Peru with ECS Travel

My husband and I had never done a customized tour before, but we couldn’t fit a regular tour into our schedule. For a trip we took Nov. 23-Dec. 9, 2007, Eliu Campos of ECS Travel (Los Pinos St. 156 Of 502, Miraflores, Lima, Peru; phone +51 1 2429716, fax 2428671, www. ecstravel.com) made all the arrangements, and there were no glitches at all! Eliu answered all my pre-trip questions via e-mail, which I have found to be a rare thing.

We were met in Lima at the airport and escorted to our hotel (I had a hand in picking all our hotels), and from then on all our transports, tours, hotels, etc., were arranged for us. We never found ourselves waiting at a bus station or for the local tour guide. Someone was always ready to take care of us. ECS has found fantastic local guides.

We took a tourist bus to Paracas, visited the Ballestas Islands, flew over the Nazca Lines, visited Chauchilla Cemetery, visited a winery, had an exciting dune buggy ride in the dunes around the Huacachina Oasis, toured Arequipa, visited Colca Canyon for two days, flew to Lake Titicaca, visited the Sillustani tombs, visited the Uros, Taquile and Amantani islands (stayed overnight with a family on Amantani), took a FANTASTIC first-class train ride to Cusco, visited ruins and markets near Cusco, spent two days in the Sacred Valley, and ended up at Machu Picchu.

The cost of the 17-day tour, $1,720 per person (not expensive), covered all hotels with breakfasts, some lunches, all transport, all guides and all entrance fees. We spent about $520 for additional meals and drinks for both of us. We flew a nonstop Continental flight from Newark for $660 each.

This was an exceptionally excellent trip!

I will be happy to answer any questions and give more info if needed. Write or e-mail me c/o ITN.

KATHY McINTOSH

Stroudsburg, PA