Inca trail trekking vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This trip requires very little use of private vehicles at all, with a walking tour around Cusco done almost entirely on foot, and private transport only being used to take us to-and-from the start of the Inca Trail. The majority of the trip is done under our own steam, following the ancient Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, one of the most beautiful and iconic walks in the world. Walking is not only a low impact way to travel but it takes us into the mountains of the Sacred Valley, which would be otherwise inaccessible by vehicle. We also use a public shuttle bus to take us from Aguas Calientes to the site of Machu Picchu, and a train to take us the majority of the way back to Cusco.

Food throughout the trek is locally sourced, our Inca Trail cooks plan and prepare meals that are nutritious and suited to the physical exertion of the trek. The fruit and vegetables are as fresh as they can be and have all been grown locally - supporting farmers and the local economy as well as having a low carbon footprint. The food is often one of the biggest surprises for trekkers; meals are hearty and flavoursome, with three courses and even pancakes for breakfast!

As a travel company we are acutely aware of our impact on the environment. All of our tours display a carbon footprint, and we strive to reduce our emissions by regularly reviewing our tours and embracing low-impact styles of travel such as trains, public buses or walking – which offer the added benefit of getting a closer connection with the destination and local community.

ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

Our local partner in Peru holds a 'Preferred by Nature' certification, which has required them to implement a set of policies and procedures that support the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage and the improvement of sustainable livelihoods for local communities. This will be regularly audited to retain the certification, and we're proud to work together with a partner that is dedicated to creating a positive impact in Peru.

On the trek we use look at our impacts at every level - from using eco-friendly toilets and biodegradable soap to establishing a relationship with the community of our porters. Trekkers and support teams alike are not able to bring single-use plastic onto the Inca Trail. In order to reduce the amount of waste on the trail, all rubbish is weighed at each check-point and at the end to ensure that all waste is taken away. There's no refuse collection on the trail so anything that goes with you must come back off the trail - either with you or as part of the porters' rubbish. Plastic water bottles are included in this ban, therefore water is boiled each evening and morning for our customers to re fill their bottles and throughout the day there are plenty of streams along the way and even ancient water fountains to top-up from.

We strive to support nature and biodiversity through protection and regeneration projects, and for every customer that travels with us we make a donation to Rewilding Britain and Cool Earth.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

The villages around the Sacred Valley and Cusco survive on two things - agriculture, and the Inca Trail. We work with porters from the villages of Misminay to provide a solid season of work, which helps boost their rural economy. The food purchased by our supplier is also, as much as possible, from the local area around Cusco.

As well as our porter and chef team, we also have a local Peruvian tour leader and an assistant trekking guide who are the heart of our Inca Trail tours. They bring passion and unrivalled knowledge of the destinations and communities that we visit. Their guidance ensures we observe the cultural norms in a destination, they act as a bridge between travelers and the local community and ensure that tourism is a positive experience for both host and guest. We believe in supporting local; staying in locally-run hotels, exploring markets, buying snacks from street vendors, and by doing this we add money to the local economy and enhance our connection with the local community. For example, in Cusco we use a family-run hotel in the heart of the old town instead of one of the city's international chains.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY

100% of the staff on this tour, from the Tour Leader and assistant guide to the porters and support crew, are Peruvian. The vast majority are from the Sacred Valley or Cusco. We're proud to work with a Peruvian partner who's values are aligned with ours; they not only run their own NGO operating in Peru, which aims to turn empower and develop local communities through tourism, but they also developed community-based tourism initiatives in the areas where they recruit their Inca Trail porters, ensuring that the women in those families are also able to contribute to the livelihoods and growth of the community. They pay their staff at least the minimum wage, and in many cases much more.

The Peruvian Authorities also have some strict guidelines that regulate working conditions along the Inca Trail (for example, the amount of weight that porters can carry). Of course, we abide by all of these local regulations.