Andean Lodges
Tour Operator started in 2006
Local/Foreign Owned with 100% local staff
Lodging, Multi-Day Tours
Activities: Community Lodge, Hiking, Trekking, Mountain Biking
Andean Lodges offers lodge-to-lodge trekking and mountain biking adventures in the Southern Andes region of Peru. These trips are co-owned and operated by a group of entrepreneurs in tourism and the altitude shepherding communities of Chillca and Osefin, and offer exclusive routes, rustic lodging, and local cuisine. Travelers can experience the beauty of the Andes and see natural wonders like Rainbow Mountain and Ausangate, while also immersing themselves in the local culture and connecting with nature. The cost for a 3 day/2 night trek ranges from $920 to $1750 per person, with options to join an existing group or book a private experience. Andean Lodges employs 100% local staff and has a partnership with the Association of Traditional Weavers from Chillca and Osefina, which helps to recover traditional textile production techniques and provides economic opportunities for local women.
Lokal Travel Badges
-
Community
The lodges are operated by local housekeepers, and maintained by local guardians. They also took advantage of the young shepherds´ knowledge about weather and environment, to train them in mountain climbing, guiding and rescue. The cooks and housekeepers are trained with a tourism institute, and every year, they go, through internship and training. This training allows our people, not only to work at the lodges, but also, in other tourism companies, during the low season, or if they decide to change work, they still can work for other operators. Additionally, they have included the communities´ ladies, as well, by creating the Association of Traditional Weavers from Chillca and Osefina. Through this, they help recover their traditional textile production techniques, which actually are like Handmade Haute Couture. This way, the ladies have the opportunity of showing these traditional weaving processes, as well as having the chance to directly sell their products at a fair trade market price.
-
Environment
Andean Lodges trekking routes run across 9,000 ha. belonging to the communities of Chillca and Osefina which protect it, with much respect and loving care. There, one finds a variety of high-Andean ecosystems that shelter fauna, in its natural state, composed of vicuñas, condors, foxes and a wide variety of endemic and migratory bird species, living around on mountain lakes and rivers. Thanks to to their hiker’s contributions, these species are safe, and can be sighted, along the route. Andean Lodges work in conjunction with Nature Services Peru SA. This company controls the 'Regenera project' which supports Andean Lodges in the offset of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions through the sustainable management of ecosystems in Peru. Through their alliance with rural communities in the Peruvian Amazon, they implement strategies for sustainable use of the forest and restoration of ecosystems generating carbon offset and zero loss of biodiversity.