Ecology's Commitment

COLCA TREK admits that its operation runs through an environment, a culture and communities that are fragile and sensitive of being impacted. Organizing tours through Peru and some of its most spectacular remote areas gives us the opportunity to show this country with pride but basically implies the high responsibility of being culturally sensitive and reducing the negative impacts on the environment.

Responsible Tourism is a key point in our corporate philosophy. We have developed a Responsible Tourism Policy, which we try to respect as much as possible. Our teams have been trained and are aware of its relevance to our culture and environment. Thus, it has also become a key feature in our team's attitude, which you will realize whenever you travel with us.

Responsible Tourism is about providing a strong commitment to communities and environment, to ensure we have a durable positive effect. It is about "giving something back". Our Responsible Tourism practices run at three levels:

• Responsible Operation
• Social Commitment
• Environmental Respect
  

RESPONSIBLE OPERATION

1. We are a Peruvian company, that employs exclusively professional Peruvian people, promoting therefore local industry development and local people's growth.
2. COLCA TREK Adventure Tour Operator is an Authorized Travel Agency and Tour Operator (Peruvian Ministry of Industry and Tourism).
3. COLCA TREK is also an Officially Licensed Salinas Operator by the Administration of the Nathional Reserve, which regulates all access to this protected area.
4. COLCA TREK pays taxes to the Peruvian government in a regular basis, this means we help to develop the Peruvian economy, to improve local infrastructure and to reduce the country's heavy external debt. This is unfortunately not a usual practice among most agencies and businesses in the country, which take advantage of the still weak tax control system and find out ways to avoid declaring their revenues therefore they do not pay taxes. This allows these irregular businesses to sell at a lower price, also damaging the market and the proper, serious and legally operating businesses.
5. All our employees are regularly paid professional wages: guides, cooks, porters and horsemen are paid on a weekly basis while our office staff is paid on a monthly basis. COLCA TREK does not exploit its employees and does not abuse through delayed wage or low salary payments, which is a very usual practice among most agencies, besides employing humble people with few means. If you visit us or travel with us, please do not hesitate to ask to any of our staff to verify that this is true. Moreover, all direct employees are registered with the company and receive health insurance as part of their employment benefits.
6. COLCA TREK offers one of the best-recognized treatments to its team of porters: Our excellent porter treatment has been widely recognized by the porter community itself and by our clients, and has become one of the main reasons why socially conscious Inca Trail visitors wish to travel with us. The same treatment applies to our horsemen in all treks operated with pack of animals at the Colca Canyon.
7. COLCA TREK staff training. Our guides have been trained in first aid and rescue and are regularly updated through seminars and courses in their respective fields. In addition, COLCA TREK regularly provides seminars and courses to its team, covering various topics such as flora and ornithology in the Colca canyon, among others. On the other hand, all our staff participates in the development of our Responsible Tourism Policy through their constant inputs, they have shared the outcome and regularly operate following it as much as possible. Our training also extends to our chefs, porters and wranglers. Our chefs and assistant chefs follow specific tailor-made courses every year to ensure we maintain our superior quality menu.
8. Concerning our porters and wranglers, they receive trainings every year, with a focus on each person's specialized role: tent setting, vaiselle cleaning and hygiene, waiter, environment responsible / residues, among others. All COLCA TREK expeditions are operated by COLCA TREK: we do not share operations with other agencies, neither totally or partially. We are a licensed operator, who ensures you a high standard of quality in all our treks and programs. Unfortunately, we would not be able to guarantee the same level of service if we shared services with another tour operator. This means all our treks are operated only by us, so any client having booked with us is sure to be operated by COLCA TREK and not any other third party.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT

COLCA TREK is fully aware that the areas in which it operates, are natural protected areas, therefore we comply with the corresponding Law of Natural Protected Areas #26834 (published July 04, 1997), as well with the Law of Conservation and Sustainable Profit of the Biological Diversity #26839 (published July 16, 1997).
All our operations, campsites and activities try their best to avoid aggressions and harm to these natural protected areas and its bio-diversity.

Our Environmental Management Policy and Commitment considers running our operations in a responsible way, according to the following:

• Selective disposal of garbage (organic & inorganic)
• Garbage withdrawal of Natural Protected Areas
• Use of flush toilets built along the Colca canyon or different communities and villages. Otherwise, we provide toilet tents. All garbage is disposed outside of the Natural Protected Areas
• Avoid fires – no smoking allowed inside the tents
• Use of bowls for washing purposes to avoid throwing the soap over the floor or natural water spring
• Avoid disturbing animals
• No animal hunting allowed
• Preservation of the flora, orchid taking is not allowed
• Walking over the ruins, walls or archaeological sites is absolutely forbidden
• Avoid tipping, giving candies or others to local community children or adults in order not to impact their lifestyle.
  
  

COLCA TREK CLEAN-UP

Colca trek operates and finances a yearly Colca Canyon Clean-Up which usually takes place in the month of October. During 2 days, COLCA TREK staff and volunteers get together to clean a specific are in the Colca canyon.