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It was a great pleasure working with Doug Newton and Southern Crossings on our National Geographic family travel TV series ‘Are We There Yet?’.  Doug showed a great flair for coming up with fun things for kids to do at Machu Picchu, and put a lot of thought and time into working with our specific needs.  He was reliable, organized and thorough, plus he was so friendly and calm that he was a pleasure to work with!  Thanks again, Doug!

- Stacey Jenkins, Associate Producer, Sinking Ship Entertainment

 

 

We both had a great time. I thought the guide - Greco Medina - and the rest of the group did a phenomenal job. The food was great and the itinerary just as planned (except for weather delaying our return to Lima).

 

- Scott Graham and Katherine Zamecki, USA, The Sun Gate Trek

 

 

We are very pleased with Southern Crossings. Margo answered all of our questions before we left and there were no surprises during the trek or our stay in Cusco. Chris was very helpful getting us to a pharmacy and arranging a place for Ray to stay in Lima while Ellen and I took the city tour. He also reimbursed Ellen for the 20 soles we gave the driver for the ride from the train station to Cusco. We enjoyed being in the Vista Dome on our train trip back to Cusco. We were delighted to be offered tea and entertainment along with amazing views of Veronica and the rural areas we traveled through. Thanks for all you provided to make our experience one we will savor for many years to come.

 

- Mary and Ray Hanson, USA, Classic Inca Trail

 

 

Southern Crossings did a wonderful job of welcoming us to Peru and arranging for our transfers, hotels, and tours.  The "experience" of Peru was truly memorable and makes me want to visit again very soon.  The Inca Trail was a challenging hike with sights and vistas that could not have been experienced any other way.  I am truly glad that I chose this trip!

- Charlene Angel, Travel Services, USA, Classic Inca Trail


 

AWESOME! From the moment we were greeted by Enrique until Doug took us to our departure flight the trip was awesome in every way. 

Peru is a beautiful country.  The places we visited were a delight to the eye, senses and heart.  Our guides were well informed and delightful personalities.  Southern Crossings gave me the best trip I have ever taken!

Jorge was very attentive, friendly and went out of his way to make sure our bus ride, tour and time in Ica and Nazca were a pleasant experience.  The bus ride was long; I was wishing I didn't need to spend so much time on a bus in that beautiful country.

Doug was our guide to Puno and Lake Titicaca. By the end of the tour I felt like he was part of the family.  Our home stay was a terrific experience.  The family was warm and welcoming.  It was an experience that offered me the awareness of how rich life is without all of the trimmings I feel I need. Such peace and tranquility! Next time I will know more Spanish!

Thank you for the trip of a life time.
I look forward to my next trip with Southern Crossings.

- Connie Mygatt, USA, Peru Custom Tour

 

 

 

Typically not a tour-orientated traveler, I found the guides Southern Crossings provided during our journey helpful, informative, entertaining and a positive addition to our experience of Peru.

There was someone waiting for us upon each arrival, domestic and international.  They were easy to spot and thoughtful of our adjustment to new surroundings.

Royal Inka I, in Cuzco was clean and full of the right amenities.  The location was perfect and the breakfast boasted some of the best coffee and fruit on the whole trip!

Our guide in Lima was a fountain of information, and had a great sense of humor as well.  And Alcira is the guide of all guides!  There was not a single question I had that she could not answer.

 

- Megan Mygatt, USA, Peru Custom Tour



 

Thank you so much for our recent trip to Peru and the Galapagos Islands.  Everything went smoothly from beginning to end, and all of our guides were first-class.  Special thanks to Alcira - she really went the extra mile!  We'll be recommending you to anyone that wants to visit Machu Picchu and the Galapagos.

-John and Linda Harbin, USA, Machu Picchu + Galapagos

 

 

 

Everything was absolutely wonderful about this trip. I felt spoiled the whole time. It was nice to have everything planned for me and to know that I was taken care of.  I was extremely impressed with the services you provided. I would highly recommend your company to others. Thank you so much for everything.

 

- Stacey English, USA, Inca Blitz!

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.  Machu Picchu absolutely astounded me!  In the past I have always traveled "on my own" with maps and guidebook in hand, but for my first trip to South America decided a tour might be wise. A very fortunate decision!  With the well-organized itinerary and wonderful guides a one week visit was filled to the brim with fascinating sites and in depth educational opportunities.  Many thanks to Marcello in Lima, and especially to Rene!  I am back at work but memories of mountains and clouds make me smile all day long.

 

- Carol Adair, USA, Inca Heartland
 

 

Thanks for everything in Peru! The entire trip went so smoothly and we had a great time and I have never eaten so well away from home. That was a great idea to spend a few hours in Miraflores last night. We had a very pleasant afternoon and an excellent dinner. And while the dinner still wasn't expensive by my standards, it would have cost three times that much in the U.S., we could have fed ten of us in Cusco for the same price.

We had an excellent trip and will be recommending Southern Crossings to friends and family.

 - David Kitchen, USA, Inca Heartland

 

You guys really do set the standard for what a travel adventure company should be.  You came through on your promise of personalized service from the beginning to the end of the trip.  During our trip (especially at the train station), we heard horror stories from tourists that booked their vacations with other companies.  We are so glad that we found you guys! Margo and Kris were extremely helpful from something as routine as where to exchange our currency to helping us not only to book, but arrange for us to sit in an oceanfront restaurant serving ceviche!  We're gonna be recommending you guys to our friends and family.  Top notch!

- Ray and Katherine Ky, USA, The Sun Gate

 

 

Dear Southern Crossings,

Thank you so much for a wonderful experience.  We have always planned our own trips, so were unsure about how this would work - well, it worked like clockwork.  Your guides were so well-educated about the history, culture, flora, fauna, religion, food, etc. and were willing to take us off the beaten path when we were game.  Peru is such a beautiful and varied country that eight days is hardly enough to do anything but scratch the surface, so we will be back and we are already looking at your other tours.  Thanks again.

- Joanne and Bill Plunkett, USA, Nazca Express

 

 

Southern Crossings arranged for us to see so many wonderful things, to enjoy so many activities and to meet so many interesting and wonderful people.  There  is no way that we could have organized such a complex and interesting itinerary ourselves and no way that we would have known which of the many sites to visits.  On top of this, the local guides are all impressively knowledgeable and present this information so clearly - it makes the locations come alive.

- Bishop Family, UK, Belize and Guatemala Custom Tour

 

Once Enrique, our driver,  met us at the airport in Lima, I never had any doubt that we would be well taken care of.  All of the Southern Crossings guides were knowledgeable and friendly.  I would recommend this company to my friends without hesitation.  A big thank you to Chris, Renee and Jorge for making this a memorable experience.

- Diann Bowen, USA, Inca Heartland

 

I was truly relaxed from start to finish on this trip. the logistics were all taken care of perfectly.
The accommodations were more than I had expected. The beauty of the country was magnificent. The guide Ali Baca was excellent and a real gem with his knowledge of the areas.

-Heidi Smith, USA, Islands Express trip

 

Fantastic, unbelievable, wonderful, amazing, incredible, and all the other adjectives I can’t think of right now!   The trip was perfect; the tour company really has it together.  Great, totally knowledgeable guides, everything and everyone absolutely punctual, accommodations great, local food was wonderful (didn’t try Guinea Pig - we don’t include rodents, amphibians or reptiles in our food list).  It was an absolutely memorable week.    Ryan and I are not religious, but Machu Picchu was definitely a spiritual experience that can’t be described – it has to be experienced.  The jungle was a lot of fun – no electricity and no hot water, lots of mud, but great.  Cusco is now one of my top three favorite cities – along with London and Florence ……..I would go back in a heartbeat. As for everything else – well, Peru is an amazing destination.  And Southern Crossings is the way to go! 

- Oberholtzers, USA, Amazon Adventure

 

You did a fabulous job arranging quality guides and accommodations.  Highly recommend you for families that like activities and have teens.  Hard to find a company that gets that.  The guides were very flexible and so we saw and did what we wanted and not a canned tour.  It was perfect!

-Lori Solari, USA, Peru Custom Tour

 

Our trip to Peru was so wonderful thanks to S.Crossings. Everything was personalized for us. Our guides were excellent in their knowledge of the area. The highlight was Machu Picchu. Ali did an excellent job helping us get around and explaining the whole ruins. We couldn't of asked for a better tour. I'd recommend your company to anyone.

-Mark and Linda Smith, USA, Inca Blitz

 

We LOVED Southern Crossings.  They usually do not book groups of larger than 8 people which is great.  Our tour was just me and Maria!  They met us at each travel point; everyone was terrific; they called the first evening to see if we were ok; the guide in Cuzco and all of the 3 days to and from Machu Picchu was fabulous!!  His name is Ali (his dad loved boxing) and he is one of the top guides in the area.  He has walked the Inca trail 183 times and knows the whole area extremely well.  So our day trip in Cuzco, area trip the next day and M.P. were all extremely well done by him.  We also had the same driver everywhere we went.  They just did a fantastic job.

You can certainly recommend them to everyone for Machu Picchu.  They are also expanding and have tours to other locations in South and Central America.  The employees are all very impressed with the owner.  He is a relatively young man who is just an adventurer.  A couple employees told us they also like the fact that he does lots of good work (and money) for the local areas.

-Linda Jean Cohen Levin, USA, Inca Blitz

 

I would thoroughly recommend Southern Crossings and will do so to friends and anyone who wants to go to   Peru. It was a great experience, we love the Andes and will be coming back - any chance of a similar trip to Ecuador or Bolivia ? if so let us know. Also any chance of Guatemala or other Mayan sites other than Chichen Itza and Tulum, if so please let us know of any plans you have? But saying that do not get too big, the great thing about your company is the personnel, they make it special.

Southern Crossings offer a personal service which is nevertheless professional and comprehensive. An excellent choice if you want to visit the wonders of Peru!

 -Helen and Mick Gorman, USA, Inca Blitz

 

Every day was a National Geographic special.

-Glenn Singer and Family, USA, Amazon Adventure

 

We were so lucky to have Simon as our guide on the way to Puno, during our home stay, and back to Puno.  He is incredibly intelligent and pleasant to "hang out" with.  We enjoyed his tour, information, and all conversation.  Because of him, the long and tedious boat ride to Puno from our Titicaca stay, went by in a flash for our kids.  (He has an arsenal of party tricks.)  When we got home, our kids voted him our best tour guide EVER (that includes all guides we've had in China, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, and all fishing guides in Montana!).  On departure, he made sure we were safely checked in at the airport, and gave us his cell number to call when we arrived at our destination.  I could go on and on about Simon - he "made" our trip!

Many thanks Southern Crossings for all the wonderful arrangements you made for our trip to Peru.  We appreciate that you were able to make our trip fit our available time-frame.  Peru was beyond what we expected, and the guides made every day a fun adventure.  We would recommend your services to anyone. 

 -Ashwill Family, USA, Peru Custom Tour

 

I travelled in Peru alone.  Due to the nature of my husband's job, he couldn't join me in Peru.  There was   NEVER a time in Peru that I felt my safety was in jeopardy, even with the very serious strike situation that was occurring in Cuzco at the time of my trip.  The employees and organization of S.Crossings has been flawless. 

 -Augustina Matsui, USA, Amazon Adventure

 

Thank you to all the people at Southern Crossings for putting our trip to Peru together and managing all the details.  I highly recommend the Amazon Adventure trip for those who want a glimpse of a wonderful country with some amazing sights.  Your staff is professional, efficient and very helpful and we thank them for all the work they did to make our trip a success.

-Mary and Bill Klenz, USA, Amazon Adventure

 

A fantastic adventure with the highlights being colonial Cusco, magical Machu Picchu and the wildlife of the   Amazon basin. Transfers and flights all to schedule. Guides were all very knowledgeable which enhanced the overall experience.  Thanks for a great holiday.

-  Jeff & Sue Kirby, UK, Amazon Adventure

 

The staff and all connected with Southern Crossings are the best!  It made our trip so wonderful and stress free to have all the details taken care of.  I wish I had someone like Karen to organize everything in my life so well. :) Every location we went to everyone with Southern Crossings were so helpful and kind that it made our trip go extremely smoothly, from the pick-up at the airport, to the guides, to the drivers and all the staff at the hotels, it was awesome.  Thanks for taking the ordinary to the extraordinary.

- The Hammond Family, USA, Inca Blitz

 

This was an excellent trip and hit the highlights with a high degree of comfort and convenience. Karen is an excellent organizer. She was very responsive to all of our inquiries and a great help in planning a last minute trip for us. And Rene is a superior guide. When glitches came up, he showed real concern and ingenuity to make sure that everything went smoothly.

 - Tom Newkirk, USA, Inca Heartland

 

Our trip was great and your staff is wonderful.  When my husband got sick one night, Karen, from your staff took us to the hospital, sat with us until 2:30AM, translated for us and offered to make soup and bring it back to us.  She was a lifesaver!  I felt safe in her hands and in knowing she was just a phone call away.

I saw things on this trip I never thought I'd see.  It was well worth it.  Southern Crossing put together one heck of an 8-day excursion for us.  We'd use them again in the future without question.

Ruth Zurawka, USA, Inca Heartland

 
 

Wonderful holiday in wonderful location.  Southern Crossings were superb in their organisation and interaction with us; always supportive and available but never fussing.  They made all the difference to our holiday and we would recommend them to anybody who wanted a special holiday in Peru.

- Julia, Tim and Toby Bishop, UK, Islands Express

 
 

Southern Crossings did an amazing job in organizing every detail of our trip.  We had a very good time in Peru without any problems.  They work with excellent guides.  We saw so many things in three weeks.  Our time was very well optimized but we did not feel rushed at anytime.  Thanks to Karen and Doug.  We had a blast.

- Benoit Brazeau and Annick Feraud, Quebec, Peru Explorer

 
 

If you ever consider going to Peru, use Southern Crossings.  We have recommended them to everyone we've talked to since our trip.  We always felt connected with them in case we ran into problems, but yet still felt like we were exploring on our own.  Would not hesitate to let them plan our next trip, which will probably be Mexico.

Laura Prato & Karen Carlson, USA, Inca Heartland

 
 

We loved being in our family group with (at various times) Doug, Joselyn and Karen from Southern Crossings rather than being part of big tour.

The trip was designed to meet our requirements and took into account the fact we had two teenage boys with us (and met their needs!).

The trip had the right balance of tours, shopping, relaxation and activity.

Sunset over Lake Titicaca from Amantani Island, the Inca Trail, dozens of monkeys in the Amazon Rainforest are the things we will remember forever.

We would recommend (and have done) Southern Crossings to our friends.

-The Whieldon Family, UK, Peru Explorer

 
 

This is the first package tour we have taken. Karen made our trip personal, packed in all we asked for, and kept us worry-free. Competant friendly guides met us at every stage, with tickets and any other time savers and we were whisked off to the next stage of our trip. Without Southern Crossings we would never have been able to fit in all we did, and time is our most precious commodity! It is the first time we have had a hassle free holiday - any issues were not our concern and were resolved by Karen before they effected us - THANK YOU!

- Julie and Greg Rapley, UK, Amazon Adventure

 
 

Thank you for helping us rearrange our itinerary, when our original flight to Peru was cancelled due to bad weather.  Your flexibility and efforts allowed us to salvage our trip and have a wonderful time.

- Craig Brody and Esther Cheung, Peru Custom Tour

 
 

I found Southern Crossings to be wonderful. I went to Peru in October, 2006 (alone) and and then went again in May, 2007, to Brazil (with my adult daughter). I really can't say enough about how much I enjoyed working with Doug and the crew...They are highly recommended!!!!! Hope you have a wonderful, wonderful trip.

- Helen Vanston, USA, Inca Heartland October 2006 and Brazil Custom Tour

 
 

The whole trip was a fantastic experience and I'd like to thank Doug and Juan especially, for making the Cuzco/Machu Picchu part of the trip so memorable. We were very well taken care of and felt in safe hands throughout. We managed to pack in a great deal in a short time thanks to the fine schedule. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your company to my friends. Thanks once again and remember you are welcome to drop by any time you find yourself in England!

- Edna and Michael Crone, UK, Nazca Express

 
 

Thanks for helping us have a great trip.  You took care of the details and your enthusiasm of the Mayan culture was great.  We'll make sure to keep in touch.

- Lisa and Dave Heller, USA, Mayan Adventure

 
 

I found Southern Crossings on the internet & chose them for my Mayan Adventure over about 10 other groups. I did not know anyone but took the chance as the Itinerary & price fit my needs. I HIGHLY recommend Doug & Southern Crossings! The trip was perfect and Doug was so very dependable & trustworthy. He is a true gem. Some of the other people in our group had been on a Peru trip last year and swore they would follow him anywhere...So will I...

- Anne Wenning, USA, Mayan Adventure

 
 

No joke, we'd follow you wherever you want to lead us...See you in Alaska, Africa, Bolivia, Argentina, Bucharest, Hong Kong, Norway, Finland, Iceland, etc.!

- Roy and June Stuckey, USA, Mayan Adventure

 
 

Doug was absolutely terrific. He made us feel comfortable, and the trip went off without a hitch....except for one time. A bus broke down when we were en route to Tikal, Guatemala. The bus stopped, Doug went up to talk to the driver, turned around and said, “Okay folks, no trip in Guatemala would be complete without a bus breakdown!” And after a bit he'd found us another bus.  He not only had his act together and taught us a lot about the Maya, but he was a lot of fun to be around. I've never heard a group of people laugh more that the ten of us did on this trip.

- Richard Nisbet, USA, Mayan Adventure

 
 

The tour was absolutely fabulous and they looked after me extremely well – all the arrangements were excellent and I couldn’t fault them.  Met at Lima airport and taken to hotel, them back to airport for Cuzco, met at Cuzco airport  and accompanied around there and Machu Picchu.  I did the Nazca lines extension, but they arranged that from Lima wonderfully as well.  Hotels were 3 star or so but fine with an on suite shower  TV etc.  All the transfers and guides were great and there just when they were meant to be.  I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.  Have a wonderful trip!

Penny Mayo, UK, Inca Heartland

 
 

Southern Crossings took care of me from the beginning of my trip, planning all the way, to putting me on the plane for my return. The accommodations were excellent, the actual tours relaxed and informative and generally the whole thing met my expectations and then some. I would definitely consider traveling with Southern Crossings again.

- Ali Smith, USA, Classic Inca Trail

 
 

Thank you so much for organizing our trip to Peru. The personal attention and care you took of us made this vacation one of the best we have ever had.  We couldn't have had a better time and have thoroughly recommended Southern Crossings to our family and friends.  We look forward to taking another trip with you very soon.

- Paul Murray and Elizabeth Mathias, UK, The Sun Gate

 
 

We want to thank you so much for helping to make our grand adventure in Peru a vacation we will never forget!  Prior to our arrival, Michelle had created for us a one-of-a-kind itinerary.  This unique plan, along with Doug's knowledge of Inca history and willingness to take us off the beaten path, helped create an experience of a lifetime.  We highly recommend Southern Crossings for a friendly and personally attentive travel experience.

- Carolyn Knapp and son, Dr. Mark Knapp, USA, Inca Heartland
 

 
 

The trip was wonderful! Everything went so smoothly from start to finish with you guys... the Amazon is something everyone should try as soon as they get a chance!

My mom and I were amazed at how great the resort and the whole jungle experience was. Also, the staff, food and living conditions were great too (no bathrooms in the middle of the jungle that we had to walk to with the help of our flashlights)!!!
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you from our end for making the trip so relaxed but exciting at the same time! We had a blast and hope to make it to the rest of Latin America some time in the future.

-Samar Farah, Poland, Amazon Adventure

 
 

We had a great trip and hope all is well with each of you. Thanks again for your help in planning an incredible trip to Peru that we will never forget! We enjoyed meeting you and spending time with you while on our vacation. Take care!

-Cindy Simonian and friends, USA, Islands Express

 
 

We had a great time.  Puno (& pizza) , Lake Titicaca, and the islands (including reeds) were amazing.  We were so impressed with the people, who live happily and contentedly with so little...Overall a great and memorable trip.

-Robert Motta and Teresa Silva, USA, Islands Express

 
 

Some of the reasons why we loved traveling with Doug and Southern Crossings:

·       Finding guinea pig when there wasn't any

·       He got the scoop from all the locals (guides, taxi drivers) and laughed with them while exchanging information

·       He babysat Henry while we searched for toucans

·       He lead us on a guided tour of Huayna Picchu

·       He always told us he liked traveling with families (and made us believe it)

·       He laughed at all our jokes (even when they were really bad)

·       He let Bob win at bar games

Thanks Doug for the countless things you did for us.  Where are we going next?  Love,

-The Swain family, USA, Custom Peru Tour

 
 

We cannot thank you enough for the wonderful, informative, exhilarating and fun, trips we have made with you in Peru and the Amazon. Your knowledge of local language, history and customs have been both intriguing and invaluable. We are really looking forward to the journey to come in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize for the Mayan experience... See you there!


-David Smith & Hazel Jones, UK, Brazil Explorer

 

Great trip, great company, great time had by all. From the rainforest to the beaches of Rio. The diversity and contrast is very enlightening. Never a dull moment, your unbounded enthusiasm and cheerful demeanour made for a truly remarkable holiday.

-Martyn Weirrett, UK, Brazil Explorer

 

 

In June 2002 I went on the "Ultimate Inca Trails" trip with Southern Crossings.  I still look back on that trek as being one of the most beautiful and inspiring experiences of my life.  I had never been so connected to nature before; the scenery was incredible and the pace was challenging, but not overwhelming.  One night as we were setting up camp, a meteor flashed across the sky, lighting up the entire valley.  We drank water from mountain streams, bathed in natural hot springs, and visited ruins that were virtually unknown to the regular tourist trail. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before!  I will always look back on that trip as being one of the most inspiring experiences of my life.

- Jenn Sharman, Canada, Ultimate Inca Trails

 

 

My recent trip to Peru was my first time traveling abroad, and it could not have been better.  Southern Crossings was competent, friendly, and well-organized; the accommodation was better than expected; and the itinerary really packed in a lot.  I can't wait for my next trip!

-Jaime Rebecca, USA, Custom Peru Tour


 

It was all pure fun! Smooth going and good organization in respect of the
local communities and environment. For adventure holidays it is perfect...

- Joelle Chaubeau, France, whitewater rafting expedition with co-founder John Prosser

 

I must say, without exaggeration, this is one of the best traveling experiences I've had.  Everyone got on tremendously well, and I think this is largely due to the efficient way in which the trip was put together and the relaxed attitude of the people running the trip.  John's choice of rafting crews was also key and I felt that safety was never an issue. Also, given the remote nature of the trip, I was constantly amazed at John's ability to keep us supplied with cold beer!  I have recommended John's trips to a number of my friends.  John is a very amiable person, with a great sense of humour. He's very well traveled and always has a good story to tell.
I look forward to having more adventures with John and Southern Crossings in the future.

- Phil Riley, UK, whitewater rafting expedition with co-founder John Prosser

 

 



 

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