CUERNAVACA & TAXCO (Private)

Guide for Cuernavaca NO SHOWS

Unfortunately, my guide never showed. I was to meet them in my hotel lobby at 0800 and no one ever showed. I contacted customer support and they were unable to get in touch with the local tour company in Mexico City. A complete bummer for me. I am out the airfare from the states and hotel for two nights. I only came on Friday for the tour on Saturday. My return flight was on Sunday morning. A complete waste of time and money for me.

via Viator

Absolutely Appalling: The Worst Tour Imaginable – A Dangerous Disregard for Passenger Safety

This was, unequivocally, the most disastrous tour we have ever endured, primarily because the promised experience utterly failed to materialize. While we understand that unforeseen mechanical failures can occur, the subsequent actions and inexcusable negligence of our tour guide, coupled with the complete lack of company support, were not merely concerning—they posed grave safety risks that demand immediate investigation and bring into question the fundamental safety protocols of day-long excursions with KARMA TRAILS. We embarked on what was supposed to be a captivating 10-hour day trip to Cuernavaca and Taxco from Mexico City. Approximately two hours into the journey, while navigating through Cuernavaca and driving through treacherous mountain roads, the vehicle's windshield wipers catastrophically failed. This created an immediate and terrifying safety hazard as we were plunged into heavy rain with limited visibility. Initially, our guide's response to this unexpected breakdown seemed appropriate as he safely navigated us off the highway to seek a mechanic. However, after two unsuccessful attempts due to Sunday closures, and a third and fourth visit to mechanics—including Sears—who both indicated that they couldn’t fix the issue as it was an electrical problem, our growing unease escalated to alarm. At this critical juncture, we clearly expressed our desire to return to Mexico City, as we no longer felt safe continuing. We began asking him to contact his company to send someone to retrieve us - our guide insisted on pursuing yet another mechanic specializing in electrical issues. By the time we reached this fourth stop, two plus hours had been irretrievably lost, and our guide had inexplicably ceased communication, leaving us completely in the dark about our predicament. The subsequent hours descended into a harrowing ordeal of miscommunication, deception, and abandonment. After over an hour of relentless rain and uncertainty while mechanics fruitlessly toiled on the vehicle, we desperately attempted to extract information from our guide. His response was evasive and unclear. We again asked him to contact his company for an immediate pick-up, to which he claimed he had done, promising a rescue vehicle within 1.5-2 hours. Trusting this, we sought a much-needed late lunch in an unfamiliar, non-touristy neighborhood. However, our brief respite was interrupted when our guide arrived, announcing the car was fixed and we would depart in 10 minutes. This seemed like it was a blatant fabrication; upon returning, it was glaringly obvious the vehicle remained broken. Our concerns transformed into grave distress, as we explicitly articulated our concerns regarding the danger of driving at night on a winding, rain-soaked, misty mountain road. It was then we realized that NO ONE was coming to retrieve us. Another agonizing hour passed. We directly confronted the mechanics, who unequivocally stated the car was unfixable. When pressed for a plan, our guide shamefully admitted he had canceled the previously promised pick-up, citing the phantom "fix." His "solutions" were equally alarming: two failed attempts to hail an Uber due to his rejected credit card and disinterest from drivers, followed by the suggestion that we book and pay for an Uber ourselves for later reimbursement. When that failed, he stooped to suggesting we take a public bus—the ultimate betrayal of professional responsibility. At this point, we DEMANDED he contact the tour company and arrange immediate pick-up. Despite his agreement, his evasiveness persisted. We were forced to badger him for information, learning only that someone might be on their way, with the same unreliable 2-hour ETA mentioned previously. Our trust in him completely shattered, we were compelled to contact our hotel concierge to intervene on our behalf. It was only through our concierge's insistent intervention, demanding the name and number of the incoming driver, that we finally felt any assurance that action was genuinely being taken—clearly, only under duress and direct oversight. Even after the concierge confirmed a pick-up at a shopping mall, our guide provided no information. We were forced to wait another two hours at the mall, during which time our guide inexplicably vanished twice, leaving us abandoned and fearing he had deserted us entirely. When he finally reappeared, his demeanor shifted from evasive to visibly angry and aggressive as we pressed for answers. The relief of the driver's arrival at 7 PM was tempered by the sheer exhaustion and fear of an ordeal that concluded with the dreaded drive at night on the above-mentioned roads, and our return to the hotel at 9 PM. While mechanical failures are understandable, the catastrophic aftermath is inexcusable. Throughout this entire ordeal, we felt profoundly vulnerable, utterly uninformed, and deliberately misled. Our tour guide completely shut down, withholding vital information and demonstrably attempting to avoid contacting his company for the necessary and immediate pick-up that should have been initiated at the first sign of trouble. Adding insult to injury, the tour company boss—who had messaged us personally days prior to change the tour date from Saturday to Sunday—ignored our desperate pleas for urgent help from an unknown city, only responding hours later with vague assurances that he was "trying to find a solution." This level of unresponsiveness and negligence is simply unforgivable. To state that we will NEVER use KARMA TRAILS again is a gross understatement. This experience was not merely stressful; it was emotionally traumatizing, culminating in my wife crying, utterly stranded in Cuernavaca from 11 AM to 9 PM, much of it in an unfamiliar neighborhood. This horrific event forces us to question Viator's safety protocols when emergencies arise. The sole saving grace was my ability to speak Spanish, allowing me to glean crucial information from overheard conversations. We are unequivocally escalating this as a critical safety issue to Viator, as no traveler should ever be subjected to such a terrifying and irresponsible ordeal on their holiday. We have been promised a full refund, and are awaiting this transaction.

Response from the operator: Hola Ramiro, lo sentimos mucho lo ocurrido, y entendemos plenamente los inconvenientes que esto pudo generar. Lamentamenteblente, la falla electrica que sufriò nuestro vehiculo NO es algo que pudimos prevenir, por lo tanto, lo unico que pudimos hace es intentar resolver de la manera mas pronta y reactiva. Por tu informacion y por aclarar tus dudas acerca de nuestra responsabilidad como empresa, te informamos que nuestro guia siguiò el protocolo basico que aplica en estos casos, que consiste en Intentar resolver el problema con los medios a disposicion, para garantizar que la actividad se lleve a cabo, siempre bajo el resguardo de la seguridad de nuestros cliente. Lamentablemente, no fuè posible dar solucion a la falla mecanica, por lo tanto se pidiò el apoyo de otro vehiculo para rescatarlos y llevarlos de regreso a su hotel. Lamentamos mucho si el tiempo de espera fuè mucho, sin embargo, como tu mismo afirmas en tu comentario, se encontraban en el medio de las carreteras de montaña del area de Cuernavaca, a mas de 2 horas de distancia de la CD de Mexico (en donde tienen base nuestros vehiculos). Su parada fuè en uno de los pueblos de esta zona, por lo tanto, a pesar de la que pudo ser tu percepcion personal, en realidad no hubo ningun riesgo en cuanto a su seguridad. Entendemos tu molestica, pero No estamos por nada de acuerdo con tus afirmaciones acerca la supuesta "negligencia de nuestro guia" y la "falta de soporte" de parte de nosotros, en cuanto tanto nuestro guia, cuanto nuestro customer service estuvieron en constante contacto con ustedes, en mientras se intentaba dae. solucion al problema. En fin, como es debido, hemos realizado el reembolso total de cuanto pagaron, el cual viene acompañado por una reiterada disculpa por lo ocurrido.

via Viator

Private Tour of Cuernavaca and Taxco: A Wonderful Experience

We recently took a private tour of Cuernavaca and Taxco, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. Lucia, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and brought so much depth to the journey with her insights about the history, culture, and hidden gems of both cities. She answered all our questions with patience and passion, making the tour both educational and enjoyable. Fernando, our driver, was a true professional. Not only was he an expert behind the wheel, but he also ensured we felt safe and comfortable throughout the day. Despite the winding roads, especially around Taxco, his driving was smooth and reassuring. The team was punctual, showing up exactly as planned and delivering us back home as promised. The private nature of the tour made it all the more special, allowing us to move at our own pace and focus on the sites that interested us most. It was well worth the extra cost for the personalized experience and attention to detail. We highly recommend this private tour, especially with Lucia and Fernando leading the way. They turned a day trip into an unforgettable adventure!

Response from the operator: hi John, many thanks for your great review!!!! See you soon in Mexico, again!

via Viator

Great experience, lot of history

Guide and driver was very courteous and respectul. Punctual with time... the only down side is the tourist trap tjat is at the entrance of Taxco, where they take you to the mine and jewlery store. Prices are outrageously expensive. Don't shop there wait until you reach the main Plaza.

Response from the operator: Hi Celina, many thanks for your review! Hope to see you again in Mx City!

via Viator

I do not recommend the agency

I highly recommend this agency! I booked online directly from the site, paying for a private tour in Taxco and Cuernavaca. On the day of the tour, no one showed up for the appointment, the agency didn't even bother to notify me! We thus missed a day which is an important stage of our journey.

Response from the operator: Ciao Federico. Ci dispoace per l’inconveniente accaduto con l’organizzazione del vostro tour. Abbiamo provato a riprogrammarlo per piu tardi o per il giorno dopo, ma avete preferito la cancellazione e relativo rimborso, che è stato prontamente realizzato. Oltre al rimborso, abbiamo organizzato per voi e gli altri amici il tour a Izamal e Cenote, in maniera totalmente gratuita, che speriamo sia stata cosa grata e possa compensare il disguido. Rimaniamo a tua disposiIone. Saluti e buone cose.

via Tripadvisor (translated)