All holidays in South America will involve having a guide at one stage or another as there is so much to see and learn about! Our tour guides in Peru are some of the best in South America. As always with tour guides they are hard to pin down, but Amalia and Sergio have done us proud with some wonderful insights into Peru holidays. After reading this you will be hoping that they are your personal tour guides in Peru!
Amalia Alayza who guides in Lima, Paracas and Nazca in Peru.
What inspired you to become a tour guide?
My parents had a passion for travelling through Peru and they had a small collection of pre Inca art that I still have some pieces of. I love archaeology and that’s why a friend of my parents that worked on the National Tourist Bureau trained me to guide when I was in school. Later I studied to be a guide and since then I have been guiding, although I am also studying tourist administration and Hotel Management and a Masters in education.
What do you like most about being a tour guide?
Sharing with the guests the beauty of my country, our long history and the Islands in Paracas.
When guiding, what is the one thing you always have with you and why?
Patience, sense of humour, plus all the emergency phone numbers
Which areas of your country really stand out as must-visit destinations?
Definitely Cuzco with Machu Pichu, then Puno with the Titicaca Lake and the floating Island followed by Arequipa and the Colca Canon, the Nazca Lines and the Ballestas islands and Lima with its Museums and the down town World Heritage. In the jungle Puerto Maldonado and in the North of Peru Iquitos with the Amazon River.
Are there any seasonal events that you would recommend being in your country for, maybe even something most tourists wouldn’t know about?
I would say that the Holy wee in Ayacucho is amazing to see on holiday. But the train ride from Lima to Huancayo is a fascinating experience and it only goes now on long weekends in the Peruvian winter, so I have to do it again.
What do you think is the most amazing animal in Latin America and why?
The spectacled bear that lives in the high jungle of Peru – the author of Paddington Bear was inspired by this bear to write the book.
What tips do you have for families hoping to go on holiday to Latin America? – e.g. when to go, things to bring
Latin America has a lot to offer, come with an open mind and you will be surprised to find wonderful food, beautiful music, extraordinary scenery and history.
To go to Peru on holiday my favourite time is the end of April – May as it’s the end of the rainy season in the Andes, where everything is still green and the weather on the coast is still warm.
How to dress in Peru on holiday – dress in layers, comfortable walking shoes, hat and sunblock. Bring a jacket for the Andes because you can have all types of weathers in 24 hours.
For trips to Machu Pichu and the jungle – insect repellent, rain gear and hiking boots as its hot and wet.
If you go to Paracas be sure to bring your bathing suit!
Sergio Santisteban who guides in Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu in Peru.
What inspired you to become a tour guide?
When growing up, my family and I started traveling to different parts of Peru and I became fascinated by the richness and beauty of the monuments and artefacts left by early Peruvians. As I learned more and more about them, thanks to relatives and professors, I realized the necessity of making this information as widely available as possible, so it could become a source of pride for all Peruvians. That is what inspired and inspires me still to be a guide, the opportunity of sharing our culture, past and present, with all its richness and complexity, with people from all over the world.
What do you like most about being a tour guide?
In an ever more globalized world, It´s a privilege to be able to get to know people from all over the globe with different backgrounds, points of view, ideas and questions! Sharing time with them is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job.
When guiding, what is the one thing you always have with you and why?
Ever since I started guiding I’ve always carried with me a compass, an altimeter and a good set of maps. However in recent months I´ve learned to appreciate my smartphone more and more. Not only do I get basic things like compass or a flashlight but now I get to explore the southern skies with the clients or show with accuracy the real extent of the Andes mountain range. Technology is changing the way we guides do our job, for the better in most cases.
Which areas of your country really stand out as must-visit destinations?
Peru is well known around the world because of Machu Picchu, the most impressive and well preserved archaeological site left by Incas, The fact that the place has become so popular is not a matter of chance of course; the location of it in the middle of the extremely lush cloud forest, the elegant look of the white granite used in its construction, all the archaeological findings and astronomical temples built with scientific precision make it a true MUST when visiting Peru. No visit to Peru is really complete until you see the Inka’s most impressive site.
Are there any seasonal events that you would recommend being in your country for, maybe even something most tourists wouldn’t know about?
The communities in the Peruvian Andes are the ones that have preserved the best some of the traditions from Pre-Hispanic times. In most cases these is reflected in their ways of life. The yearly reconstruction of Queshuachaca Bridge is one amazing example. Every year during the second week of June four Andean communities come together for four days to perform rituals in honour of Mother Earth and later they rebuilt a hanging bridge made of thatch over the Apurimac river. The way in which the process is organized and the responsibilities assigned respond to an ancient Andean labour model called “Minka”. About a hundred kilometres away from Cusco city it’s still a hidden treasure.
What do you think is the most amazing animal in Latin America and why?
Peru has 87 different climates out of 114 in the world which makes it a multi- diverse country. This gives us a wide variety of birds, mammals and reptiles (just think of the Amazon rainforest). When talking about mammals just like ancient Peruvians I have a fascination for felines, Pumas and Jaguars. They are formidable predators, elegant when moving and hunting, and understandably worshipped by every human group that ever developed in the territory as a symbol of power on earth
What tips do you have for families hoping to go on holiday to Latin America? – e.g. when to go, things to bring
Packing when coming to South America is never easy, you can find all sorts of climates from very humid and hot (Amazon Rain forest, Galapagos Islands, Uruguay coast) to very dry and cold (Peru and Bolivia highlands). The best you could do is to have several layers of clothing that you could easily put on and take off. You should probably be willing to do some laundry so you don’t need carry your whole wardrobe with you. It is also very useful to know when the highest tourist seasons is at each of your destinations, and try to avoid them (something that’s not always easy). Learning some phrases in Spanish never hurts, not only for communication purposes but also to try to connect with people (everybody will appreciate you making an effort). And also be ready to have a great time and some great conversations, people in Latin America are very friendly and family oriented so don’t be surprised to be received warmly.
