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"An excellent program run by an excellent host."
by Evan Burawa at 9:17pm on August 29th, 2010
An excellent program run by an excellent host. Julio, the founder of the Karikuy organization and his family made me feel right at home during my time volunteering with the organization. Julio went out of his way to make sure I was able to have a genuine Peru experience. He opened up his home to myself and the other volunteers allowing us the opportunity to assimilate into Peruvian society. A truly wonderful experience and one I would recommend to everyone interested in seeing this stunningly beautiful area of South America. |
"What impressed me more was the well planned trip"
by James Chin at 10:32am on July 17th, 2010
Our trip to Peru has been an extremely enjoyable one thanks to Karikuy. Julio (founder of Karikuy) has been warm and welcoming, giving us a slice of Peruvian life with his hospitality. What impressed me more was the well planned trip that ensured we had someone to take us around at every city in Peru, since we do not speak Spanish. Thanks Julio, Peru had been an awesome trip! |
"Julio and his family were extremely welcoming"
by Lani Conway at 12:39pm on July 14th, 2010
Volunteering for Karikuy was an eye opening experience, one filled with good people, good food and excellent opportunities to explore Peru like a local. As a volunteer I was able to gain more experience in travel writing, make new friends and satisfy my globetrotting tendencies. Julio and his family were extremely welcoming and made you feel right at home with their own brand of Limeño hospitality. From finger licking Peruvian hamburgers and ocean fresh ceviche to all night Peruvian dance fiestas and Machu Picchu jungle treks, you'll get to learn and love all this beautiful country has to offer just as I did. |
"They were Fantastic."
by Proinnsias Barrett at 11:07pm on June 23rd, 2010
It was hard to find information on this tour agency before we booked them so we weren't too sure if they were legit or not when we booked them. But I can now confirm for anyone thinking about booking a tour through them they were fantastic. And one of the cheaper tour agencies around. Cuzco Explorer I think was the actual company we went with in Cuzco but we booked through Karikuy. Price at the time I think was around 320 or so dollars for the classic (Inca) trail. Apologies to them for leaving it so long to getting around to doing this, but better late than never. |
"Thanks for the wonderful experience."
by Chani Bockwinkel at 1:43pm on May 30th, 2010
I fell head over heels for Peru. The country is beautiful in so many ways. Volunteering for Karikuy allowed me to experience this in ways I would have never been able to myself. As a dancer, I researched social and performance dance in the country for the website. I was amazed to see how dance was a such a huge part Peru. Everyone dances from age 2 to 80. It was so much fun to dance from Peñas to festivals. I learned some moves from Julio's family and hiked till I couldn't hike no more. Thanks for the wonderful experience. And try the ocopa arequipena! |
"It was an amazing experience & I couldn't have done it without your help."
by Cheryl Diego at 4:12pm on May 16th, 2010
Your company was very helpful from booking the tours & the tour guides that took us through it all. It was an amazing experience & I couldn't have done it without your help. I survived the Machu Picchu mountain climb. Thanks again for everything. |
"A memory that I will remember for the rest of my life thanks to Karikuy"
by Katie Gau at 5:55am on February 18th, 2010 Karikuy's Jungle Inca Trek to Machu Picchu was probably the highlight of my whole four month trip through South America. We biked, water rafted, hiked and ziplined through this bug invested jungle for four days, dripping sweat and barely breathing at that high altitude. Our days were spent waking up before sunrise to hike up and down steep and scary cliffs for up to 8 hours a day (while holding all our belongings on our backs!) We got to see monkeys and other jungle animals, paint our faces with a natural red sunscreen of berries, dress up in traditional Indian costumes, swim in waterfalls and relax in natural hot springs. On the last day of our trek we woke up at 3:30 am so we could climb up the 3,032 rocky steps to Machu Picchu. The view was truly magnificent! We definitely left this Wonder of the World in awe! It is a memory that I will remember for the rest of my life thanks to Karikuy. |
"Why Volunteer?
I’ll Tell You Why" by Andrew Crawford at 4:07pm on January 16th, 2010 Waterfalls, mountains, canyons, volcanoes, religious locations, festivals, cities, tombs, mystical Machu Picchu, concerts, hiking trails, hamburger man…the list goes on. Not only are you able to see just about anything you want in the country, but you get you write about them for Karikuy. To me, the blogging was a type of journal for my adventure and the Perupedia was just researching my interests. And I’m pretty sure nobody knows more about the entire country of Peru more than Julio. On top of that, he has family nearby and across the country that welcomed us with open arms. For that month of volunteering, we were a part of the family. This experience was so great that it is almost depressing because I’m not sure anything will live up to this again! Seriously, person-to-person, volunteer. ☺ |
"Amazing doesn't even begin to describe our trip"
by Kate Lautenbach at 3:48pm on December 5th, 2009
Amazing doesn't even begin to describe our trip to Machu Picchu or our experience with Karikuy. From the minute we started planning our trip Julio did an excellent job of working with us to make sure that our trip was everything we wanted it to be. Machu Picchu has been a place I had dreamed of going to for years and with the help of Karikuy it was even better than I imagined. Everything was taken care of for us from beginning to end and it was great to know that we were in good hands along the way. The Jungle Trail package was fantastic and I can't imagine a better way to experience Peru and arrive at Machu Picchu. Karikuy helped us pick the very best way to see Peru and ensured wonderful memories for years to come. If I ever have the chance to go to Peru again I will definitely use Karikuy again. Thanks Julio! |
"It was an absolute pleasure"
by Tim Rath at 12:50pm on October 31st, 2009
I worked in Peru as a blogger from August 2009 to September 2009, to use the word "work" loosely. By that I mean it was an absolute pleasure to spread the news and entertainment of this growing, secure and overall wonderful nation. In my time there, Peruvians never failed me when it came to providing fascinating subjects to blog on during the week and explore during the weekends. I totally recommend this experience to all interested in life, period. |
"I highly recommend Karikuy."
by Todd Neckers at 1:21pm on October 28th, 2009
First and foremost, I highly recommend Karikuy. Obviously Machu Picchu in particular and Peru in general were amazing, but the experience provided by Karikuy, from the planning stages through the execution, was top notch. The price was incredibly reasonable and they literally took care of everything for us (minus the flight down there). This included picking us up from the Lima airport at midnight when we landed, and dropping us off at 10:00 p.m. on our way back to the States. Karikuy planned a trip for us and we kind of tweaked it based on what we wanted to do. We did the "Inca Jungle Trail" to get to Machu Picchu - and if you're thinking of hiking to Machu Picchu, I'd recommend doing that trial rather than the actual Inca Trail because we heard a lot of people complain about the length/pitch of the Inca Trail, whereas the Inca Jungle Trail was hard enough that you were definitely working to get to Machu Picchu, but not overwhelmed. |
"This has been the experience of a lifetime"
by Shannon Bixler at 9:34am on October 14th, 2009
This past month and a half in Peru has been...indescribable. I have had an indredible time; I've done and seen things I never dreamed of doing. And Julio and the Karikuy Organization made that all possible. I can't thank you enough. This has been the experience of a lifetime. |
"Julio has an indispensable Knowledgebase on modern and ancient Peruvian culture."
by Peter Gent at 1:32pm on September 30th, 2009
I'd been traveling through Argentina, Uruguay and Chile before working as a volunteer in the Karikuy volunteer writing program. In the time that I spent in Karikuy I felt a lot more about the local way of life, traditional and modern than in the rest of my trip combined. Julio has an indispensable Knowledgebase on modern and ancient Peruvian culture. To that end, he's also full of interesting and varied anecdotes. Big props to him overall. |
"We did some amazing travels..."
by Maren Uffenkamp at 11:06pm on September 23rd, 2009
In August I volunteered with Julio for a month. I decided to volunteer because I wanted to stay longer in one place and that way get to know real Peruvian life - and thanks to Julio and his family I learned a lot about Peruvian culture, life, food, birthday parties, clubs, anticuchos etc...:)! I enjoyed Peru a lot - we did some amazing travels to Machu Picchu, Nazca, Huacachina, Marcahuasi, Arequipa and Puno. Peru is a beautiful country with a lot of interesting history - let's go and look for the "El Dorado", Julio:)!!! Bueno, muchas gracias por todo. Saludos tambien a Karikuy - el gato LOCOOOOOO. |
"An unparalleled experience."
by Jenny Sherman at 3:18pm on September 15th, 2009
Volunteering for Karikuy has driven my interest to return to Peru and pursue future projects. With the environmental research I did for the Perupedia project, I am able to walk away with a depth of knowledge about a country I don't normally have when I travel. And with the volunteer project I was able to plan and take trips around Peru to get to know the culture and beauty of its diverse geography. Living with a Peruvian family, eating Peruvian food and residing in one of Lima's oldest neighborhoods offers an unparalleled experience. Get used to counting your expenditures with Peruvian hamburgers and learning to live with your heart wide open. |
"Give the Karikuy experience a go!"
by Josh Lowe at 9:40am on September 14th, 2009
I was the volunteer guinea pig so as to speak, though perhaps that's a bad analogy to use here since the guinea pig is often cooked for meals in Peru. My time volunteering with Karikuy was actually much more pleasant than that. The structure is set up so that you will really get out of the experience what you put into it. One of my main draws to the program was experiencing a different culture and way of living. The people were friendly, the food was good, the sites are worth seeing, and the work environment is relaxed (and often more like a vacation). I stayed for a month, but easily could have stayed longer, if not for prior plans and plane tickets to travel elsewhere. If you're looking for a unique way to experience Lima, the tourist options of Peru, as well as get unique insights into Peruvian living that the average tourist never sees, give the Karikuy experience a go! Plus, all the while you get to work on the Perupedia project to help others learn about Peru. Who knows, maybe you'll see me back there sometime too. |
Fantastic
by Erik Bianchi at 3:18pm on October 14th, 2008
It does not matter what your expectations of Peru are, your trip is guaranteed to exceed them. Peru is a beautiful country that pictures can not even begin to capture. You must go there yourself, and Karikuy is definitely the way to get there; great tours at even greater prices. Julio does an amazing job planning everything and takes all the stress out of international travel. I will definitely be returning sometime. We had so much fun in our 9 days that we had to stay another. Whole heartedly recommended. |
If you're looking for a
good time.... by Kaylee Hawkins at 5:59pm on August 9th, 2008
... now that I have everyone's attention.... Seriously, Karikuy is the way to go. Professional, organized, and personalized service from the second you inquire about a tour to the moment you board the plane back for home. Every day was a mind-blowing adventure, and the experiences would not have been possible without Julio's help. He is extremely well-versed in the country, and has many connections throughout the Peruvian travel scene to make your vacation dreams possible. And talk about a good deal! This was my college graduation gift on a whim to myself, and I couldn't believe all we got for the price.... lodging, domestic travel, activities ranging from sandboarding in Huacachina to exploring the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. And Julio is such a down-to-earth and fun guy... you seriously would be missing out if you didn't have such a fantastic guide. |
Great time, no problems!
by Christopher Bell at 9:19am on June 29th, 2008
I've traveled to a few different countries in the last few years, and this travel agency has been by far the most cordial and informational. This is a stark contrast to many other horror stories I witnessed while in Peru of other agencies losing people's money and reservations. Karikuy truly embodies the warm spirit of Peru. When first arriving in Cusco, we were immediately greeted by a friendly woman and driver who helped us carry our things and drove us to the hostel. When we arrived, it was very easy to check in. The next day we were guided around by an extremely informational tour guide while we witnessed the beauties of the surrounding Cusco. When it was time for the Inca trail we had no problems meeting out trail guide and starting the trail. Every day in Cusco was simply beautiful, and extremely non-stressful. I attribute this to the travel agency. This trend continued throughout my two week stay in Peru. Traveling to another country can be extremely stressful due to many factors such as climate, language, food, and people. The last thing one needs is for the travel agency to be incompetent. If you want a stress free experience in beautiful Peru, I would travel no other way than with Karikuy. |
Road to Machu Picchu
by Michael Turi at 5:10pm on June 28th, 2008
Earlier in the year I took a wonderful trip throughout multiple locations in Peru with friends. The people who I went through to set up the trip were helpful and hands-on along the way. Costs were extremely reasonable for travel fare, food, accommodations, etc. Along the trail leading to Machu Picchu I was doubly impressed by how well we were taken care of by friendly guides, cooks & porters. I have no complaints and took back countless memories. Thanks Julio! |
An Early Summer Adventure
by Zachary Meisel at 10:52am on June 21st, 2008
If you are planning on going to Peru then Karikuy is the way to go! I was able to experience the mystical Incan ruins, wild Peruvian nightlife, and catch some secret local hotspots thanks to our guide Julio. It is possible to backpack independently but if you travel with Karikuy you will be sure to have a knowledgeable and reliable guide. I rate the trip an A+ and plan to return in the future. |
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