Francis was born in the town of Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. He’s 38 years old, with a wife and two boys, Diego (age 10) and Fabio (age 8). Southwind has joined them in their Cusco home to converse about tour guiding, travel and family.
Francis and his wife Adriana
Southwind Adventures: Both you and your wife Adriana are certified Machu Picchu guides. Is this what brought you two together?
Francis: Well, we met studying tourism here at the university in Cusco, so we knew from the start that our interests were similar. We both agree that tourism is an especially fun and satisfying field of work. We love learning from other cultures and peoples and being a part of their travel experience. In the end, everybody learns something and there’s always more to teach!
SWA: What kind of travel does your own family like to do? Where do you go in the off-season?
FC: All four of us really like Peru’s coast, so we plan family getaways to our favorite beaches.
Francis plays the quena, a traditional Andean flute
SWA: Tell us more about your two boys, Diego and Fabio. What do they do for fun?
FC: They’re ages 10 and 8, and they attend Montessori school here in Cusco. We’re a very musical family. I play the guitar and the quena, which is a traditional Andean flute. They’re learning to play piano and violin, and Fabio wants to be a singer. They both love being outside in nature and spotting wildlife. We have a pet rat, who is well fed and cared for by both Diego and Fabio. They’re both curious about foreign languages and cultures. I try to speak to them in English as much as possible.
SWA: What is your approach to guiding families with children and teens?
FC: I love guiding families with kids. I can see an appreciation for nature and conservation that develops in them early in life through travel, and it’s great to be a part of that lesson. In fact, I hope to write a children’s book someday. I see how travel makes kids more independent, and it helps them grow as people.
Francis’ son Fabio, age 8, practices piano in the family’s home
SWA: How do you keep young travelers entertained during their trip to Peru?
FC: When the parents trust me with their kids, they can relax alone together while I take them on nature walks or to visit little places that aren’t on the itinerary. We might go play with local kids, see how guinea pigs are raised, see the farmers in their fields, etc. I like creating spontaneous moments for them to remember. This is what makes the experience authentic.
SWA: What about local Andean families? Do they like meeting foreign families that visit?
FC: Yes, in fact families travelling with kids are especially well-received. I’ve seen that kids don’t need to learn another language in order to understand each other. When North American and Peruvian kids meet, there’s always a little curiosity and chemistry. They begin to play and communicate in their own way.
Fabio (left) and Diego (right) take care of their pet rat
SWA: Do your sons also want to work in the field of travel someday?
FC: They really enjoyed practicing English with an American family with kids that brought home once, but they have so many interests. Right now, Diego wants to be a research scientist and Fabio wants to pursue music and art. We’ll see!
Southwind travelers come back with rave reviews about Francis. Vesna and Paul from the San Francisco Bay Area traveled with Southwind in 2012 with Francis as a guide. Vesna noted, “Francis was an awesome guide. With his coaching we enjoyed beautiful hiking and got a unique perspective of the Andes, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. He paced the hiking very well.” Paul concurred. “We had a fabulous guide in Francis, who was very knowledgeable about the terrain, the trails, and the history of what we were seeing. He was very conscientious and attentive to our needs.”
More feedback on Francis from Southwind travelers:
“Machu Picchu was just about perfect, thanks to the expertise and joy provided by Francis, one of the best guides we’ve had on any trip anywhere!”
– Vincent, San Mateo CA
“Francis Casapino was wonderful – we felt like he was a fellow traveler and cared that we had the best experience possible.”
– Mary Ann, Ft. Washington PA
“All guides were excellent, but Francis stood out for us. We loved that he took us places and gave us experiences with the local people and their lives.”
– Janet, Naples FL
“Francis loves people, his culture and his country & his enthusiasm flows over into everything. He was great at assessing our needs and desires-keeping us healthy, safe and challenging us in a positive way.”
– Susan, Portland OR
“Francis had spectacular knowledge of the ruins, the people, the countryside, the culture, and the history. His skill as a guide is outstanding.”
– Jean and Tom, Flint MI
Peru is an endlessly exciting destination for families! Request Francis as a guide for our Family Andean Discovery. Or we can design a custom trip, led by Francis, exclusively for your group.