Luz Atapaucar

Luz loves to meet people from all over the world, and as a Spanish instructor, she has the opportunity to do so every day in her hometown of Cuzco, Peru! Tammy met Luz in the early 2000s when Luz traveled to the United States in the early 2000s to visit a friend in Seattle, WA, and improve her English skills by teaching Spanish classes.

Her first U.S. student was Crooked Trails co-founder Tammy Leland. They met through a mutual Seattle friend, and soon after their language class started, they quickly became friends. During Luz's stay in Seattle, Tammy introduced her to many friends, some of whom also became Luz's students.

When Crooked Trails groups traveled through Cusco, Tammy would hire Luz to show the group Cusco from a local's perspective. It was a hit, and Luz became a favorite! Luz was born and raised in the Santiago district of Cusco and guides visitors through the city center, showing them the Inca capitol's special places.

Many Crooked Trails guests hire Luz to teach them Spanish over Skype to communicate between the US and Peru. They would then reunite with Luz and her family when visiting Peru. She lives with her father and mother, 90 and 89, respectively, and her ten-year-old fraternal twin children, Gera and Mauricio.

Luz continues teaching Spanish through her business, Cusco Immersion, and Quechua language classes at the Universidad Andina del Cusco. She leads trekking trips throughout Cusco and the Sacred Valley region and guides visitors through San Blas and the Cusco market.

Luz brings humor, knowledge, and inquiry to her classrooms and travel groups, providing an exceptional experience in language, culture, and history.

Want to take language classes with Luz, or book a hiking tour or city tour while visiting Cusco?

Email her at luza192000@gmail.com to learn more.

Top photo: Luz with her fraternal twins, Gera and Mauricio, age 10. Photo courtesy of Luz

Bottom photo: Luz with Tammy Leland in Cusco, Peru. Photo credit: Kris Parfitt