Concern and love for our environment is something we can’t leave aside. The ‘’sustainable tourism’’ term has become very popular nowadays which is a great improvement to the tourism industry in Cusco, in Peru and all over the world.
Alpaca Expeditions was founded under a very strict and reasonable philosophy of work which includes the care and protection of our mother Earth or Pachamama. We can’t show our culture but not respect it at the same time. Our duty as a tour operator is to preserve our land and culture for future generations of both visitors and locals.
What’s sustainable tourism?
Tourism is about showing the most beautiful and amazing features of our World. From breathtaking landscapes to ancient archaeological sites filled with mystery and history. This attracts the attention of tourists, trekkers, travel enthusiasts and more to witness and discover these amazing places. What sustainable tourism does is to prevent struggles this new amount of people coming to these areas can create. Such as pollution, crowds deteriorating the sites, acoustic pollution and more.
This can only be done with a plan and of course following the rules the local and international authorities command.
What are the impacts of tourism?
Tourism is not a natural activity which means that it creates an impact on the area it is developing. This impact can be both beneficial and also harmful to the sector it is affecting.
We will cover both of them as well. The impact that tourism creates on the environment, society, economy and culture.
Environmental
Touristic places are known to be crowded by both local and foreign visitors. This is not much of an issue itself. The impact comes due to the addition of solid waste generated by this new number of people coming to a determined area. Combining this with poor regulations and restrictions results in damaging the scenery of the place and also contributing to the excess of pollution affecting both the flora and fauna as well as to the population of the zone.
The Alpaca Expeditions solution
It is always necessary to follow the authorities’ regulations and rules but it is also important to provide new ideas and to educate both the staff and clients. We work with the rule of ‘’no footprint behind’’ and as a promise we leave every space used or every campsite as we founded or even in better conditions so the next visitors can benefit from this. We are sharing our culture and land, there is no competition here. We implement this ‘’rule’’ to all of our treks and tours and along regulated experiences such as The Inca Trail we contribute with generating ideas to make the trek better and more environment-friendly.
Economical
This new number of visitors creates as well a new source of income for both the state and the local population. Creating new business opportunities and also new job opportunities. Formal and informal businesses display their services based on the tourist attraction of its zone. Such as tour operators, restaurants, shops, hotels, to mention a few. This new economical activity will lead to more people living near the area and also contributing to the amount of individuals located in the same area at the same time. Creating an environmental impact as we talked about above.
The Alpaca Expeditions solution
We are a very proud local operator. We benefit from tourism but know that the activity can’t finish there. As a company we are very strict on our social projects. Along the year we provide different kinds of support or campaigns towards the local communities our porters and staff come from to share this economical income generated by tourism. You can see more of it HERE
Cultural
Having a new number of people from all over the coming to a new area will create a new impact. This can be both beneficial and also harmful for a society. It creates a new idea of how big the World is and also the idea of growing through this new activity. People start learning the most common language of the new visitors. Careers like tour guide, licensed in tourism, to mention a few start getting more fields to work with. New business opportunities occur and with that a new mindset to use this new activity.
What Alpaca Expeditions do
When Machu Picchu became a World Wonder and the Inca Trail got more known. The amount of visitors increased largely. This created a new opportunity for new tour operators and also staff to get more applicable job opportunities. The bad thing is that this new amount of visitors and local workers created a new amount of solid waste, crowds at every park, etc. Alpaca Expeditions as a local operator acknowledge this and got to a solution.
All of our staff from guides to porters and trekking chefs know how to take care of our touristic attractions. All of them know how to reduce the impact of crowds and also to control the solid waste created at every tour. This is because we permanently teach them about the best way to reduce the impact tourism has on our land and the best way to transmit this to our clients. If we teach our staff and our clients on how to respect and learn about our culture. Everything will work perfectly and this knowledge will keep growing towards more people.
We proudly call ourselves the Green Machine. The #1 tour operator leading the sustainable tourism activities in Cusco and along all of our treks. Our philosophy of ‘’no footprint behind’’ is shared to our clients and practice by our whole team. Alpaca Expeditions has as a top priority the protection of our environment and also to educate our people to keep on this practice on a daily basis. The only way to provide an A class service is by respecting the land we are stepping on and also by following all the regulations provided by our authorities and more.
Everytime you travel with Alpaca Expeditions you become part of the Green Machine family. You become part of our social projects, our reforestation activities, our lectures to our staff to provide the best experience possible while at the same time transmitting our love and respect for our Pachamama.
We work with small groups so we can improve our approach towards this topic and also to guarantee the best experience. Small groups are a more gentle way to access every archaeological park and also to provide a dedicated service. We guarantee the best, safest and more thoughtful experience to all of our clients and the best working experience for our staff.
We can assure that every trek or tour will be done with the same dedication and following all of our rules to preserve the sites visited. We control the number of clients to avoid crowds. This also allows us to be able to communicate all of this in a more effective way and to keep this knowledge to be transmitted to future generations.
Travel with Alpaca Expeditions means you are travelling Green and Sustainable!
Alpaca Expeditions Recognitions
ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
In the pursuit to stand out from the rest, Alpaca Expeditions has obtained four ISOs plus our carbon footprint certificate to date. These achievements result from our efforts to implement the internationally-recognized integrated management system. They also represent our commitment to all of our clients and staff of operating sustainability and responsibility in every way possible.
World Travel Awards
Alpaca Expeditions is internationally recognized as a leading tourism company in Peru. As proof, we have been awarded the World Travel Award for Peru´s Best Tour Operator 2021 for the second time.
TRIPADVISOR RECOGNITIONS
Our goal at Alpaca Expeditions is to create the best experience for all of our clients. We create journeys that are to be remembered for a lifetime. Journeys you can be proud of and can share with everybody around you.
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Hotel to Hotel service
Regarding the transportation provided by Alpaca Expeditions, we are committed to delivering a quality service. We strive to ensure that passengers feel supported throughout their journey. To achieve this, we coordinate closely with our guides and representatives to ensure timely pick-up at the start of their tours. Additionally, we have representatives responsible for escorting our passengers to their hotels at the conclusion of any tour.
Our drivers are not only trained in customer service but also come properly uniformed, and many are fluent in English.
Typically, all transportation types are included in each of our services. For instance, if you have booked a trekking tour, we will pick you up early, typically between 4 AM and 5 AM.
When visiting Cusco, it's important to note that traffic here is generally moderate. However, there are peak traffic times, such as between 7 AM and 8 AM, which coincide with school hours, and in the evening between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Therefore, if you have a flight during these times, it's crucial to be at the airport at least 2 hours in advance. The drivers of Alpaca Expeditions ensure their vehicles are prepared with all necessities before each service. They are acutely aware that delays can lead to missed trains, flights, or other connections. Consequently, they are always more than punctual, arriving at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time for any service, understanding the responsibility they carry in executing these tasks.
Personal Porter of 7KG
Remember that Alpaca Expeditions offers an extra 7 kg allowance for your personal belongings on any of our tours. We include a personal porter who is responsible for carrying your duffel bag without any additional fee. You will not have access to your duffel bag until you reach your evening campsite. The bag should not exceed 7 kg, which includes 4 kg for clothes and 3 kg for your sleeping bag and sleeping mat.
When you visit our Alpaca Expeditions office, you will receive your duffel bags at your briefing. The porters will carry them and return them to you at each campsite. The bags measure 66 cm in length and 36 cm in width (approximately 2 ft long by 1 ft wide). Porters will carry up to 7 kg of your personal items, which must include your sleeping bag and air mat (if you bring or rent one). From us, these two items weigh a combined total of 3.5 kg.
Each Alpaca Expeditions porter is paid directly after each trek, allowing them to return home more quickly. They receive better wages than our competitors, health insurance, and all their equipment free of charge, including hiking boots, pants, jerseys, fleeces, jackets, hats, flashlights, sleeping bags, and high-quality food. We ensure each of our porters has a comfortable bed in a pleasant room to sleep in before and after each trek. We also visit the communities they live in, providing toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and other necessary supplies to their families, along with books for their children.
This is just the beginning for us, and we are always looking for ways to do more.
While the government allows each porter to carry up to 25 kg, we limit this to 20 kg to prioritize their health and safety. Each porter carries up to 15 kg of company equipment and 5 kg of personal items. This is why it is crucial to keep your personal duffel bag weight under our 7 kg limit. You might see other companies allowing their porters to carry more than the allotted weight, but at Alpaca Expeditions, we strictly adhere to these limits to ensure our porters' well-being.
Clases de Cocina
Alpaca Expeditions offers its passengers the chance to experience local cooking. We aim to immerse trekkers in Inca life by walking them through the original Inca paths and teaching them about Inca culture. Food is a significant part of Inca life, making it a special element in any tour or trek with Alpaca Expeditions.
In 2022, Alpaca Expeditions introduced a cooking class as part of each of our treks, conducted by our amazing trekking chefs and interpreted by our guides.
We will transform your dining tent into a makeshift kitchen, providing all the necessary supplies to prepare a Peruvian specialty. Your chef will guide you step by step through the process of making a traditional Peruvian meal, such as Lomo Saltado, and share some essential mountain cooking tips.
Peru is recognized as a top culinary destination, largely thanks to the popularity of our renowned beef dish, Lomo Saltado. This is most often the meal you will learn to cook, but there is also the opportunity to learn how to prepare other dishes like traditional Peruvian ceviche or even our signature drink, the pisco sour.
Cooking Class on the Inca Trail: These classes are voluntary and designed to be a fun, educational experience. Our clients consistently marvel at the amazing ability of our chefs to create culinary magic on a mountaintop. As you learn to prepare and cook Peruvian specialties, you will also see firsthand how such elaborate meals can be created on a small campsite stove.
Enjoy a cooking class in the mountains and be sure to take plenty of photos, just in case your friends won't believe your incredible experience.
Satellite Phones
The best way to hike in the mountains of Peru is to completely disconnect from technology, especially the internet and cell phones. The most impressive and exciting aspect is the opportunity to experience the true and wonderful nature that we often miss when we are at home, watching TV or absorbed in our cell phones during our leisure time. The feeling of being disconnected from work and the daily routine left at home is incredible.
However, this remoteness means limited access to emergency resources. That's why Alpaca Expeditions has invested in satellite phones for every trek.
We are prepared to assist you in case of any emergency, particularly health-related issues. For this reason, Alpaca Expeditions has invested in satellite phones, as they are one of the most crucial tools for any operator trekking in remote areas where telephone or television signals are absent. This means that every guide on our treks will be equipped with a fully charged satellite phone as well as radios. While these are primarily for emergencies, we allow our clients to use them at any time.
We ask that you cover the cost, which is $2.50 per minute. This fee can be paid in cash at our office or via PayPal once you have completed the trek.
Being just a phone call away from any doctor, hospital, or friend helps everyone feel assured of their safety. Radios, which all our guides carry, have limited reach, so Alpaca Expeditions includes satellite phones to ensure that we can connect no matter where we are on the mountain.
Portable private toilet
We understand that our clients will need restroom facilities at various times and locations during their journey. Along the Inca Trail, there are restrooms available, particularly those belonging to the communities near the trail. Alpaca Expeditions provides portable toilets to enhance this service, which will be set up at each meal site or campsite.
As with any mountain trip where we are exposed to nature, it is possible to use natural areas as restrooms. However, it is crucial to be mindful of the waste we generate, such as toilet paper or wet wipes used for cleaning. These should be carried with us and not discarded on the ground or left along the trail. Remember, the Inca Trail is a protected area overseen by a government institution. In places where garbage bins are unavailable, particularly at our camps, we provide special plastic bags for waste. Our porter team will be responsible for carrying out our waste.
Please be aware that although there are designated bathrooms for men and women, in practice, both genders often use the same facilities. Functionally, there is no significant difference between men's and women's bathrooms. Therefore, it is common for people of all genders to use whichever bathroom is available.
