Social Responsibility
As a leading tour operator in Cusco, we promote responsible tourism that generates a positive impact on local communities.
Our sustainable practices have directly benefited more than 450 families across 4 high Andean communities, preserving their cultural heritage while creating lasting economic opportunities. We allocate 8% of our revenue to social and environmental programs that transform the tourism industry into a true catalyst for community development.
Environment
Lower Environmental Impact Vehicles
We partner with local providers who maintain their vehicles to the highest efficiency standards, reducing CO2 emissions by 15% through regular maintenance and efficient fuel use.
Waste Management & Recycling
We collaborate with 4 local communities to classify and recycle waste, installing 28 recycling points and training 120 families in sustainable waste management.
Reforestation Campaigns
Since 2021, we've planted over 3,500 native trees in collaboration with Pitumarca and Cusipata communities. For every 10 tours, we fund one tree planting with direct visitor and resident participation.
Education
Educational Scholarships
We allocate 2% of our income to a scholarship fund benefiting 14 students from high Andean communities, working with Tupac Amaru II school (Chillihuani) and José Carlos Mariátegui school (Llacto).
Language Workshops
We facilitate weekly English workshops for 35 youth and adults, taught by our bilingual guides and international volunteers, creating employment opportunities in tourism.
Educational Infrastructure
We've renovated 3 classrooms and built a community library in Pitumarca. Partnering with "Education Without Borders" NGO, we provide materials and technology to 6 rural schools, impacting over 320 children.
Community Development
Artisan Training
We organize quarterly workshops for 48 local artisans on traditional techniques and marketing, establishing 2 direct sales points that increased artisanal income by 35% since 2022.
Tourism Cooperatives
We support 3 local cooperatives employing 24 people, managing food, rural lodging, and auxiliary guiding services while keeping 92% of income in the local economy.
Local Employment
85% of our staff comes from local communities, creating 17 direct and ~30 indirect jobs with formal contracts, social benefits, and continuous training with official certification.
Empowerment
Entrepreneurship Training
Partnering with PROMPERÚ and Andean University of Cusco, we offer a 6-month entrepreneurship program benefiting 31 local entrepreneurs, establishing 8 new businesses with seed microfinancing and ongoing mentoring.
Female Leadership
We've implemented 50% female participation quotas across all programs. Currently, 11 women hold management positions in our operations and cooperatives—a 180% increase since 2019.
Women Tour Guides
Our guide academy has trained 9 women from local communities as certified official guides through full scholarships, representing 40% of our guiding team and sharing ancestral knowledge.
Community Challenges
Communities near Rainbow Mountain (Pitumarca, Cusipata, Llacto, and Chillihuani) possess exceptional cultural and natural wealth but face challenges from disorganized tourism, territorial conflicts, and limited opportunities.
👶 Children (0-12 years)
- Lack of infrastructure and bilingual education teachers. In Pitumarca, 4 in 10 Quechua-speaking children drop out. Classrooms lack heating (temperatures reach -5°C), and children walk up to 3 hours to schools where one teacher serves 35 students.
- High child malnutrition and anemia rates. 68% of children under 5 in Chillihuani suffer chronic anemia, many attending classes without breakfast as school cafeterias operate irregularly.
- Risk of child labor in agriculture and tourism. Children as young as 8 leave school to sell crafts or pose for tourist photos. In Cusipata, 42 children work in dangerous conditions with extreme temperature exposure.
🧒 Adolescents (13-17 years)
- Difficulty continuing studies and lack of technical education. In Llacto, only 1 in 15 adolescents completes secondary school. The nearest school is 27 km away, forcing youth to migrate or abandon studies.
- Limited sexual and reproductive health programs. Teen pregnancy reaches 32%—double the national average. In 2023, 14 girls aged 13-16 left school due to pregnancy. The medical post operates only 3 days weekly.
- Lack of sports and recreational spaces. Adolescents use improvised rocky fields, and the only court floods 5 months yearly. Without alternatives, minor alcohol consumption increased 47%.
👨 Young Adults/Adults
- High unemployment and lack of tourism training. 73% of Cusipata adults work informally with incomes barely reaching S/. 450 monthly. Without training, locals are excluded from better-paid tourism jobs.
- Unstable informal tourism income. During low season, family income drops 68%—from S/. 1,200 to only S/. 380 monthly, insufficient for basic needs.
- Deficient medical services and health insurance. The medical post serves 3,800 people with one doctor visiting twice weekly. Serious cases require 3-hour hospital travel. 62% lack insurance.
👴 Elderly
- Abandonment and lack of inclusion programs. In Chillihuani, 38 elderly live alone after their children migrated. Many walk kilometers daily for firewood and water. Pension 65 doesn't reach many lacking documentation.
- Limited medicine and specialized care access. 84% of elderly suffer chronic diseases without adequate treatment, often choosing between medicine or food. Traditional medicine proves insufficient for serious conditions.
- Precarious housing conditions. 67% of elderly live without basic services. During frost months, interior temperatures drop to -8°C, causing serious health problems and quality of life deterioration.