Peru Travel Guide

 

INCA TRAIL MACHUPICCHU                                                                              The New Park Regulation                                             WWW.PERUTOURISTINFORMATION.COM

Four years ago the Peruvian Government proposed many changes to the
administration of the Inca Trail in a bid to protect its fragile
eco-structure from over-use. Most of these proposals have been aimed at
reducing the number of trekkers on the trail, improving the quality of the

tour operators and offering a reservation system whereby trekkers will be
forced to make their reservations many weeks (even months) in advance. Some
of the proposals were introduced slowly throughout 2003 and 2004 but the
Government started to enforce the majority of the regulations more strictly
in 2005. Further regulations have been introduced at the beginning of 2006
with the main aim improving porter welfare. All trekking companies that
operate the Inca Trail must have an operating license which is issued every
year in March.



Summary:

We recommend that you make a reservation for the Inca Trail and pay for your
entrance fee well in advance. In the low season (Oct-Mar) in order to
guarantee spaces we advise making a reservation at least 4 weeks in advance.
For the months of April and September we recommend making a reservation 6 to
8 weeks in advance and for the peak months of June, July and August we
recommend a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks in advance, preferably earlier. If you
don't make a reservation and pay your trek deposit in advance it means that
the tour operator won't be able to buy your trek permits. Once your tour
operator has confirmed your reservation and bought your permits then it can
be very difficult to change the date of trek departure and prohibited to
change the name or passport number on the permit.
If you turn up in Cusco in the low season (December to March) you may still
find space available with some agencies 4 or 5 days prior to the trek
departure date although certain dates around Christmas and New Year may be
full up many weeks in advance. During 2005 there were many people who were
disappointed not to find spaces available even when arriving in Cusco 3
weeks in advance. Things were even more difficult for people arriving in
June, July & August with it being impossible for visitors to purchase last
minute spaces on the Inca Trail upon arrival.
In the last few years the prices of the 4 day Inca Trail standard pool
service have increased dramatically due to a big increase in the cost of
operating the trek, increased taxes and transport costs. The added
difficulty of obtaining spaces on the trek also resulted in tour operators
having to depart with much smaller, less economic groups. The standard 4 day
trek now costs between US$350 and US$400 per person depending on the company
and the service provided.

A detailed account of the Inca Trail regulations can be found below:




1. Inca Trail entrance fees / Trek permits: In March 2005 the entrance fee
was increased from US$50 to US$60. Students and children under 15 years old
receive a US$30 discount. Trekking companies also have to buy a trek permit
for each one of the porters in the group (US$12 per porter). The entrance
fee for the shorter Inca trail trek costs US$25 for adults. Students and
children under 15 years old receive a 50% discount. The government has
announced that the price of the entrance fee will increase by 50% as from
the 1st August 2006. However this has not been confirmed in writing yet.



2. Student discounts: Students with a valid International Student Identity
Card (ISIC) receive a US$30 discount but you must inform the tour operator
at the time of making your reservation and bring the card with you on the
Inca Trail. No other forms of student identity are acceptable i.e. letters
from college, international youth identity cards etc. The tour operator will
purchase a student trek permit for you (clearly marked only for students).
At the start of the Inca Trail your permit will be checked and you will be
asked to show your ISIC card and passport. If the card is not valid or you
forget to take your card then there is a possibility that you will not be
allowed to start the trek. This can cause major disappointment and also
delay entry of the rest of the group to the trail. In the past you could
just pay an additional fee for a standard trek permit. Due to the added
bureaucracy and potential problems associated with applying for a student
discount and associated delays many trekking companies have stopped offering
this option.



3. Restricted numbers of trekkers: Over the last five years Peru has become
a more popular travel destination. There are many great treks throughout
Peru but the Inca Trail is the most well known. During the peak season of
2000 many campsites became crowded and the trail became littered with
rubbish. In early 2001 the Government proposed to reduce the number of
people on the trail to 500 per day. This figure roughly comprises 200
tourists and 300 trekking staff (guides, cooks and porters).

In 2002 and 2003 the government tried to enforce the 500 limit but, due to
many complaints by the local tour operators, they gave into pressure during
the busy months of July and August and allowed an extra 200 persons. In 2004
and 2005 the government strictly enforced the 500 limit, and many trekkers
were disappointed that there were no spaces available.

The figure of 200 tourists includes trekkers on both the 2-day and 4-day
treks as well as the Salkantay 7-day trek. As an estimate we would say that
about 160 trekkers per day are starting the 4-day trek, 25 on the 2 day trek
and 15 on the Salkantay Trek. In March 2005, 150 tour operators in Cusco
were awarded licenses to operate the Inca Trail. With about 500 tourists
looking for just 160 available spaces divided between 150 companies it
doesn't take much to realise that things can become a little complicated. In
2005, there were many problems during the months of June, July and August as
many tour operators could not obtain the trek permits for their clients.
Many tour operators were forced to cancel some of their reservations. Trek
permits are now being issued on a first-come-first-served basis so in order
to avoid disappointment we recommend booking well in advance and with a
reputable trekking company.



4. Making an Inca Trail trek booking: Since only 500 trek permits are issued
per day for the Inca Trail (trek permits are also required for the porters
and cooks) it is important to try to make a trek reservation as far ahead as
possible. There is no clear rule as to how far ahead is enough to to
guarantee you a space since this depends on demand. As a guide, however, we
recommend the following:

December, January, March: 3-5 weeks in advance

April, October, November: 6-8 weeks in advance

May, September: 2-3 months in advance

June, July, August: 3-4 months in advance



5. Independent Trekkers: Since June 2002 trekking independently on the Inca
Trail has been prohibited. Regulations state that each trekker must be
accompanied on the Inca Trail by a professionally qualified guide. Trying to
organize a guide in advance is difficult since tour agencies just aren't
interested in hiring out their guides. If you wait until you arrive in Cusco
to arrange a guide then you are liable to be left with only the worst guides
and the very high probability that all the spaces on the trail are fully
booked. If you want to get away from it all and trek on your own then there
are some excellent alternative treks such as Lares Valley, Choquequirao or
Ausangate. If you do manage to organize a guide for the Inca Trail in
advance you cannot have a group greater than 7 persons and you can't employ
the services of other trekking staff such as cooks or porters.



6. Maximum Group Size: The maximum allowable group size is 16 persons. For
groups larger than 8 persons there must be 2 guides. (on the shorter 2 day
trek there must be 2 guides for groups larger than 07 persons)



7. Porters Working Conditions In April 2002 a new law was introduced to set
a minimum wage for all porters on the Inca Trail. This has followed years of
exploitation. This wage is about US$10 per day. It may not seem a lot but
wages are all relative to livings costs. To put things in perspective
teachers earn between US$150 and US$200 per month. Even though the law
exists it is not being enforced and many companies are still paying their
porters as low as US$5 per day. In 2002 the maximum weight that a porter can
carry was limited to 25kg (20kg load + 5kg personal items). All porters have
their weight checked by government officials at the start of the trail.
However even this system is open to abuse and many tour operators get their
guides and assistants to carry large loads across the checkpoint where they
are dropped and left for the porters to pick up. Many trekkers who have
hired an extra porter are also asked to carry their bags across the
checkpoint to be given to the porters after they have been weighed. So even
with the new regulations and a weigh-station at the beginning of the trail
it is still possible to see porters carry loads of up to 40kg.


8. Inca Trail Closure during the month of February: The route of the classic
4-day Inca Trail will be closed each year during the month of February to
allow conservation projects to be undertaken as well as giving the
vegetation a chance to recover. This is a good month to close the trail
since it is also the wettest moth of the year. Machu Picchu and the shorter
2-day trail will remain open as usual.

9. Licensed trek operators: The UGM (Unidad de Gestion Machu Picchu) is the
regulatory body responsible for controlling access to Machu Picchu and the
Inca Trail. In order to operate the Inca Trail companies must meet certain
basic requirements proving that they have professional guides and good
camping equipment, radio communications and emergency first aid including
oxygen. The license to operate the Inca Trail is renewed each year in early
March. Due to legal problems the Government has found it hard to withdraw
licenses from poor performing companies and every tour operator that has
satisfied the basic requirements has so far been given a license.
Legislation is likely to be introduced later in 2006 to give more power to
the Ministry of Tourism and allow them to fine, suspend or close badly
performing companies.

Those who love french-fries with their burgers should be thrilled to learn that the potato originated in Peru. The mighty Incas cultivated potatoes in the high altitude of the Andes Mountains. There are over 5,000 registered varieties of potatoes in Peru, being only one reflection of its mega-diversity. Peru, the land of the Incas, awaits travelers with a world of adventure and excitement.

The perfectly fitted stones of this glorious empire continue to be the main attraction to people from all over the world. Machu Picchu (http://www.allmachupicchutravel.com), the lost city of the Incas rediscovered centuries after the last Conquistador left, remains a web of riddles for the adventurer and the scientist to tackle. The Nazca lines -- what were they -- UFO landing sites or a pathway to the heavens and the gods?

History buffs are not the only folks who will enjoy Peru. Of late, thousands of people have dared visit the still largely unexplored Amazon Rainforest (selva) in search of cures for the world's illnesses by tapping into the knowledge of shamans (medicine men) who may hold the secret to help defeat the incurable. 

An adventurer can have a reasonably comfortable trip to the deeps of the jungle in Iquitos, starting at the seaside, crossing the Andes Mountains, and slowly making his or her way down the other side into the selva. As Iquitos isn't reachable by road, the last two days will be spent on an Amazon cruise boat. But those who want to get to the selva quickly need only fly one of the modern airlines that serves Iquitos and Tarapoto with daily flights from Lima.  Despite being visited by almost 1.5 million foreigners each year, there is always a place off the beaten track where the gringo tourist will be the main attraction for the locals. 

On the way to the low jungle in the Amazon Basin, some tourists will find that the high jungle plateau is a good place as either a stopover or a destination -- especially since it can tend to have a slightly lower humidity level than the low jungle areas.  Tarapoto is the most important city in the area, and it is the commercial trade center for the District of San Martin.  Tourists aren't crowded into Tarapoto, Moyobamba and surrounding communities as might be found in some other locales in Peru, but they are generally treated very well by the locals who welcome their business.

Even the not-so-adventurous can enjoy Peru.  Although still considered a developing country, Peru has made progress in improving its infractructure in some areas.  Five-star hotels, excellent restaurants, and vibrant nightlife will dazzle those who are looking to be dazzled.  Peru is an exciting land, rich in history and culture, waiting to be explored. Readers can click below on any city to obtain information and tips to make their trip a delightful experience.

The capital of Peru is the city of Lima.  The principle cities in Peru are Lima (pop. 8,900,000), Arequipa (pop. 848,000), Trujillo (pop. 820,000), Chiclayo, (pop. 568,000), Iquitos (pop. 426,000),  Huancayo (pop. 384,000), Piura (pop. 357,000), Chimbote (pop. 337,000), Cusco (pop. 320,000), Pucallpa (pop. 310,000), Tacna (pop. 284,000), Ica (pop. 242,000), Juliaca (pop. 239,000), Sullana (pop. 201,000), Chincha Alta (pop. 160,000), Huanuco (pop. 145,000), Ayacuchu (pop. 144,000), Cajamarca (pop. 132,000), Tarapoto (pop. 123,000), Talara (pop. 115,000), Tumbes (pop. 110,000).