guide was.
- We did not stay at the campsites highlighted in the itinerary. Instead we stayed at other campsites including 2 nights at the home of Sam's parents.
- We did not receive quality food of nutritional value. Most of our meals were a combination of potatoes, pasta, and rice. The quality of the food did not compare whatsoever to the quality I have received on other treks. I am lactose intolerant and this was not respected even though I informed Bioandean in advance about it.
- In this same regard, Sam asked us one night if we'd like to have chicken and guinea pig. We agreed, and he then told us we could have it for the 'good price of 150 soles' even though all meals are supposed to be included. It was the only night that we had a substantial amount of protein included in our meal. I questioned why we had to pay extra and it was dropped. It was clear that Sam was trying to make some extra cash.
- Sam told us that his girlfriend, Jennifer, was our second guide. It was clear from the beginning that Jennifer was not a guide at all. She did not engage with the group nor did she speak any English to be able to help us.
- on the third day Sam and Jennifer left late in order to say good bye to his family. The group did the entire trek without a guide, and waited for him for more than 20 minutes at the river only to see him and Jennifer leisurely walking down. Why pay for a guide who isn't guiding?
- I choose companies who support community development, cultural preservation and wildlife conservation. I believed this was the case with Bioandean since it has been featured on BBC, National Geographic etc. However, the entire group of horsemen, cooks etc. were all related to Sam. I don't know if this is the same case with other treks, but Bioandean is not contributing at all to the increase of local jobs along the Choquequirao trek, but rather to the financial gain of one particular family in what was clearly nepotism.
- Overall, Sam is an extremely dishonest person and the trek was managed completely inappropriately. He told us to prepare out tips at the end of the trip and then explained that he was saving because him and Jennifer want to start their own company.
I am a former UNESCO staff member, so I found some of the guide's behaviour, particularly the handling of the tomb and remains, disturbing and inappropriate. I initially attributed the poor experience to the guide; however, since I expressed my concerns to Bioandean to give them the benefit of the doubt before posting a review and they still haven't responded or taken my allegations seriously after 6 weeks, I am inclined to believe that the lack of service and professionalism can be attributed to the entire company.
I have also contacted UNESCO Peru, the BBC, and National Geographic to express my concerns and inform them particularly of the tomb incident as it is against national conversation laws. If you are thinking about going on a trek with Bioandean, and you would like to find out more from what I have written, please send me a private message.
More specifically, to highlight a few of my concerns without writing an extensive list of all the issues:
- There were many issues with the guide, Sam, and his level of honesty overall, but during the day that we went to Choquequirao, Sam brought us to a hidden Inca tomb. He told us to be quiet and not to inform anyone of what we were about to see. He then proceeded to open up the tomb and pull out human remains. I cannot even express how shocking such behaviour from a guide was.
- We did not stay at the campsites highlighted in the itinerary. Instead we stayed at other campsites including 2 nights at the home of Sam's parents.
- We did not receive quality food of nutritional value. Most of our meals were a combination of potatoes, pasta, and rice. The quality of the food did not compare whatsoever to the quality I have received on other treks. I am lactose intolerant and this was not respected even though I informed Bioandean in advance about it.
- In this same regard, Sam asked us one night if we'd like to have chicken and guinea pig. We agreed, and he then told us we could have it for the 'good price of 150 soles' even though all meals are supposed to be included. It was the only night that we had a substantial amount of protein included in our meal. I questioned why we had to pay extra and it was dropped. It was clear that Sam was trying to make some extra cash.
- Sam told us that his girlfriend, Jennifer, was our second guide. It was clear from the beginning that Jennifer was not a guide at all. She did not engage with the group nor did she speak any English to be able to help us.
- on the third day Sam and Jennifer left late in order to say good bye to his family. The group did the entire trek without a guide, and waited for him for more than 20 minutes at the river only to see him and Jennifer leisurely walking down. Why pay for a guide who isn't guiding?
- I choose companies who support community development, cultural preservation and wildlife conservation. I believed this was the case with Bioandean since it has been featured on BBC, National Geographic etc. However, the entire group of horsemen, cooks etc. were all related to Sam. I don't know if this is the same case with other treks, but Bioandean is not contributing at all to the increase of local jobs along the Choquequirao trek, but rather to the financial gain of one particular family in what was clearly nepotism.
- Overall, Sam is an extremely dishonest person and the trek was managed completely inappropriately. He told us to prepare out tips at the end of the trip and then explained that he was saving because him and Jennifer want to start their own company.
I am a former UNESCO staff member, so I found some of the guide's behaviour, particularly the handling of the tomb and remains, disturbing and inappropriate. I initially attributed the poor experience to the guide; however, since I expressed my concerns to Bioandean to give them the benefit of the doubt before posting a review and they still haven't responded or taken my allegations seriously after 6 weeks, I am inclined to believe that the lack of service and professionalism can be attributed to the entire company.
I have also contacted UNESCO Peru, the BBC, and National Geographic to express my concerns and inform them particularly of the tomb incident as it is against national conversation laws. If you are thinking about going on a trek with Bioandean, and you would like to find out more from what I have written, please send me a private message.
Written June 18, 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.
Eli_und_Chris
Basel, Switzerland9 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
We did the trek to Choquequirao in January 2014 with Bioandean Expeditions. Because it was the beginning of the rainy season there were only the two of us. Even though it was the beginning of the rainy season, it didn't rain once while we were hiking. We loved everything in these 4 days and 3 nights. For the first part from Cachora to Capuliyoc we took a motorbike because we wanted to make it to Santa Rosa the same day. The trek is quite demanding and you should have some experience in hiking. Taking walking sticks is highly recommended. The second day we left very early and arrived in Choquequirao already at 10 a.m. So we had more than 4 hours to explore the site before we went back. You really need at least 4 hours, the place is big. The ruins are amazing and the best thing is there are no tourists. When we arrived, we were the only ones. After two hours we met another guy who came by himself and that was it. It's a magical place and the atmosphere is not beeing destroyed by masses of other people. The second night we stayed in Marampata. We got up very early again on the third day and made our way back to Capuliyoc. That was the hardest day because you go 1300 meters down and 1500 meters up. The last day was easy, the way back to Cachora isn't difficult. So we had time to go to a local place to drink some corn beer and have lunch at the horseman's house.
Bioandean did a great job. Of course you can do the trip on your own, but we didn't want to carry all the camping equipment and like good food. We were happy with the equipment. The company provides new tents and sleeping bags of good quality. The food was outstanding. It was better than in many restaurants. Our cook Santiago served fresh and delicious food for every meal. We always got different things, even for breakfast. If you book with them don't expect to lose weight even though the trek is very strenous.
We were also very happy with our guide Abel. He knows so much about the Inka culture and also about the history of South America in general and about plants and animals. He explained everything we wanted to know in very good English. He could answer every question and gave us a great tour in the archeological site. It was really interesting and we also had a lot of fun.
Thanks to Rolando, our horseman, we only had to carry very small bags with water supply and snacks. He also brought us our morning tea directly to the tent. We are not used to such luxury.
On the bottom line we can say we definetly recommend Bioandean Expeditions. Of course you pay more than when you go on your own but for us it was worth it.
It's probably a good idea to visit Choquequirao in the next few years. We heard there are plans to build a cable car and then the place will be as crowded as Macchu Picchu.
Bioandean did a great job. Of course you can do the trip on your own, but we didn't want to carry all the camping equipment and like good food. We were happy with the equipment. The company provides new tents and sleeping bags of good quality. The food was outstanding. It was better than in many restaurants. Our cook Santiago served fresh and delicious food for every meal. We always got different things, even for breakfast. If you book with them don't expect to lose weight even though the trek is very strenous.
We were also very happy with our guide Abel. He knows so much about the Inka culture and also about the history of South America in general and about plants and animals. He explained everything we wanted to know in very good English. He could answer every question and gave us a great tour in the archeological site. It was really interesting and we also had a lot of fun.
Thanks to Rolando, our horseman, we only had to carry very small bags with water supply and snacks. He also brought us our morning tea directly to the tent. We are not used to such luxury.
On the bottom line we can say we definetly recommend Bioandean Expeditions. Of course you pay more than when you go on your own but for us it was worth it.
It's probably a good idea to visit Choquequirao in the next few years. We heard there are plans to build a cable car and then the place will be as crowded as Macchu Picchu.
Written January 19, 2015
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.
SaraplusJez
Newcastle, Australia18 contributions
Sep 2013 • Couples
We booked our trek with bioandean adventures because of the glowing reviews on trip advisor, we did loads of research and spoke to five or six companies before we booked and each company had a downside, except bioandean adventures. It was exactly the length of trek we wanted to do and was leaving on the dates we needed (we booked 2 days prior so very tight). The trek was fantastic, Abel and Hugo out guides were wonderful and really made the trip for us. Abel even took us to the Inca museum beforehand so we would have a better understanding of the history, incredible. The gear was absolutely fine, not top of the range but good value, the sleeping bags were warm and the rents kept us dry in the rain. The food was good and the ever flowing coca tea was appreciated. The trek was quite tough for me (completely inexperienced with medium fitness) but great for my boyfriend (fitter and more experienced) and most people on the trip found it no problem. There were 10 of us on the trek all around the same age which we really enjoyed. The accommodation on the last night in Aquas Callientes was also fine and the last day at Machu Picchu was absolutely incredible. The best part about the trip was that on the day we were to return to cusco, there was massive striking at the rail service. Abel spent all afternoon and evening running around try to find out what was going on and making sure we all got home. We all got on the last train home and it wasn't a huge deal in the end. This trek is very good value for the quality of trek and what you get to do and see.
Written November 26, 2013
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.
Scenic610487
Pamplona, Spain
Buenas, tengo una excursión Inca trail contratado con ustedes para Junio. Debido al coronavirus parece que no va a ser posible realizar el viaje a Peru durante esas fechas. Será posible replanificar el trail? Me mantienen la fianza ya pagada? Un saludo y gracias
NinexFruit
Oxford, UK
Hi, Thinking to book Puerto Maldonado Tambopata 3D/2N trip. Any recommendations or advises?
Thanks
pascalou1104
Manila, Philippines9 contributions
I have not been there. Cannot say anything.
Kjetil R
Skien, Norway2 contributions
Does they use english speaking guides?
Susanayalala
Erie, CO51 contributions
Our guide spoke perfect English. He spoke in English to our group (my native language is Spanish, but second language is English). He also knew Spanish, Quezchual (his first language), French and some Portugues.
Erin J
Hopewell12 contributions
Hi all,
I am booked for the 5D/4N Salkantay trek this coming July with 5 friends. I am excited, but hoping to train sufficiently for the difficulty. Can anyone estimate the mileage and elevation change by day for this trek? My impression is that the second day is the most difficult, but can't find details on exactly how many miles and what kinds of elevation change will be undertaken. Thanks!
Lia D
Vail, CO149 contributions
Hello everyone. My husband and I have paid our deposit to go on the salcantay trek with bioandean expeditions and judging by the reviews, thought we had made a good choice. However, now that it's several days before we leave, I can't seem to get a response from anyone. I have sent several emails and messages through their website, all which have gone unanswered. I just want to know if anyone else had this problem and to ensure that we didn't get ripped off. The last email I got was from rider when he picked up our deposit at western union, but nothing since. Should we be concerned? Thanks!
MeliMeds
Bangkok, Thailand122 contributions
Hi there, if it's still of help, I recently completed the trek with bioandean and while I did have my reservations about the western union payment, everything turned out excellently in the end. Definitely not a scam, they're a legitimate 100% cusquepan entity. Re your emails going unanswered, never faced that problem with the lead up to my trip but I know their website also suggests telephone contacts, may be worthwhile to try one of those? Hope it helps!
alias44
montreal, canada19 contributions
What is the hostal they use in aguas caliente. What is your opinion of it?
Thanks
hueppi
Managua, Nicaragua9 contributions
In Aguas Calientes BioAndean had us stay at the Incanto Hotel.
Private rooms, private bath, hot water, clean. Working cable tv and working wi-fi. They gave us a packed breakfast for our Machu Picchu day.
The hotel is very simple, nothing special at all. It is located way up the hill - which is a pain after long days of hiking.
The Incanto does not match with the pictures published on the website. But it is the hotel mentioned in the form you sign up with and make the contract.
It was okay for one short night. I would not recommend it for a 2nd night - especially as they charge you 50 $ for the extra night.
Chris S
Portland, OR3 contributions
Hey everyone,
I'm working on picking out a trekking tour to Machu Picchu for this May for my housemate and I. I really wanted to do a longer 5D/4N trip and was turned off by the huge amount of people on the Inca Trail (from stories of friends / reviews). This brought me to the Salkantay trip. After a lot of work, I identified Bioandean from reviews and looking through their itinerary. The company and reviews look great, but I can't find much about the company online and had their email rejected (bounced when I tried to reach them). I'm a little torn now, as I'm trying to make sure the company is legit and a good way to go. Any suggestions or additional information? I'll try to contact them again tomorrow (through some alternative to email I guess). Thanks.
travela03456
Milwaukee, WI11 contributions
Yes, they are definitely legit. I ran into the same problem once when trying to contact them and I think it has to do with the website. Keep trying. It is well worth it.
Bioandean Expeditions - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
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