About Us
Pachamama Expeditions is a return to what is essential, guided by local hands and feet that know every stone upon the trail. We do not measure the quality of our journeys by a hotel’s star rating, but by the clarity of the stars over Salkantay. We are born from a simple conviction: the Andes are not meant to be visited, but to be inhabited.
We have replaced the conventional concept of tourism with that of ‘presence.’ For us, luxury is nature in its rawest form; it is about reclaiming silence, walking to the rhythm of one’s own breath, and understanding that the path to Machu Picchu is as sacred as the citadel itself. We operate through ethical practices that honor the land and its people, ensuring our footprint is as light as our connection is deep. We are not intermediaries of a destination; we are facilitators of a technical and human connection with the Earth.”
Founder & Director
The Roots of My Vision | By Zugar Rey Leonar Quispe Cusi
Pachamama Expeditions was not born from a business plan, but from my reality within the Andean highlands. I was born and raised in the community of Chilca, Ollantaytambo, where respect for the Earth and my native Quechua were not lessons to be learned, but the very foundation of my existence.
My education began on the trail long before I reached the university. From my father—a veteran cook on the Inca Trail—I learned that mountain logistics demand absolute technical precision. Having traveled across the diverse landscapes of Peru and stood at Machu Picchu more than 600 times, I have developed a rigor that mass tourism has long forgotten; I have walked these routes my entire life, and I personally design every trail we offer.
During my academic training, I mastered English, Portuguese, and Spanish—tools that now allow me to translate the complexity of my culture for the modern traveler. I founded this project to reclaim the truth of the Andes through an approach that is as technical as it is ethical: out of respect for the stability of our ecosystems, we do not use permanent campsites. Our presence is transitory; we dwell with care and withdraw without a trace, allowing nature to follow its own course.
What I propose is a return to the essential: expeditions guided by local hands who know every stone upon the path. I am the bridge between the ancestral wisdom I inherited in the Sacred Valley and the professional excellence that the world demands today. My commitment is to ensure that your journey is a coherent, honest, and profoundly human immersion.
The Foundation of Essential Trekking.
Our values are the technical guidelines that dictate every decision we make in the field. At Pachamama Expeditions, we do not follow commercial trends; we follow the ancestral laws of the Andes and the requirements of high-altitude safety.
- Ayni (Reciprocity & Camaraderie): This is our primary engine. We operate under a system of mutual support where the well-being of the traveler, the staff, and the community are interconnected. We foster an environment of companionship and respect, ensuring that the human bond remains the strongest layer of our safety protocol.
- Integrity & Radical Honesty: We operate with absolute transparency. Our commitment to honesty ensures that our travelers and staff have a clear, realistic understanding of the expedition’s challenges and rewards. We do not manufacture expectations; we deliver authentic experiences.
- Ethical Responsibility: We take full accountability for every life on the trail. This responsibility extends from the fair treatment of our local collaborators to the absolute safety of our clients, monitored 24/7 from our operations base.
- Operational Flexibility: We understand that the mountains are unpredictable. We offer adaptable logistics and travel ease, providing our clients with the flexibility needed to navigate changes in terrain or personal pace without compromising the integrity of the journey.
- Environmental Stewardship: We are guests of the mountains. Our “Zero-Footprint” policy is a non-negotiable standard. We maintain the integrity of the ecosystem through silent logistics and the absolute removal of all generated waste.
- Essentialism & Humanity: We reject material excess to focus on what matters: the human spirit and nature. Our philosophy is rooted in a deep respect and care for the land and for every individual who joins us, returning the focus to the essential nature of the journey.
A Response to the Need for Truth.
We created Pachamama Expeditions because we witnessed the soul of the Andes being traded for convenience. For years, we saw a tourism industry that favored material luxury over human presence and permanent structures over the sanctity of the land. We saw a cycle of practices that we felt compelled to break.
We knew there was a different way.
Breaking the Pattern We have intentionally departed from the common practices of traditional agencies that prioritize high margins over the welfare of the people. Pachamama Expeditions was founded to disrupt this model. We don’t follow the industry’s “customs”; we establish our own based on transparency and professional integrity.
The Ethics of Presence & Fair Treatment Our commitment to ethical practices is the backbone of our operation. This means fair salaries that reflect the immense value of our team’s expertise and a level of treatment that honors their dignity as the true guardians of the trail. We do not negotiate on the well-being of our staff. For us, a successful expedition is one where every person—from the traveler to the porter—is treated with absolute respect.
To Honor the Land Our environmental commitment is a technical necessity, not a slogan. By refusing to use permanent campsites, we ensure that the mountains remain wild and sovereign. We proved that high-end logistics can coexist with a zero-footprint philosophy, leaving the paths exactly as we found them.
To Empower the Source We believe the heritage of the Sacred Valley belongs in the hands of those who have protected it for centuries. By ensuring fair pay and ethical standards, we empower the local families and communities that make these journeys possible.
We didn’t create this to show you a destination. We created it to facilitate a return to what is essential.
The Restoration of Essential Exploration.
Our mission is to provide a primary-source mountain experience that prioritizes technical safety, ethical parity, and territorial sovereignty. We exist to inspire travelers to reconnect with what truly matters: the raw reality of nature. Beyond the capture of a photograph or the comfort of modern infrastructure, we share the ancestral philosophy of Allin Kausay—the art of living well and in absolute harmony with the environment. By focusing on essential, high-performance logistics, we return the focus of the expedition to the human spirit and the natural world.
Corporate Vision
Defining the Standard of Andean Sovereignty.
We envision a future where the Andes are navigated with the respect and precision they demand. Our purpose is to serve as a catalyst for identity and self-worth, inspiring our people to embrace who they are and where they come from with absolute pride. We aim to build a legacy of high-level self-esteem among Andean youth, encouraging them to step beyond their comfort zones and claim their place as global leaders in mountain exploration.
To manifest this future, we commit to:
- Empowering the Next Generation: Inspiring young people across the Andes to pursue excellence and professionalize their heritage, ensuring they have the tools to sustain themselves and their communities.
- Pachamama Foundation: Our vehicle for social impact, dedicated to creating new educational opportunities and sustainable social projects that reinforce our local identity.
- Pachamama Green: Our environmental mandate, focused on the active protection and restoration of the ecosystems that define our home.
Pachamama Expeditions aims to be the benchmark for Native-Direct Operations, leading the transition from mass tourism to a model of “Invisible Presence,” where the mountain is respected and our people are empowered.