I just returned from a five week NEH "Andean Worlds" Institute in which Milla Turismo handled all the arrangements for 26 academicians, June 26-July 31 , 2005
What I can tell you about Carlos is that he has been involved for decades in the development of the tourism industry in Peru and is highly respected and very competent as well as very warm and personable.
When there were last minute emergencies, he took care of them personally (I have witnessed this on several occasions. ) Most of his family are now involved, whether as translators, or guides, or as people who just make sure key transportation shifts happens smoothly. All the family members are really nice people, the kind I would love to know all of my life. It is a very well-run family business, and all of them are proud of Peru and want people to have a good time and to learn about the cultures that have so enriched Peruvian life through millennia.
As for details - we stayed at very nice places which were often family run, like the Milla operation - whether it was accommodations, llama farms, restaurants, etc. A few were chains set up to serve large numbers of tourists, but that can be important with regard to food preparation. There were other opportunities Milla Turismo set up that were very unique, educational and off the beaten track. I'm sure that you need to indicate your interests and price range, and that Carlos can then think of what various regions of the country have to offer. Although he lives in Cusco, with a daughter in Lima (whom you can arrange to pick you up at the airport - a good thing! ), his office oversaw our travel throughout Northern Peru, the highlands, the altiplano as we travelled from Cusco through Puno to Bolivia and Tiwanaku as well as the Lake Titicaca region. Frankly, travel arrangements, hotels, food, constantly surpassed the expectations I had had from reading Frommers, so much so, I ate salads and cerviche without fear in many places....
I would recommend Milla Turismo to friends and loved ones in a heartbeat. Enjoy your trip. Peru is an amazing country - beautiful, constantly engaging, and informative with regard to a social world and a human history Americans actually have been taught little about. I feel very privileged to have been able to travel with other learners to such an extraordinary part of the world. I'm sure that I feel that way in part because of the thoughtful planning and care Carlos put into our five week adventure.

Alanna
Alanna Kathleen Brown, Ph.D.
alannakathleen@earthlink.net |