Alpaca Expeditions — Attraction in Distrito de Cusco

My partner and I hiked the Salkantay Trek with Alpaca Expeditions in late May 2025, and it was truly the trip of a lifetime. From breathtaking views to deep cultural immersion, this was an unforgettable experience that challenged us physically, moved us spiritually, and left us deeply grateful for the people who made it possible—especially our incredible guides, Americo and Efrain.

Booking Experience: We booked the trek in March and initially felt a little uncertain about the process. Payment is required upfront, and only after we sent a screenshot of the transfer and followed up via email did we receive official confirmation. It felt strange to submit a deposit before they gave us confirmation but it all worked out. That being said, we would have appreciated a bit more proactive clarity at this stage.

Packing Guidance: The packing list provided on their site is mostly spot-on. If we could do it again, we’d bring a couple extra t-shirts for hot days and a solid pair of cold-weather gloves (one pair between us wasn't quite enough on the colder hikes). But overall, the recommendations were useful and helped us feel prepared.

Pre-Trek Stress: When we arrived in Cusco, we received an unexpected email saying there was a problem with our reservation. After arriving at their office, we were told our reservation for Machu Picchu didn’t exist in their system. They had our reservation for the trek but they did not have our tickets into the Machu Picchu ruins or Huayna Picchu ruins (which we had paid for). This was a problem because tickets into Machu Picchu sell out months in advance. Since this was the entire reason we came to Peru, we were overwhelmed. Fortunately, after a stressful day and some back-and-forth, the team was able to find Machu Picchu tickets for us (someone on at Alpaca Expeditions must have worked a miracle). The unfortunate part was that we would not be able to go to Huayna Picchu and we probably wouldn't see the Machu Picchu ruins with our trekking group. This was disappointing but we were relieved that we would get to see the main ruins.

The Trek Itself: Once we hit the trail, everything changed. The logistics were seamless, the food was consistently delicious and nourishing, and our guides were beyond exceptional. Americo and Efrian brought not only deep knowledge of the land and culture, but warmth, humor, and steady encouragement that made the trek feel safe and meaningful every step of the way. The days were long and the altitude was no joke, but the beauty of the mountains and the camaraderie of our group kept us going.

The first bus ride was long and nausea-inducing (those prone to motion sickness: sit toward the front!), but once on the trail, everything felt incredibly well-supported. Campsites were simple but had what we needed, and water was replenished daily. We trained a bit beforehand and were grateful we had—it’s a challenging journey, but so worth it.

Machu Picchu Confusion: In Aguas Calientes, just before dinner, our guide pulled us aside to go claim our Machu Picchu tickets. In the end, we couldn’t join our original trekking group for Circuit 2. Instead, we joined another Alpaca group for Circuit 3, which still gave us a rich experience (the guide we had for the circuit was phenomenal). To make up for the Huayna Picchu tickets, Alpaca also got us tickets to do Circuit 1 on our own afterward, which meant a lot. Though it wasn’t ideal to be separated from the group we had bonded with, we appreciated the effort made to ensure we didn’t miss this iconic destination.

Final Thoughts: Despite the booking and ticketing issues, we were genuinely impressed by how seriously Alpaca Expeditions took the hiccup. A senior leader even personally oversaw our transport back to Cusco, which spoke volumes about their integrity and care.

This company respects the sacredness of the Andes and the Quechua culture in a way that felt meaningful to us. We’d absolutely recommend Alpaca Expeditions, and if we return to Peru for another trek, we wouldn’t hesitate to book...

11/10 experience through the Andean mountains. I am unsure where to start with the review, but I will try. We did the 4d/3n Lares Trek to Macchu Picchu. It was an incredible time walking through the Condor pass, meeting locals, seeing otherworldly views, and eating better than I could ever imagine for a hiking/camping trip.

I will start with the trek: Our group was a group of 6, paired with a guide, horseman, chef, sous chef, and two porters. Since this is not the Inca trail, horses are allowed. Overall, the Lares trek is not very long but it is difficult due to the high elevation, changing terrain, and rocky descents. Good shoes are needed and the weather changes quite a bit, even in early September (Peru's dry season). Cold in the early morning and it gets the coldest at night around midnight. By mid-morning you will be shedding layers. But cold once again at the top of the mountain. Layers are essential for this trek. Other than the people on your group, there are very few hikers along this trek. Perfect for those who like the whole trail. The only people you may meet are your porters racing by you to set up the next camp, and the occasional tour group towards the end of the trek.

Camping Experience: This was my first time camping (glamping!) and there was much unexpected for me. The sleeping situation is well done. Each person/couple gets a 4-person tent for 2 people. They provide warm sleeping bags and blankets and thermarests to get off the ground. Additional sleeping pads are available to rent. At the end of each night before sleeping Alpaca provided us bladders filled with hot water (baby alpacas as they are affectionately known). I would throw those into your sleeping bag as soon as you get them so they stay warm till you sleep. They help tremendously in falling asleep and staying warm for many hours. The morning starts with being gently awoken by the guide and greeted with hot coca tea. It's super helpful for the elevation. I would recommend bringing aspirin. You may get headaches from the elevation.

Food: Our chef, Carmelo, was a beast! One morning he even baked us a cake at 12300 ft elevation in the middle of a valley. The food we had on the trek was some of the best I had during my time in Peru. Soup was served with lunch and dinner, breakfast had coffee, tea, porridge, omelets, bread, fresh fruit, and one specialty dish. Lunch and dinner had an appetizer soup like pumpkin soup or chicken noodles followed by the main dishes. We tried lomo saltado, stuffed mashed potatoes, and mango ceviche just to name a few. I would walk this trek again just to eat the food again, that's how great it is.

Culture: Our guide, Javier, is also an amazing person. He showed us the way of local life in the Andean mountains, from native plant identification to explaining how these plants are used to build the roofs of the locals' houses, bound with llama fat. Javi filled our minds with the perspective of locals and introduced us to the local children of the valley. We particularly enjoyed chatting with the children, learning what a "normal" day for them looks like. Some walk 1.5 hrs each way to school starting at 5:30 am and returning at 2:30 pm to then help their parents with daily farm/livestock work. We got a chance to bring them stuff that is not available in the mountains like rice, noodles, cookies, and some school supplies. Javi also showed us the life of a 76-year-old local lady who demonstrated the ways of using ancient tools for farming, and textile production, and invited us into her home. Turns out the next day she planned on walking back the way we had come to visit her children in the town of Lares. What took us 2 days and porters to carry our stuff she planned on doing in a day and planned to walk home the day after. Javi also took some time to teach us some Quechua which we happily passed along to locals we encountered on the trail.

Overall, I can't thank Alpaca enough for an amazing trip. Javier, Carmelo, Jose, and the rest of the team, yusulpayki &...

This was the most amazing experience I have had in my life and it is greatly in thanks to the Alpaca Expeditions team. Everything this company stands for is worth the price you pay over the mass amounts of competitor companies offering the same trek. Starting with the origins of the company, Alpaca was started by two locals/former porters who had a vision to connect tourists with their country and culture. I did the Ultimate Classic Salkantay 5D/5N Trek. Every campsite my group and I stayed at was owned by locals. We were fed by the community, and I found that the level of connection that curated for us was deep and incomparable. Every night made us feel like we were engaged, and the money we put toward the trek was well worth it to give back to the locals who have welcomed us in Peru! I also think that I got very lucky with my group. Our two guides were Papa Alexander and Kenyo, and from the get go they told us we would be walking as a family. We sure as hell did, and I cannot imagine doing this with anybody else. Alexander in particular made our experience comfortable, meaningful, and upbeat. He kept everyone happy, and when we weren’t, he made it very easy to come to him and voice our needs. He was so personable and funny, and you absolutely need that with the length and difficulty of some parts of this trek. Alex smiles with his whole face, and it makes you feel a little easier. Kenyo was also really kind! We couldn’t believe that he was only 24! We learned that Kenyo is newer to the company, but even still, he kept us together, even when some of us fell behind, and would make sure we were all in good health, even offering to take our bags when we looked too exhausted. He always helped when we needed it and was ready to take on whatever challenges we had throughout the day. Don’t even get me started on how great the food was! Each day was catered to the level of activity that we had in store, and the food would change based on the cuisine, ingredients, and snacks that were local to where we were. They also gave us this amazing hot chocolate, as well as coca tea in the mornings to help with altitude. Clean water was always available to us, and the chefs… the chefs were so young, starting at 19 years old! Such amazing food. Every. Single. Time. There also is not enough room in any review to describe how awestruck we were by our porters, again starting at such a young age. You could tell how dedicated they were to supporting their family and the local businesses. Otherwise, I don’t know what else would inspire you to run up and down the inclines we witnessed, at the altitudes we endured at such speed and strength. Many times our porters with twice the baggage we were carrying, would PASS US on the hikes throughout the day. In fact they would beat us to camp, and have everything set up by the time our speediest trekker would get there. On that note, another thing I appreciated was that every single detail about this excursion, down to the pay, the baggage weight, and the food was well organized, perfectly oiled, and thoughtfully ethical. Our porters would not carry more than 7kgs per duffle bag, with our sleeping bags included. When they say Alpaca Expeditions is the Green Machine, they literally have a team big enough to fill a village, and I think that is the machine in itself. Everybody worked together on this excursion, and it translated in turn to our experience as a group, and inspired us to move, summit, and successfully reach Machu Picchu as the family we became. I could not praise or recommend this company, and Alex and Kenyo enough. I am so grateful for everybody that built this journey up for us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and very soul, Alex and Kenyo, you deserve everything and more!

P.S. Papa Alex is one visionary photographer! Such a cool guy! (And Pedro Pascal looks...