Inappropriate / Inaccurate? Ronio Yupanqui Castillo

Description

Picked up at hotel in Cusco and driven to mountain villages.

Description

Roni met me at the Cusco Airport - he is totally reliable and prompt - and I spent almost four full days with him as he drove me around the Sacred Valley. He knows the area in great detail and can enhance your own ideas by adding his input -such as my interest in visiting Moray was enhanced by his suggestion that we go in the early morning to avoid the tourist buses and this enabled us to practically be there alone! Then we had time to visit a gorgeous nearby lake before ging the "back way" to Cusco to markets. He would patiently wait for me to explore the markets and other ruins in the area as well as the Plaza in Cusco and other highlights. He also suggested some excellent restaurants where we enjoyed alpaca and risotto with quinoa as well as chicha, the delicious local dark corn juice. He showed me about 10 different types of corn out of the 2,000 which grow in Peru, along with the 3,000 types of potatoes. He is very easy to be with and open to all ideas - such as jumping out of the car at night to look for the Southern Cross! Do not expect him to speak English - he wants to learn but is just beginning - or to be a trained professional guide, but he does have a good understanding of the local history as most local people do. He is a delightful companion for exploring the Sacred Valley. His car is immaculate, his driving skills excellent and his charm abundant!

Description

It was wonderful to find and make such a good friend in Roni. He salvaged our Peruvian trip and made it truly memorable. I am 81 years old and had sustained an injury in the rainforest. Roni was picking us up in Cusco to take us to Ollantaytambo but he graciously took me to the hospital instead.

Roni has such a compassionate spirit. A young woman with an infant entered the lobby just after me. We were shown in to see the triage doctor. Passing through the lobby on my way to radiology I saw Roni caring for the infant so the young woman could take care of her paperwork at the desk.

X-ray revealed that I had broken my arm requiring surgery and an overnight stay in the hospital. Roni was very helpful to my distraught daughter. He spent the night in Cusco as my daughter and I both spent the night in the hospital. He was there for us the next morning as we waited for the doctor to release me. The doctor already knew we were not fluent in Spanish so he included Roni in as he gave us instructions. Once we were able to leave the hospital Roni drove us on the first of our tours on the way to Ollantaytambo.

Roni provided us with his expertise every day of our weeks stay in the area. Mid-week he even phoned the doctor in Cusco for me as there was a question about whether I had to return to Cusco before going home. Thankfully it was not necessary.

He is a wonderful guide and knows the land, his people and it’s history. With our fractured Spanish we communicated quite well as he told us about all the different areas we visited. He is studying English and eager to improve but don’t expect an English conversation just yet.

It was a pleasure to encounter such professionalism so far from home. He was so considerate and attentive to my needs while entering and exiting his car that is kept very clean. Driving with Roni is a relaxing experience despite the road and it’s condition or very narrow streets. Having retired from the California Department of Motor Vehicles and a career of assessing driving skills I found Roni to be a wonderfully safe driver.

As we said our goodbye in Pisac he even reminded me that the following day was the day I was to start flexing my fingers as the doctor had instructed. He remembered and was still looking after my welfare.

If he is available, book him for your tour guide.

Description

Ronni picked us up at the Cusco airport and because my mother had fallen while we were in the jungle, he took us to the hospital, where she ended up having surgery and staying over night. Ronni stayed with me and supported me when I felt very lonely, afraid, and worried about my mom. We went to a great dinner (local food) and he even stayed overnight in Cusco and came back and waited until Mom was released, so he could drive us to Ollyantantambo.

Went sight seeing on the way to Ollyantantambo, as well as subsequent days that week to the salt mines, Pisac, the Pisac ruins, and various other parts of the Sacred Valley. We met local people and Ronni’s friendly manner made everyone feel very safe and willing to share experiences and our lives with one another. It takes someone special to make this happen in such a natural way. We spoke with elderly shepherds out in the middle of nowhere and took photos of them and their wonderful animals. We even gave a ride and as a result, got to meet two local women from Maras who walked many miles to get to work and were trying to get back to their homes to attend a school parade, in which their children were taking part in. If you want to see the “Real” Peru, hire Ronni.

He lugged our luggage ¼ mile, uphill and over cobblestones at a full run, as cars are no allowed closer to the hotel we stayed at. This was a blessing, as my mom needed assistance navigating the cobblestones after having surgery.

We met his family in the local Mercado and spent many hours having great conversations about life, Peruvian culture, food, education, and what we had in common. We spent so much time together, in such a familial way, we consider Ronni like one of our family. He is one of the people I remember and absolutely the one person I miss the most now that we are back home. It is very easy for me to recommend Ronni as a guide…as a human.

P.s. He has a very nice and comfortable car and his driving skills are top notch. We had to navigate some very crowded streets and alleyways, not to mention closed off streets due to the festival in Pisac. He drove with confidence and I never doubted his abilities behind the wheel.

Description

Roni was both our driver and guide on many day trip excursions around Ollaytantambo, providing us with both great company and excellent local knowledge. His insights were invaluable to us and allowed us to really get the most out of our experiences. The best compliment we can pay him is that we always felt in good (and honest) hands with him as our guide and that he was able to bring much more to our outings than just transport!