Sustainable Travel
Sustainability is of the utmost importance to the entire operation of Peru Eco Expeditions. Peru is not only the place in which we conduct business, it is also our home – a home that we would like preserved for future generations.
Peru Eco Expeditions is a sustainable tourism company. It is our standard operating procedure to always focus on the impacts that we create on the people and places that we are involved with – from our administrative operation all the way through the completion of our expeditions.
Please see below as to the specific reasons as to why we are proud to call ourselves a sustainable tourism operator.
Environment:
– Peru Eco Expeditions (P.E.E.) has designed all operational procedures around producing minimal waste and consumption.
– P.E.E. utilizes reverse osmosis water (as opposed to bottled) for all meal prep.
– P.E.E. uses tupperware and non-discardable cutlery for all of its meals. We do not believe in paper bag / traditional box lunches as those both produce excessive waste.
– P.E.E. brings all waste produced during our expeditions and excursions back to Cusco to ensure it is recycled or disposed of properly.
– P.E.E. tells all of its guests to bring refillable water bottles and biodegradable toilet paper.
– P.E.E. as well as its vendor partners provide biodegradable toiletries to their guests for our trekking expeditions.
– P.E.E. guides carry recycled trash bags with them and pick-up trash along the trail (in particular, plastic bottles). Those are then brought back to Cusco & recycled.
– P.E.E. briefs all of its guests to stay on designated trails as to not damage the local flora as well as the importance of Pachamama to the Andean community.
Society:
– P.E.E. hires all local staff.
– P.E.E. only works with vendors who are also sustainable operators and environmentally conscious.
– P.E.E. incorporates visits to local communities and projects that were created specifically to preserve the local culture within their expeditions and excursions.
– P.E.E. educates all of their guests on appropriate behavior prior to visiting/interacting with local communities out of respect to the inhabitants of these areas.
– P.E.E. includes all supplemental staff gratuity in their full expedition packages. That money is distributed equitably between the involved community members who provided services to our guests.
Economy:
– P.E.E. is a licensed tour operator in Peru and pays all taxes. Due to the nature of business in Peru this is not always the case with other agencies.
– P.E.E. pays staff above the industry standard.
– P.E.E. shops local and purchases as many products as possible at local markets instead of at larger stores in order to support our local community.
Owners, Sara & Daniel Bustamante, had the privilege of collaborating with Sustainable Jungle regarding sustainable tourism in Peru! Please find the link to the podcast & videos below:
Video – Amazon & Cusco Sustainable Travel
Video – Why Sustainable Tourism?
Love For Peru Foundation
Peru Eco Expeditions is proudly affiliated with the Love for Peru Foundation, a non-profit organization that does a tremendous amount of humanitarian work in Peru.
The Love for Peru Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization started in 2000 to bring medical, infrastructure, educational and community development services to the people of Peru.
To date, close to 1,000 volunteers making up 46 Love for Peru teams have traveled to Peru, supporting the construction of 600 homes, 200 latrines, 5 community centers, and 3 libraries, in addition to providing educational and vocational scholarships, tutoring, and school supplies to children from low-income families. Love for Peru has provided essential medical services and surgeries to 7,000 people, in addition to building 3 rehabilitation centers for the physically disabled in under-served communities.
Love for Peru is a volunteer and donation-based non-profit organization that follows the 100% model: all funding is allocated directly to these causes.
For more information or if interested in volunteer opportunities please visit the Love For Peru Foundation website:
