Inca Trail trekking vacation

Planet

Accommodation and meals:
We will spend 5 nights in premium hotels and the remaining 3 nights on the trek full-service camping. We prefer to use local businesses for our accommodation, activities and services as these are the companies which have most direct benefit to the communities which we visit. All of our hotel managers have signed a sustainability contract which ensures they employ locals and endeavour to reduce waste, whilst our campsites are very eco-friendly in terms of energy reduction. We buy all of our food to cook on the trail from local supermarkets or even indigenous groups where possible despite this sometimes being more expensive. Where meals are not included, clients are encouraged to eat at authentic restaurants and to try snacks at markets e.g. San Pedro market in Cuzco.

Activity:
Few vacations have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a trekking trip. We adhere to all of the Inca Trail regulations. Permits are limited on the Inca Trail in order to reduce overcrowding and damage due to footfall, but our guides and porters are still very mindful of how we treat the environment. Likewise, our entry fees to the trail as well as archaeological and historic sites contribute directly towards their maintenance and upkeep.

We believe in leaving no more than footprints, and remove all waste from campsites and separate it for easy recycling/composting. Our trek staff are trained and encouraged to put environmental protection practices into use in their own communities. The porters we work with are not directly employed by our local partner but we work with the same communities each year; they are fairly paid and we also supply uniforms, walking shoes and provide safe transport and community support for them. Our trek manager is a leading figure and consultant for the Porters' Federation, which campaigns for the fair treatment of porters in the region.

Water:
Water is a really important issue with trips such as this and whilst we must stay hydrated, it is also vital that we have a system for providing clean water without causing lots of waste with plastic bottles. Wherever possible we provide safe alternative sources of water to buying single use plastic bottles. This may be through large water containers, or encourage our passengers to filter, sterilise or purify water. We encourage all our passengers to come prepared with a reusable water bottle for this purpose.

UK Office:
It all starts at home where we work towards reducing our carbon footprint in our offices through energy conservation measures, recycling policies and the promotion of cycling and walking as a means for our staff to commute. Our head office has become a plastic-free zone with the use of plastic bottles being banned in our head office and we distributed reusable water bottles and tote bags to every staff member. We also support a large number of community and environmental projects in different parts of the world and try to give something back to the places we visit.

People

Local Craft & Culture:
We walk through the Huayllabamba village on the first day of the Inca Trail, which is the only community inside the trail. They sell produce and various homemade snacks, so by stopping and buying something we are providing an avenue of income for these people. In the Sacred Valley there is also the chance to eat a traditional meal with a family in the village and buy handicrafts. Likewise, in Cuzco and Aguas Calientes there are opportunities to buy handicrafts and textiles, for instance at the artisan market in Aguas Calientes, Our local guides are able to advise clients on which products to buy and which to avoid - for example, walking sticks made of wood are one to avoid as they are potentially a product of deforestation.