Inca Trail tour
Over the last few years, the Peruvian government has imposed increasing restrictions on tourism on the Inca Trail in order to protect it from overuse.The aim is to minimise ecological impact and erosion, mainly by having limited access and improving the quality of the operators. There are now only a very limited number of trekking permits available - 500 per day (around 200 for travellers and the rest for staff) - and they are being issued on a first-come-first-served basis. In order to avoid disappointment we recommend booking well in advance (up to a minimum of 3 months in peak season), unless you are extremely flexible over your travel dates.
How Inca Trail tour makes a difference
Environment
We really work hard to keep all our operations green! All our worldwide offices currently run on 90% green energy (we are working towards 100%) from hydro electric, wind to solar power. Being web based, we are close to becoming a paperless environment, brochure prints are at a minimum (and printed on a requirement basis) and all pre departure information is emailed. We use energy saving bulbs in our work centres, and recycle all our waste. We currently work with 3 different charities, giving us a broad spectrum and diversifying where our monies go. We work with Project Peru in the UK who run an orphanage in Zapallal in the shanty town outskirts of Lima, ANIA in Peru which is a high profile Peruvian NGO which works with children and helps to teach them about their local environment and how to manage it affectively, and GVI Foundation in Australia which work on several development projects in Latin America and around the world. We help these charities by fundraising treks, through donations as a company and through our clients and also through many of our customers who volunteer their time and expertise. These charities are close to our core of supporting the environment and children in need.
In our pre departure information pack and throughout the orientation on the ground we help you to minimise your carbon footprint on your tour, and help protect the fragile ecosystem of the Machu Picchu sanctuary and Inca trail tour. This information comes from simple advice on waste disposal while trekking, to the offsetting of carbon emissions through our carbon offsetting program for your journey with us. All entrance fees paid by us for your tour go to help upkeep the Machu Picchu and Inca trail Sanctuary and contribute to helping maintain this historical gem for future generations.
Community
Our Inca Trail tour sources as much as possible from the local community, whether it be our knowledgeable local guides, porters from local villages or food prepared and cooked for you on our treks. We shop locally, use local transport and do not use imported goods when local produce is available. We aim to minimise our impact on the environment and give as much back as possible to the communities we work in. All operations for our Inca Trail tour are done by locally owned companies, a fact we pride ourselves on. We also abide by all rules concerning porter treatment set down by the APTAE (Peruvian Ecotourism Association).
Our guides are all highly qualified (most with university degrees) or many years of experience and along with our porters are paid above the standard wage. We source them due to their unique contact with the local community in the Sacred valley region of Cusco, and their knowledge on the sites, fauna and flora you will pass on route.
By booking your Inca Trail tour with us, you will be making a real impact on the community you are visiting. We can also assist you if you wish to visit community projects in order to get a lot more out of your trip to Peru. From a city orphanage run by a UK charity to an environmental project which involves local children and their communities from a high profile Peruvian NGO, ask us to see how you can give back. Most importantly a percentage of funds from your tour (approx 10%) will go back to our charities, and assist us to support the next generation and the environment they live in.
Inca Trail tour
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