Our porters are the backbone of our trekking tours, especially the Inca Trail. Without them, these amazing adventures just wouldn’t happen. Most of them are very hardworking people. They have to carry lots of things, including food supplies, through steep terrains to ensure that guests are well taken care of. However, most organizations do not treat their porters well, but at TreXperience, we ensure that we treat and appreciate them.
Respecting Our Porters
At TreXperience, we take the well-being of our porters seriously. We limit their weight to ensure they’re not overloaded. Each guest is allowed to give a maximum of 7 kilos of personal stuff to their porter. This not only helps them carry the load safely but also ensures they’re comfortable as they work. By doing this, we’re keeping within government rules and, more importantly, making sure our porters have a better experience, too.
 |  |  |  |
Meals for Porters
When it comes to food, our porters have a separate menu from the guests. This is mainly because of weight limits and the number of porters allowed on the trek, set by the government. But don’t worry—they still get a nutritious meal to fuel them for their hard work. While you’re having your breakfast, they’ve probably already eaten oatmeal with bread or a hearty soup with noodles, dehydrated potatoes, and a bit of meat. They need that extra energy to keep going! By the time you sit down for lunch, they’ve already had theirs, ready to get back to work.
 |  |  |  |
We also buy food from local villages along the trail to lighten their load and support the local economy. It’s a win-win situation!
Fair Wages for Porters
At TreXperience, we believe in paying fair wages, especially to our porters who work so hard to make your trip amazing. We’re proud to say that we offer some of the highest wages on the Inca Trail. Because of this, head porters from other companies often visit our Cusco office, hoping to join our team. Unfortunately, we can only hire around 250 porters each month, but we hope that by leading the way with fair pay, other companies will follow and raise wages for their teams too.
A Personal Story from the Inca Trail
When I was working as a tour guide for a big company, I often had to say things that didn’t sit right with me. We were told to say the company was 100% local, but it wasn’t. One day on the Inca Trail, I noticed one of the porters in my group wearing sandals instead of proper shoes. Most of the porters were in uniform, so I explained to the guests that he preferred sandals because that’s what he was used to.
 |  |
Later on, I had a chance to talk to him, and he told me about his family. He had a son studying tourism and other kids still in school, but he was struggling to make ends meet. I asked him why he wasn’t wearing the company shoes, and that’s when he told me the company forced porters to buy their own uniforms if they wanted to work. They even deducted the cost from their wages! It broke my heart to hear that. The company was charging their poorest workers for uniforms and telling guests that they provided everything.
 |  |
That day, I made a promise to myself that I would start a company where porters were treated with respect and given what they needed to do their jobs without extra costs. When I started TreXperience, many of the porters and chefs followed me. Some brought their old gear because they had paid for it themselves. I reassured them that with TreXperience, they wouldn’t need to buy anything—we provide all the equipment and uniforms at no charge.
Providing Quality Equipment
We believe that our porters deserve the best. At TreXperience, we give them everything they need to stay safe and comfortable on the trail. From jackets and t-shirts to hats, shoes, knee braces, sleeping bags, pads, and tents—we provide it all. There’s no charge for any of the gear, and we also take care of their transportation during the trip. We want to make sure they have everything they need to do their job well and stay comfortable.
 |  |
Health Insurance for Our Porters
Carrying heavy loads over mountains is no easy task. To make sure our porters are safe, TreXperience is one of the few companies that provides health insurance to all our porters. This covers them in case of injury, and it even extends to their families. We believe that looking after our team means more than just fair wages—it’s about making sure they’re protected and can work with peace of mind.
 |  |  |  |
Empowering Female Porters
You don’t often see female porters on the Inca Trail, mostly because of cultural traditions in Peru. But at TreXperience, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to work, no matter their gender. We’re proud to have both men and women on our team—female porters, chefs, and tour guides. In fact, 70% of our office staff are women. Priscila, the owner of TreXperience, is dedicated to hiring more women and breaking down those traditional barriers. She wants to empower women and show that they can do just as much, if not more, in this industry.
 |  |  |  |
By hiring women and creating a diverse team, we’re not only improving the experience for our guests but also helping to change the future of tourism in Peru.