Tour Guide Spotlight: Introducing Hugo Tamayo Fuentes

What's your name? 

Hugo Tamayo Fuentes

- How long have you been a tour guide for?

I´ve doing this amazing job over ten years 

- How long have you been a tour guide for VTC?

I began to work for Valencia very recently about one year ago .

In my office, Machu Picchu

- Tell me about a hidden spot in Peru that you love, that most tourists wouldn't know about!

One of the most interesting places that I have had the chance to visit in Peru was the pre- Inca city of Kuelap is in the northeast of Peru in the Amazonas province. It is not so much a hidden place because a many Peruvians visit the area. But i think an archaeological site like this deserves more promotion and a better tourist infrastructure and a strategic plan to market this magical area to international tourism.

- What do you love most about Peru?

Definitely one of the most important things that I like to show to my clients is that our country has a real connection with our ancestors and their roots. So, it is incredibly interesting how Peru is confronting the globalization of tourism while maintaining the real essence of the people, without losing our identity.

- If there's one essential phrase that any traveler should know when visiting your country, what should it be?

I would like to repeat once more that there is  “ No Culture without identity” Another phase I use regularly is “we don’t know where are we going if we don´t know where we have come from”

Inca Trail team!

- What's the best local beer/wine/spirit, & dish, that new visitors to your country should try?

Beer .- definitely Cuzqueña
Wine .- Intipalka
Spirit.- Ayahuasca
Dish.- fusion food Nikkei (Peruvian and Japanese food)

 

- What's your favorite VTC tour, and why?

Definitely the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu is my favourite... the views, the logistics, the sensations and the gift at the end as the "cherry on the cake" Machu Picchu.

 Machu Picchu tour

- What's the best memory you have as a tour guide?

Too many but I remember a “Proposal” in Machu Picchu. It was really emotional because we had a long journey, some difficulties, due to a strike and unfortunately the train couldn’t leave the train station. I was with my clients waiting for a solution, to find out when the train could reach Machu Picchu, and it was almost 4pm, Knowing that they that they close the entrance to Machu Picchu at 5pm. Fortunately we could take the bus in time and we could see Machu Picchu with a terrific sunset and the marriage proposal. It was simply magic!

Hiking above the city of Cusco

- What are you most looking forward to once travel opens back up?

Well, I hope to recover our way to life, this pandemic has shown us how fragile this activity and tourism in general is, but it has also taught us many things that we can use to our advantage.