Irving was an incredible guide (as well as our driver, Carlos. Initially, we told Irving a rough plan of what we wanted to do in Peru, and he offered suggestions as to every aspect of the trip. There were several sites and activities we would not have thought to book without his input and they were well worth it (such as the salt mines, various archaeological sites, and the short Inca trail). He also made sure to bring us to good spots to eat (which were safe for American tourists), provided useful history and context, helped coordinate the best times to visit certain places to avoid large crowds, and answered any questions we had about the trip, language, etc. Irving was also fun to hike with and supplied hiking sticks which were helpful. Definitely very happy we booked with Irving, as the trip would not have been the same had we gone on our own.