Andean Trails

We hold a high respect for the natural environment and the people who live in it. We appreciate the value of the countries we visit, their cultural heritage and natural environment and aim to make a positive impact in each of the Andean countries we work in as well as in the UK, where our office is based. We agree with the principals of sustainable development and believe that by promoting responsible tourism we can help preserve the heritage of local communities and help protect the environment.

Economic Responsiblity
Throughout Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina we work together with local people, paying them a fair price, and putting money into the local economy. We do this by using local agents, local trek staff and experienced and qualified local mountain and cultural guides who have an in-depth knowledge of their own country.

We use locally owned services such as hotels and restaurants, paying a fair price for those services. We buy fresh local produce for all of our treks from markets and small shops in each departure town. In preference we choose local over imported goods. We use public transport whenever possible and feasible.

This ensures that as much as 75% of the amount paid for our tours stays in the host country, distributed through many channels, benefiting many local people.

Environmental Responsibility
In the UK we use recyclable and recycled materials when possible. We recycle what we can and attempt to keep waste to an absolute minimum. We promote paper saving by using email as much as possible and by keeping unwanted mail to a minimum. We use low-energy light bulbs, fair-trade and biodegradable products where possible.

We are involved in on-going training of the staff we work with to ensure as high as possible standards of environmental care and responsible behaviour.
When we introduce a new tour we always consider its environmental impact, and try to reduce this impact to a minimum. On our treks we aim to minimize waste by using products with minimum packaging, leaving no litter and keeping all water sources clean, leaving camp sites cleaner than we find them.

Social Responsiblity
Throughout South America we work together with local people, paying them a fair price, and putting money into the local economy. We do this by using local agents, local trek staff and experienced and qualified local mountain and cultural guides who have an in-depth knowledge of their own country.

We support the Tourism Concern Porters Policy – promoting better working conditions and a fairer wage for porters on the Inca Trail in Peru. Our porters on the Inca Trail are fairly paid, carry a maximum load of 20kg and are supplied with tents and food. In other areas we use donkeys or horses to carry loads.

Our group sizes are kept to a maximum of 12 people, and we encourage smaller groups where possible. This minimises the negative impact we make on the local people, the wildlife and the environment, and increases the quality time spent in contact with the local people and environment.

We have ongoing contact with the teams that we work with and also with local families in the areas we trek through, training our staff and developing relationships with local communities. We donate goods such as clothes and shoes to local communities, through appropriate local agencies. We also support charities in Cusco and in the Huaraz area in Peru and in Ecuador. We ask that is any of our clients have any childrens (warm) clothes and shoes that they would like to donate to Peruvian or Ecuadorian children to take them and give them to our tour leader, who will ensure they go to a suitable organization. Projects can be visited in Peru and Ecuador.

When out on tour we encourage learning about the countries we travel in, the local culture of the teams we work with and the areas we pass through. Our guides hold informal talks with groups to inform about and discuss with them all aspects of local life. This helps understanding of the area and appreciation of the people who live there.

When trekking we adhere to a responsible tourism code of practice and are also involved in ongoing training of our trek staff. We provide country information to our clients before they set off including the following suggestions for responsible tourism:

Find out about your destination - take some time before you go to read about the cultural, social and political background of the place and people you are visiting.

Go equipped with basic words and phrases in the local language - this may open up opportunities for you to meet people who live there.

Buy locally-made goods and use locally-provided services wherever possible - your support is often vital to local people.

Pay a fair price for the goods or services you buy - if you haggle for the lowest price your bargain may be at someone else's expense.

Be sensitive to the local culture - dress and act in a way that respects local beliefs and customs, particularly at religious sites.

Don't undermine the local economic systems – we recommend you don't give gifts, especially sweets as there are few dentists in the Andes. Much better to spend time chatting, playing and showing postcards of home. If you would like to donate clothes and shoes etc we are more than happy to do so through the relevant channels. Your tour leader can do this for you and some of the projects we support can be visited.

Ask permission before taking photographs of individuals or of people's homes - and remember that you may be expected to pay for the privilege. Avoid conspicuous displays of wealth - this can accentuate the gap between rich and poor and distance you from the cultures you came to experience.

Make no promises to local people that you can't keep - be realistic about what you will do when you return home.

Minimise your environmental impact - keep to footpaths and marked routes, don't remove any of the natural habitat and reduce the packaging you bring. Don't pollute local water courses- use biodegradable products, and wash basins.

Slow down and enjoy the differences - you'll be back with the familiar soon enough.