★☆☆☆☆ Premium Price, Budget Service — Deeply Disappointing Experience
I chose this agency because it advertises a “European standard, premium-quality” trekking experience. I paid almost $1,500 — nearly three times what other reputable agencies in Huaraz charge — trusting that promise. Unfortunately, what I received was nowhere near premium.
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1. Misleading Pricing & Marketing
On the trail I met groups who paid $500–600 and told me they had better food, better guides, and better gear. At this price point, expectations are naturally higher. What I experienced was closer to a budget trek sold at a premium rate.
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2. Food & Nutrition
• I sent clear dietary preferences (high protein, healthy, unprocessed food). These were ignored.
• Meals came with tiny protein portions, mostly cheap carbs, and the snacks provided were the lowest-quality processed biscuits and chocolates from supermarkets.
• Several clients, myself included, had stomach issues.
• Meanwhile, staff consistently ate larger portions and better cuts of meat than paying clients.
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3. Accommodation & Equipment
• Despite the premium cost, I received no private tent.
• The first two nights I had to share with a loud snorer and couldn’t sleep; afterwards I was placed in a tiny donkey driver’s tent where condensation soaked my gear nightly.
• Agency-owned bags were carefully protected with covers and boxes, while client bags were left exposed and some were damaged.
• I also rented trekking poles from the agency for 200 soles — the same price as buying new ones in Huaraz. The poles provided were broken, constantly slipped, and wouldn’t lock, making them dangerous on steep descents. For most of the trek I carried them unused in my pack — a complete waste of money and weight, directly contradicting the agency’s boast of “top-quality equipment.”
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4. Guide & Group Management
• The lead guide was consistently rude, impatient, and uninformative.
• The promised “fast and slow groups” never existed, leaving stronger hikers without support.
• We got lost multiple times due to lack of leadership at the front.
• On several days we waited up to two hours freezing at 5,000m passes before being allowed to eat, because lunch was withheld until the slowest clients arrived. This led to people becoming chilled to the bone and even mildly sick.
• After the trek, the owner dismissed this issue by saying “6 out of 10 people were happy” and disliked us. In reality, those six were first-time hikers who naturally moved much slower. Mixing beginners with experienced trekkers was poor planning and directly caused these problems.
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5. Overbooking & Comfort Failures
• The agency advertises 6–8 clients per group. We were 10, which meant:
• Dining tents were overcrowded, with people at the edges being hit by cold, wet tent fabric while eating.
• Tiny, unstable chairs were provided, while other groups had proper chairs with back support.
• This was not only uncomfortable, but false advertising.
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6. Last-Day Mismanagement
• On the final day, we were rushed to beat a 14:00 road closure. We arrived well before 12:00, but the donkey team — usually ahead — showed up hours late.
• We sat waiting on a dusty roadside for hours, arriving late to Huaraz and losing half a day for no reason.
• Again, this was due to poor coordination and zero communication.
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7. Zero Customer Care & Blame-Shifting
• On day three and day six, I messaged the owner directly with concerns. He never replied.
• After the trek, I called him multiple times before he finally answered. He told me he “just happened to be out of town” until after I would already have left Huaraz.
• Yet at Huaraz Airport I saw him personally accompanying some of the beginner trekkers from our group — proving he was present but chose to avoid meeting me.
• Instead of taking responsibility, he tried to make me the problem:
• Arguing that the “majority was happy” (ignoring the safety and comfort issues for others).
• Claiming staff were “uncomfortable” with me entering the kitchen tent — despite the fact that I was invited in by the staff themselves, and other clients also went in. No one objected at the time.
• This shows a clear pattern: rather than address legitimate complaints, the agency prefers to discredit unhappy clients and avoid accountability.
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Final Thoughts
I didn’t expect luxury. I expected professionalism, safety, good food, and basic comfort — all reasonable for a trek sold at three times the local price. Instead, I received a budget-level service wrapped in premium marketing.
If you are considering Huayhuash, I strongly urge you to compare agencies carefully, speak directly to groups you meet on the trail, and don’t be misled by this company’s claims of “European standards.” Other agencies in Huaraz deliver far better service at a fraction of the price.
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Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)