Peru Tour Comparison
Family of 9 · November 21–29, 2026 · No deposits paid
| Category | Hernán Hermoza | Kuoda Travel | Peru For Less |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom line | Best value only if normalized savings reach $3,000–$5,000. | Best turnkey option and current recommendation. | Strongest hotels, but not deposit-ready. |
| Current rank | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Quoted price | $5,260$6,025 with Circuit 1 add-on for nine. | $26,400Cooking class extra; no revised discount accepted. | No definitive all-in total stated in emailTwo linked proposal variants: Circuit 3-only and two-circuit “Mega Tour.” Known offer is 5% package discount, plus 3% for Zelle/wire/bank. |
| Quote scope | Nov. 23–28 Andes ground services only. | Broad Nov. 21–29 package. | Broad Nov. 21–29 package; domestic flights separate. |
| Hotels | Not included. Recommendations only; see linked hotels below. | Included. Premium hotels and Nov. 28 Costa del Sol airport hotel promised. | Included. Strongest luxury set; extra Sacred Valley night uses 3-star Lizzi Wassi. |
| Named hotels | El AlbergueTunupa LodgeTierra Viva Sacred ValleyTambo del InkaSumaqCasa del SolHatun Inti BoutiqueJaya Suite HotelCasa Antigua San BlasJW Marriott CuscoPalacio del Inka | Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima AirportCasa Andina Premium Valle SagradoCasa del SolCasa Andina Premium Cusco | Hilton Lima MirafloresInkaterra Hacienda UrubambaSumaqPalacio del InkaCosta del Sol Wyndham Lima AirportLizzi Wassi |
| Domestic flights | Excluded. | Included. LATAM premium fare; exact flights pending. | Excluded. Offered separately. |
| Private vehicle | Included. Licensed 15-seat tourist minibus, driver, fuel, luggage capacity. | Included. Exclusive to group. | Included. Private except shared trains and Machu Picchu buses. |
| Private guides | Included. Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Cusco. | Included. | Included. |
| Machu Picchu | Circuit 3 included, but exact official route, permit, time, and nine-person availability are unconfirmed. | Routes 3-B and 1-B included; exact times and current availability unconfirmed. | Arianna says 3-B is available for all nine through an Inca Trail permit with a private Inca Trail guide. Exact official permit name and confirmation that no Inca Trail hike is required remain missing. |
| Panoramic route | $85 per person extra; exact Circuit 1 route and time unclear. | Circuit 1-B included. | Included only in the two-circuit proposal. Arianna calls it 1-B, but the schedule says 1-A at 10:00 AM, followed by 3-B at 1:00 PM. |
| Train | Included. Vistadome Observatory outbound; Vistadome return. | Included. Vistadome. | Included. Vistadome Observatory outbound; Vistadome return. |
| Consettur buses | Included. Round trip. | Included. | Included. Shared. |
| Meals | All excluded. | Breakfast and most lunches included. One dinner before Machu Picchu. | Breakfast included; lunches and dinners generally excluded. |
| Chocolate workshop | Not included. | Included. Fits Nov. 24. | Not explicitly identified as included. Arianna confirmed cooking classes and “all three tours,” but did not name the chocolate experience. |
| Vegetarian cooking | Not included. | Optional extra. | Included. |
| Sacred Valley nights | Current plan has only one hotel night before Aguas Calientes. | Two nights. | Two nights, but second is at Lizzi Wassi 3-star. |
| Thanksgiving | Free day; meal planning excluded. | Free day protected. | Arianna says the cooking experience can be added Nov. 26 while preserving downtime; final included schedule should be confirmed. |
| Lima services | Entirely excluded. | Broadly included; final transfer and 3:00 AM airport handoff unclear. | Airport rooms listed; final hosting and handoff unclear. |
| Rooming | Family books all rooms. | Categories stated; connecting rooms not guaranteed; exact legal occupancy unresolved. | Hotel-by-hotel layouts supplied for both families. Hacienda casitas are about 6 meters apart. Lizzi Wassi’s family-of-four description (“1 queen, 1 full and 2 singles”) is unclear; legal occupancy and final assignments remain unconfirmed. |
| On-trip support | Not documented. | Private WhatsApp group and 24/7 emergency support. | Company support available; exact response model unclear. |
| Payment terms | Not provided. | 30% deposit; balance 90 days before departure; no card fee. | 30% deposit; 3% additional discount for Zelle/wire/bank. Balance due date and any card/payment fees are not documented in the reviewed email. |
| Cancellation terms | Not provided. | Terms PDF not readable in current review. | Refund, nonrefundable amounts, change fees, and ticket-failure protections unanswered. |
| Main unresolved items | Exact ticket proof; two-night Valley option; Pumamarca difficulty; licenses, registration, insurance, references, support, and complete contract terms. | Exact ticket times and availability; revised price with cooking; domestic flight details; room legality; final Lima handoff; readable cancellation terms. | Final total for nine after discounts; exact 1-B/3-B permits, times and availability; whether tickets are secured upon deposit; legal room occupancy; explicit chocolate inclusion; Nov. 28 Lima transfer/3:00 AM handoff; cancellation, supplier-penalty, change-fee and failure-to-secure protections. |
| Recommendation | Do not choose unless a verified all-in version saves at least $3,000–$5,000 and all diligence is documented. | Lead option if the final hotel upgrades, inventory, ticket details, rooming, and terms close cleanly. | Viable challenger if final pricing is materially lower and ticket, rooming, and contract gaps resolve. |
| Operator link | Tour Guides Peru search | Kuoda | Peru For Less |
Day-by-day itinerary
Proposal-level comparison. “Not covered” means the operator’s quoted service starts later or leaves that day for the family to arrange. Hotel ratings are current indexed snapshots checked September 11, 2026; review counts change.
| Day | Hernán Hermoza | Kuoda Travel | Peru For Less |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1Sat · Nov 21 | Not covered. International arrival, Lima transfer, and hotel arranged independently. | Arrive Lima; private airport reception and transfer.Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol Lima Airport | Arrive Lima; airport reception and transfer.Hilton Lima Miraflores |
| Day 2Sun · Nov 22 | Not covered. Lima day and hotel arranged independently. | Fly Lima–Cusco; private transfer into the Sacred Valley with Living Museum/Awana Kancha and Pisac-area sightseeing.Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado | Private Lima city experience and relaxed Lima day.Hilton Lima Miraflores |
| Day 3Mon · Nov 23 | Cusco airport pickup and private transfer to Sacred Valley; driver only.Suggested: Tambo del Inka | Private Sacred Valley touring: Moray and Maras.Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado | Fly Lima–Cusco; private transfer to Sacred Valley with Awana Kancha/Pisac-area touring.Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba |
| Day 4Tue · Nov 24 | Private Pumamarca/Ollantaytambo tour; 3:00 PM station drop; 3:37 PM Vistadome Observatory to Aguas Calientes.Suggested: Sumaq Machu Picchu | Ollantaytambo and chocolate workshop; afternoon train to Aguas Calientes.Casa del Sol Machu Picchu | Sacred Valley/Ollantaytambo touring; train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. Chocolate inclusion still unclear.Sumaq Machu Picchu |
| Day 5Wed · Nov 25 | 8:00 AM pickup; 10:00 AM guided Circuit 3; 3:45 PM Vistadome return; luggage retrieval and private transfer to Cusco.Suggested: Palacio del Inka | Privately guided Machu Picchu with proposed Circuits 3-B and 1-B; return train/private transfer to Cusco. Exact entry times and live availability remain unconfirmed.Casa Andina Premium Cusco | Two Machu Picchu entries: schedule says 1-A at 10:00 AM and 3-B at 1:00 PM, while Arianna elsewhere says 1-B. Return to Sacred Valley.Lizzy Wasi Boutique Hotel |
| Day 6Thu · Nov 26 | Free Cusco/Thanksgiving day; meals and activities arranged independently.Suggested: Palacio del Inka | Free, relaxed Thanksgiving/birthday day; optional vegetarian cooking experience.Casa Andina Premium Cusco | Maras and Moray/private Sacred Valley touring, then transfer to Cusco; vegetarian cooking experience included but final timing needs confirmation.Palacio del Inka |
| Day 7Fri · Nov 27 | Private Cusco highlights, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM: Sacsayhuamán, Q’enqo, Zona X/Caves, and llama/alpaca farm.Suggested: Palacio del Inka | Private Cusco sightseeing/leisure day.Casa Andina Premium Cusco | Private Cusco city tour/sightseeing.Palacio del Inka |
| Day 8Sat · Nov 28 | Driver-only transfer to Cusco Airport. Domestic flight, Lima transfer, airport hotel, and final handoff arranged independently. | Fly Cusco–Lima; airport hotel before the 3:00 AM departure. Final arrival hosting and airport handoff still need written confirmation.Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol Lima Airport | Fly Cusco–Lima; airport hotel. Domestic flight is separate; Lima transfer and final handoff remain unconfirmed.Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol Lima Airport |
| DepartureSun · Nov 29 | Not covered. 3:00 AM international departure. | 3:00 AM international departure; exact hotel-to-terminal handoff not yet confirmed. | 3:00 AM international departure; exact hotel-to-terminal handoff not yet confirmed. |
Updated September 11, 2026 after review of all three proposals and current indexed hotel listings. Ratings, review counts, prices, and availability can change. Hotel stars are property classifications, not guest ratings.