Porters rights on the Inca Trail

Responsible trekking

In comparison with many workers in the global tourism industry, Inca Trail porters have it pretty good, but that doesn’t mean their situation is not open to exploitation. Sarah Migniac, General Manager Latin America for our partners G Adventures, explains how they help lead the way when it comes to respecting porters’ rights. “We meet regularly with other responsible operators to keep an eye on standards such as pay. There are some companies out there that look to reduce costs by making their porters pay for things such as lost jackets or even damaged tents that might just be a result of normal wear and tear, so they end up making less than the legal minimum. Our porters always earn 20-30 percent above the minimum, and their gear is supplied and replaced when necessary free of charge.”

“There are checkpoints to weigh bags along the way, and check permits,” adds Olly. “The rules are very strict, so the head porter will carefully weigh each bag every morning before the group sets off to ensure no-one is carrying more than they should be.” Porters are supposed to carry no more than 20-25kg, so there’s little space for luxuries. Besides tents, inflatable mattresses and sleeping bags, they will be lugging up separate tents for cooking and dining, plus all the food, plates and cooking equipment needed for four days on the trail – hot two-course meals are standard for lunch and dinner. In addition, because there is no infrastructure along the Inca Trail, and protecting the environment is a high priority, one porter is in charge of carrying the chemical toilet, which gets heavier day-by-day. “All of our groups tip the porters at the end, and they divide it by seniority,” says Olly. “The guy in charge of carrying the toilet gets more as well, which is only fair!”