Peru hiking vacation to The Lost City of Choquequirao

Planet

Activity:
Few vacations have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a trekking trip. Erosion on and adjacent to popular paths is a growing problem in certain places and therefore our tour leaders encourage clients to stick to advised routes in order to minimise this. We believe in leaving no more than footprints. Our local partner contracts local tour leaders, guides, porters, cooks and drivers. This tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants and to purchase traditional crafts. Our entry fees also go towards maintenance of these significant cultural sites, therefore leaving a positive impact.

Accommodation and meals:
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 trek 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 or to try snacks at local markets e.g. San Pedro market in Cuzco.

Water:
Water is a really important issue with walking trips 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. We provide boiled and filtered water throughout the Choquequirao trek so that clients can refill a single bottle. We also recycle waste along the trail with organic and non-organic containers and we do not dispose of it until there is an appropriate place to do so.

Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.

UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

People

Accommodation and meals:
We will spend five of the nights in small, locally owned hotels and the remaining seven nights on the trek (full-service camping). We prefer to use small businesses for our accommodation, activities and services as these are the companies which have most direct benefit to the communities which we visit.

Local Craft & Culture:
We walk through the Santa Rosa village on the second day of the trek. They sell produce and various homemade snacks, so by stopping and buying something we are providing an avenue of income for these people. There is also opportunity in the Sacred Valley to eat a traditional meal in the village and buy handicrafts. 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, and any pre-Inca or Inca relics are prohibited for sale.