Meet our expert, resident Trip Leaders
Maricela Pereira
"Maricela is a top-notch leader and person. She is the very best Trip Leader we have ever had. She goes beyond what is required and gives 200% in everything she does. We felt so confident she could handle anything or anyone! We grew to love her."
–Marilyn & John Steinbach, 3-time travelers, Oswego, Illinois
99% of OAT travelers rate their experience with Maricela on this adventure as "excellent"
Born in: Cuzco, Peru
Currently resides in: Cuzco, Peru
With OAT since: 1996
Languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Quechua
Education: Ph.D in Tourism from Universidad San Antonio Abad del Cusco, post-graduate studies in Financial Management
Hobbies/Special interests: Hiking, reading, yoga, learning about medicinal plants
Interesting Fact about Maricela: When she was a child, there was “no need for women to work; one salary was enough.” Both parents had more time to play with children and help with homework. But from 1985-1990, inflation in Peru was so bad—sometimes varying by as much as 30% a month—that everyone suffered. “Our mothers became our heroes,” she says, “stretching money the most they could.” Thankfully, the Peruvian economy is more stable now, and more women are able to work by choice.
Memorable Small Group Experience: While returning from Ollantaytambo by bus, her group passed a house decorated with balloons and flowers. Intrigued, Maricela had the driver stop so she could ask the occupants what they were celebrating. It was a wedding, and the couple invited the travelers to join them—which the group did, after first going to a local market to buy the newlyweds a case of beer for their party. The travelers stayed on through the dancing, and were thrilled by this warm welcome.
Maricela’s Insider Tips:
Food & Dining: “Chupe de pescado is a heavy soup made with fish, rice, potatoes, and milk. People tell me it’s similar to an American soup called New England Clam Chowder, but with a Peruvian twist. That’s because the key ingredient is aji pepper, a smoky-flavored chili pepper commonly used in Peruvian dishes. My favorite version of this soup is made with sole, and it’s called chupe de lenguado. When you order the soup, if you do not want it very hot, tell your server ‘no muy picante’ And be sure to put some lime juice in it. In Spanish, the word for lime is ‘limon.’”
Special Places & Pastimes: “During your free time in Lima, I recommend a visit to the National Museum, Lima’s largest, on Avenida Javier Prado Este 2465, San Borja. Here you’ll find insights into pre-colonial life, along with exhibits of ceramics from various indigenous cultures and scaled reproductions of the country’s main archaeological sites. Throughout the museum, you’ll get a feel for many different aspects of the development of ancient Peru—from prehistoric times to the advanced civilizations of Huari, Chimu and Paracas and the Inca Empire. The museum is open Tuesdays-Sundays, from 10 am to 5 pm.”