Private Local Artisans And Pachacamac Tour

Absolutely superb tour, just the right amount of information and at the perfect pace. We’ve done quite a few tours before and this was easily one of the best, it was also really refreshing to be taken to artisans’ shops where you felt that the prices were completely fair and you weren’t being ripped off as a tourist - we would have bought more if not for luggage restrictions. Would highly recommend this tour and any others done by the same company.

We enjoyed the tour immensely Alfredo was very knowledgeable about the history of Peru The artisan houses we visited was a once in a life time experience. We got to meet and mingle with the artists and see their work. Very impressed with the tour and would recommend highly!!!

What a fabulous day. First of all, our guide, Alfredo was amazing. He is so knowledgeable and was very patient with questions, pictures, etc. We loved visiting Pachacamac, taking pictures with the local school groups, and learning more about the cultures in the museum. The visit to the artists was unforgettable. Being able to buy art directly from the artist is such an amazing experience. We loved having lunch with Jose and Alfredo--and have been trying to replicate the arroz con pollo since we returned! Thank you for a phenomenal day!

This tour, from our guide Alberto and driver Placido, to the information shared at the site of Pachacamac, to the delicious traditional Peruvian meal prepared, and the 2 local artisans we visited and their wondrous crafts- ALL were exceptional. Truly, it was the people of this experience that made it so special. Far beyond your typical history and walking around a historic site experience. This wasn't your rote tour by any means. We were left with a feeling of slowing down and getting to know a bit of people's lives and their craft. I feel it's necessary to add that Alberto went above and beyond for us in our conversations and going into greater depth of what we were seeing and experiencing. We were required to have a museum guide at the site of Pachacamac, and she spoke both far too softly to hear her well, and simply didn't go into the detail nor take the time to share with us the deeper meaning of the site. Alberto kindly and unobtrusively stepped in to ask our museum guide questions to assist us in learning the richness of Pachacamac. I'm very grateful to him for his knowledge and skill. He made our day and overall experience one of the best I've had through a tour- and I've traveled a good bit. Thank you Alberto (and Placido!), and Alterantive Peru for an incredible day! I will certainly do another tour with you when I'm back in Lima.

This was a wonderful day in Peru. Alberto’s knowledge of Pachacamc and the local artisans was very helpful. He provided information I’m not sure we would have gotten from just anyone. Placido, our driver, was skillful and kind. The artisans we met were masters of their craft and personable. And the meal was really special. This was a day that truly made my trip to Peru quite special and enjoyable. This is a tour not to be missed!

We enjoyed the experience and the guide. The company was organized and responded to our requests. We were hesitant to eat lunch prepared at an artisan's home due to concerns about possible gastric issues. The company was very flexible so we had a wonderful lunch at a restaurant. The two artists we met with were talented and interesting. The only negative part of the day was the mandatory guide provided by Pachacamac. Her English was hard to understand. We ended up asking our guide to translate which worked well. We would highly recommend working with Alternative Peru. They are top notch providers!

The tour was amazing. Our tour guides were very knowledgeable about Peruvian history, tradition and current events. The conversation and hospitality were wonderful. Our meal was excellent, and the artisans were capable and inviting. Our guides spoke English well. Over all, one of the best days of our vacation.

I took my two kids (20 & 13) on this tour and we had a great time! Alberto was our official tour guide who offered to speak in Spanish so we could practice. We started out on the Pachacamac Tour which is an incredible archeological site and amazing place to experience. It is unbelievable that many of the ruins are still uncovered. Bring water, wear comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and a hat. Alberto was a better historian than the actual tour guides so we asked a lot of questions and gained a better insite of the place. The artisan tour was excellent as well. We ate a beautiful typical Peruvian lunch at the home of a local artist and met his family. The weaver was amazing and it was interesting to learn about how they color the yarns and how long this process takes. Our driver Placi was friendly too. I highly recommend this tour for any age. Thanks Alternative Peru for a great experience.

Had an excellent first day in Peru! We were collected from apartment and driven to the ancient ruins , the guide was friendly and informative, and being new! I had lots of daft questions which were answered well! We had a fantastic lunch (brilliant food) and great company, the craftsmanship of the pottery and tapestry was great. Would definitely recommend this tour, and we are looking forward to our other tours organised by this company Thanks Gino and placi for a great day

We had the most wonderful travel experience headed by Alfredo. The group size was small and the itinerary and its pace was very flexible. This is perfect for our family with a small kid. Alfredo was very knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. We spent a bit more than an hour at Pachacamac and was accompanied by a local guide. We were able to appreciate the pre-Inca culture, relics and architecture during the tour. After that, we visited a local artisan, Juan, who specialized in traditional Peruvian pottery crafts. His wife prepared a delicious chicken rice dish for us. Juan gave us a demonstration and showcased his work to us. After that, we visited another local artisan who specialized in Peruvian textile. Overall, it was a wonderful side trip for our stay in Peru. We would have loved to take another tour to visit the "Human Settlements" if we had more time. That would be an eye-opener for us. I also want to thank Natalie for her great communication during the planning phase of the tours.

<p>The visit to Pachacamas was excellent. The museum and our guide Daniel made the visit informative and meaningful. We had a wonderful lunch at the home of one of the artisans, and then toured a couple of their studios.</p>

My husband and I had a great tour of the Pachacamac (the museum was incredible - be sure to take the time to look at all the exhibits. Fascinating how it compares to MP (Pachacamac is pre Inca). Then we walked around the archeological digs (dusty - be sure to wear a hat, it was warm). The last bit of our adventure was lunch at a local artist house (ceramics in the Ayacucho style) and visits to one more potter and a weaver (loved the weaver - but I'm a textile person, so slight bias that way!) The tour was great. Highly recommend to go!!

<p>Excellent tour. It was a small tour and we were lucky to have 2 tour guides along on the tour. We saw so many sites in addition to the Pachacamac ones. The local artisans were interesting and good to see how they made their wares that we had seen similar finished ones in many of the shops. The lunch at the local home was excellent. This tour was one of our highlights of our trip. We saw so much and the local tour company was very personable and very knowledgeable.</p>

<p>Excellent tour. Elen was great. Had a bit of trouble understanding the local guide at Pachacamac. Lunch with the potter was good. He showed us how he did his figures and pots. Second potter's quality was not as good as first. Good opportunity to compare works. Good information at weaver's workshop. Very informative tour.</p>

<p>Our guide, Eline, picked us up at our hotel right on time and we drove to the ancient temples of Pachacamac, which were started around 200 AD. The local guide was very passionate about the site and gave us a wealth of information. This was one of the most important sites for the early Peruvians. After our visit to the temples and museum, we went to the town of Lurin where we had lunch with a local family: husband, wife and two teenage children. The father of the family is a well known artist who makes pottery which is sold world wide. He also teaches at the local university. Then we went next door to another ceramics artist from the same village. They have formed a corporation to sell their products. Finally we drove a few blocks to the home of a weaver and arrived just in time to see him making the balls of wool used in his weavings. He explained the entire process of getting the wool, spinning it, making it into balls and then dyeing it. His entire family works in their workshop. He made all of the looms, which are different sizes/heights for each family member. Next we went into his shop to see the huge variety of colors, patterns and sizes of rugs and wall hangings. I bought a gorgeous rug in a traditional pattern. A wonderful day, and not the usual cruise ship shore excursion.</p>