Short Inca Trail Lodge Based

• A detailed trip packet that takes the guesswork out of your travel, training, packing, and preparing for the trip
• Access to our Adventure Consultant team 7 days a week
• A professional Wildland guide, trained in 1st Aid, risk management and assessment and responsibility to provide overall standard of excellence in service quality.
• Local Peruvian guide(s), expert in cultural and natural history, the local area, fauna and flora, etc.
• Transportation for the duration of the tour starting on Day 1 and ending on the day you depart
• Luxury Vistadome train tickets from Aguas Calientes to Cusco
• Lodging for the duration of the tour
• Meals for the duration of the tour
• Use of a backpack and trekking poles
• Gratuity for in-country crew: Porters, Chefs, Waiters, and Drivers. *Please Note: Gratuities for Guide(s) are not included in trip rate.
• Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
• You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!

• Transportation to Cusco, Peru
• Trip insurance that includes medical coverage and at least $200,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage (strongly encouraged)
• Bar bills, drink bills, extra snacks, telephone bills, wifi bills and other personal expenses (shopping/ laundry)
• All expenses due to unavoidable events e.g. flight cancellation, personal illness, strikes, etc. (we recommend trip insurance coverage for these variables)
• Clothes, rain gear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
• Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
• Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight (disposable plastic water bottles are prohibited; please have refillable water bottles or hydration bladders)
• Gratuity for guide(s) (industry recommendation is 10-20% of total trip cost; USD is recommended.) *Please Note: Gratuities for Porters, Chefs, Waiters, and Drivers are included in the trip rate.

Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.

WHERE ARE OUR PORTERS FROM?

Wildland works with a team of 15-25 porters, mainly from two different villages: Willoq and Cuyo Grande, both located in the Sacred Valley of Peru. The ages of our porter team ranges from 20 to 55 years old. Our porter team is made up of farmers, meaning their main job is farming and the porter work is to supplement income. They grow crops such as potatoes, lima beans, peas, corn and also raise livestock such as cows, sheep, llamas, and alpacas.

WHY DO THEY CHOOSE TO BE PORTERS?

Being a farmer in the mountains is difficult work, especially in the Cusco region. Each of the members of our porter team own a small plot of land that they use for farming. This work is physical, hard and in the end is often not enough to support their families, especially if they want their children to go to school.

Porters try to work 2-3 treks per month. Each trip lasts for 4 days, so they are away from their families and farm duties between 8 and 12 days each month. They prefer to visit with their families, rest, and catch up on farm duties between treks, usually for 4-5 days. They choose when they want to be available for any given trek or set of dates.

WHAT DO WE PROVIDE PORTER STAFF?

We believe that the main ingredient for any successful trip is keeping not only our guests safe and happy, but also our staff. Without one it is impossible for us to have the other. With that said, we have created a set of standards to ensure the safety and happiness of our porter team.

• All porters are provided health insurance. It is purchased through a private company to ensure they are covered for any health-related issues while working for us. During a trek our lead guides are in close contact with all our staff to ensure safety and wellness of the entire team. Any illness or injury to our staff is treated equal to and as importantly as any illness or injury to our guests. All lead guides are trained in wilderness first aid and can properly assist any staff or guest in emergencies or in the case of illness or injury. First aid kits are carried and readily available for staff, the same as they are for guests.
• We provide staff all the gear needed to keep them warm and safe during treks. This includes sleeping bags, sleeping pads, shelter/tent, warm fleece jackets, hiking pants, hiking shoes, hats, backpacks and a brace used for extra back support.
• We understand that the quality work and effort provided by our porters during treks deserves to be matched by the quality of food we provide to them during treks. Porters are provided 3 warm meals a day on treks and the food is planned for them specifically. They are not fed guest leftovers; their food is planned, purchased, and cooked by our chef during a trek. Meals are always planned with physical and nutritional needs in mind.
• Tipping rates are included in our rates to guests and the amounts given to porters are set, fair, and predictable each trip. Of course, our guests can give more if they wish, but tips are already included in their rates and we ensure our team is tipped fairly, in addition to their normal salary.
• Also, we follow strict weight limits to not overburden our Porters. The maximum weight they can carry is 20 kilos/44 lbs.

SCHOOL PROJECT

Five years ago, Jose Condor, our partner and Peru Program Manager, started a small project called “Improving Education in the Mountains.”

This project was set up to support the schools and children in the villages around the region where our porters come from.  These small communities and villages have schools, but they are basic, and often do not have sufficient supplies.  Every year, we provide supplies for the schools to use for the school year.  We also supply some hygiene items and other gifts.  A portion of each reservation in Peru goes towards this project. The supplies are utilized by hundreds of children between the ages of 3 and 11.

This Peru hiking tour features a combination of in-town meals and meals prepared by your guide. We’ll have dinners at carefully selected, wonderful restaurants. Guides will prepare picnic lunches on the trail.

We can often accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee, and in some countries may be more difficult to accommodate than others. Please inquire with us for more information about the specific trip you’re interested in.

We provide all group gear which includes the following:

• Backpacks
• Trekking poles
• Company-issued first-aid kit
• Emergency communication device(s)

We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter water bottles per person and basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important.

When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required.