Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

Lynne Willett and her husband at Machu Picchu.

Lynne Willett and her husband spent a “flawless” week in Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

We just returned from a 2 week tour of Peru planned by Mark on Marisol’s team. Five stars are definitely not enough! Mark listened and crafted a trip including dinner reservations at the best restaurants in the world. From incredible guides to personalized special moments we could not have asked for more. Everything was flawless! We felt cared for and safe but best of all we learned so much, did so much, and came home feeling we had an incredible adventure.

A WOW Moment was included on this trip at MIL, a restaurant in the Sacred Valley (sister restaurant to Central, the 2023 best restaurant in the world). It was an 8-course lunch that was the most inventive, educational and delicious experience we’ve ever had. They are preserving Incan agriculture and technique paired with dishes and utensils that were pure art! This was a cherished experience we felt so fortunate to have!

We spent 3 days in Lima followed by a week in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, then a 4 day Amazon boat cruise. Excursions included fly fishing, horseback riding, the Hiram Bingham train, gourmet picnics, and personal BBQs and many archeological sites. Peru’s reputation as a foodie destination is well deserved! Our guides—shout out to Angie, Erika and Maria Antoinette—made our experience unforgettable. The lodging choices were exquisite. Most of all, in our early 70s, I felt so blessed to be able to see and fully experience this bucket list destination. Thanks to our guide, I did it all!

We travel a lot and this company is remarkable! I really liked their travel app too—all your travel info at your fingertips. We didn’t have a single problem. They made absolutely sure of that!!

Karen Lindfors and her husband in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

Karen Lindfors and her husband enjoy a river hike in an Atacama red rock canyon.

We arrived in the Atacama Desert of Chile following a trip to Antarctica. What a change in scenery! Mark planned our journey to the Atacama which was supposed to be followed by an overland traversa into Bolivia (more on that later). We stayed at the Explora Atacama Hotel and we cannot say enough about how wonderful it was. Mark had arranged a private guide and driver for us so we were able to pick and choose the “explorations” we took part in. We did a wondrous variety of things, from soaking in a private natural hot spring to sliding down sand dunes to doing a river hike in a beautiful red rock canyon. Our visit was capped off with a trip to see the geyser field on the altiplano at 14,000 feet of elevation, which included a breakfast while we watched vicunas roam. Magnificent!

We were only supposed to stay at the Explora Atacama for three nights before journeying into Bolivia, but on our first full day there my husband developed a kidney stone. The hotel staff and our guide could not have been more helpful or kinder. Maureen, the hotel manager, arranged for a doctor to come to the hotel. She also drove us to the pharmacy in San Pedro de Atacama several times. They were in contact with Mark’s team who kept track of our situation. My husband found that walking and being active kept the pain level down so he was able to enjoy all but one of the excursions.

Knowing that we were going to be in a remote part of Bolivia at high altitude, we decided it was best to cancel that part of our trip. We returned home, kidney stone and all, after staying at the Explora for five nights. Mark has been very helpful and prompt in getting documents to us so that we can make a claim on our insurance. Three days after we returned home, my husband passed the stone and is pain free. We are so grateful that both Mark’s team and the Explora folks took such good care of us. We would not hesitate to use them in future travels.

Will and Kate Nury with a local and his alpaca in Palcoyo, Peru.

Will and Kate Nury meet a local and his alpaca while climbing Palcoyo. Photo: Traveler Beth Nury

Our 2024 holiday trip did not disappoint! We selected Peru as our destination due to the warm weather, direct flight from Newark to Lima and time zone consistent with EST. Marisol’s colleague Mark and his supporting cast did a great job of getting us acclimated to Peru’s higher altitude by starting our trip in Lima, then moving to higher elevated locations (Cusco) in preparation for our climb at Palcoyo (4,975m/16,300 ft.), a lesser-known rainbow mountain with few visitors.

One trip highlight included hiking the one day Inca Trail with our guide Johann. As with other trips booked with Wendy’s WOW List planners, the tour guides make the trip. Johann was patient with all of us (two teens and two adults that hike at different speeds!), knowledgeable about the plethora of relics we encountered, and willing to share the names of local restaurants in Cusco which were outstanding and affordable!

When departing from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado en route to the Amazon rainforest, we ran into a three-hour flight delay with Latam Airlines. (From discussions with locals, Latam is notoriously late with domestic flights.) The delay caused us to miss our river boat transport and spend a night in Puerto Maldonado. Thankfully, Yasmin, an advisor with Mark’s team, secured a night at a local hotel and coordinated an early morning pick up with the Tambopata Research Center Lodge staff.

Another trip highlight was the Tambopata Research Center. Wildlife sightings were plentiful and the staff educated on the conservation efforts of the lodge. Temperatures are high, but the guides set a reasonable pace and planned hikes in the early morning, to avoid the afternoon oppressive heat.

Since our return flight did not leave until midnight and we arrived at the airport from Tambopata in the early afternoon, we reserved day rooms at the Wyndham Lima Airport Hotel, which offered a comfortable place to shower, relax and eat before the red eye flight to Newark. I highly recommend it!

Audrey Moore with family and the Lamay community at the Sacred Valley in Peru.

It was so special to make friends and see how people live a simpler life high in the Andes.

Our trip to Peru was one my family will remember forever. We started in the Amazon rainforest, and saw so much wildlife at the Tambopata Research Center. This really felt like a special place, and we felt very far away from civilization. My kids loved the birds, monkeys and boat rides. The food was great, our guide Dino was wonderful, and we had a great experience. The morning watching the macaws at the clay lick was a highlight. But we were pretty ready to escape the heat and the bugs after 3 days and get to the cooler air in the Andes.

We absolutely loved our time in the Sacred Valley and Cusco. The resort at Sol Y Luna was so nice that we had to force ourselves to leave to go adventuring each day. Our favorite day of the trip was the day we spent at the Lamay Village. It was so special to make friends and see how people live a simpler life high in the Andes. We also loved our one-day hike on the Inca trail into Machu Picchu—incredible! My family could have spent several more days exploring Cusco as well.

Every hotel on this trip was perfection. Our guide Rogers and driver Jose were both incredible. The locals treated us with such kindness everywhere we went. There is so much to see and do in Peru…10 days just wasn’t enough time!

The WOW List: Best Local Travel Fixers Worldwide

by Wendy Perrin | July 1, 2025

How to Get an Extraordinary Trip: Wendy’s WOW Way

by Wendy Perrin | January 1, 2023

Wendy Wants To Amp Up Your Trip!

by WendyPerrin.com | January 1, 2023

Our Latest Newsletters