Peru Luxury Travel

Bernard Schleien
Director
info@peruforless.com

Bernard attended Southwestern University at Georgetown, TX, one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the USA. After graduating with a major in history, he founded Peru For Less in 1998 and has ever since devoted his professional life to building memories of Peru for all. He has learned that there is much more to life than the ever so constant work day, and is one of seven founding members of Peru Futbol - a Peruvian NGO that aims to bring thousands of Peruvian children out of poverty, while instilling values through the teachings of soccer. Bernard has a love for Peru (especially Cuzco), like so many, and finds it extremely gratifying at the end of each day that he is able to sell something that he truly believes in. He has lived in Cuzco for 6 months, and goes there at least 3 times a year. Other interesting factoids about Bernard: Seinfeld fanatic, Cienciano del Cuzco soccer club team rooter, independent rock music, biking, creative writing, cooking and eating out, microbrewed beer (he says he just likes the taste.).

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Richard Leon
Director
richard@peruforless.com

Richard attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, one of the best schools of music in the world. He has lived in both in the USA and Peru, back and forth, as his family tended to move from one country to another due to job reasons. After 4 years of traveling back and forth from Boston and his home town of Lima, Peru, he graduated with a Bachelor degree in Music Business and Management. He has a passion for travel, drums, music, surfing and the financial markets as he is has been day trading for several years. He can never say no to food, especially if it is Pizza Day at the office which is to his fortune, once per month. He loves playing with his band called "Pan con Tamal" and also to simply grab his backpack and start walking into unknown territory to explore and find beautiful destinations which later he can share with all his friends. As an avid traveler he has been all over many countries in South America and experienced how travel can open your horizons by meeting new people, new cultures, new places and especially new rhythms for his drum set. Helping people is one of his passions as he truly believes that what goes around comes around and we all have to do our best to make our small space in the universe the best place to be.

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David McClellan
US Office Manager
david@peruforless.com

David is a medical social worker and he attained Psychology and Philosophy degrees at Southwestern University at Georgetown, TX; a leading liberal arts college in the USA. He started working in a senior living community in Austin after college, and after traveling to South America and meeting up with his old college buddy Bernard, he became the US office manager for Peru For Less. David's laid back attitude and warm character have always drawn him towards Latin America. He is a 'seize the moment' type of guy with an ambition to collect as many valuable experiences as possible. He collected many such experiences during his enchanting travels through Peru, from the zenith experience of Machu Picchu to the Taoist exploration of the Amazon waters. David plays football in recreational leagues and also sings Bass in professional choirs from Texas tours to a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall, New York City. In his spare time David plays guitar and cries the Missisippi delta blues or bangs on bongos. He also enjoys motorcycle-riding through the Texas hill country. David brings to bear his passion for experience, compassion for the unlucky and faith in each person's liberty to create his or her own living Heaven in preparation for what lies beyond. These principles of the human spirit align David with the Peru For Less philosophy of rejuvenation, sensory stimulation and collection of experiences, as well as the cultural good.

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Janjoris van Diepen
General Manager
jan@peruforless.com

Janjoris graduated in 2004 from the University of Twente in the Netherlands with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. He stands 196 cm tall and is often called ‘the giant' in the streets of Lima. Before moving to Peru, Janjoris roamed the slums of New Delhi in India, researching urban and solid waste management in order to obtain a minor in Sustainable Development in a North-South Perspective. After returning from India he was bitten by the travel bug once more and it wasn't long before he found himself in Latin America. Following an internship in a quiet little city in the Peruvian Andes, Janjoris traversed the entire country falling head over heals in love with both Peru and its people. A girl from Cuzco in particular caught his eye (and love), and after graduating he came back to Peru to live with her. Before joining Peru For Less, Janjoris worked as a Tour Leader and got deeply in touch with the tourism industry. Joining the company was a logical step for him, and he instantly found himself at home. Although being an uncompromising supporter of the PSV football team in Holland, Janjoris claims to be terrible at the sport. Instead he prefers biking and playing squash. In the evenings you can find him in one of the many cinemas in Lima or just at home reading, trying to improve his Spanish.

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Abby Winship
Sales Manager
abby@peruforless.com

Abby graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies.  Within weeks of finishing her coursework she ran off to Peru to be with the man and the country that she fell in love with during studies abroad in 2005.  Her friends like to say that she’s more Peruvian than the potato because she’s explored so much of the country and is deeply in touch with its culture.  And speaking of potatoes, she is always willing to try one of the thousand typical dishes that comprise Peru’s greatest treasure, its cuisine.  She is intrigued by the varied flora and fauna of Peru and you might ask to see her impression of a vicuña, the precious Andean camelid whose fleece makes some very fine sweaters. She leaves Lima at every opportunity to seek out these animals as well as to catch some fresh air. She has seen dolphins from the beach, llamas at Machu Picchu, and river otters in the Amazon, all without ever setting foot off of Peruvian soil.  Her idols are her big sister and Shakira pre-Oral Fixation, who populates her extensive music collection along with Bob Dylan, Jack Johnson, Stevie Wonder, and the best of Latin Rock, Folk and Pop. If she’s not working or talking to her boyfriend, she’s probably reading, writing, compensating for Peru’s high-starch diet (i.e. exercising), or contemplating the waves that she will one day be able to surf.

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JP Salcedo
Travel Advisor
jp@peruforless.com

Juan Pablo (aka JP at the office) graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in 2004 with a BA Bachelors Degree in economics and a double minor in mathematics and management. When his time came to choose where to obtain his bachelors degree he immediately chose to study in the US and particularly at Purdue since it has one of the largest populations of international students among US schools. He studied continuing his studies abroad at the University of Mannheim in Germany in 2002. His international experiences not only helped him to understand better the world dynamics, but also increase his love and appreciation of Peru and all this beautiful country has to offer. Always ready to return to travel, visit with friends and family, and enjoy the endless variety of dishes, especially ceviche!!! For him the best time of the year is the summer, when he can just wear shorts, enjoy the sun and read a nice book peacefully in the beach with the soothing sound of the waves breaking in the background. His favorite sport is soccer (of course!), but he enjoys playing just about anything, from tennis to snowboarding. Oddly enough, one of the passions he developed while in the states was the love for Salsa music. Unfortunately he is a terrible dancer, but he is always willing to try his best, improve and have a good time. He's our technical guy that gets you through your travels squeaky clean.

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Susana Alegre
Travel Advisor
susana@peruforless.com

As a lovely limeña, Susana's work allows her to share not only her love of travel, but also her love for her country. Indeed, these two loves were combined in her studies at the Catholic University of Peru, where she majored in Communication for Social Development. Putting her degree into practice following graduation, Susana worked in the communications department of an environmental NGO, travelling extensively throughout Peru – most notably to isolated communities and national parks, especially in the Amazon jungle. Her first hand knowledge of her country and its people, and her desire to apply her knowledge to assist in their social development were further developed in Denmark where she worked at the EUC Nordvestsjalland Business School as the International Marketing Assistant Professor for the 2003 – 2004 Semester. In Denmark, Susana had the opportunity of sharing Peru's rich culture and history with students from all over the world. During her studies she travelled to Paris – ostensibly to study French for five months – and here she uncovered her passion for history, art, meeting people from different cultures, and travelling. Susana is a Cinema going die-hard and goes to the movies at least twice a week. She enjoys playing tennis and relaxing on the southern beaches of Lima during her summer holidays.

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Aimee Reeves
Travel Advisor
aimee@peruforless.com

Aimee, a Chicago native, loves the laid-back Midwest, but simply cannot fight her desire to see the world. A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Political Science and Spanish Language and Literature, she also spent six months studying international politics at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile in Santiago. After receiving her undergraduate degree, Aimee worked with an environmental law firm, where she developed a great passion for environmental issues. Nevertheless, her studies and fascination with Peru led her to take a position with an NGO in Lima. She’s traveled throughout Chile, Peru, and Argentina, and one day hopes to move to Buenos Aires where she will be able to indulge on delicious Malbec whenever she wants.

When not at the Peru For Life office, Aimee enjoys discovering new independent musicians, playing soccer, running, and challenging her English coworkers to duels. She also spends time with her dog, who was abandoned after the earthquake in August of 2007.  

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Daniel Sacilotto de la Puente
Travel Advisor
daniels@peruforless.com

Born cross-eyed in Virginia, Daniel moved to Peru with his mother at the tender age of two. He began his tertiary education as a Law student at the Catholic University of Peru before undergoing his very own paradigm-shift and transferring abroad to study Philosophy at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

After successfully completing his B.A, Daniel returned to Lima in the hope of finding that all those thousand-page books could eventually inspire him into doing something useful: he initially spent some rewarding months doing volunteer work for the homeless in Peruvian shanty-towns, while continuing with his obscure philosophical investigations, learning German, and having more fun than he probably should have.

Daniel’s ambition is to be the world’s most prolific philosopher, and to see as much of the world as his budget allows, in the company of an as-yet-unfound but spectacular girl. Meanwhile, back in the real world, he will be bringing his philosophical mind to bear on creating mind-expanding journeys to Argentina. And he will continue to relax with a nice glass of ale, a copy of Heidigger and obscure, horrific, Heavy Metal.

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Rylee McGowan
Travel Advisor
rylee@peruforless.com

Rylee is a photographer and musician originally from San Francisco. It was here that she studied Film Production at the State University and worked diligently through school at the Exploratorium Science Museum as an audiovisual technician and as a freelance photographer.

After graduation, Rylee had an urge to travel and explore the rest of the world, her camera at her side and so spent time in Haiti, Mexico, South East Asia and Western Europe. She found the Caribbean and Latin American countries particularly visually exciting, although on one occasion in Haiti, a voodoo curse was put on her by a lady worried that she was capturing part of her soul.

Her first experience of South America was last year when she traveled through Argentina and then to Peru … but she liked it so much she stayed! She realizes that traveling is always going to be an important part of her life, but for the time being, she is happily settled in Lima, where she continues to take photos, play her piano, enjoy the local music scene, and is learning how to cook Peruvian-style.

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Chris Mahoney
Travel Advisor
chris@peruforless.com

Born and raised 'Down Under' in Sydney, Australia, Chris attended Martin College where he studied Graphic Design and Marketing. While living in Sydney, he contracted Latin Fever from his encounters with Peruvians there, especially his best friend from Lima, and yearned to know the Latin American continent. After traveling through the South Pacific, Southeast Asia and Europe, he packed his Maracas and Peter Allan music and headed for the other side of the Pacific Ocean to satisfy his gnawing curiosity for Latin America.

Traveling through Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, Chris finally arrived in Peru where he found the country lovely and the people amiable, true to his expectations so he decided to settle in Lima for awhile.

Chris has a background as an Art Director and has experience working with fashion shots, magazines and corporate identity. He feels the warm and passionate people, the vibrant colors and the agreeable ambience in Peru give him all the inspiration he needs.

His favorite animal is the Toad and he also boasts to making the finest Pisco Sour in all of Lima. On the weekends you can find Chris playing cricket and surfing in Caballeros Beach near Lima where the waves can reach a height of 3 meters!

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Halina Wloka
Travel Advisor
halina@peruforless.com

Born into a family that loves to travel, Halina was exposed to the joys of visiting new and distant places at a young age. After traveling to five of the seven continents before the age of 20, Halina returned to her birthplace of Canada to study at the University of Victoria. A major in Anthropology was a natural choice to further her understanding of humanity’s complexities while a minor in Spanish allowed Halina (who has a weakness for anything to do with Latin America) to explore in more detail much of that region of the world

A yearning to travel found its way back to Halina; motivated by an interest in human rights and a dream to one day work with an international children’s rights organization, she headed to Peru to work with children in a shantytown school of Lima and in a daycare center in Ayacucho while improving her Spanish. In Peru, she fell in love with the beautiful country, friendly people and her future husband. After finishing her degree, Halina finally retuned to Lima where she continues to be an active volunteer at an NGO school for street children, is learning to cook Peruvian cuisine, and enjoys every opportunity to visit her new family and see more of this captivating country that she now calls home.

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Ruth Cespedes
Travel Advisor
ruth@peruforless.com

Ruth’s first memories were created on the stunning shores of Trujillo, where she visited family every summer. Other trips followed: in Cuzco, her curiosity compelled her to converse with all those that looked foreign. During that journey she realized that she truly enjoyed collecting wisdom from other cultures. While pursuing a Marketing degree at the University of Lima, Ruth was bit once more by curiosity, so she grabbed a backpack to explore more of her beloved country. Along with great travel partners, she travelled through the coast, highland and jungle. Her passion for travelling grew after her adventures of falling into a river while piranha-fishing in the Amazon and discovering creative techniques to survive on a low budget.

While pursing her Master’s Degree in Communications at Twente University, Ruth developed a fascination with Europe, falling in love with Holland, its people and its cheese. She took advantage of the short distances in the old continent, and travelled as much as her budget allowed. After graduation, she returned to Peru, with a passionate desire to make her country an even better place. In her free time, Ruth can be found making her family and friends laugh or watching the wonderful sitcom, Seinfeld. She is also fond of learning Dutch, spinning and taking long walks with good company.

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Carola Solis
Travel Advisor
carola@argentinaforless.com

A graduate of Communication Sciences from the Universidad del Centro, Carola has a passion for travel, social work and art. She has worked closely with indigenous communities to promote consumption of native locally-grown cereals. She has also worked for NGOs such as the International Federation of Red Cross, the Red Crescent Societies and Amnesty International in England, specializing on developmental education and nutrition.

A passionate traveler, Carola has traveled extensively to Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua. While not a meat lover, her ideal night out in Buenos Aires includes a famous “parrilla,” accompanied by an Argentine wine and some electric tango.  Argentina’s undeniably European flair, reminds Carola of England, where she studied photography and philosophy at the University of Bath.  The fantastic landscape, cosmopolitan culture and artistic flair are often compared to those of Europe. In fact, Carola’s favorite sculpture, Rodin’s “The Kiss” calls Buenos Aires home.

While traveling, Carola’s camera never leaves her side while she composes portraits and landscape photography. In fact, if she is not reading, dancing, listening to music, painting, writing or talking with friends, you will find her snapping away with her camera. In her free time, she keeps in shape by jogging, taking walks on the beach and doing yoga. Carola is currently pursing a Masters degree in Anthropology at the Catholic University of Peru. She hopes to continue traveling the world and working to make the world a better place.

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Kelly Leech
Travel Advisor
kelly@argentinaforless.com

Kelly is a recent graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz with a degree in global economics and Latin American and Latino studies. She fell in love with Latin America from the moment she danced to the Mayonesa (Mayonnaise) song with her Costa Rican cousins on a family vacation.

Since then, she has traveled to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, volunteering at orphanages and building houses. She’s fond of the Spanish language, Salsa dancing and Latin amiability. In 2007, she studied abroad in Lima, Peru at the Catholic University and experienced Peruvian culture first hand while living with a host family. She returned to the United States to finish up her B.A., eagerly awaiting her return to Lima. After time off from school and gaining work experience, she plans to get her Master’s in Public Health.  This would allow her to pursue ] her dream of organizing clinics and working with doctors in the non-profit sector to promote better health education in Latin American communities.

Her other passion, in addition to traveling, is rock-climbing; trekking and exploring what Mother Nature has to offer. Her favorite adventure spot is, of course, Patagonia in Argentina. The trekking in El Chalten, ancient glaciers in El Calafate and Antarctic terrain of Ushuaia all call her nomad spirit. She is so excited she can share her passion for adventure and the outdoors in Latin America with others.

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Matt Greenberg
Travel Advisor
matt@argentinaforless.com

Matthew comes to us from the suburbs of Chicago where he was born and raised.  He graduated from the University of Tampa in Florida with a major in writing and a minor in English. During his college years, Matthew spent a year teaching English in Costa Rica, where he fell in love with Latin America and fostered a desire to write about its culture. Fascinated by the warm and gentle “pura vida” attitudes of the “ticos,” he was struck by a sense of beauty and serenity he had never before encountered.   In Costa Rica, Matthew was bit by the travel bug; this took him to venture throughout Central America and Europe.  He now indulges in the rich and foreign treasures South America has to offer.

Matthew came to Peru to instruct English and quickly found the country had much to teach him. In his reports home, Matthew sings the praises of the best food he has ever had “except maybe for Chicago deep dish pizza.” Even more than the delicious cuisine, it was the warmth of the people, the beauty of the countryside, and the bustle of Lima that captured his heart and imagination. He travels as much as his time permits and has become known as the “Tango King” in certain corners of Buenos Aires.  Friend to the penguins of Puerto Madryn, the gauchos’ cattle of the Argentine pampas, and the llama of Peru, Matthew cherishes the sacred and vibrant wildlife that can be found all over South America. In his free time, Matthew can be found writing, reading, or catching the latest movies.  While Matthew does not miss the harsh Midwest winters, he does long for basketball and cheering on his beloved Boston Red Sox, a family inherited obsession. Nevertheless, Matthew has happily found a new home in Latin America.

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Leah Li
Travel Advisor
leah@argentinaforless.com

Born in China and raised in the U.S., Leah was first fascinated with Latin America at a young age.  From her studies of Spanish and Latin American at school, she was impelled to see the cultures she was learning about with her own eyes. She graduated from the University of Virginia in January 2007, after spending a semester abroad, studying at the Catholic University in Lima, Peru. In New York City she studied labor movement at the Murphy Institute of Labor Studies.  Her education in neoclassical economics left her seeking alternative economic models that include factoring environmental and social elements into the economic equation. In addition, after writing for the Carpenters Union, she gained a greater understanding of the important role labor unions play in a country’s economy.  She appreciates strength and power a group of united workers have in changing society for the better.

A year after her first encounter with the South American continent, she no longer resisted the yearning to return, to traverse south of the Equator and discover more of its infinite unfolding wonders. When not exploring as much of the expansive continent as she can or sharing her passion for Latin America at the office, Leah enjoys painting, writing, reading (especially the works of Gabriel Garcia Márquez and Jorge Luis Borges), walking in green spaces and listening to the rhythms of life.

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Diego Garcia Santa Maria
Travel Advisor
diego@brazilforless.com

Born in Brazil and raised in Peru, Diego loves South America and everything it has to offer. At an early age he showed a deep interest in filmmaking, and later chose to study communications at the University of Lima, where he majored in Advertising and Marketing and graduated first in his class! During his last year in college he found a new passion for traveling; he lived in California for a while, and spent his last semester of college studying at Diego Portales University in Chile. That same year he got deeply involved in the world of advertising when he was invited to become part of the first class of the Cannes Lions Academy, which he attended during the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Diego was also fortunate enough to study advertising and marketing at the prestigious Agulla & Baccetti Foundation (now known as Esponjario) in Argentina. His passion for filmmaking led him to work on the executive production of his first feature film: The Watercolorist, an ironic dark comedy about the ease with which we evade the defense of our dreams and with which we give the control of our lives to others. After spending 2 years as part of the PFL team, Diego has returned to his motherland, Brazil, as frontrunner of Brazil For Less. He now combines his work with frequent visits to movie theatres, samba lessons, relaxing on the white sands, learning Portuguese, and recalling his Peruvian cooking skills.

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Daniel Smith
Travel Coordinator
danielm@peruforless.com

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Daniel has lived in many parts of the world including San Francisco and Toulouse, France, and now Lima. He attended the University of San Francisco in northern California, where he received a B.A. in English Writing. After graduating, Daniel worked for KQED, California’s public radio and television network, and also taught writing to inner-city youth in the Hunter’s Point neighborhood of San Francisco. He then moved to France where he completed an independent study on Afro-French culture at the Universite de Toulouse. His experiences in Toulouse opened his eyes to the cultural and social differences people face around the world. In returning from France, he became a program coordinator at a refugee resettlement agency in Denver where he worked with newly-arrived refugees from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. His experiences with the refugee populations in Denver changed and molded his ways of living and will stay with him forever.

Daniel has a passion for music, the arts, and literature; his family is full of Afro-Cuban drummers, Peruvian criolla singers, classical guitarists, and salsa dancers. On weekends, you can find him listening and dancing away to live music in downtown Lima. He is an aficionado of poetry and the short stories of Amiri Baraka, a famous urban American writer, and from time to time enjoys visiting the Miraflores art galleries. His interests are diverse, but more than anything he loves meeting new people, traveling to new places, and having interesting conversations over a glass of wine.

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Sebastian Dawson
Travel Coordinator
sebastian@argentinaforless.com

As the son of a diplomat, Sebastian (a native limeño) spent most of his life abroad in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, the U.S., Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, England, Ghana, Egypt, Benin, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and the Netherlands. Along the way he learned many languages and experienced many cultures which, in turn, moved him to pursue a degree in social science. With a special emphasis on anthropology, political science, and modern history; Sebastian obtained his B.A. in 2007 from the highly selective honors college, the University College Utrecht in the Netherlands.

After many amazing and eye-opening experiences abroad, Sebastian felt that it was finally time to return to his roots in Peru. What he considers “the only city in the world capable of touching most of his senses;” the vibrant and diverse Lima was beckoning his return. Sebastian is captivated and inspired by South America’s mélange: the rich geographic diversity and cultural fusions that can be epitomized by the Peruvian and Argentine cuisine.

Due to his nomadic lifestyle, Sebastian cannot imagine life without the excitement of exploring new horizons. When he’s not wandering the world, Sebastian is organizing social events; reading novels and historical biographies; brushing up on his cooking and baking skills; or listening to jazz music on his iPod while jogging along the San Isidro golf course, diligently planning his next adventure…which includes visiting the white slopes of Barlioche where the snow is pristine and the air is crisp.

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Ricardo Lopez
Lima Operations Supervisor
ricardo@peruforless.com

Ricardo was born in Lima and is currently finishing his degree in the Administration of Tourist Companies at the National University of Federico Villarreal. His expertise in both Operations and Administration, and his kind character, have been warmly welcomed at Peru For Less. Ricardo has a love of Peru and has spent a large amount of time traveling through the Amazon in the North and East of the country. He has previously worked for such companies as E. Wong and Banc de Credito (BCP), and it was within these that Ricardo acquired a lot of experience and knowledge with regard to the inner workings of companies and customer satisfaction. In his spare time Ricardo enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, and going to the cinema. Like many at Peru For Less, Ricardo happens to be a fanatical football supporter – his team is Alianza Lima, regardless of what others may say. In his spare time, Ricardo enjoys swimming, camping and trekking – he often wishes he had more free time to pursue his outdoor passions though! Over the weekends he is often found with his friends in some of Lima's more animated Night Clubs where he enjoys a little rum off and on. He dreams of getting to know all the provinces within Peru.

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Deysi Becerra
Operations
deysi@peruforless.com

Deysi, born and raised in Lima, graduated with a degree in Tourism Administration from the Federico Villarreal National University in 2005. Before joining the PFL team, she had an internship as an administrative assistant in Hoteles de Tarapoto. Later, she worked as Reservations Manager for a travel agency in Lima. She was very excited about making the move to PFL because she feels that here she has more of a chance to learn more about the ins and outs of the travel industry, and she is also more able to put her education to use. Deysi’s philosophy is that every day there is something new to learn! She is also currently studying English at the Britanico Institute. When not working or studying, she enjoys traveling, reading, talking with friends, listening to music, going shopping, and spending time enjoying nature. Deysi has had the chance to travel around Peru to experience the country’s cultural and geographic diversity. Her favorite thing about Peru is how friendly the people are, and how willing they are to share their customs. Deysi, while traveling, was once told, “If you want to enjoy a place, don’t compare it to another- just ENJOY IT!” It has since become Deysi’s personal travel slogan.

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Daniel Fernando Espinoza
Operations
daniel@peruforless.com

Born in the Jesus Maria district of Lima, Daniel is in his last year of studying Tourism Administration at the Federico Villarreal National University. Previous to his joining PFL, Daniel worked for the Banco Continental, and as a coorporate executive for AFP Horizonte. He also worked for the city of Lima, administrating the city’s vehicular fleet. Despite this previous work experience, Daniel feels that coming to PFL was the best decision he could make, as travel is his passion and his job at PFL allows him to apply his studies to his work. Daniel first developed his passion for travel as a child when he traveled along Peru’s northern coast. Some of his more memorable childhood trips included visiting Chiclayo, Pisco/ Paracas, Arequipa, Puno, Tacna, La Paz (Bolivia), Santiago del Estero (Argentina), and Chile. Through travel Daniel has had the chance to enjoy the diversity of cultures and landscapes that Peru and South America have to offer. Despite his interest in visiting other countries, Daniel maintains that Peru is truly his favorite place on earth. When not traveling he enjoys playing Playstation 2 and Massive Role Playing Games online, and while he says he is not any good at sports, he still likes to play them and he is a huge fan of Sporting Cristal. Daniel no longer watches TV, but he loves music, and was even lead guitarrist of a band called Treva (they made a record, but they never became well known... maybe someday).

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Juan Carlos Abarca Soto
Operations
juancarlos@peruforless.com

Although Juan Carlos was born in Lima, he lived in Cuzco for 5 years and worked as a PFL tour guide to Machu Picchu and Cuzco. He chose to move to Cuzco because he had always loved the city; his mother was born there, and she always told him about what a lovely and amazing place it was to visit and live. In 2006, Juan Carlos graduated as a professional tour guide from the Antonio Lorena Institute in Cuzco. He also studied English at the Language Center of the San Martin de Porres University in Lima. Now back in Lima, he is continuing his studies in English and is now at the Advanced level. Before joining Peru For Less, Juan Carlos held an internship in another travel agency where he gained experience in the operations department. He later held an internship with the Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park as a resident guide for 5 months. His favorite thing about working in tourism is constantly meeting new people and exchanging ideas. In his spare time Juan Carlos likes to play soccer, read, take a run in the early morning, and travel. Although he is confident that Peru is one of the most beautiful places in the world, one of Juan Carlos’ goals is to travel to Italy to visit Roma.

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Brenda Ysabel Huamán Amaya
Operations
brenda@peruforless.com

Brenda was born in the district of Jesús Maria in Lima and graduated in 2006 from the Federico Villarreal National University. Her fascination with foreign languages and their power in promoting cross-cultural understanding led her to learn English and French …with Quechua being next on the list. She feels that it is important for all Peruvians to know at least one of the indigenous languages of the country, especially when it’s spoken by 40% of the population.

Previously, Brenda worked as a tour guide in the San Franciscan Church of Lima, one of the most beautiful churches in the city, leading tours through the monastery and the subterranean crypts where the skulls and bones of 70 thousand people have been housed for centuries.

The Peruvian Andes, where the sun shines all day in the clear azure sky, is what Brenda fell in love with on her visit to Ayacucho. It was here that she understood the spiritual attraction of the simple things in life, and, since then, she has filled her house with flowers and plants to enliven the ambience and please the eye. She dreams of having a farm in the countryside with open fields where her two dogs can run freely and where there is space for a garden large enough to keep all her beloved fruit trees and flowers. But for now, she’s happily pursing her other dream of learning foreign languages and traveling whenever she gets the chance.

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Noelia Delgado Tarazona
Operations
noelia@peruforless.com

A native of Lima, Noelia studied business administration at The University of San Martin de Porres. Before coming to Peru for Less, she worked in the area of communications and logistics managing international events such as diplomatic functions.

Noelia’s love of travel has taken her across continents to countries such as Brazil, Italy and Spain, just to name a few. A devoted beach fan and evident in her perennial tan, she heads to the beach every weekend to catch early morning rays and swim in the crisp refreshing sea. She loves the beach for the magic of the sun and the crash of the waves that relax and transport her away from any worries. Whether she is traveling in Peru or the other side of the world, Noelia always makes sure there is time for her favorite outdoor activities such as mountain-biking, canoeing and hiking while also sight-seeing. An active lifestyle has been a part of her upbringing as she played volleyball and swam during her childhood so it is no surprise that when she discovered indoor cycling five years ago, she got hooked! Now she wakes up at the crack of dawn to cycle, attend aerobics class or take a dip in the pool before she comes into work, bubbling with positive energy.

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Darío Meneses
Operations
dario@peruforless.com

A native of Cusco, Darío takes pride on being a highlander. While never having seen a single Indiana Jones film in his life, his interest in Archaeology started at an early age when he became enthralled with the study of ancient peoples, the way they lived, and what they believed in. Darío’s burning desire and acute curiosity to discover all that can be explained without using math (his nemesis) has been satisfied while obtaining his Archaeology degree in The Catholic University of Peru. However, true to his inquisitive nature, he has emerging plans for a second degree in Bibliotecology and Information Sciences. Darío is also a firm believer that everyone has something to teach and something to learn. Apart from feeding his insatiable curiosity with new discoveries and teachings, Darío enjoys relaxing at coffee shops with friends while exchanging ironic jokes and odd comments on almost any subject. An avid reader and traveler, he dreams of someday roving around the world to the Buenos Aires of Borges, the Lisbon of Saramago, and the Barcelona of Gaudí (fortunately, he has already been to the Seville and the Madrid of Pérez Reverte).

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Allison Monge Carrión
Cuzco Operations
allison@peruforless.com

A native Peruvian, Allison studied Tourism at the National University of San Antonio Abad in Cusco which allowed her to travel throughout Peru. She credits her enhanced love for her country and appreciation for the richness of its people to this unique experience. Upon graduation, Allison worked in a NGO, helping underprivileged children who reside in the rural towns on the outskirts of Cusco. Like many proud Peruvians, she claims that cuisine and tradition are her favorite national attributes and she loves to discover the many tales and customs that make Peru such an amazing place. Noticing a correlation between Andean history and myths with those of ancient Egypt and Greece, Allison is an avid reader of these subjects. However, far from a bookworm, Allison is actually quite the adventurous spirit and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities such as trekking, rappelling, and rock climbing. She says that she was ‘hooked’ on adventure at the age of 17 when she whitewater -rafted down the class III+ rapids in Cuzco….without even knowing how to swim!

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Kari Dragsten Fyrileiv
Cuzco Operations
 kari@peruforless.com

Kari was born and raised in Norway. She recently graduated from the University of Trondheim with a Bachelor’s degree in social science focusing on social anthropology and pedagogy. She has also concentrated on African studies. After graduating she decided to leave cold Norway; her desire to experience South America led her to Cuzco, Peru. Kari is a trainee through the AIESEC student organization. While studying she worked as a voluntary Red Cross Refugee Guide. Her long term plan is to get a master in social anthropology and pursuit her dream to work with the integration of refugees. In her free time she loves listening to diverse music, watching movies, making bracelets of pearls, reading books and spending time with family and friends. After her time in Peru she plans to travel around in South America. She also hopes to attend an American Indian powwow when she visits North America.

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Dohjio Branko Knezvich
Operations
branko@peruforless.com

A native of Peru, Branko was born in the city of Tarma, often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Andes’ for its rich history and natural beauty. He began his studies as a law student; however, after some considerable soul searching, he began studying Philosophy in the Catholic University of Peru where he graduated in 2007. A passionate traveler, Branko journeyed throughout Peru as a child and his studies have taken him to Brazil and the US. Branko believes in lending a helping hand and has done social work in communities of Ayacucho as well as volunteer for the Red Cross earthquake relief in Ica and Chincha. With a flair for dishing up Peruvian cuisine, Branko enjoys the gastronomy of his country because it represents regional diversity as well as the cultural exchange of various ethnic groups throughout the centuries. Branko also appreciates Afro-Peruvian music and salsa as well as cinema and ancient Greek literature. Nevertheless, soccer is his core passion and while he has played in almost all positions and was even captain of his philosophy department’s soccer team, he considers himself a terrible player.

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Miguel Alonso Celis Sánchez
Guide
miguel@peruforless.com

A native of Lima, the history-loving Miguel says that there is no place better than Callao, the lively district where he spent most of his life. Due to his incredible passion to know his country’s past, Miguel got his BA in history from the Catholic University of Peru in 2007.  

As a history enthusiast, Miguel enjoys exploring old Lima, where he revisits historic buildings, admires the majestic churches and looks at antique books that were of importance during colonial rule. Yet his passion is not only history, as Miguel loves tasting great food, going to the movies and spending time with his friends. In addition, this avid reader can be seen carrying a book most of the time, especially if it is about ancient legends, horror or science fiction. If he is not reading, then you can probably spot him listening to his favorite music on his MP3 player.

While Miguel claims to love Peru more than anything, his traveler’s spirit and curiosity of history make him eager to visit China and Japan. He is fascinated by the prospect of visiting Asia; he hopes to walk on the Great Wall, explore the Terracotta Army and learn more about Japan’s temples and samurai culture.

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Marcos Wolff
Argentine Operations
marcos@peruforless.com

Born and raised in Argentina, Marcos' passion for travel - and for tourists - started as a child. Fascinated by the "big groups of Americans and Germans" drinking beer and cappuccinos in his Argentine neighborhood, he began (at 8 years old) to engage these curious foreigners in stilted conversations. By the age of 12, aided by the example of a beautiful, knowledgeable travel guide, Marcos decided "this is what I want to do." His education at Salvador University in Buenos Aires , where he graduated with a degree in Tourism, was merely an expression of this childhood passion. A travel agent and guide since the age of 18, Marcos' ability to speak Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese (with Japanese on the way) further assists him in his work. His own love for nature and travel brought him to live in Patagonia for several years where he was able to spend plenty of time outdoors. It was there that he began trekking and rock climbing - two hobbies which he continues to enjoy during his spare time. His other interests are writing, reading, having friends over for excellent barbeques, and cooking up wonderful Mediterranean dishes. Above all else, he loves be able to share his passion for travel and his knowledge of South America - especially Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay and Brazil - with all the people who encounter him on their way.

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Fabricio Ortiz De Zevallos
Tour Guide
fabricio@peruforless.com

Fabricio is our official tour guide for Machu Picchu – and he is a great one at that. He is from Cuzco and his knowledge of the city, its history, the surrounding area and Machu Picchu is unbelievable. He is in fact a direct descendant of one of the last Inca and is deeply proud of his cultural heritage. Fabricio studied mechanical engineering at the National Univeristy of Engineering in Lima. Engineers don’t often become tour guides but by some stroke of luck Fabricio was given the opportunity, after graduating, of accompanying a few tourists through Peru. He became their defacto guide through his home country and at the end of the tour realized that he had found his true calling. Embarking upon a new stage in his life Fabricio started studying to become a tour guide. Fabricio is deeply knowledgeable about the Inca Culture and is also very keen to share his wealth of information with anyone who cares to listen. He enjoys river rafting, trekking, mountain biking and is both a guide and an expert in each field. He is bright eyed, charismatic, and aims to give tourists the best possible experiences of Peru imaginable. He dreams of one day being the best Tour Guide in Peru – we at Peru For Less however, know that he already is.

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Angel Seron
Senior Web Designer
angel@peruforless.com

Meet Angel Seron – our web designer and artist - who studied at the Toulouse Lautrec Superior Institute of Communication and Design here in Lima. Angel was born in Puerto San Juan de Marcona, a beach town close to Ica and roughly 8 hours from Lima. Angel lived in this idyllic setting until he was 17 and often reminisces about his childhood, which he describes as the peaceful life of sitting on beaches, swimming in the sea and enjoying the fresh clean sea air. From an early age Angel has been fascinated with art and while he wiled away his time painting and drawing as a child, he never imagined his passion with the arts would accompany him into his career. At University Angel decided to combine his passion for art with another passion of his – computers. An education in graphic design, multimedia and web design were obvious choices and Angel graduated at the top of all of his classes. Angel has been an avid football fanatic his entire life. He also enjoys Baseball, traveling, is in love with Salsa, and likes to kick back with some Spanish rock. In his spare time Angel enjoys reading and studying so as to keep in touch with all software innovations. Despite regarding himself as a homely kind of guy, Angel adores going out with his friends and meeting new people.

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Fernando Ramos
Web Programmer
fernando@peruforless.com

Fernando hails from the valleys of Huaral, 2 hours north of Lima, where the fruit is fresh and the people are warm and friendly.  As befits a Programmer, he is interested in all matters of information technology, having studied Systems Analysis and Programming at the SISE Institute and Advanced Programming in Web Languages at TECSUP.

But far from being a nerd, Fernando has many outside interests, from strumming the guitar, to cycling, playing football or enjoying the beach in summer. He has also been lucky enough to travel extensively through Peru, climbing as high as 5,557m above sea level to the top of Mount Huaytapallana in the Andes. However, he still has ambitions for further travel, both within and beyond Peru, as well as honing his programming skills.

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Juan Miguel Mifflin
Web Designer
juanmiguel@peruforless.com

A native of Lima, Juan Miguel knows the coast of Peru like the back of his hand. When he was still in school and had vacations (which he hasn’t had in two years), he traveled the entire coast with his father, a merchant seaman. In 2005, he graduated from the Catholic University of Peru as a Communications major. Curiosity, not the same curiosity that killed the cat, but an intelligent curiosity combined with a sense of wonder, is in his view, necessary for enjoying life. It has created in him eclectic tastes: from his preferences in music (his favorite groups right now are The Strokes and Justice, a French electronica band); film (The Royal Tenenbaums); to books (currently reading the Italian novel, El Baron Rampante), his choices are dictated by nothing more than his mood. His love of literature brought him to writing short-stories with a fantastical twist, several of which were selected for publication by his university. Along with a friend, Juan Miguel has recently written a screenplay for a film that is being screened in Peru, Spain and the U.S.

As eclectic as are his tastes, Juan Miguel’s work experiences show that a healthy dose of curiosity serves to enrich a person’s experiences. He’s worked as a web designer for artists and musicians and recently at the national newspaper Trome. With all that said (and written), his love of design, and most of all, in multimedia and animation, are what rock his boat.

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Johan Arredondo Ventura
Technical Support
johan@peruforless.com

Johan studied at the Instituto Superior Tecnologico CESCA until 2000 and stared working for Mmsystem in the area of technical assembly support for computers. Later he started selling PCs and worked in the field of computer parts. He worked independently in this field until he started working at Peru for Less.

He is a big aficionado of Peruvian food, especially ceviche, the country’s tourist sites and the people. His travels around Peru have taken him to see the famous Nasca lines, the dunes of Ica and la Huacachina. He also volunteered to help the people of Chincha that suffered from that region’s earthquake.

Johan likes to play and watch soccer. He is interested in the new advances in technology, mainly in electronics and information technology. Johan also enjoys going to the movies. One can be sure to find him at one of the local cinemas, especially if it’s a science fiction movie with special effects. He has been a fan of this genre ever since he first saw Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

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Alex Seeger
Content Development
alex@peruforless.com

Though he was born in Lima, Alex lived most of his life away from the country of his birth. After living in Germany, Uruguay, the Netherlands and the United States, Alex is excited at the prospect of returning home. He is an avid believer that studying the language and culture of different places contributes to a better understanding of the world in which we live.

Alex just graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina with a major in history and a minor in German. He was able to study British history and literature from 1780 to 1850 at the Corpus Christi College of Cambridge University. During his junior year of college, he spent a semester in Cape Town, South Africa where he studied multiculturalism and social change, lived with host families and practiced his isiXhosa language skills. After touring Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana, Alex hopes to one day be able to explore more of Africa, preferably in a Safari vehicle with his camera.  He also spent a semester in the Albert-Ludwigs University –Freiburg in Germany where he fine-tuned his German, enjoyed the country’s cuisine and used Europe’s train system to explore France, Italy, England and the Czech Republic.

While Alex can complain about Lima’s traffic, he believes, probably not impartially, that Lima is one of the world’s most enchanting cities. He loves the combinations of the mountains and the ocean. Alex hopes to start playing tennis again after a hiatus of several years and plans to take cooking classes so that he can replicate the fine country’s fine cuisine at home. Alex can often be seen walking his old English sheep dog, Maia, through the parks of Miraflores.

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Simon Ross-Gill
Web Development
simon@peruforless.com

Simon graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 2008 with a Master of Arts degree in Politics and History. The Scottish tradition of exploring foreign shores has undoubtedly left its mark on him, although the howling wind, constant rain and bitter cold of his home country are probably more valid motives for travel. Following his study of the Incas in the final year of his degree, he was left itching to see the history and splendour of the Andes for himself. Travel in Peru became a top priority after graduation, and Peru For Less gave him the perfect opportunity to fulfil this ambition. Much of Simon’s spare time is devoted to football (soccer), and he is in the unfortunate position of supporting the habitually dismal Aberdeen Football Club. He is not yet sure whether he should subject himself to the mania of a South American game. Simon also likes to say that he can play the guitar and he has had the chance to see many bands that have toured in Scotland. He has even worked in an organic burger van at a music festival in the Scottish Highlands, combining his passions for food, music and natural scenery. He regularly indulges in cooking, and his culinary skills are constantly developing. Amongst his favourite foods are Indian, Nepalese and Mexican cuisines, as these all offer a fantastic blend of spices. He has only just begun to discover what delights Peru has to offer.

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Anyela Saldaña
Financial Manager
anyela@peruforless.com

Anyela studied accounting at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP), one of Peru’s top universities. She belonged to the PUCP Federation of Students, as well as to the Organization of Business and Accounting Students at the PUCP. She describes herself as responsable, very friendly, and simple- all qualities, she believes, that allowed her to grow professionally. Before joining the PFL team, Anyela had worked for the Maple Gas Corporation, KPMG, and Telefonica del Peru, which allowed her to put her education into practice. In her free time, Anyela likes to go to the movies, play sports, listen to music, and read. She has traveled several times to northern Peru (one of her favorite places) where she loves going to the beach, exploring the diversity of ancient and contemporary cultures, spending time with the famously friendly people, and most importantly- the wonderful food northern Peru has to offer!

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Josué Chahuara
Financial Analyst
josue@peruforless.com

Josué obtained his degree in Accounting from the Catholic University of Peru with additional studies in Auditing and Finance at BURSEN. During vacations, Josué came to intimately know (what he refers to as) his ‘marvelous’ country through his extensive travels. He loves that every region is filled with unique customs, awe-inspiring landscapes, and incredible biodiversity. Before joining PFL, Josué worked for CONASEV (the Peruvian equivalent to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) where he learned more about the stock market, auditing firms, and transfer pricing. In his spare time, Josué returns to his alma mater as a Teaching Assistant, not only experiencing the class from the other side of the desks but also introducing new scholars to the world of finance. Josué considers a good book the best company and also enjoys music, surfing the web, soccer, and looking after his numerous goldfish and koi (he claims to own more than 50!).

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Bruno Lopez Jara
Financial Manager Assistant
bruno@peruforless.com

Born in Cuzco, Bruno grew up in the Sacred Valley of the Incas where he had the unique opportunity to interact with the rich geography of the region as well as the antiquated customs of the locals. After studying Philosophy for two years at Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University, Bruno switched gears and began studying Tourism and specifically “Sustainable Tourism”. Inspired by his childhood in one of Peru’s most popular tourist destinations, Bruno strongly believes in creating a balance between environmental conservation, social improvement, and tourism activities. Bruno is an avid traveler who boasts an adventurous spirit with a love of multiple outdoor activities such as ice and rock climbing, skateboarding, and trekking…just to name a few. One of his adventures includes living in Chile for three months while working as an Assistant Paragliding Instructor. When not globe-trotting or participating in one of his many open-air sports, Bruno can be found reading novels, watching independent films or jamming out to British tunes.

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Niels Ureta Aguilar
Cuzco Accountant
niels@peruforless.com

Niels, a native of Peru, received his Accounting degree from The Catholic University of Peru in 2005. Before finding Peru For Less, Niels worked for firms such as Sony, General Electric, and a variety of well-known Peruvian radio stations. Loving his homeland more with every passing day, Niels assures that there is nothing on earth like Peru’s people and food. A diehard number cruncher Niels exclaims: “you can get such a great variety of fruits for so cheap!”. When not formatting Excel spreadsheets or buying economically sound produce, Niels is participating in one of the many extreme sports that he enjoys such as paragliding, bungee jumping, and Taekwondo. Boasting a wide-range of interests, Niels also enjoys Japanese literature, drawing, or simply browsing through the weekend newspapers and catching up on current events.

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Dunker Torres Escalante
Accounting Assistant
dunker@peruforless.com

A Cuzco native, Dunker, has studied philosophy and theology in the San Antonio de Abad Seminary in Cuzco and tourism administration at the Instituto Latinoamericano. Before becoming a guide for Peru for Less, Dunker went to Lima and committed much of his time to public service. He was the administrator for a retirement home and clinic for people with little means, many of whom were suffering with tuberculosis. Additionally, he helped with a rehabilitation center for street kids ages 14 to 19. After experiencing the commotion of the capital city, Dunker left Lima and taught Quechua in the provinces of Espinar and Paruro. He is now happy to be pursuing his passion for alternative tourism at Peru for Less in Cuzco.

Dunker believes Peru has so much to offer: all one needs to see it is assertiveness and an adventurous spirit. He would be one to ask, as he has traveled through 12 of Peru’s 13 provinces! In his travels, the country’s varied valleys, crisp streams and snow covered mountains have captured his attention. Through these journeys he has come to understand a lamentable consequence of globalization: the gradual loss of his rural brothers’ traditional customs and values. Though he has made it to Guayaquil and Quito, Dunker hopes his next trip to Ecuador will include a stop in the Islands of Galapagos.

As the promoter of a cycling club in Cuzco, Dunker spends time on his bike or organizing events for this group. Recently, Dunker has gotten into the habit of making pizza at friends’ or relatives’ houses as a way to unwind and enjoy the weekend.

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Stephanie Byrd
Costa Rica Manager
stephanie@costaricaforless.com

Stephanie graduated from Kennesaw State University in Georgia with a BA in Modern Language and Culture where she majored in Spanish and minored in Business Management. While fulfilling her university foreign language requirements, Stephanie discovered her knack for the Spanish language and decided to further her language and culture skills with a study abroad opportunity in San José, Costa Rica. It was there that she fell in love with Latin America and its intense beauty and tranquility. Stephanie then spent the next 4 years revisiting the Central American jewel where she traveled throughout the country, reveling in its tropical climate and rich biodiversity all while capturing the essence of the “tico” spirit and the true meaning of “pura vida”. Although she has now visited 2 of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Stephanie still considers Arenal Volcano and surrounding hot springs to be the most magical and spiritual place on Earth!

Stephanie’s enthusiasm and adventurous spirit later took her on journeys to Mexico; Argentina; and Lima, Peru (where she currently resides). Combining an extensive background in the Hospitality Industry with a love of travel, Latin America and the Spanish language…she found Latin America for Less and the rest was history! Stephanie is currently working on the inauguration of Costa Rica to the Latin America for Less family, which she considers an opportunity of a lifetime and the perfect way to share her passion with others by introducing them to her first Latin love!

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Nicola Kopp
Germany Manager
nicola@peruforless.com

Nicola studied Tourism Management at Munich’s University of Applied Science, one of Germany’s leading Universities, graduating with a Diploma in spring 2007. At this point, she decided to explore Latin America in greater depth, initially taking up a job at an adventure and nature tour operator in Ecuador. However, in a quirk of fate, five weeks before leaving Germany for Quito, she fell in love with a Peruvian guy, and 3 months later, they resolved to come to Peru to live together. She has since developed a passion for Lima, its lovely citizens - ‘limeños’ -, their creole music, food and lifestyle.

In her free time, she loves nothing better than to put on her backpack and explore the vast, natural expanses of the Andes. Her passion for hiking had been fostered as a student walking the famous, Spanish pilgrimage route ‘El Camino de Santiago’: an experience that left such a deep impression that she wrote her university thesis on it. Her enjoyment of the peace, camaraderie and simple pleasures of walking, unencumbered, in beautiful countryside has led her to adopt as her motto ‘less is more’ - which certainly fits in nicely with company philosophy at Peru For Less!

When not out mountaineering or reading about cultural diversity, she is to be found with her friends in one of Lima’s alternative music bars, listening to Rock, Reggae or Ragga, thus demonstrating her multifaceted character.

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