Pachacamac Sacred City, Sanctuary of the Gods

Edgar O. did a good job. He was personable, knowledgeable, and his English was very good - both his vocabulary and his diction. His command of English made the tour ever more pleasant. We had a short walk through the center of the Barranco neighborhood (a good thing to include) and then spent time at Pachacamac where we viewed the two principal buildings (House of the Chosen Women and Temple of the Sun) and the Museum. Edgar helped us understand the history of Peru in terms of the civilizations (societies) of the past, their chronology and geographic centers. Had he provided a paper handout summarizing these facts in a simple diagram, it would have been very helpful as a learning tool. And he worked hard to put the facts in context. The Museum was a bit chaotic. Perhaps a more organized commentary and guided trip through the Museum would have been more effective than the simple wandering which we did. Edgar could have taken more control in the museum to ensure that we understood and learned what was offered there. When we traveled through the communities of Lima he was helpful in sharing cultural notes about the different places we passed. -- Overall, the tour was over priced and would have benefited from a different design. For example, for a $300 tour, the company should have included a stop (perhaps in Barranco before visiting Pachacamac) where we could sit down for a cup of tea or coffee for 20-25 minutes to build up a context for what we would see in Pachacamac. Edgar tried to do this at the end of the Pachacamac visit but it was awkward and less effective in the car. We would recommend Edgar to other tour guests, but we would not recommend the tour, structured as it is. Its is far too expensive for what it delivers. More insight into different neighborhoods of the city, a sit down in Barranco or elsewhere to review Peruvian history and digest the learning over a cup of coffee or tea would have been both more professional and effective. Edgar will develop into a professional and highly skilled tour guide. In summary, a different tour design would have made him more effective and would have encouraged us to recommend the Tour by Locals to others.

Edgar O. is a consummate professional. He is knowledgable, courteous, friendly, and punctual. He is fluent in English and his accent is easy to understand. Our tour of the Barranco district of Lima was wonderful and the tour of the Pachacamac archeological site and museum was extremely interesting. Edgar picked us up right on time at our hotel. The mini van we traveled in was new and comfortable and was driven by Edgar’s driver. We highly recommend Edgar and this five hour tour!

What a wonderful day! We had the best time with Edgar. He is so knowledgeable about Peruvian history and cuisine. He was flexible in allowing us to see some things we asked for. This tour takes you to an enormous pre-Incian site. We spent a lot of time there and never felt rushed. He answered all our questions and made sure we were able to walk around and really take it in. Just an amazing tour guide and a really amazing tour. I highly recommend. Ask Edgar for restaurant suggestions, lunch was the best!!

We had a wonderful day with Edgar, our guide. We were on a cruise so Edgar met us at the location outside the port where the shuttle bus dropped us off. We then went to Barranco where we visited a park and a retail area. We continued south accompanied by interesting commentary by Edgar whose English is outstanding. Upon arrival at the Pachacamac archeological site Edgar gave us a comprehensive description of the various items and exhibits in the museum. Next we were driven to the remains of many of the structures and temples. After all of this we we driven back to the shuttle bus stop so we could return to our ship. We could not have had a better guide or a better day than we had we Edgar.

We had a great time with Edgar. The ruin, for us, was amazing. Edgar got us up to a prime location that was closed to most visitors.

What a wonderful experience! Edgar promptly answered questions before the tour, no problem to add people, was informative and knowledgeable, and extremely pleasant to be with. The car driven by Abel was clean and comfortable. We all had a perfect day and would highly recommend Edgar as a guide. Fabulous day!