Llama Path — Local services in Distrito de Cusco

We just completed a private traditional Inka trail experience 5 day/4 nights to finish in Maccu Piccu. We have known of Llama Path for more than one decade, and our anticipation for the adventure could not have been more palpable.

To say that we were pleased with the experience would be an understatement. We are ecstatic. This is an amazing way to share time with a loved one that builds memories for a lifetime.

Ease of the booking and start to finish were effortless on our end. We were booked when we could travel, picked up and returned to our hotel without a worry.

Let’s start by saying we were guided by a dedicated team on the trail. We had our guide Russell Apaza Alvarez who is university educated and a pure wealth of knowledge about the entirety of the Peruvian and Incan culture. He has led tours through the Inka trail more than 250 times and is a master communicator. Russell’s attention to detail, whether a specific ruin, wildlife/nature on the trail, or his intimately knowledge of cameras and capturing the best photos optimized what might have otherwise been a great trip. Russell helped to define this trip as exceptional by the way we were cared for and the pace set so that we could complete this arduous trek safely. This is not a journey for someone with a bad knee or hip, it is a challenge for anyone interested in an authentic Inka trail experience.

The team was obviously led by our guide, but this supporting staff of 6 porters was exceptional. Chief Chef Ivan and his assistant provided authentic Peruvian dishes each night. There was more than enough food to go around. Fish, beef, chicken, vegetables, fruits, potatoes, and even a surprise cake on the last night of camping. Ivan’s team met our needs for food without any preferences stated. I am personally a very picky eater and had no difficulty finding comfort int he meals provided. We were burning 1400-1900 calories per day hiking so we needed sustenance to carry us into the next day.

The porters…oh my. What an amazing team. We are so thankful to have had the comprehensive care that made this trip so special. Coca tea delivered to the tent every AM, hot after to wash face and hands to start and end the days, tents set up to perfection upon our arrival from the trail, etc. Each campsite and cooking materials had to be broken down each day as we made it camp to camp. The ease at which the porters carried their loads up and down the hills was awe-inspiring albeit dangerous. One particular note is the gear the Llama Path team wears. They all wear the same gear including high quality hiking boots to protect their feet. Llama path also has a home for the porters between treks and arranges trips so that they may also experience travel when they otherwise not be able due to finances etc. Llama path cares about their porters in a way that was palpable compared to other porters we happened to see along the trail. We were grateful of such commitment by the management team and I believe this is an important aspect to respect for the porters.

When to travel…we encountered no bugs. This is because we are here when it is cold at night. We saw temperatures range from 32F to 80F over the 10 day stay in Peru. The trek it is important to use layers and be prepared for COLD temps at night. Absence of insects was a winner in our opinion and is why we chose this time of year to visit.

How to travel…we come from sea level. There is no way to train for the high altitude of Cuzco or the Inka trail. We worked on cardio, climbed stairs, walked backwards on a treadmill too help build thigh strength for going down hills. We are one day post hike and currently have minimal soreness. Altitude illness is real. We came prepared.

In closing, we feel blessed by the team we were able to trek with and so grateful that Russell was our guide. We’d certainly recommend Llama Path to anyone looking to hike the Inka trail and would highly recommend a private tour if you are seeking to share a truly unique adventure with someone you...

Having just finished the 3d/4n Inca trail with llama path, I am taking the time on the train to write a detailed review of my experience.

Firstly on the company: The organisation by the company was good. They were very flexible and seemed to be on top of things. For example, we inquired about about a trip on the 2nd of September and actually they were initially not doing a tour on the 2nd. After speaking with them and having planned our trip around this (and wanted to go with llama path because we heard they were sustainable and ethical) they agreed to open up a tour on the second to accomodate us, despite the fact it was unlikely others would join. This was super nice on their part and really saved having to completely re-organise our trip, despite it being our fault for not inquiring before booking flights. Further, in the days before our trip when we had to do the briefing and pay the remaining sum we were busy doing tours in the sacred valley. They said "no problem, do the tour and the guide will come to your hotel once you're back for the briefing etc" which was again, very flexible on their part and much appreciated.

Secondly on the porters: really they are the stars of the Inca trail. The whole region is a very special place that people come from all over the world to see, and if it wasn't for the hard work and dedication of the porters no one would be able to see the beauty of the place. Our porters were truly super human. I have no idea how they are able to move so much weight and so fast. Even through unprecidented snow that we had on the 2nd day as low as 3400 meters. It didn't even seem to slow them down. Our porters were Darwin, Nikasio, Vasilio, Moses, and the sous chef Conception. I don't know if we were lucky enough to get the absolute A-team of Llamapath or if every team is this efficient but they truly went above and beyond and accomodate us on the trail. Also it was nice to get to know them, laugh and have fun with them, and it was good to hear them enjoying themselves, laughing, and listening to Quechua music in the evenings. They seemed to be treated well by llama path, and their packs did not look as ridiculously overfilled as other companies, which is good as we specifically chose llama path because we wanted a company where the porters were treated well.

Of course a special mention goes to our chef, el mago, Ivan. Who not only does the work of a porter, but once he gets to the campsite has to cook meals for both the porters and us. How he is able to cook up such delicious meals in the middle of the mountains is a mystery, it must be magic. Honestly the warm meals after the rain and snowy treks were a real highlight and a great moral boost to the trip. Somehow he managed to conjure up a cake on the last night too which was a nice touch.

Finally, our tour guide Gabriel was incredible. The passion and knowledge he has is surely unmatched. He knew the whole trail like the back of his hand, literally every bend, curve, and step. If he said we will likely arrive at the next checkpoint by 1200, we were there 11.59 at the latest. Further his knowledge of the flora and fauna was very nice. He could name almost every plant and animal along the entire trail stopping to show us interesting things along the way which was much appreciated. He had a good balance of letting us hike alone and meeting at the next checkpoint, and hiking with us making sure to distract us from the hard sections with stories and information. He has very detailed knowledge of the Inca sites and explained in great detail the specifics of each site.

Overall our experience with llama path was pretty special. I would certainly recommend it to anyone deciding who to chose and whether or not to do the Inca trail. The porters are worth their weight in gold, and should be treated...

Stop comparing tour operators and just go with Llama Path. I spent at least two weeks with research in order to decide with whom to go, since almost all of them are the same when it comes to the program, equipment and price.

So it’s about the details: I eventually went with Llama Path due to the treatment of their staff (especially porters, who are equipped with the appropriate gear by the company- that’s not the case with all of the operators) and most of all because they DO NOT offer portable toilets, that need to be carried by the incredibly hard working porters. It felt super un-human paying someone to carry around my… “business”. The toilets at the camp sites and break places were all super fine (of course not luxurious and you don’t want to spend too much time in them but they absolutely serve their purpose and I’ve definitely seen worse). So you can really forget about those portable toilets and be empathic, please.

The communication with Llama Path was super smooth, helpful, friendly and professional. When we came to the office in Cusco a few days before the tour we felt welcomed and well informed.

But what topped it all was the actual crew with whom we went: Nico, our guide was very caring and shared all his profound knowledge. He was super patiently answering all our questions and waiting whenever we spotted another animal. During the meal times he told us lots of interesting stories and we enjoyed our time with him a lot. What I also appreciated very much about him was the fact that he collected every bit of (plastic) waste that we found along our way. All the others were walking by, but he was the one actually taking action. So he really went the extra mile - not only for us on the tour - but for all of us. Superguia!

And then there were of course the porters, who deserve our deepest respect. What they carried up and down, on steep and high stairs, on slippery slopes, during rain and sunshine was simply incredible. I honestly call them superhumans 🦸!

Food wise I didn’t expect much but… everyday a three course lunch and dinner was served. Not just any - but super creative with a lot of heart blood in it, since even the tiniest piece of freshly made cake was decorated with sprinkles or chocolate sauce. I mean… you’re in the middle of nowhere and then this. Breakfast and “happy hour” were delicious as well. We never had any stomach problems since it all was hygienically and freshly made. At one point I just mentioned on the side that it was my birthday the week before and on the very last dinner they made an incredible birthday cake for me!!! WOW. Baking a cake in a pan is simply an art. Gracias to head chef Fernando and sous chef Hector for keeping us energized and surprising us each and the evrey meal. (Note - a few days before we have been to three of the best restaurants worldwide, so I guess you can really trust me taste wise). Other operators might also offer several courses, but again it was Llama Path who introduced this concept several years ago.

We also had the impression that the team worked very well together and that they also had a good mood between each other. Every single one of them greatly fulfilled their dedicated tasks 120%. MUCHISSIMAS gracias to Santos for leading such a great team, Victor for taking care of our tents, Justino for the excellent and attentive service (and all the hot water ;)) and Jose for all the clean dishes.

The tour itself was so fantastic that the Maccu Picchu finale is just the cherry on the top. I felt speechless several times regarding the majestic views, changing landscape and enchanting archeological sites. Like this “the way became the goal”.

Thank you again to Nico and the amazing porter crew for doing everything they could to provide us with this once in a...