How We Support Your Best Experience

We want to support you in having the best travel experience possible!

That is why, unlike many other travel agencies, we cover all the regular costs and arrangements associated with your trip with us (with a few exceptions listed below). Because we want you to relax and enjoy the trip, trusting that everything is taken care of.

Included in Your Trip:

  • Pick up from Cusco airport to your hotel and back to airport. (Unless you decide to stay beyond the parameters of your trip with us.)

  • Lodging accommodations while you are enrolled in our trip.

  • 3 Meals a day while you are enrolled in our trip, except at Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes).***

  • All transportation needs during your trip with us (including round trip train to Machu Picchu where this site is included in your itinerary.)

  • All tickets to sites included in your trip.

  • Shopping opportunities for Andean clothes, arts & crafts.

    Additionally for Hiking Treks:

  • Basic Camping equipment; tents, sleeping mats, sleeping bags, meals, etc.

  • Our professional English-speaking guidance.

  • Cooks and porters, with horses to carry the equipment.

  • Hot coffee or tea every morning, hot herbal tea every evening.

  • First Aid Kit for emergencies.

*** NOTE: if going to Machu Picchu, you provide your own lunch at Aguas Calientes, the town at the Machu Picchu site, (We provide guidance on your restaurant selection.)

Before Trip Preparation:

Take care of your own needs if you stay in Peru after your tour or trek with us.

(Lodging, food, shopping, etc. - we will be happy to provide our recommendations, but you are legally liable for your own decisions.)

Medical check up. We will send you a medical form for you to take to your doctor.

(We want to make sure you are in good enough condition for your trip, including making sure your blood pressure is normal, for tolerating the altitude. Also, if anything were to happen, we want to know your allergies and meds, etc.)

Get in shape for climbing up hills!

(Especially for the hiking treks, this is also important for exploring the multi-level archeological sites.)

Round Trip Transportation to Lima and Cusco Airports

Physical Money to change into Peruvian Soles

(When bringing paper bills to exchange, they must be in perfect condition, or they won’t accept. Large denominations, such as $100 USD, are best.)

Visa and/or MasterCard to withdraw more money from the ATMs.

(Only the expensive stores, hotels and restaurants accept credit cards and many only accept Visa and MasterCard.)

Tips, in Peruvian Soles, for the trekking team (porters, cooks, etc.)

(While we pay our team conscientiously, a tip gives great encouragement.)

Your Trip Packing List - Our Suggestions

Clothing:

  • Warm coat or jacket

  • Warm sweater (or buy one here!)

  • Wide brimmed hat (or buy one here!) The sun’s rays are very strong at this high altitude.

  • Some long sleeved shirts

  • Short sleeved shirt or blouses for sunny afternoons in the Valley

  • Warm pants, (or warm leggings for the ladies), in addition to regular long pants***

  • Warm socks, in addition to regular ones

  • Comfortable walking shoes

  • Warm pajamas (for cold nights without heat)

    Optional:

  • Something fancy for a night on the town if you like.

Personal Hygiene:

  • Chapstick! (Lips get dry in the dry season!)

  • Alcohol bottle or wipes for hand sanitizing

  • Comb, brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc., etc.,

  • Shampoo in a travel bottle (the accommodations provided don't always include this.)

  • Something for headaches (just in case you need it.)

Other Items to Bring:

  • Cellphones and camera with a plenty of storage for lots and lots of photos

  • Credit card for accessing money

  • Passport for identification

  • Water bottle

  • Raincoat or rain poncho

Cultural Awareness: Ladies Take Note!

*** In the villages of the Andes, very modest clothing is expected. This means that the legs are always covered, with pants or with wool leggings and skirts as the Andean women wear. Please be respectful of the different expectations of modesty when you receive the honor of being invited into the village of a traditional culture.

The fashion of wearing tight pants is popular in the cities in the Andes, but not in the villages in the highlands. While coastal cities like Lima are more liberal with their dress code, the Andean cities are more conservative. If you wear a low-cut blouse and shorts or a short skirt, you’ll receive inappropriate attention, even in the city.

Additional Packing for Mystic Hiking Treks:

Note that high altitude places will be very cold, so bring warm clothes!

All of the items listed before.

  • Warm hat and gloves (or buy them here!)

  • Warm long underwear

  • Good hiking boots

  • Day backpack (our horses carry most things)

Hiking poles

  • Sunscreen!!!

  • Insulated water bottle (at least 1 liter)

  • Flashlight

  • Camera with extra batteries to recharge and lots of storage space for lots of photos.