Trekking is a well loved outdoor activity and one of the most popular touristic pursuits in Peru, drawing many devotees daily to our Andean Mountains from far and wide. This enjoyable pastime is favored by all walks of life; from the young to the old, as long as you are willing and able, there are so many places to discover across Peru. With all our glorious treks interweaving so closely with the pristine natural world, we have a big accountability and desire to leave the environment exactly how we found it. That’s why we truly believe in trekking without a trace; managing garbage disposal responsibly and effectively on all our tours. Below we will explain how we do it, and how you can help, because together we are stronger when we join forces and strive to keep our world clean!
HOW WE DO IT
With so many tours running and travelers out on treks, our message must always begin from within, stemming from our strong team of staff. Both the team in the office and those out on the front line, hold the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism at the forefront: which means a strong focus on maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with the environment and always cleaning up after ourselves.
Our objective is to ensure that the handling of waste on our treks and tours minimizes any environmental impacts relating to soil contamination, garbage pollution, land damage or any overall environmental degradation.
We see this as the responsibility of everyone involved: cooks, kitchen staff, porters, expedition guides, logistics supervisors, assistants, office staff, management and even the travelers themselves to all work together and grow awareness of this important matter.
Our guides and trekking team also follow a strict waste disposal and community sensitivity code of conduct. It includes key points to follow including how to separate waste correctly, which bins to be used, how to communicate the disposal processes accurately to the passengers in each camp and how to rightly record garbage disposal by weighing the waste collected in the field, and on some treks registering the garbage collected at the end.
THE FOOD WE EAT
Minimizing waste through sustainable cooking is one of the main considerations we take into account when planning our treks. We create a menu plan full of real food, local produce, minimally processed and the least possible amount of packaging.
We avoid highly processed food in heavy packaging, due to the unnecessary garbage it accumulates, and also because it’s not good for anyone to eat food with so many preservatives and chemicals. There’s a strict kitchen disposal process that the cook must follow, separating organic and inorganic waste generated each day before weighing and recording the data in the cooks’ report. These records are frequently monitored by the authorities to ensure all trek providers are adhering to the codes and regulations.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Nothing is as powerful than when it comes from within, and we believe when our travelers understand the importance of protecting our planet, their passion and drive will carry on with them long after they’ve finished their trek.
Here are some handy tips below on how you can help to minimize environmental impact:
-Use reusable water bottles
-Use an eco-friendly tour company
-Bring your own carry bags and food containers when traveling
-Selectively dispose of garbage (organic & non-organic)
-Garbage removal; if you see some trash on your trek, take a moment to pick it up
-Follow the rules of the trek, no smoking, no littering, stay on the paths, respect the ruins
-Use organic soap, shampoo and detergents
-Avoid disturbing flora and fauna; no matter how pretty the flowers, don’t pick them
Trekking in Peru is one of the most breath-taking, eye-opening, adventure discoveries that one can ever experience; with advantages such as a diversity of geography and microclimates, a variety of treks for every ability, getting up close with rare flora and fauna and walking the path of the Incas, exploring their many ruins and sacred archeological sights. There are very few places in the modern world to experience all these elements together in a trekking tour; so we need to play by the rules, respect mother nature and do all that we can to ensure these incredible treks are still available for future generations to come. As an organization conscious of our impact on the local and global environment, we are proud to be a green tour operator providing the best quality treks for all involved; seeing that our passengers, our team of staff and our beautiful native land all cross paths in harmony, leaving with smiles all round.
For more information on our treks and tours, contact us to discover the Explorandes experience for yourself, and make your next Peruvian trip the adventure of a lifetime with no harm done along the way!
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