18-29's Inca Trail hiking trip, Peru

Planet

We use local transport where safe, reliable and feasible to do so, and when this is not feasible, use private, locally owned transport instead. We also ensure our vehicles/fleets are well maintained and fuel-efficient.

When visiting fragile environments, remote areas and national parks we use a “take in, take back out” system. For instance, on this trip travelers are provided with biodegradable toilet paper and all rubbish accumulated from the trek is taken back to Ollantaytambo to be disposed of. This is how we encourage and educate clients to act responsibility and respect the environment in such a beautiful landscape.

It’s easy to use plastic excessively, especially during the warmer months. And so, to counteract this, we encourage our travelers to buy large 5-10 litre bottles to refill their smaller water bottles.

This trip is run by our own local Peruvian operator who shares our commitment to responsible travel, from waste and water management to ensuring we leave as minimal a footprint as possible. By establishing our own local operator in-country, we have created employment opportunities and invested in educating local industry experts in responsible business practices.

People

We employ exclusively local leaders to guide this trip. We also engage with at least four rural communities to employ porters. We 100% comply with all laws and regulations aimed at ensuring the fair pay and treatment of local porters.

This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environment we visit. These small numbers also allow us to stay in a unique, family-run hotel that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to its limited size.

We have a foundation which was set up to empower travelers to give back to the communities they visit. It now supports more than 50 local, grassroots projects around the world. Over the past 15 years, the foundation has distributed over AU $5 million to projects tackling areas such as sustainable development, human rights, child protection, environmental conservation, wildlife protection, education and healthcare. Our foundation supports one project in Peru called Kusimayo that improves the living conditions of children, families and the elderly affected by poverty and malnutrition in Puno’s rural communities.