Is a Tour Operator Required to See Machu Picchu or the Inca Trail?

We had a wonderful few days with Liz as our guide and Jair as our driver. We did a city tour of Cusco and then the Sacred Valley, culminating with an early start and Machupicchu on our final day. Liz was very patient and had incredible knowledgeable of all sites as well as telling us about all the history and importance of each site. She knew some ways to avoid packed areas and made each day special. Jair was a very skilled driver, courteous and made sure we were comfortable in the very clean car. Liz checked on us to make sure we arrived on time, smoothed the path for transport on the train and hotel stays, as well as entry to each site. Wilfredo was a good driver to take us back to Cusco and more than willing to stop so I could take photos of dairy cows. I’d highly recommend SAM tours as they had everything sorted for each amazing site, removed the stress and hassle of entry and logistics and made you feel like one of the family.

We did the 3-day Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour with Sam Travel, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. This was a real bucket-list trip for us, and with somewhere as iconic as Machu Picchu, expectations can sometimes be unrealistically high. In this case, the experience far exceeded them and was the highlight of our four weeks travelling in South America. Sam Travel is locally owned and operated, and our guide Liz Montesinos is also local. Liz has a university degree in tourism and a deep love for her history, culture and people — and that really shows. Her enthusiasm and knowledge made the three days feel meaningful rather than rushed or superficial.

We had an amazing experience visiting Machu Picchu with our guide, Liz Montesinos from SAM Travel Peru. She was so knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture. Liz was also incredibly kind and patient, making sure everyone in our group was comfortable and enjoying the day. Plus, she took some of the best photos of our trip. She knows all the best spots and took truly great photos and didn’t try to make us do cheesy poses like some other guides try to. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would absolutely recommend her to anyone visiting Machu Picchu. She really made our 2-day trip to Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu very special!

We just completed our 3 day Sacred Valley and Machu tour with Sam Travel Peru (our guide was Jose). Firstly they were very easy to deal with, and able to add in airport transfers etc as needed. Jose was an excellent guide for the whole 3 days from airport pick up to the end of the tour. Jose was able to amend the itinerary as we went to suit the weather conditions and our ability to walk through all of the sites, ensuring we still got to see all of the most picturesque and important parts of each site. Jose is exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about Peru as well as being very adaptable and positive - would absolutely recommend him.

Powerful! This journey tests your humanity and leaves you in awe of yourself and the beauty that Pachamama provides. April 2024 We conquered the Inca trail and it was only made possible with the help and guidance from our expert guides Jean Pierre (JP) and Jimmy. The knowledge these gentlemen shared was admired by all of our group and the envy of other trail hikers who stopped to listen. The hike has many layers of challenges including language barriers, altitude sensitivities and food specifications. The team at Sam travel exceeded the needs and went above to ensure our comforts were met. A special mention must be made to Mario, the Chef who somehow performed magic with nutritious flavourful meals to satisfy even the pickiest consumers and Francesco who was our lead porter who orchestrated the harmony that happened behind the scenes to get everything done. Nothing less than marvellous from this team. Thank you to each of the group who made our trek a remarkable experience.

Jose and Henry were great guides for our first time exploring machu pichu! They were very attentive and kept everything on a smooth schedule. Highly recommend!

The whole experience was amazing. Ray, our guide answered all of our questions and definitely had our best interest in mind the whole time. Timothy the cook made fantastic food and somehow found a way to prepare a birthday cake with no notice! Boni our head porter and his whole crew were kind, accommodating, and had such upbeat attitudes which really made the experience great!

I spent two days with Sam Travel’s guide Raymier, who guided us through the one-day 12-km stretch of the Inca trail and then took us to Machu Picchu the next day. In my group, I was always the last one on the trail because I come from the coast and I’m not used to altitudes, and honestly I could also have prepared physically a little better. Raymier respected my pace, never rushed me, and supported me throughout the ardous trail. He had much knowledge to share. I speak Spanish, but ended up in an English tour, and Ray’s English was very good. He was funny, respectful, and versatile. He knew where to take all the best photos and patiently took photos of all of us. I would trust Sam Travel again especially if I was lucky enough to have Ray as a guide again.