Peru Tours, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu

Qeros Tours Peru Sustainable Operations and Initiatives

As a leader in sustainable adventure travel in Peru, Qeros Tours Peru is dedicated to offering low-impact tours that benefit traveller and host alike. We work with local communities, businesses and individuals to develop sustainable tourism opportunities that help local economies while minimizing negative environmental and cultural impacts. While our sustainable tourism policies and operator standards are constantly evolving, our commitment to socially and environmentally conscious travel has been with us since the company's inception.

Tour Operations

• We work closely with all our partners to ensure they operate in accordance with our Ecotourism Operator Standards:
• Employ local guides, suppliers and operators in the destinations we travel.
  Maintain small-group sizes to limit negative social and environmental impacts.
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  Homestays are incorporated where possible.
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  Training and employment opportunities are provided to local cooks and porters in Peru and we ensure fair payment and working conditions of all Qeros Tours Peru  porters
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  When local transportation is not viable local operators are contracted to provide private transportation on our comfort and overland tours.
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  UNESCO World Heritage Sites and community-based ecotourism initiatives are incorporated into our tours.
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  Instead of staying in large foreign-owned all-inclusive resorts or hotel chains, we aim to support the local economy by staying in small-scale hotels where possible; otherwise, the best feasible option is employed.

Our Qeros Community project

Paucartambo – Qeros  Inca Community  - Cusco
The vision and purpose of Qeros Tours Peru is to promote and sustain the Andean Cosmovision, the Indigenous identity and culture of the Q’eros Indigenous Peoples of Peru for the next Seven Generations. Our  primary goal is to bring life sustaining relief to the Q’eros People, with their tribal identity and culture. The Qeros Tours Peru will support a variety of projects in the Andes including the acquisition of land which also serves as a host for them to educate international peoples on their customs, pass on their traditions to their youth, and host other spiritual leaders in light of multi-cultural exchanges.

Health for local Comunities in the Sacred Valley
We contribute to community projects in the Cusco region. In the last year we have been responsible for the organization of o medical atentions in  traditional villages located in the sacred valley (Pisac) giving medical attention in diferent areas to 1000 persons with the cooperation of Orange Adventist Medical mission. from USA.

Working for future of Childs in Sacred Valley Communities
Qeros Tours Peru is developing Educational programs for childrens in diferent areas, like : dental health,mental health,nourishment,cleanness, intelligence stimulation and other. Qeros Tours Peru is very involved with this project becouse we understand and belive that the childs are the future and the hope of this amazing country.

Sacred Valley - Cusco

Qeros Tours Peru fundation , the non-profit founded by Qeros Tours Peru in 2009, we have established the Women's Weaving Co-operative in the Kallarayan –  Cacacollo community of Peru's Sacred Valley. Many members of the Co-op are wives, daughters, sisters and mothers of our porters and cooks. This project encourages women of the community to be proud of their cultural heritage by developing and showcasing their intricate weaving skills. It also enables them to provide for their families and to benefit from tourism in a way that avoids negative social and cultural impacts. Qeros Tours Peru groups travelling through this area have an opportunity to visit the project and purchase weavings directly from the women who have made them.

Annual Christmas in the Community

Each year, Qeros Tours Peru hosts a Christmas in the Community party at the Kallarayan Community Centre in the Sacred Valley of the Incas - Cusco. Over 250 youth from low-income families, ages 3 to 12, are provided with a turkey dinner, a gift and participate in arts and crafts activities run by Qeros Tours Peru staff, friends and family.

Earth Mother Day,  (Phachamama Day)

Every August, Qeros Tours Peru organizes community initiatives in celebration of Earth mother Month at our headquarters in Cusco, our local offices around Peru, and on many of our tours. From cleaning up our local neighborhoods, to planting trees and flower gardens at local community centers and green spaces, we are lending a hand to promote the importance of caring for your local environments both at city and our destinations around Peru.

Head Office Initiatives

Qeros Tours Peru taken numerous steps to help our offices, and staff, minimize their impact on the environment and be a responsible member of our local communities.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (Conserving Nature for future)

In an effort to reduce paper use within the office, all fax transmissions and pay stubs are sent electronically. We also donate used computers and equipment to communities, who refurbish these items for use by people with limited access to technology.

Porter Training and Education Program in Peru:

Qeros Tours Peru offers training courses to people from four local communities just outside of Cuzco, Peru, to provide them with work opportunities and prepare them for the chance to be porters and cooks on the Inca Trail.

Our porter training courses were developed as a way to provide job-skills training and educate community members about relevant social and environmental issues. Participants are divided into small groups of 02-10 to take part in various workshops.

Lessons are provided that demonstrate practical techniques to use to avoid back injuries, from carrying relatively heavy loads for multiple days. Other topics included First Aid and English language lessons, training on proper disposal of organic and inorganic waste, the importance of responsible tourism, and trust building exercises. Participants are also given a copy of the Porter Law, which is reviewed and discussed so that each person is aware of their rights as Porters.

A training course for cooks is also offered to teach participants how to prepare food for our travellers on the Inca Trail. This course covers food preparation and presentation of the Qeros Tours Peru menu. Our cooks are then provided with an opportunity to cook and serve food for the porters, guides, teachers and Qeros Tours Peru office staff during the two-day training course.

In order to receive further training and work experience, 50 participants from these courses have been hired to work for Qeros Tours Peru on the Inca Trail. We ensure that our porters and cooks are paid fair wages in accordance with the Porter Law and are provided with adequate food and camping equipment. We also pay for accident and life insurance, and all travel expenses to and from the point of departure. Our porters are also provided with special belts to protect their backs from injury and carry a load limit of 20kg or less.

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