Andean Discovery Reviews 193

After a long journey getting to the Galapagos, including a few travel and customs hurdles, everything changed once we stepped onto the boat. From that point on, the experience was truly incredible. The crew and guides were kind, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable. We saw an astonishing range of wildlife, swam alongside penguins, sea turtles, sea lions, and even sharks. The vibrant fish and lava landscapes were unforgettable.

A special shoutout to Sam and Lenin from the Coral I, they made every moment on the boat feel special. We especially appreciated that the crew took photos and videos, including underwater footage, and shared them with us afterward at no extra cost. They were also incredibly thoughtful about dietary needs and always had snacks and occasional drinks ready after excursions.

The journey from the Galapagos to Cusco was a long one, with limited time for sleep, but none of that mattered once we arrived in Cusco. There, we met the best tour guide we’ve ever had in our lives—Jose Deza. His depth of knowledge about local history, politics, nature, and even photo-spots was unmatched. He led us through Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Rainbow Mountain with ease, humor, and incredible attention to detail. Jose took countless photos and videos throughout the trip (many candid!), and they’ve become some of our favorite souvenirs.

The meals throughout the trip were good, and water was always available. While most meals were included, which was very convenient, we occasionally wished for more opportunities to explore the towns and try more casual, local cuisine (ex. polloria's) rather than frequent "fine dining".

Highlights included the breathtaking beauty of Machu Picchu, all the stairs to Wayna Picchu, and the unforgettable journey to Rainbow Mountain. The long drive was well worth it for the stunning views, the alpacas, and warm interactions with locals. One of the most memorable meals of the trip was our lunch at Lupita Lodge after Rainbow Mountain, amazing food and such a kind owner.

Overall, this was a fantastic trip organized by Andean Discovery. We're so grateful for the ease of planning and the once-in-a-lifetime memories we made.

Date of experience: June 10, 2025

Incredible experience. Very organized, communicative, and comprehensive. Everyone involved has been friendly and helpful. Guides were amazing. Our Galápagos guide, Alejandro, made our trip even better. The most friendly and knowledgeable guide.

Date of experience: June 17, 2025

Andean Discovery handled every aspect of our Galápagos and Machu Picchu trip, planning fantastic hotels, great dinners with options, knowledgeable, personable guides and excursions catered to us.

Date of experience: June 09, 2025

Andean Discovery was excellent - all our guides in every country were knowledgeable, professional, and so helpful. The accommodations every night were top notch and the restaurant selections were wonderful. Transportation methods were convenient and clean and comfortable. There really was nothing at all at fault with our trip.

Date of experience: May 28, 2025

Andean Discovery delivered everything they promised and more. All the guides were well informed, pleasant, and punctual. We were never left to our own devices. The guides met us at the airport upon arrival and saw us off at the airport upon departure. Bottled water was provided every day as we began our adventures. We were allowed to proceed at our own pace each day. If we needed to deviate a bit from the plan of the day for whatever reason, the guides were happy to accommodate us. This was my first trip to South America and it was fabulous!

Date of experience: May 29, 2025

We just got back from a 20 day trip to S.America. We toured the Galapagos ( on the ship - the Legend) and then to the Amazon and finished with Machu Picchu. Our guides were SO excellent ( Karla Quito, Paul Amazon, Jose Cusco) - very professional and knowledgeable from each area. I have already referred 2 friends that are planning a trip to all of those areas. They just wanted my "exact" Itinerary-from Andean Discovery.

Date of experience: May 20, 2025

We had an amazing experience traveling with Andean Discovery. We were well taking care of from start to finish. They provided thorough details to prepare for the trip, a well thought out itinerary and
very knowledgeable, friendly guides. Andean Discovery was very responsive with any communications. We would travel with them again and will highly recommend them.

Date of experience: April 19, 2025

The accommodations were lovely and the excursions were amazing. Our guide, Rodrigo, was so friendly and knowledgeable. He was the icing on the cake!!

Date of experience: May 12, 2025

Andean Discovery Guides are always exceptional. They are personable and upstanding in character. This is our second trip with Andean Discovery and the Guides really made our trips spectacular. Wilson in Quito, Rodrigo in Gallapagos and Sebastian in Cusco... They handled all of the little things like fees, entries, transfers and told personal stories that allowed us a glimpse into the real culture. It seemed like Andean Discovery has a good reputation with the Guides and that is important to us too. And the Guide's knowlegde was inspiring.

Date of experience: May 12, 2025

We had a wonderful trip!!! Every detail was well organized, guides were very knowledgeable, helpful & most concerned with our well being.
If you like to explore an amazing destination like the Galapagos, they provide a full schedule of hiking, snorkeling & sightseeing.
The Galapagos legend was the perfect size ship for our trip. We met an international group of interesting people. It was a very friendly & personalized atmosphere. There were also lectures & lots of fun things offered on the ship. We had an amazing trip of a lifetime!!!!

Date of experience: May 08, 2025

We have never had a private guided custom trip before and now we’re spoiled. Everything and everyone was top notch. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide than Cesar and we had a great time with our added excursions like mountain biking and visiting Rainbow Mountain. I’ve never seen my husband be so enthusiastic and inquisitive on a trip. He even hugged Cesar at the airport. Can’t say enough good things.

Date of experience: April 30, 2025

We were a group of 8 and Andean planned our trip to Quito and the Galapagos Islands. Prior to the trip they answered all of our questions in a timely and profession manner...and there were many! They took care of all the transportation/logistics from when we walked out of customs and everything was seemless. The naturalist on the Ahani livaboard was very knowledgable about the environment and wildlife but had room for improvement on his communication/flexibility.

Date of experience: March 26, 2025

Clear communication about itineraries, knowledgeable guides, and safe drivers make for a great trip.
The prix fixe menus at the restaurants was very repetitive. More variety, even among local cuisine, would be appreciated.

Date of experience: May 06, 2025

I originally found Andean Discovery through an on-line search when we started planning our trip to Ecuador and Peru. I called and they picked up the phone right away and from that point on I knew that they were going to do an excellent job building out our trip for us. They were very responsive and answered all our questions throughout the process. We were interested in the Amazon, Galapagos and Machu Picchu and they created an excellent itinerary that included three nights at the impressive Napo Wildlife Ecolodge (Amazon), 5 days on the Elite Catamaran (Galapagos) and then on to Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The accommodation selections that they recommended were first rate. Everything was so well organized and on time and they had staff meet us at the airports who assisted with check in at the hotels and then again at the airports to collect boarding passes and getting us checked in for our flights. NO STRESS! The local guides that Andean employs are top notch and speak excellent English. We couldn’t have been happier with the level of service of this travel company and highly recommend them for any travel to South America.

Date of experience: April 22, 2025

Our experience with Andean Discovery (17 day Amazon, Galapagos, Machu Pichu trip) was excellent. The itinerary they put together was perfect and they executed it flawlessly. Their tour guides were always exactly where and when they said they would be and they were all so friendly and knowledgeable. Communication was a breeze. The trip was so seamless we were able to just enjoy the experience instead of worrying about logistics.

Date of experience: April 22, 2025

Amazing trip, small group and a fantastic guide Gallo.

Date of experience: March 26, 2025

The guides were wonderful. They were knowledgeable about the places we visited and tailored the experience to keep my kids happy and entertained.

Date of experience: April 04, 2025

Andean Discovery has some of the best guides in each location that are knowledgable and personable. They know the best of the lodging opportunities, even if it means traveling a bit further to get there. The stunning vistas in Chile were well worth the wait, even when Mother Nature's heavy summer winds kicked up and made summer travel difficult.I opted for the dinner tango show in Buenos Aires and was not disappointed. The Gamboa Windery tour was also delightful, although I would like to now tour Mendoza.

Date of experience: March 18, 2025

This trip was a bucket list & overall a great experience. Here are the things we thought could be improved.
1. The tipping situation. The explanation in the documents could have been clearer. One of our guides met us at the airport & escorted us to the hotel (& vice versa). Other guides were with us all day every day & we felt immersed in their experience. The cruise had it's own tipping schedule which was confusing. A bit more detail would have been welcome.
2. On the cruise, there was a photo contest & we were told to review their portion of the trip, after which we would receive a copy of the contest submissions. To date we have not received this.
3. We went on a cooking tour in Cusco, which was great. We were promised a copy of the recipes. To date we have not received this.
4. One excursion, to Wayna Picchu was canceled due to a landslide. Will this fee be refunded?
Our Cusco guide, Elias, was excellent - better than all the rest. I feel fortunate to have been assigned to him & will send more business to you because of him.

Date of experience: March 22, 2025

It was a fabulous trip with terrific guides. I had an amazing experience.

Date of experience: March 25, 2025