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PERU HIKING & TREKKING TOURS

Take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu or explore lesser-known but equally spectacular Peruvian mountain paths!

Peru is a trekking wonderland with towering, glaciated mountains; intricate and well-preserved ancient ruins; absolutely stunning alpine valleys, lakes, rivers and meadows; unique wildlife; and indigenous cultures still living traditional lifestyles. All of our Peru Treks are either inn-based in luxurious accommodations or portered and/or stock-supported and feature elaborate and comfortable camping accommodations, transport of supplies, local transportation, a professional camp chef, local support staff, and all necessary permits and fees.

Our Peru treks focus on two spectacular areas, the most well known being the maze of ancient trails established by the Incas around Cusco that end at or near Machu Picchu. The most famous of these treks is of course the Inca Trail, but we also offer treks on two lesser-known routes, the Salkantay and the Ausangate (Rainbow Mountain). The second area we run trips is the stunning Cordillera Huayhuash mountain range in central Peru. This area is wild and remote, and features one of the best treks in the world, literally.

We invite you to read more about our Peru treks below, and please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions or to book a spot today!

World-Class Hiking Destinations

Cordillera Huayhuash Trekking

Guided Hikes to Machu Picchu

Peru Day Hikes Near Cusco

All peru hiking tours trips ( 11 results), filter trips.

Trip Length

Cordillera Huayhuash Trek

Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Inca Trail Trek Extended Package

Short Inca Trail Lodge Based

Classic Salkantay Trek

Salkantay Trek Extended Package

Rainbow Mountain Llama Trek

Lake Humantay Day Hike

Rainbow Mountain Day Hike

Cusco Acclimatization Cultural Day Tour

Sacred Valley Acclimatization Day Tour

WHY HIKE PERU WITH WILDLAND?

1. TOP RATED ADVENTURE TRAVEL COMPANY

Since 2005 Wildland has been leading hiking, backpacking and trekking tours across the USA and the globe. With 4,000+ total 5 star reviews on Trip Advisor, Google, Trust Pilot and Yelp, and nearly 100,000 guests accommodated, we are expert at providing premier, world-class trekking vacations.

3. ALL-INCLUSIVE TRIPS

Joining all-inclusive trips is something our guests tell us is very important to them, and we can understand why. We handle local transportation, gear, meals, permits, hotel reservations, local suppport staff such as porters and chefs, and more. We include all of this so you don’t have to think about it and can focus 100% on fully enjoying your adventure.

5. HAND PICKED ACCOMMODATIONS

All of our Peru hiking trips include lodging in Cusco or Huaraz before and after the trekking portion of the trip and during the acclimatization days, as well as lodging near Machu Picchu . For these nights we carefully select our hotels to provide a very comfortable, high end lodging experience for our guests.

2. ALWAYS SMALL GROUP TRIPS

The size of your trekking group matters. A lot. We max our groups at 12 guests and 2-3 guides (plus multiple support staff) so you can enjoy a personalized and customized experience. Many of our groups are 6-10 guests. Getting to know your local Wildland guides, who are intimately familiar with the culture, history and nuances of their home country is a joy for most guests. Additionally, small groups allow us to better customize hiking paces and dietary preferences for each guest.

4. LOCAL, EXPERT WILDLAND GUIDES

Having local guides lead your trip is a wonderful opportunity to get to know the Cusco or Huaraz area, the Andes, Machu Picchu and the people of Peru in a very personal way. Your guides are from families who have lived in this region for generations. On top of that, they are Wildland guides trained to uphold our very high customer service standards, risk management protocols, logistical systems, meal expectations and more.

Trekking Peru with Wildland

Enjoy this short video that provides an overview of Wildland Trekking's Peru program. With hiking options in the Cusco area (Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Salkantay and more), and the dramatic Cordillera Huayhuash (the world's second highest mountain range) there are many amazing options!

MORE ABOUT PERU HIKING VACATIONS

WHY A PERU HIKING TRIP?

Peru is home to dramatic mountain landscapes, including famous Machu Picchu, the world-renowned Inca Trail, the towering Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huayhuash mountain ranges and a lot more! It is also a profoundly rich country from a cultural perspective, with intact cultures whose traditions and ancestry dates back millenia, like the Quechua People . And of course Peru is home to the amazing history of the Inca and their amazing city at Machu Picchu.

But why a Peru hiking tour specifically? Well, on a guided trek of Peru you’ll see things that many visitors don’t ever get to see, like breathtaking, glaciated peaks; roaring rivers; waterfalls; remote villages; off-the-beaten-path Inca ruins and more. You’ll challenge yourself on demanding trails, but with the help and guidance of expert guides. And you’ll be immersed in the culture as you’ll be hiking with local guides, porters and chefs and can get to know the Peruvian people. What an adventure!

THE WILDLAND INCA TRAIL EXPERIENCE

If the Inca Trail is what you most want to hike, then look no further than Wildland Trekking! We have guided hundreds of guests across this famous, historic trail to Machu Picchu. With Wildland you can expect the best professional Peruvian guides, personalized tours of Machu Picchu and other historic sites, fantastic cuisine, top-notch gear, dialed-in logistics, wonderful accommodations, and thorough risk management. In other words, you can expect a world-class experience on a world-class trekking route. Our Inca Trail tours are all-inclusive, premier hiking vacations.

THERE IS MORE THAN ONE “INCA TRAIL”

The Inca Trail – what 98% of people coming to hike in Peru come to do – is really the tip of the Iceberg when it comes to Peru trekking adventures. Home to a stunning section of the towering Andes Mountains, Peru offers an array of lesser known, but equally or more impressive treks. Many of the best hikes are on Inca trails that aren’t the “Inca Trail.” Salkantay , Ancascocha, Rainbow Mountain, and a hundred others are stunning treks that follow ancient Inca trails past incredible ruins and into stunning mountain scenery. The advantages of hiking one of these lesser known Peru trails is that you avoid crowds and get to have as good or better of an experience as THE Inca Trail. With Wildland Trekking, they still include Machu Picchu! One downside is that they don’t end at Machu Picchu, so getting to the Ancient City of the Incas requires a train ride.

DISCOVER THE CORDILLERA BLANCA AND HUAYHUASH

Several hundred miles northwest of Machu Picchu is the town of Huaraz, which rests in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range. To the southeast of Huaraz is the Cordillera Huayhuash . These two areas comprise the second highest mountain range in the world, next to the Himalayas, and are arguably home to the most under-appreciated Peru trekking routes. It’s for this reason we offer hikes in these areas, and we firmly believe they are the highest quality trekking experiences we offer in Peru. We hope you’ll consider joining us to see for yourself how incredible they are!

HIKE PERU WITH OR WITHOUT A GUIDE?

Some trails in Peru, like the Inca Trail, are only open to people on guided treks. So on these trails, there isn’t another option. However, Peru does have more remote and wild trails that are hikeable without guides, so the question remains which option to go with. On a guided Wildland Trekking trip you’ll have almost everything taken care of for you. Our trips are all-inclusive so all you have to do is get to Peru, and we handle everything from there, including hotels, transportation, permits, meals, logistics and more. Also, by going with a guided group, you’ll be enjoying a much higher level of safety than going on your own. Peru’s wilderness is vast, high and dangerous and hiking with local experts is an extremely wise decision unless you have extensive hiking and backpacking experience in the Andes and other high, remote mountain ranges around the world.

WHEN TO HIKE IN PERU

From a weather perspective, the Peruvian Andes have two very unique seasons: the sunny season and the rainy season. The sunny season runs from mid April through the fall, which is to say through November. The rainy season, on the other hand, runs from December through March. The sunny season is without a doubt the best time to hike in Peru.

The monthly temperatures and precipitation in Cusco, Peru (near where many of the hikes to Machu Picchu begin) are as follows:

PERU VISITOR INFORMATION

TIPS FOR VISITING PERU

VISITING PERU : Get info on what to do, when to visit, how to get there, best hikes, best tours and more. BEST TIME TO VISIT PERU : Learn about the best times to visit Peru for trekking and to avoid crowds at places like Machu Picchu. LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTATION : Read about flights, buses, cars, necessary visas and guided tours. BEST PERU HIKES : Read about our recommendations for the best day hikes and multi-day hikes. CUSCO VISITORS GUIDE : This blog post is all about visiting Cusco: getting there, things to do, hikes near Cusco, cuisine and more. 3 EPIC PERU TREKKING ADVENTURES : This blog post does a deep-dive on three of the best hiking experiences in Peru. PLANNING A HIKING TRIP TO PERU : In this article we detail several hiking options, permits, transportation and more about planning a hike. COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE INCA TRAIL : Learn about when to hike the Inca Trail, what to look for in guide companies and more.

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Nature & Wildlife

Get ready to journey within a pristine rainforest, productive wildlife oceans, impressive sand-dunes, pure oasis, and colorful lagoons along less-traveled routes of Peru’s stunning geography. Whether it’s on a traditional vessel, a 4X4 vehicle, riding a bike, or horseback, all our trips will allow you to have a deep connection with nature and wildlife aligned with Peruvian Soul’s responsible travel values. If you are a nature lover, you will fall in love with Peru’s wildlife. Let us take you to the most beautiful and unexplored regions of the country and find nature at its purest. Get ready to discover a side of Peru you didn’t even know existed!

Northern Peru: Chan Chan and Gocta Waterfall

Kuelap fortress & gocta waterfall, short inca trail & the rainbow mountain, machu picchu & the amazon rainforest.

• Cusco & Machu Picchu

Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu & Cusco

E-bike journey through southern peru, lake of the condors & northern peru, luxury amazon river cruise & machu picchu, choquequirao trek & tambopata national reserve, wildlife tour in peru, nature at its purest, ausangate lodge to lodge trek & machu picchu, machu picchu & galapagos tour, peru and bolivia in two weeks, machu picchu & the nazca lines, peru adventure journey, inca trail to machu picchu, authentic peru experience, authentic peru luxury trip, peru family adventure, peru food tour, the flavors of peru, peru honeymoon adventure, peru off the beaten path: ica & paracas, machu picchu & the tambopata national reserve, off the beaten path cusco, southern peru experience, highlights of northern peru, highlights of southern peru, peru highlights: machu picchu & kuelap, huancaya & off the beaten path peru, peru hidden treasures, ayacucho: peru central highlands, peru off the beaten path: central highlands, peru off the beaten path: southern peru, peru off the beaten path: northern peru, discover the soul of peru.

Thousand of kilometers traveled, countless cities visited, always new discoveries right at your fingertips. Be the first to know all about our trips and the latest news.

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WELCOME TO PERU WILD TREKS RESPONSIBLE, SUSTAINABLE AND ECO FRIENDLY TOUR COMPANY IN CUSCO.

PERU WILD TREKS  , is a New local company in Cusco-Peru, this company value the importance of revealing the true historic, cultural and spiritual legacy left by our ancestors.  Peru Wild Treks    serves as the perfect bridge between the visitor and the Andean world it an excellent business image as well as an unbounding passion for our Andean heritage.

• THE TREKKING AND TOUR COMPANY

PERU WILD TREKS  is a professional trekking tour operator and proud to be a completely local indigenous company that promotes responsible tourism in Cusco-Peru.

PERU WILD TREKS,  is devoted to a presence of excellency and to fully enriching the elements of a wonderful experience during your holidays, making your visit memorable.

To be recognized as the leading Tour Agency & Operator in the Cusco Region & one that contributes profoundly to the development of the Tourism Sector.

Outdoor Activities in Cusco

INCA TRAIL 4 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS

VERY IMPORTANT TO BOOK EARLY FOR 2022: Trek permits for the Inca Trail are limited to just 500 people and this includes all support staff such as guides, porters and cooks (approx 200 trekkers and 300 support staff). Inca Trail trek permits for […]

SALKANTAY TREKS 5D/4N

A unique  Salkantay Trek Classic 5 days to Machu Picchu, specially designed with unsurpassable views of the snow-capped mountains of Humantay and Salkantay, the sacred Apus of the Incas. Trek OFF the beaten path, following our signature […]

VILCABAMBA TO MACHUPICCHU 6D

On this truly spectacular and special hike – the Vilcabamba to Machu Picchu trek- enjoy a wealth of flora, fauna, snow peaks, impressive valleys while at the same time visiting the last refuge of the Incas […]

WHY BOOK WITH US?   PERU WILD TREKS

We are a 100% local peruvian tour operator based in cusco., work with the true spiritual guides., we specialize in the creation of unique hiking and trekking routes., we operate all tours and hikes and all exits are 100% guaranteed., we do not have hidden prices., we have a comitment: improving the living conditions of children in peru., we know how important it is to trust a reliable honest operator., we have the best local guides in the region., we have a wide variety of alternative routes., we provide food on your hikes with local meals., we are a specialist in small groups and personalized services., we have an ecological and sustainable travel company., tours around cusco & machupicchu.

SACRED VALLEY TOUR

Sacred Valley Tour was one of the most important places in the Inca Empire. Its climate was beneficial to the development of agriculture and the construction of important cities like Pisac and […]

MARAS-MORAY AND THE SALT MINE

This tour experience to Chinchero, Moray & Salt Mines, will take you off the beaten track to enjoy the stunning scenery of snow-capped mountains of the Andes in Sacred Valley[…]

CUSCO CITY TOUR

Cusco or Qosqo in Quechua was the capital of the Inca Empire called Tawantinsuyo. Cusco, with its special beauty and charm is considered the archeological capital of South America and a cultural legacy of Humanity. With no doubt, Cusco is the […]

Tours Full Days

PALCCOYOC RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

You want to see the stunning colors from the rainbow mountain, but the long hike up Vinicunca scares you? There is a little-known but great […]

HUMANTAY LAKE

This route is ideal for nature lovers who don’t have many days but you will find spectacular scenery, exotic flora and fauna along this hike adventure through beautiful […]

WAQRAPUKARA (Old inca temple)

Peru Wild Treks is offering this new route to Waqrapukara ,this trip will take you to a very old temple of the Incas, because it resembles the horns of a bull, […]

CACHICATA QUARRIES

Trek to the Cachicata Quarries This Full Day trek to the Cachicata Quarries resides in an area of the Sacred Valley in the district of Ollantaytambo, also known […]

Taxi And Guide Service

TAXI WITH ENGLISH SPEAKING DRIVER

BOOK YOUR TAXI WITH ENGLISH SPEAKING DRIVER IN ADVANCE!!!! PERU WILD TREKS has another new service for you with a driver who can speak english,[…]

TAXI AND VAN SERVICE

BOOK YOUR PRIVATE TAXI IN CUSCO-PERU with Peru Wild Treks, we offer different Taxi and Van services like: Transfer from the airport to your hotel City Tour Cusco. Sacred Valley of the Incas, Salt Mine […]

MACHUPICCHU BY CAR 2D/1N

Peru Wild Treks offer this wonderful trip, you’ll have the opportunity to observe beautiful landscapes, you will be impressed with all the beauty landscape that you will observe, you will also have[…]

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Latin America

Peru Hiking Tours

Ancient ruins & andean adventures.

Breathtaking landscapes, abundant archaeological sites, fabulous cuisine, and vibrant textiles make Peru a world-class destination. WT got its start in Peru, and we’ve been honing our wide array of itineraries to perfection for more than 40 years. Whether you choose a cultural exploration to Machu Picchu or an exhilarating trek to the Cordillera Blanca, our expert Trip Leaders immerse you in the culture and landscapes and show you Peru the right way.

All Trips to Peru

Small Group Adventure

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

From $5,995

Trekking the Cordillera Blanca

From $4,995

Trekking the Cordillera Huayhuash

Call for Pricing

Hiker’s Journey to Machu Picchu

From $6,195

Treasures of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

From $6,695

Private Journey

Inca Trail Private Journey

From $5,695

Peru Private Journey

Cruise Collection

Amazon River Expedition

From $11,025

Amazon River Cruise Extension

From $6,000

What Makes Our Peru Trips Special?

• Over 40 Years of Experience in Peru — We got our start in South America, and have perfected our itineraries over the decades—choosing only the most rewarding sites and timing our visits to avoid crowds.
• Travel With Incomparable Trip Leaders — Our Trip Leaders have deep local knowledge of Peru, Inca history, and Quechua culture, and a unique gift for sharing it; they enrich your trip and bring camaraderie and fun to the journey.
• The Best Lodges and Camping Amenities — We stay in the best properties, including the only hotel right at the entrance to Machu Picchu. Our Inca Trail private camp has an indoor dining facility, hot showers, indoor toilets, and even a sauna!
• A True Insider’s Experience — Get the full flavor of life in Peru—visit with weavers, ceramicists, and other artisans; be welcomed by our friends at a Quecha village with a traditional Pachamanca feast; explore little-known Inca ruins in the high Andes. Our local team will open doors you might never find on your own.
• Customize your Journey — Do it your own way! Our Private Journeys allow you to create your perfect trip with the help of our specialists—select your own dates and accommodations, explore at your own speed, and travel exclusively with your own group.

Everything You Need to Know

All our Peru departures reward you with awe-inspiring views, fascinating archaeological sites, wonderful cuisine, and a warm welcome from WT’s local friends. You can visit comfortably during much of the year because Peru is close to the equator and doesn’t have a lot of variation in temperature.

The two climate seasons are wet and dry. Hiking is best during the shoulder and dry seasons from April through December . Temperatures can vary quite a bit on the trail, so plan to dress in layers.

The Inca Trail is best hiked between April and December. April-May is a shoulder season, June-September is considered the peak season, and October-December is another shoulder season. Each time period comes with its own positives and negatives, which we’ve laid out in a month-by-month overview below:

Wilderness Travel offers full-service camping on the Inca Trail. Most trip members are pleasantly surprised by the comfort of our mountain camps considering we’re on an expedition! We use four-person tents for only two people, ensuring a fair amount of space for sleeping. We serve meals in a large dining tent with table and chairs with back support. The dining tent is a nice place to relax and socialize while drinking tea or coffee in the evening. Our trail staff is highly trained and will take care of all the logistics so you can relax and enjoy the climb. 

Any fit, experienced hiker will enjoy this hike, but it’s important to be adequately prepared both mentally and physically. To accelerate your conditioning, try walking faster than 1.5 miles per hour, walking on steeper inclines, using your gym’s stair-climbing machines, or going on long hikes (also a good way to break in your boots!). If possible, start training several months before departure. 

Can you have the Inca Trail largely to yourself? Yes, when you go with Wilderness Travel. We have perfected the timing of our daily hiking schedule so that the majority of other hikers will be either far ahead or far behind you each day. This delivers a much better experience of this World Heritage Site, and our trip members often comment on the magic of having the Inca Trail to themselves!

• We are experts on the Inca Trail with over 40 years of experience.
• A perfectly paced itinerary, with five full trekking days   (most companies push it with just four days on the trail—and some even three). This allows for a better pace, fewer crowds, and more sites and exploration along the way.
• Exceptional camps with the finest equipment, delicious meals, and hot coffee, cocoa, or tea brought to your tent each morning. The first two nights are inprivate campsites completely to ourselves!
• The most qualified guides — experts in Inca history and culture.
• Overnight at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge , the only hotel just steps away from the ruins, giving you access to Machu Picchu without the crowds.

Six hundred years ago, the Incas developed the richest empire ever seen in the Americas. Originally a small tribe in Peru’s southern highlands, they grew into a civilization of more than 10 million people from more than 100 different ethnic groups—using diplomacy as well as outright conquest. By the middle of the 15th century the empire stretched for 2,500 miles, from Quito, Ecuador, in the north to Santiago, Chile, in the south, making it the largest in the world at that time.

Experience Peru

Extend Your Trip

Amazon Rainforest Extension: Reserva Amazonica

Cusco and Machu Picchu Extension

From $4,795

Arequipa and Colca Canyon Extension

From $1,450

REVIEWS FROM OUR CLIENTS

We loved this trip, the physical nature of it, the camping, followed by the 5 star hotel, the Inca sites and Machu Picchu, our guide and porters and the other 7 clients we met on this trip. It all exceeded our expectations.

Met my hopes and then some. It was an “experience” –more than a vacation. We learned a tremendous amount about the culture, Inca history and, of course, the country is beautiful and people are so very nice!

This is a trip of a lifetime. It is so wonderful to see and imagine the Inca Empire. This is a trip with a mixture of explorations in the city, towns and hiking in the wilderness to wonder the accomplishments of the Incas. Would recommend this trip to others. Also the picnics, porters and food was great. Being able to stay at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge was priceless. This was one of the reasons I picked this trip over other companies that offer this trip.

I am so glad I took this trip. It was challenging, it was beautiful, it was wild—what could be better! Please continue to offer these types of treks that go beyond ‘glamping’ and offer a true wilderness experience!

We were blown away by the accommodations in the mountain lodges—a far cry from camping!

A magical tour of some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Flawless planning and support by Wilderness Travel. Excellent Trip Leaders!

An amazing trip! I felt the true vastness of the Cordillera Blanca through the well-planned itinerary and the thoughtful and professional leadership.

This was a trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. We were celebrating our 10th anniversary and wanted something special and memorable. This trip surpassed all our dreams. We have both traveled for much of our lives, but never experienced something like this. It was amazing to truly be off the grid, in the middle of nowhere—and in the middle of tremendous beauty. I can’t say enough how much we loved it. Everything was superb—the guides, the camping sites, the organization, the porters, the FOOD (better than any restaurant)! Thank you.

The strengths of our experience with WT were: the itinerary and how it was executed, our guides, and the flawless facilitation provided by WT’s local agents. Travel is ALL about attention to detail, and the in-country team was flawless.

I can’t give enough wonderful feedback! Our Trip Leader did a superlative job of helping to balance challenge with wonderment. The rest of the team on the trail were warm, professional, and kind. The food was terrific!

Hiking the Inca Trail the Wilderness way was an amazing experience we will never forget. The views from the hikes and the campsites, especially the last one, were amazing and possibly even more spectacular than that of Machu Picchu, if that is even possible. The food on the trek was outstanding and we all wondered at how such delicious and fancy meals could be made on the trail. The nights spent hiking were quite luxurious from camp standards—between the porters and the dining tent and the toilet tent, it was easy to forget we were supposed to be camping! And of course, the company, from our Trip Leader Miguel to our fellow travelers, was wonderful as well.

I would definitely work with Wilderness Travel again for future trips. The hotels and restaurant ideas were always spot on and a great fit. The mix of hiking, visiting a local market, the shop to see the making of alpaca items, and seeing the culture of Peru was fantastic. Mariela was such a terrific match for us! The drivers were always very courteous and friendly. We felt really taken care of on this trip. When one of my daughters said “where else does Wilderness Travel go?” towards the end of the trip, I knew is was a success! Thanks for making this a special trip for our family.

I loved this trip. The fact that we were kept away from the crowds, camped the first and second night at locations far away from others and even the fourth night despite passing by a few groups we had the best view above them. It is evident that there has been a lot of effort in the details to make this unique and unlike the other Inca Trail treks offered by other companies.

This was the best trip I have ever been on and made a dream come true in memory of my husband. It was strenuous and difficult but we had a truly spiritual experience, learned a great deal about an amazing civilization, got to know Peru today. It was worth every penny. You don’t know how many people told me to take the train!!! Amazing adventure, a great challenge and a brilliant outcome when we got to the Sun Gate. I would choose Wilderness for any trip that meant a lot!

Superb trip! Just loved it. The Andes is such a rich area. Natural beauty (mountains, interesting flora and fauna) and such a strong cultural history make for a great trip. And when combined with an excellent leader and support team, the combination is unbeatable.

Talk to an Expert

Our Latin America Specialists know every detail about our Peru trips. They will be happy to answer any questions and help make sure it’s the right adventure for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!

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We are honored to be recognized as one of the top tour operators in the world.

Our wildlife eco-tours and safaris have been widely recognized as the ultimate adventures for wildlife lovers by National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, Fodors, Smarter Travel and more.

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Learn about special offers and last minute deals on our award-winning wildlife eco-tours and safaris. Discover exciting new trips and wildlife-viewing tips from the world's best trackers and guides.

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Where To Find the World's Best Wildlife

As experts in wildlife travel for 23 years, we've learned a lot about the world's greatest wildlife destinations.

Ours are not commercial tours; many of our destinations feature wildlife hot-spots which are virtually unknown & less traveled, where travelers can see the widest variety of wildlife -- without the crowds.

Weird and Wonderful wildlife

As Wildlife Travel experts we specialize in helping you get up close to see more wildlife and more rare and endangered species than any other operator. Discover some of the exciting animals from our trips in our photo and video galleries .

Explore by country, by animal, or start with our special gallery featuring the most Weird & Wonderful Wildlife of them all.

Travel Guide

• Things to Do
• Planning a Trip
• Organized Tours
• Active Pursuits
• Suggested Itineraries

Organized Tours in Peru

Because most travelers have limited time and resources, organized ecotourism or adventure travel packages, arranged by tour operators abroad or in Peru, are popular ways of combining cultural and outdoor activities. Bird-watching, horseback riding, rafting, and hiking can be teamed with visits to destinations such as Cusco, the Sacred (Urubamba) Valley and Machu Picchu, or Arequipa and Lake Titicaca.

Traveling with a group has several advantages over traveling independently. Your accommodations and transportation are arranged, and most (if not all) of your meals are included in the cost of a package. If your tour operator has a reasonable amount of experience and a decent track record, you should proceed to each of your destinations quickly without the snags and long delays that you might face if you're traveling on your own. You'll also have the opportunity to meet like-minded travelers who are interested in nature and active sports. Some group trekking trips include porteros or arrieros (porters or muleteers) who carry extra equipment. On some luxury treks of the Inca Trail, porters will even carry your backpack, so all you have to do is hike your lazy self up and over the mountain passes.

In the best cases of organized outdoors travel, group size is kept small (10-15 people), and tours are escorted by knowledgeable guides who are either naturalists or biologists. Be sure to inquire about difficulty levels when you're choosing a tour. While most companies offer "soft adventure" packages that those in decent but not overly athletic shape can handle, others focus on more hard-core activities geared toward very fit and seasoned adventure travelers.

Inca Trail Regulations -- Trekkers once could embark on the Inca Trail on their own, but new regulations imposed by the Peruvian government to limit environmental degradation and damage to the trail itself now require all trekkers to go with officially sanctioned groups, guides and porters.

U.S. and International Adventure Tour Operators

These agencies and operators specialize in well-organized and coordinated tours that cover your entire stay. Many travelers prefer to have everything arranged and confirmed before arriving in Peru—a good idea for first-timers and during high season (especially for travel to Cusco and its immediate environs, including the Inca Trail). Many of these operators provide great service but are not cheap; 10-day tours generally cost upward of $2,500 or more per person, and do not include airfare to Peru.

Adventure Life ( www.adventure-life.com ; tel. 800/344-6118), based in Missoula, Montana, and specializing in Central and South America, has an interesting roster of rugged Peru trips, frequently with a community focus, including a 12-day multi-sport tour (mountain biking, hiking, rafting, jungle tour, and Machu Picchu), rainforest ecolodge tours, and a 10-day Cachiccata trek, as well as plenty of tour extensions. One Peru trip is specifically designed to raise money (40% of trip cost) for the organization's nonprofit fund (which aims to give back to local communities).

Adventure Specialists ( www.adventurespecialists.org ; tel. 719/783-2076) specializes in treks, horse trips, and archaeology expeditions, as well as wildlife and birding adventures. The founder is Gary Ziegler, one of the archaeologists credited with the November 2003 rediscovery of Llactapata, a "lost" Inca city.

Andean Treks ( www.andeantreks.com ; tel. 617/924-1974) is a personalized, high-quality Latin American adventure-tour operator that focuses on trekking in the Andes and exploring the jungle throughout Peru. The Massachusetts-based group's roster of reasonably priced trips for all levels includes cloud-forest treks, llama trekking, and highlands treks that combine white-water rafting or Amazon lodge stays. Trips range from easy to hard-core.

Backroads ( www.backroads.com ; tel. 800/462-2848) is a luxury-tour company that offers upscale, light-adventure trips around the globe, and it has several tours of Peru on its menu. It specializes in walking, hiking, and biking tours from Cusco to Machu Picchu, some of which incorporate stays at the Mountain Lodges of Peru (www.mountainlodgesofperu.com; tel. 877/491-5261), which also runs its own tours. Service is personalized and the guides are top-notch.

Culture Explorers ( www.cultureexplorers.com ; tel. 215/870-3585) focuses on cultural immersion and creating a positive impact on the communities visited, which is why its award-winning tours consistently receive rave reviews. In Peru, its Culture Xplorers Weavers Awards, an annual awards celebration honoring the indigenous weavers of the Sacred Valley, brings together more than 500 weavers from nine participating communities to compete for pride and prizes, a unique event for any tourists to be a part of. The small-group programs are often timed to align with special events, such as rare Andean festivals that other operators do not have access to, and it runs excellent culinary tours as well. Accommodations are usually in 3- to 5-star hotels, and guides are top-quality.

Journeys International ( www.journeys.travel ; tel. 800/255-8735), based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, offers small-group (4–12 people) natural history tours guided by naturalists. Trips include the 9-day "Amazon & Andes Odyssey," which includes the Tambopata National Reserve along with Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley, as well as special Amazon and Inca trips for families.

Mountain Travel Sobek ( www.mtsobek.com ; tel. 888/831-7526 or 0808/234-2243 in the U.K.) offers seven itineraries to Peru, including the 8-day "Andean Explorer," with day hikes and rafting. Options for mountaineers and committed trekkers include 13 days of strenuous trekking in Cordillera Blanca (mostly camping); a shorter 5-day (but still hard-core) trekking option in the same area; and a challenging 15-day rafting trip along the Tambopata River (half camping, half inns). A unique trip is the off-the-beaten path "Other Inca Trail"; the company also arranges luxury treks to Machu Picchu with stays at the cool inns owned and operated by Mountain Lodges of Peru. Trips are helpfully rated for difficulty.

Overseas Adventure Travel ( www.oattravel.com ; tel. 800/955-1925) offers natural history and "soft adventure" itineraries, with optional add-on excursions. Tours are limited to 16 people and are guided by naturalists. All accommodations are in small hotels, lodges, or tent camps. The 11-day "Real Affordable Peru" includes rafting on the Urubamba and a curandero healing ceremony. The 16-day "Machu Picchu & Galápagos" tour features a good bit of walking.

Wilderness Travel ( www.wildernesstravel.com ; tel. 800/368-2794) is a Berkeley-based outfitter specializing in cultural, wildlife, and hiking group tours that are arranged with tiered pricing (the trip cost varies according to group size). There are 10 different tours to Peru, including a 17-day Trekking in the Cordillera Huayhuash Blanca and a Choquequirao trail to Machu Picchu. Wilderness Travel also offers soft luxury treks to Machu Picchu with stays at the cool inns owned and operated by Mountain Lodges of Peru. Trips are helpfully graded according to difficulty.

Wildland Adventures ( www.wildland.com ; tel. 800/345-4453), based in Seattle, is one of the top international outdoor-tour companies with operations in Peru. It offers excellent special-interest trekking and rainforest expedition programs, with customizing options. There are lodge-based programs, primarily in the jungle; trekking expeditions, such as the Machu Picchu Mountain lodges trek; and lesser known hikes through the Lares Valley and Mount Ausangate. Wildland's programs are well designed, guides are very professional, and the organization is focused on authentic travel experiences.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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All Tours Operated By Wildland Trekking

Discover the best Wildland Trekking adventures in one convenient place. TourRadar offers 152 Wildland Trekking tours. You can find the perfect trip spanning across 1 day to 13 day itineraries with prices starting from just EUR 148 per day!

152 Wildland Trekking trips

• Hiking & Trekking

Summer Rim to Rim

• Mountain Hikes

Yellowstone Base Camp Tour

The Yellowstone Base Camp tour was excellent. We covered a wide variety of Yellowstone sites from the popular attractions to beautiful but less frequented locations. Our guides, Chris Rapich and Ed Cochran, were great. They provided a lot of information about the park and wildlife, made great meals and did everything they could to make this a memorable experience. I'd travel with them anytime.

• Christmas & New Year

Zion and Bryce Lodge Based Tour

THis was my first trip with Wildland Trekking and I had no idea how challenging the terrain and hikes would be. As it turned out, everything was well within the ability of the five of us in the group. Our guide prepared us each evening for the day ahead so that we could anticipate with pleasure what lay ahead. When the going got tough, Craig encouraged and distracted us! He also prepared delectable lunches on the trail that fueled us for the rest of the day. Craig is a seasoned guide....well informed about flora, fauna, and the geology of the area' and excellent company in general. All in our group were ready to sign up for another lodge based trip after this excellent experience with Wildland Trekking. I was also very impressed with the attention to safety and other details such as good meals and nice accommodations.

Best of Lassen Volcanic Basecamp

Great experience. This may have been our guide's (Sassy) first official trip, but she did a great job. We all got along very well and Sassy handled some adversity with aplomb. Parts of the park at Lassen were inaccessible, but we managed to do and see a lot. One of our guests tested positive for Covid but we found creative and safe ways to make it all work. Meals were very good. I have booked another trip with Wildland.

Best of Yellowstone Tour

Best of Rocky Mountain Tour

Mount Sterling Appalachian Loop

Guide was great, thanks.

Yosemite High Country Basecamp Tour

Enchanted Valley

Bryce Escalante Inn based Tour

3 Day Smoky Mountains Hiking Experience

A wonderful trip. Three days of mountain hiking, 2 nights in amazing super deluxe mountain cabins, 2 dinners at their very upscale and inventive restaurant with two excellent, friendly, and knowledgeable guides. My only caveat was self induced. Mountain trail hiking is the real deal. And I was not physically prepared for it. Especially the first day which was the most difficult. To be fair day two and three were much easier. The mountains are beautiful, the town is great, and everyone had a friendliness that one doesn’t often find. Overall I confidently recommend this trip for anyone. Especially those who have a little mountain trail experience.

Asheville Inn Based Hiking Tour

My wife and I are very grateful to Kyle for his professional thoughtful service. We are so glad for Wildland trekking and Kyle to make this 45th wedding anniversary wonderful.

Spring Trekking Adventure

Best of Utah Inn Based Tour

Shining Rock Wilderness

Reviews of wildland trekking tours.

The Yellowstone Base Camp tour was excellent. We covered a wide variety of Yellowstone sites from the popular attractions to beautiful but less frequented locations. Our guides, Chris Rapich and Ed Cochran, were great. They provided a lot of information about the park and wildlife, made great meals and did everything they could to make this a memorable experience. I'd travel with them anytime.

We really Loved Bob! He clearly knows his stuff, and was a real pleasure to have leading us for four days. Meals were also excellent. Really some great dining options. Who knew!

Great experience. This may have been our guide's (Sassy) first official trip, but she did a great job. We all got along very well and Sassy handled some adversity with aplomb. Parts of the park at Lassen were inaccessible, but we managed to do and see a lot. One of our guests tested positive for Covid but we found creative and safe ways to make it all work. Meals were very good. I have booked another trip with Wildland.

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Experience the rich natural, cultural, and geological histories of Newfoundland and Labrador that will forever become part of your life’s story. Travel with Wildland Tours and create personable and fun memories as you meander throughout these ancient lands caressed by salt sprays of the wild North Atlantic.

Connect with nature like you never have before walk the same paths as our indigenous ancestors, sample traditional flavours, explore our outport communities, and listen to centuries old music in one of england’s first new world colonies., why choose us.

Small Escorted Groups

Guaranteed to go with just one, and with a maximum of 8 or 18 guests, we explore special places where other tour groups do not.

Knowledgeable Local Guides

Our tour guides live and breathe our province and they are passionate about sharing it with you!

Mesmerizing Beauty

The warmth of the people and the spirituality in nature here is like no other; having four UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a UNESCO Global Geopark was inevitable.

Wildland Tours respectfully acknowledges and embraces the lands on which we travel as the ancestral homes of our Indigenous peoples and solemnly share their histories with all who venture throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our best vacations.

Weekly departures from June 2 – July 28

Newfoundland Adventure

Eastern and Avalon regions, 8 days, 7 nights

Experience the world’s largest gathering of feeding humpback whales and a fabulous diversity of land and marine plants and animals. Explore the Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark while visiting the Trinity/Bonavista region. Meander through the historic streets of old St. John’s and hike the paths and trails of coastal communities and beaches.

Photo by Lisa B. Sells

Based on Double Occupancy Airfare NOT included. 15% HST extra

Photo by S. Bodart

Gros Morne, Norse Wonders, and Southern Labrador

Weekly departures from June 2 – September 1

Viking Trail Experience

Western Newfoundland and Southern Labrador regions, 8 Days, 7 Nights

Immerse yourself in three UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Gros Morne, Red Bay, and L’Anse aux Meadows! Explore majestic landscapes, bays, and freshwater fjords. Walk in the footsteps of the New World’s first peoples, first Norse colonists, and Basque whaling outfitters and settlers.

Join us to experience the world’s largest gathering of acrobatic humpback whales and a fabulous diversity of marine wildlife!

The haunting and melodic songs of the male humpback will always stay with you, join north america's only atlantic orca expedition.

One departure only from August 30 – September 8

Southern Labrador Adventure

Western Newfoundland and Southern Labrador regions, 10 Days, 9 Nights Maximum 8 guests; fills up fast!

Enjoy comfortable nights, wild days, and some of the planet’s most dramatic landscapes! Encounter humpbacks, orcas, rare subalpine arctic plants. Travel through time viewing fossils, remnants of the earliest life on earth, and some of the new world’s earliest archaeological sites. Explore Battle Harbour with its beautiful historic buildings in a context of wild nature. It is one of the most restorative, off-the-grid retreats in North America. Guests are still talking about the incredible food!

Photo by Dru Kennedy, NL Tourism

Photo by Darrell Penney

Photo by Mark Tsang

Photo by P. Darcy

Icebergs, Seabirds, Culture, and History

Choose your own dates between May 1 – 20

May Magic on the Avalon

Avalon region, 5 Days, 4 Nights

A holiday where you choose the dates and leave the rest to us. Blend both olde St. John’s and outport community comfort. Savour delicious traditional meals throughout your fun filled days of city highlights and explore the countryside with abundant species of plants and animals. Did we mention icebergs??!

Calved from Greenland glaciers, thousands of these giants journey here to greet you!

Blue and crystal hues of mammoth icebergs drift beside our shores along ‘ iceberg alley ’., seals, icebergs, seabirds, and mountains.

You choose the dates between May 1 – 20

May Magic on the Great Northern Peninsula

Western Region, 6 Days, 5 Nights

Be mesmerized by mammoth icebergs, mountains, and moose. Explore dramatic, glacially scoured landscapes. Discover hidden fossil treasures. Spring is the ideal time to see caribou, bear, fox, and so much more!

Photo by Jared Clarke

Don't take it from us...

Here's what some of our happy travellers say.

“ Thanks for another wonderful trip to Newfoundland. Darrell was an informative and gracious host and your province is just lovely. By the way, where do you find the interesting, lively guests that take your tours? We have been so fortunate both times to be with great people. ”

“ I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the Newfoundland adventure tour. Our tour leader, Stewart Cochrane, was an excellent source of information and he ensured that everything went according to plan. As a nature lover, and keen photographer, this tour ticked all the right boxes, so much so, that I am considering another tour with you for next year. All the accommodation was comfortable, but the Round da Bay Inn was exceptional, with its themed rooms, great hosts, and superb cooking,(to be highly recommended). ”

“ I have just returned home from completing Viking Trail tour. This was without a doubt the best tour I have ever taken. From seeing a trilobite on the first day, to hiking the Green Gardens, to the archaeological sites and everything in between was much more than I had expected. The small group size really allows an individual to experience more than they would with one of the larger tour operators. ”

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Share the joy of discovery on an authentic worldwide cultural and natural history exploration for active and inquisitive travelers who appreciate boutique accommodations, extraordinary itineraries and exceptional native guides. Wildland Adventures is a leading ecotourism company for small groups, safaris, family adventure vacations, small boat adventure cruises, honeymoon adventures, and personalized custom adventure travel. Destinations include Costa Rica and Central America, Peru, Belize, Galapagos, East and Southern Africa, Egypt and the Middle East, Patagonia, India, Alaska and beyond! Visit www.wildland.com or call 1-800-345-4453 to speak with one of our destination adventure travel specialists. …

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24 Hours at a Makeshift Refuge for Migrants in the California Wilderness

The campsite, run by a 22-year-old volunteer, became a first stop for people seeking food, water and warmth as they waited to be apprehended by border authorities.

Credit... Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times

Supported by

By Emily Baumgaertner

Emily Baumgaertner reported from a migrant camp in the mountains along the southern border in California.

• April 11, 2024

It was 1:53 a.m., and Peter Fink was on a barren mountain plateau near Campo, Calif., passing out blankets to people from four continents who had arrived there under the cover of night.

This was a nocturnal ritual for the 22-year-old, dressed in a ball cap and a wool overshirt, whose perch — just over 300 yards up a rocky incline from the United States-Mexico border wall — had become a round-the-clock boarding space for people who had crossed unlawfully onto American soil.

With Mexico’s armed National Guard now stationed at the most popular crossing sites along southeastern San Diego County, migrant routes have shifted further into the remote wilderness, where people face more extreme terrains and temperatures with little to no infrastructure to keep them alive.

For migrants who were aiming to be apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents and begin applying to stay in the country, Mr. Fink’s makeshift camp, a dirt patch under the lattices of a high-voltage tower, had become a first stop, where modest rations of donated food, water and firewood helped migrants survive while they waited for agents to traverse the landscape and detain them before their health languished dangerously.

At this site and others along the border, migrants have waited for hours or sometimes days to be taken into custody, and a Federal District Court judge ruled last week that the Border Patrol must move “expeditiously” to get children into safe and sanitary shelters. But unlike outdoor waiting areas that had arisen in more populated areas, Mr. Fink’s site had no aid tents or medical volunteers, no dumpsters or port-a-potties — just a hole that he had dug as a communal toilet, and Mr. Fink himself.

By the morning, there were Indians, Brazilians, Georgians, Uzbeks and Chinese.

Officials say federal funding and personnel are far too limited to keep up with the influx of border crossings in the region, and operations like these have become a source of great tension in San Diego County.

Asked whether he worried that his humanitarian aid might encourage more people to come unlawfully, Mr. Fink shook his head.

“People do not spend their life savings and risk the lives of their children so they can taste these peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” he said.

Peter Fink is blond and fresh-faced, and grows a beard just to look his age. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest and learned Spanish working a summer job picking cherries. Captivated by the immigration crisis in 2020, he spent months in Arizona, walking over the border to volunteer at a Sonora migrant shelter by day and, by night, earning an international studies degree online, using free Wi-Fi at a local McDonalds.

He did not create this mountaintop camp; he found it. A local man had noticed fires burning on the plateau each night, and Mr. Fink, a wildland firefighter and avid camper who was traveling through the region, volunteered to spend the night on the plot in a tent to see what transpired. Within hours, over 200 migrants came on foot — among them pregnant women, children and elderly people — huddled together in the biting wind.

Word spread through the southern communities of what’s known as the Mountain Empire, an area so isolated that the small desert town of Jacumba Hot Springs (population 857) 30 miles away, became operation headquarters. Volunteers gathered firewood from the discards of an ax throwing venue and a live-edge table maker. An abandoned youth center was used to sort nonperishable donations. A shipping container in someone’s yard became a sort of depot for crates of water and tarps.

After that first night in early March, Mr. Fink spent another, then another. He pitched a series of four-person tents in a tidy line, cramming 10 people into each when the wind became particularly unbearable. He used white paint to label the drawers of old office filing cabinets in four languages, denoting rations of applesauce for children and formula for infants. He established guidelines for his campsite: one snack per person; no littering; conserve firewood; women and children receive priority in the tents.

On this day, the sun was almost directly overhead when Mr. Fink peered out through his binoculars and saw a couple being dropped off by an unmarked vehicle on a dirt road in Mexico and trekking through the arid brush toward the United States. The woman began slowing down. She was visibly pregnant.

Mr. Fink grabbed two water bottles and began his descent into the canyon below, waiting for the two a safe distance back from the border wall so as not to encourage them. Once on U.S. soil, the woman panted heavily and lowered herself to the ground. Her husband squatted in front of her and took her face in his hands.

“Está bien?” he whispered, wiping the sweat from her brow. She nodded.

For a moment, there was silence. Then Mr. Fink asked in Spanish where they were from (San Salvador), how soon the baby was due (one month) and whether the two had been extorted for cash by Mexican authorities on their way to the border wall. The couple said they had not.

“Buena suerte,” he said.

He led them on the ascent to camp, passing abandoned bags and clothing, and using footholds he had carved into the earth with a technique he had learned fighting wildfires. As soon as they arrived at the camp, he turned and began sprinting down into the valley again. He had spotted a young girl in polka-dot pants and a ponytail wandering with her mother, and could see that they were about to make a wrong turn.

Once the girl, Briana Lopez, 5, arrived at the camp, she ate Welch’s fruit snacks from Mr. Fink, and spoke by phone to her father, still back home in Guatemala.

“How are you, my child? You happy?” he asked in Spanish.

“Bien!” she said. “Sí!” Good! Yes!

Her parents discussed how she and her mother might navigate immigration detention once they were apprehended. Briana chimed in, excited — she believed they were going to Disneyland.

The last group of migrants was picked up by dusk, and Mr. Fink crouched in his tent, munching on a piece of pita bread and arranging donation drop-offs via his cellphone.

This was around the time he usually went to sleep, hoping for a few hours before the first overnight wave arrived. But in the distance he heard exasperated breaths, and a woman appeared alone, collapsing into his arms, weeping.

Her travel companions had left her behind, she said, following an underground railroad track and bearing too far to the west, disappearing into the wilderness. Now they were missing.

Mr. Fink climbed to the highest point on the rocky ledge, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted in Spanish: “Here, we have water and food! Do not be afraid — come this way!” his voice echoing through the valley. “Hey, welcome to the United States!”

He wrapped the woman in a blanket as she waited. “Dios te bendiga,” she said. God bless you.

Finally, her two lost companions climbed over the crest from the other side of the plateau, sobbing and wrapping their arms around her. Mr. Fink packed a bag for each of them as they followed Border Patrol orders to strip down to one layer of clothing and climb into a government van.

At 8:13 p.m., the site was silent again, except for power lines buzzing overhead and dogs cooing their evening songs on the Mexico side. In the darkness, Mr. Fink sanitized and tidied the tents, then lit garden lights and glow sticks along the path up to camp for those who would arrive in the night.

Within a week, Mr. Fink would depart for the Northwest, where planting season for sorghum and amaranth would begin, and where he had landscaping and construction jobs waiting for him. But his tarps, firewood and filing cabinets atop the mountain remain, and supplies are restocked periodically by volunteers.

When a group of Colombians were released from Border Patrol custody into the United States the following week, an aid worker heard them discussing “an angel” who had kept them alive and won their hearts — “un güerito” who spoke very good Spanish, they said, and who they had found hanging out in a tent.

Emily Baumgaertner is a national health reporter for The Times, focusing on public health issues that primarily affect vulnerable communities. More about Emily Baumgaertner

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