This was our third Active adventure so we had some pretty clear expectations and hopes for the trip. In almost all respects, this adventure far exceeded our expectations. The activities were all relevant and even though altitude played a minor role for the first half of our trip, our training and pharmaceutical preparations paid off. I was the oldest of the participants and was happy I was able to stay within sight of everyone though I'll admit I came to recognize people by their butts pretty quickly. The guides for both sections of the adventure were first rate and not only knew history but the flora and fauna as well. They were great 'cat herders' and got us to where we needed to be with time to spare. Active South America must have a PhD level training program in patience and compassion because these guys excelled at every turn. ASA was spot on in their descriptions of the activities but perhaps undersold how good the accommodations would be; for the most part we were in very, very nice hotels that seemed delightfully quaint and family run. We never felt like nameless folks just passing through. As for food, we figured we might lose a few pounds due to the high level of activity and being at altitude for a week. Not so, my friends. The food was fresh, tasty and doggone it, very, very plentiful. We found ourselves trying things we might not otherwise be interested in ... except for Mary Ann and Giuseppe, the two Guinea Pigs offered up for our dining pleasure. Nope, none of us went there. The bottom line for us was that at the end, we were amazed our trip had gone by so fast, that we had seen and learned so much and that we thoroughly enjoyed our guides and other tour members. All that said, some may be interested in an economic perspective so here it is: dollar-wise, the trip on the front end seems expensive but by some point during the trip, we came to the conclusion that it was an exceptional value for the experiences we had. It was a true bucket-list adventure for us and we are so happy we choose ASA to provide us the experience we've always hoped to have. Pura vida! (Mark & Sandy Hudson, Shelby, NC, USA)

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