1. Best Companies for Inca Trail in 2024
Best Travel Agency for Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: This week, the Best Companies for Inca Trail is providing exceptional service to its clients. Despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 situation, we have gathered significant information for travelers interested in visiting Peru’s renowned site. Given the current turmoil in tourism and the absence of a confirmed reopening date for Machu Picchu, we still believe that now is an opportune time for individuals to plan and even secure bookings for their future Inca Trail Treks. Looking ahead to 2024, the popularity of the Inca trails has soared, with many considering it to be the ideal year to embark on one of the world’s most famous treks.
Regrettably, flights for May to September 2024 have only become available as of mid-2023, resulting in limited permit availability for the treks and restricting the number of tourists who can visit the sites. Consequently, the Inca Trails are expected to experience an even busier year ahead. Acquiring a permits for inca trail and making last-minute plans will be challenging, but that is where we can assist you! Best Companies is offering this article to provide insights into the Inca Trail experience in 2024. We highly recommend considering 2024 – 2025 or later (either May or Jun) as the popularity continues to rise. This year promises additional benefits and is well worth the effort of planning.
Allow us to explain why. Make sure to plan ahead and consult Inca Trail Permits or other authorized tour operators to inquire about permit availability and treks. Based in the United States, North Americans is a family-owned enterprise run by Abel Montesinos, specializing in private and tailored trips to Peru. Their aim is to provide the most authentic and high-quality experience at every visited destination. Operating since 2016, they have great prospects for the 2024 Inca Trails.
Abel, who has personal experience with the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, started the company following his extensive travels throughout Peru in the 90s. He wanted to share the insights he gained from Peru’s captivating history and breathtaking landscapes. Abel only employs knowledgeable and professional guides who possess a deep love and understanding of Peruvian culture and history. He and his team go above and beyond, ensuring that every trip exceeds expectations. The loyalty of their repeat clients serves as a testament to the excellence of their service.
While they offer private tours to various destinations in Peru, their expertise lies primarily in the Cusco and Machu Picchu region. We had a conversation with Abel regarding the current circumstances surrounding Inca Trail permits and guide services. He conveyed his belief that both the Inca Trails and Machu Picchu will encounter difficulties in the upcoming year. According to him, due to the limited number of permits available for the hikes, there might be prearranged package deals and intense competition to secure the few permits available.
It is strongly advised to plan your treks for 2024 well in advance to avoid being caught up in the rush. However, if time is not of the essence, particularly for experienced visitors to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trails, it is recommended to consider aiming for 2024 – 2025, as the situation is expected to deteriorate next year. Consequently, North Americans will not be providing Inca Trail Treks for 2024 – 2025. Instead, their focus is on fulfilling existing bookings and adequately preparing for the potential opportunities in 2024 – 2025. Abel’s guidance carries significant importance, particularly for regular trekkers in the forthcoming years.
2. Factors to Consider for Inca Trail
There are two main trekking seasons: dry and wet. The dry season runs from April/May to late September. The earlier in this period you go, the greener and more scenic the trail will be, as once it starts raining the flora quickly turns brown and dies. If you like milder temperatures and lots of flowers then aim for the start of the dry season, but be aware that you won’t have the trail to yourself and you may have trouble booking with short notice for the more popular dates. A good compromise is the shoulder season which runs through March and October.
During this period there can be isolated showers or even one or two days of continuous rain, but it is still very feasible to hike and much quieter on the trail. The wet season runs from late September to early April, and we generally recommend against doing a backcountry trek in these conditions. There are daily heavy showers, trails frequently become rivers, and rockfall and landslides can occur. Water runoff can affect the water levels of rivers to be crossed and high passes can be snowed in.
Some people still have an enjoyable experience at this time of year and it is certainly better than sitting in Cusco for a week with rain, but it’s not something we recommend to a visitor paying a premium to visit a world heritage site.
Time of year – The first thing to think about is what time of year you plan to hike. It might seem strange to you now, but trust us… if the conditions are right, many less reputable companies will hire unskilled staff (or even hijack staff from better companies) in order to meet demand during busy periods. Staffing problems are not desirable for you as a client… it can really affect the atmosphere of your trek… but more on staff later.
The most important thing we hope you get from this guide is an understanding of the various factors involved when planning for your Inca Trail hike. There are a lot of variables and considerations, and understanding as many as possible will greatly increase your likelihood of finding a company that is right for you. After all, there are probably a few companies that would be perfect for you, and a few dozen that you should avoid at all costs. The difficult part is ascertaining the difference between them! But this guide provides you with a good springboard from which to start your search.
3. Top Companies for Inca Trail
Sparrow Explorer Travel: This is the number one choice. Sparrow Explorer is a very dedicated, professional, and highly recommended tour company, which offers truly authentic treks with a strong focus on Andean culture. During the trek, they employ specialist Inca Trail guides, who are some of the best in the business. Sparrow Explorer runs its own community projects and is involved in various environmental and social responsibility works aimed at helping the Andean people and protecting the local environment. They pay their porters fair rates and this sets an example to all other tour companies.
This is one of the heavier reasons why we have chosen to work with this fine company. It’s no surprise that they were picked by the British, Canadian and several other European embassies, to take their staff on the Inca Trail and to be their number one choice and also why they have been the number one choice for thousands of other satisfied and happy trekkers. Sparrow Explorer is also highly recommended on Trip Advisor which is the world’s largest travel site. We have also received many reports from very satisfied trekkers, saying how they have exceeded their expectations and that they highly recommend this company.
4. Customer Reviews and Ratings
Rating and customer review sites such as Sparrow Explorer Travel have proved to be fertile ground for customer opinions, with many tourism companies receiving hundreds of comments. Comments about Inca Trail tour operators provide vital information for tourists searching for a reputable company for their Inca Trail trek.
Some posts are more specific about a particular guide while others give the general impression of the company. It is difficult for companies to remove comments, even if they give a negative impression. This transparency in the web-based information age should be a great warning sign to any company that has received negative comments to change its practices, while a good company can be more confident that its standards will remain high.
In 2016, the website https://www.sparrowexplorer.com/ did a comprehensive study of all licensed Inca Trail operators’ customer comments on Google (Sparrow Explorer Travel) The table below is a condensed version of their study of the 10 most reviewed active companies and their customer satisfaction according to TripAdvisor. It must be noted that some companies may have improved or worsened since these comments were made. The date and quantity of comments reviewed is also included.
5. Conclusión
With continued support from informed tourists, Sparrow Explorer Travel and other companies have the potential to greatly improve the conditions of the porters in the industry. These three companies are the ones helping to move the Inca Trail trekking industry in the right direction. It is recommended that tourists looking to book the Inca Trail at any point contact the companies directly and ask about how they treat their porters to ensure a responsible choice.
Sparrow Explorer Travel is certainly a top company for the quality of service. They are not the cheapest option but offer an exceptional experience to their clients. They are a highly organized company, and their prep work for the trek is meticulous. Sparrow Explorer Travel takes extra care to ensure their food is top quality and has a great set up for dining. They have access to the best campsites and often have entertainment with local musicians at night. While not as active as others in the area of porter welfare, they treat their porters with relative respect, providing them with proper wages and equipment. They are also involved in supporting local communities.
True Mountain is another recommended company. They operate relatively small treks and are leaders in the porter welfare movement. They treat their porters as family and are advocates for their fair treatment. True Mountain is also committed to giving back to the community and supporting many social projects.
The best company for the Inca Trail is Llama Trek. This is a newer company that operates smaller treks but has a clear understanding of the importance of their staff. Unfortunately, it is all too common that porters are forced to carry more weight than is legal and are not provided adequate food. Wayki limits their porter to tourist ratio to 1:1 and has a weight limit of 20 kg. They also provide their porters with health insurance, which is pretty much unheard of in the industry. This is a company worth supporting in hopes that it can set an example for other companies.
When researching companies for the 2024 Inca Trail trekking season, we found several companies that deserve to be recognized as the best. These companies not only provide high-quality tours with exceptional guides but also work to protect the environment and support their porters. They understand that by taking care of their porters, they will have a more enjoyable trekking experience since the porters are the ones who allow that to happen.
